help with op 14 no 1

[marijn210999]

Recently I began studying Beethoven's Op. 14 No. 2 Sonata (No. 9). I'm trying to follow Bernhard's instructions and see how fast I can learn the first movement. But I just don't know how to get started. Here's a list of bars I'm having trouble with:

5-6 (the 16th notes) 8 (the ornament on the first right hand note) 17-20 (not sure what is difficult, probably the left hands 8th notes) 39-40 (the ornaments with the 3,4 and 5th fingers, also bars 43-44) 66-81 (the left hands arpeggio's and the right hands octaves) 92-94 (the left hands fast scales) 104-107 (the left hands scales and right hands jumping in the last bars) 131-132 (again the right hands ornaments with the 3, 4 and 5th fingers)

So as you can see, a lot of troubles already only in the first movement! My problem is that I just don't know which practice technique I should use for different problems. I don't know how to organise this piece over a few days and over practice sessions. I would like to hear from you all very much.

Best wishes, Marijn

[faulty_damper]

You're confusing practice method with piano technique.  You have to figure out the best movements first, then put them together.  These are separate activities.

[marijn210999]

Could you explain further?

[faulty_damper]

Technical issues: figure out the best movements.

then...

Learning piece: follow the book's method of overlapping bars.

[brogers70]

I love that sonata and had many of the same problems when I learned it. Those 16th in measure 5 are a bear. I just learned them very slowly, and tried to relax as much as possible (not to the point of limpness, of course).  One thing that is helpful is to be sure that when your RH has finished its first set of 16ths, that it move immediately to be ready for the next one, even while the LH is playing. Most of the problems I had with this bit were mental. I'd get anxious, then tight, then mess up. So I tried to think of just throwing the notes away without a care in the world.

For the turn in measure 8, the whole turn should fit in the first 8th-beat. I just did it very slowly until I had figured how it fit with the LH. The turn should start just as the arppegiated chord in the LH finishes.

For 17-20 a big span on the LH helps. I just practiced HS until I felt comfortable voicing all the different parts. It's helpful to think of this whole piece as a string quartet, and to think of, for example, those bass note 8ths in 17-20 as a cello, etc.

66-81 is very beautiful, isn't it. Again I just practiced HS until it felt comfortable. My teacher showed me a more or less circular motion for the LH arpeggios. Practice the RH alone until you can get a good legato feeling.

92-94, the LH scales at the recapitulation are jus hard. For me it was again a mental thing. I'd anticipate the hard spot, get nervous and tense up. So I just practiced the LH alone a good deal and then tried to go at it with a care free attitude when I put things together.

For the RH ornament in 130-135, just slow it way down until you put the ornament in in perfect steady rhythm. Once you know what it should sound like in slow motion, it should be relatively easy to speed up.

I loved working on this. It's relatively easy, compared to most Beethoven sonatas. It took me months to learn, as a total amateur, but it is definitely doable. The last movement is a lot of fun to play, too. Good luck.

[cbreemer]

Op.14 No.2 is sonata no. 10, not no.9 as you write. As brogers70 has already picked up it is
Op.14 No.1 we are talking about. Not a real hard sonata but with a couple of really tricky bits, like indeed bars 5-6 and the arpeggios and runs. It takes patience to get them smooth. Slow practice and finding your optimal fingering does the trick.
I find practicing any Beethoven sonata a great joy. None of them are without their challenges,
and you always learn something when you take the time to get it right. Good luck and have fun !