Moonlight Sonata 1st movement, finger position, pdf version

[andreas98]

Hey i am just started learning the moonlight sonata (1st movement) and I think i prefer the  2-4-5 fingerstyle, because of the "accent" like i read on the forum

Is there any pdf version of that, or should i just change the 1-3-5 to 2-4-5 on the paper?
My fingers are long and thin and i may prefer the 2,4,5 any suggestions ?

Also on the left hand what is the 5_4 ?

Hopefully i have the experience to learn the whole 1st movement it's pretty good

[andreas98]

anyone?

[iansinclair]

fingering is a very individual thing.  Although some editor somewhere put down a certain fingering, it doesn't mean you have to do it that way.  That said, there is something to be said for the conventional fingering -- 1 3 4 or 1 2 4 -- for the triplets, as it makes a it a little easier to put a very slight accent on the first note of the triplet on the first and fourth beats of the measure when needed.  5 (and occasionally 4), of course, is reserved for the melody, which must be distinct.

The whole thing must be legato, of course, and -- in my humble opinion -- is best learned without the pedal, although one should use the pedal once one has learned it.

In the left hand, to get a decent legato one really must use 4 and 5 (and even sometimes 3, if your hand is big enough), not just 5, on the octaves.  Otherwise there is a very noticeable gap when changing from one to the next -- which you don't want.

As to what's written on the page -- once you settle on a fingering, there's no rule that says you can't write it in!

[andreas98]

fingering is a very individual thing.  Although some editor somewhere put down a certain fingering, it doesn't mean you have to do it that way.  That said, there is something to be said for the conventional fingering -- 1 3 4 or 1 2 4 -- for the triplets, as it makes a it a little easier to put a very slight accent on the first note of the triplet on the first and fourth beats of the measure when needed.  5 (and occasionally 4), of course, is reserved for the melody, which must be distinct.

The whole thing must be legato, of course, and -- in my humble opinion -- is best learned without the pedal, although one should use the pedal once one has learned it.

In the left hand, to get a decent legato one really must use 4 and 5 (and even sometimes 3, if your hand is big enough), not just 5, on the octaves.  Otherwise there is a very noticeable gap when changing from one to the next -- which you don't want.

As to what's written on the page -- once you settle on a fingering, there's no rule that says you can't write it in!

so i should have an "accent" on the triplets?

do you suggest learning it with 1-3-5/1-2-4 or it doesn't matter?

i will learn it on my keyboard without pedal

on the left hand the 5_4, means i press with my 5th finger and then change it to 4?

[iansinclair]

so i should have an "accent" on the triplets?

do you suggest learning it with 1-3-5/1-2-4 or it doesn't matter?

i will learn it on my keyboard without pedal

on the left hand the 5_4, means i press with my 5th finger and then change it to 4?

On the accents on the triplets.  The effect must be very, very subtle, and it doesn't happen on every measure, nor on the same beat in measures where it does happen.  You are illuminating a harmony change.  It is very hard to describe exactly; you must feel it much more than think it.

On most of the triplet figures (not all!) I would not use 5 for the upper note (this doesn't apply to the broken arpeggios) as you need 5 to bring out the melody upper line, to which the triplets are the accompaniment.

And yes, a 5_4 over a note means that that particular editor thought that that was the best way to finger.  I disagree, but that's me.  I sometimes change fingers on a note -- in fact, not infrequently! -- but this isn't one of the times that I do.  You have to find out for yourself what makes the best and smoothest legato.

And a word of warning: the first movement of the Moonlight is deceptively simple.  That is, it looks easy and, perhaps viewed strictly technically, it is.  However, it is very subtle and much more difficult, musically, than it looks.

[andreas98]

On the accents on the triplets.  The effect must be very, very subtle, and it doesn't happen on every measure, nor on the same beat in measures where it does happen.  You are illuminating a harmony change.  It is very hard to describe exactly; you must feel it much more than think it.

On most of the triplet figures (not all!) I would not use 5 for the upper note (this doesn't apply to the broken arpeggios) as you need 5 to bring out the melody upper line, to which the triplets are the accompaniment.

And yes, a 5_4 over a note means that that particular editor thought that that was the best way to finger.  I disagree, but that's me.  I sometimes change fingers on a note -- in fact, not infrequently! -- but this isn't one of the times that I do.  You have to find out for yourself what makes the best and smoothest legato.

And a word of warning: the first movement of the Moonlight is deceptively simple.  That is, it looks easy and, perhaps viewed strictly technically, it is.  However, it is very subtle and much more difficult, musically, than it looks.

thanks for the advice, i can spread my fingers a lot so maybe even use the 3rd finger for the octaves
I'll work it this month, and then when my piano lessons begin in September work it with my teacher, hopefully i will learn it the right way