Appassionata Sonata

[lisztmusicfan]

Hey all,
I am beginning work on Beethovens Appasionata Sonata and would like to know your experiences, if any, with this piece. This can be pointers and anything else you could tell me about this sonata. All comments are welcome, and thanks so much

[rachmaninoff_forever]

The first movement is the hardest.  Don't let the last movement fool you!

The last movement, if you know your scales, you're fine. 

Oh and don't start off soo fast!!!  Cause at the end it's presto so you have to beat that!!!  I think it's good to play the coda at double speed.

Because if you already start off fast, and only play like 20% faster, it's not as exciting as starting off a little slower, and then BAM 100% faster!!!

[nanabush]

I would agree that the first movement is the most difficult, but not from a technical standpoint.  There are so many moments that remind me of someone running up to a cliff full speed, then stopping abruptly and they are teetering over the edge... so many build ups that lead to a subito piano... really difficult to pull off.

In addition to the overall dynamics, voicing, balance in the first movement... there is the part where the left hand has the triplet repeating 'C' in the bass, and the right hand has to beast through the first theme entirely on its own.. now THAT was awkward to get going.

The second movement is tough because it starts out as a slow movement, but builds up the pace throughout the variations; it's got quite a bit of finger work near the end!  Don't underestimate this one.

The third movement is a study in dexterity; there is a part in the middle where the hands are kind of playing in canon... that's the toughest part for me; or in the recap when the left hand takes off with the theme in 16ths and the right hand accompanies.. fast passagework in this movement is hard enough for the right hand; having to suddenly take it with the LH and have it cut through is tricky.

Overall, this sonata is a beast.  The first movement took me about as much work as the second/third combined, just because it's so damn dramatic!  The first page is full of angst, and you need to project this sense of urgency with all the shifts from minor/major.  It's just overwhelming the amount of detail Beethoven put into this movement.  The first arpeggiated thing for the right hand is just like lightning out of no where.  It's the first virtuoso moment, and those low chords that follow it just hit you hard haha.  

I'm rambling, but mostly reminiscing at the amount of insanity I discovered within the piece.  So ya, it has a lot of technical challenges, but the only REALLY awkward stuff for me was the Th1 in right hand with the repeated notes in the LH (recap of movement 1).  That just really didn't fit nicely (the trills were atrocious here); The rest just took time and slow practice.

[steinway43]

Musically as difficult as it is technically. The narrative of the whole is critical, and regardless of which movement you find more difficult, playing it all straight through, while bringing all that passion to life, takes some doing. It wears me out! But it's worth it.

[lisztmusicfan]

Thanks to all who replied! I enjoyed your rambling nanabush, and thanks for the tips from everybody

[lisztmusicfan]

I want to resurrect this post because I still want to hear what people have to say about it haha. And the repeating C triplets with the main theme in the right hand is killer, but there's also a left hand part in the middle where it's sets of five notes that I also have trouble on. Any more thoughts about this piece would be greatly appreciated.

[aklvkk]

Well, the first movement is indeed hard musically, but the third movement is technically quite difficult as well. The sonata is doable though, not too difficult.

I found the arpeggiated chords(?) near the end of the third movement to be hard because it has to be soft and at the same time the top notes need to be heard clearly. And I agree, don't take it too fast at the beginning, the end will kill you otherwise.

The C-minor then F-minor arpeggios at the end of the first movement are so dramatic that when I first heard this in middle school that's all I practiced from the sonata. I actaully thought the first and third movements were different pieces, so when I realized they were from the same sonata I got all excited.

[canada100]

This is, without a doubt, one of the greatest sonatas of Beethoven, as well as the most difficult. Technically and musically this sonata is extremely challenging. This is based off of a Shakespearean tragedy. Beethoven is the bridge between Classical and Romantic periods, and his works clearly show this. Appassionata is one of my favorite sonatas by the composer, and I often hear it in competitions, alongside the Waldstein.

The first movement is challenging technically and musically. The second movement consists of mainly voicing problems, while the third movement is, technically demanding and very draining also. The entire sonata is extremely tiring, but the piece is undoubtedly amazing.


 

[j_menz]

This is based off of a Shakespearean tragedy.

Really? Beethoven makes no mention of it. Do you have some authority for that assertion?

[faulty_damper]

It's not that difficult from a technical standpoint.  I can think of quite a few other sonatas that require more technical intricacies than this one, which is heavily repetitive.  If you learn the best combination of movements for only a couple of passages, the rest of the piece is a piece of cake.  The greatest difficulty is musical, how to make the music sound mysterious and torrent-like.

[pianoplunker]

Hey all,
I am beginning work on Beethovens Appasionata Sonata and would like to know your experiences, if any, with this piece. This can be pointers and anything else you could tell me about this sonata. All comments are welcome, and thanks so much

I have not played it yet, but someone I know did a recital recently and the comment he made was that this piece is very deep and rich with emotion that must not get lost through technical challenges .  He said that was his challenge. I know that is not a very strong tip on how to execute but I think this piece is worth every minute of listening/playing/ or posting about it! 
All I can tell you is that it is Beethoven at his best - at least in my opinion.

[symphonicdance]

(1) Read more about the background of this piece, and the life & works of Beethoven, especially the year and few years before completing this piece.  Also, take a look at the analysis of this sonata.

(2) Go to youtube to look for masterclass video, e.g. Barenboim masterclass on Beethoven sonatas.  For Appassionata, Lang Lang was the "student", and Barenboim was the coach.  (Of course, I know that not every one will agree with Barenboim interpretation, but it's still a good reference for OP to digest.)

[pianoman1349]

I agree with pretty much everything that has been said so far.

While the appassionata may be one of the technically hardest things that Beethoven wrote, I personally think it is easier to achieve a decent performance of the appassionata than achieve a decent performance of an earlier sonata such as the Op 2 No 3 or Op 31 no 3, as the appassionata is more forgiving in terms of tone production, articulation, phrase refinement, clarity ...etc. 

I think that the Appassionata benifits significantly from a drier approach with less pedal, a more detached legato touch and clear rhythmic pulse, as it leads to a more exciting performance with more rhythmic drive and panache (especially on a large modern grand piano)

For more help, the masterclass/tutorial videos from the Youtube Symphony ORchestra has losts of helpful advice from a prof from Manhattan School of Music or Mannes (Can't remember)

Sorry for not embedding the videos ... don't know how. 

[beethovensonata]

Hey all,
I am beginning work on Beethovens Appasionata Sonata and would like to know your experiences, if any, with this piece. This can be pointers and anything else you could tell me about this sonata. All comments are welcome, and thanks so much

Tell me "lisztmusicfan" what other pieces do you play?  Did you do technique books cover-cover such as Op. 299 Czerny, Pischna, Phillipp, or Hanon?  The fact is without having years of study even in a conservatory the Appassionata is incredibly hard piece.  I could almost guarantee you can't play it correctly.   

[lisztmusicfan]

No, beethovensonata, I have not done technique books cover to cover because all the technique that you need can be garnered from practicing scales and repertoire. Some exercises are good if one comes across a shortcoming in his technique and needs to visit one or two etudes from those books, but there is NO reason to play Czerny or Hanon cover to cover. It takes away time from getting into better repertoire. For instance, I play 1 Hanon exercise every day before I do my scales, and that is all that is needed for me. And FYI, all of this is JUST MY OPINION.

[steinway43]

This is, without a doubt, one of the greatest sonatas of Beethoven...

I think it's one of the all time best Sonatas by any composer, not just by Beethoven.