L. V. Beethoven's '32 Piano Sonatas' Ranked In Order Of Difficulty

[chopinlover01]

I'm sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but what in the f**k is with people listing 31/1 above Op. 81a?
C'mon, guys.

[ajlongspiano]

I'm sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but what in the f**k is with people listing 31/1 above Op. 81a?
C'mon, guys.

It probably has something to do with the "musicality" of it. 

Best,

AJ

[rachmaninoff_forever]

31/1 is weak sauce

[marijn1999]

31/1 is weak sauce

You think so? I think it is one of the better sonatas (that is, from the middle period, even though pretty much all of them are good with the exception of Op. 79, imo).

[chopinlover01]

It probably has something to do with the "musicality" of it. 

Best,

AJ

You really think 31/1 is more musically difficult than 81a?
Please.

(If you were being sarcastic I'm sorry lol)

[ajlongspiano]

(If you were being sarcastic I'm sorry lol)

The wink is usually a good signifier of that. Haha.

Best,

AJ

[mcporter87]

Technical difficulty is always going to different to each individual. A sonata that might be considered as quite challenging to one individual might actually not be perceived to be so difficult by another. I play quite a few of Beethovens sonatas and have ranked the ones that I play in order of difficulty from easiest to hardest.

 Sonata in G no 20 op 49
 Sonata in G Minor op 49 no 1
 Sonata in G no 10 op 14 no 2
 Sonata in F Minor no 1 op 2 no 1
 Sonata in C Minor (Pathetique)
 Sonata in D (Pastorale)
 Sonata in Eb (The Hunt)
 Sonata in Eb no 4 op7
 Sonata in D Minor (The Tempest)
 Sonata in C# Minor (The Moonlight)
 Sonata in F Minor (Appassionata)
 Sonata in C Major (Waldstein)

 When it comes to his hardest, most will say the Bb Hammerklavier which is certainly exceptionally difficult however I actually think his Sonata in C Minor no 32 op 111 is also absurdly difficult and personally I would say this is more challenging than the Hammerklavier. It’s also a rather bizarre sonata! Very tricky to figure it out!

 For a pianist who is intermediate and can play to a decent standard and wants a Beethoven sonata that’ll impress I’d suggest the F Minor no 1 op 2. The Pathetique may be manageable to some but the first movement really is quite challenging. The rondo on the other hand may more approachable.