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Topic: Relative Difficulties of Beethoven's 7th and 8th Sonatas (Read 2160 times)

flyusx

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 52

Relative Difficulties of Beethoven's 7th and 8th Sonatas

on: March 24, 2022, 01:28:49 AM

Hello,

Would you all consider Beethoven's Opus 10 №3 (Sonate #7) or Opus 13 (Pathetique) more difficult relatively speaking? I'm working Op10№3 right now, used the first movement in a competition, almost done learning the fourth. The third doesn't look bad, but from what I've read, the second is quite difficult to master, both notes and interpretatively.
I've "sightread" about four pages in of the first movement of the Pathetique: it doesn't look too bad, but all I have is a very basic sightreading of it.
Beethoven sonata rankings, from what I've been able to find, are ambiguous as to which is more difficult (which makes sense, things are subjective). Either way...which is on average more difficult?

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bwl_13

PS Silver Member
Full Member
Posts: 239

Re: Relative Difficulties of Beethoven's 7th and 8th Sonatas

Reply #1 on: March 24, 2022, 02:09:21 AM

I think it would be difficult to find somebody who's played both Op. 10 No. 3 and Op. 13 who would say that the D Major is easier. Op. 10/3 is very challenging both musically and technically, but since technical difficulty is easier to gauge, it's still more difficult. 10/3 has a larger structure, is more demanding and has just as many vast orchestral textures as Op. 13.

I think the only reason people may consider Op. 13 more difficult is because it is more famous and sounds pretty challenging, but if Op. 10/3 had a nickname it would likely be near unanimously considered the more difficult sonata.

It's not like the difference is THAT massive, but it's substantial enough that I feel confident it isn't really a debate.

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Second Year Undergrad:
Bach BWV 914
Beethoven Op. 58
Reger Op. 24 No. 5
Rachmaninoff Op. 39 No. 3 & No. 5

lelle

PS Gold Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2348

Re: Relative Difficulties of Beethoven's 7th and 8th Sonatas

Reply #2 on: March 25, 2022, 03:25:08 PM

I think the D major is more difficult to play overall.

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bachmoninoff

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 18

Re: Relative Difficulties of Beethoven's 7th and 8th Sonatas

Reply #3 on: March 26, 2022, 02:09:22 AM

I agree, I believe that op. 8 is similar in difficulty to op. 2 no. 2 but I’d still say op. 2 no. 2 is more difficult. Comparatively, I’d say sonata 7 is similar to op. 2 no. 3 in difficulty.

This might make it more confusing but I hope it helps

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Bach - WTC no.16 Bk 1
Beethoven - Piano Sonata op. 7
Chopin - op. 10 no. 7 & op. 25 no. 6
Liszt - Mephisto Waltz no. 1
Prokofiev - Piano Sonata no. 2
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto no. 2

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