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Topic: Any other tips for Appassionata Sonata Movement 3?  (Read 2349 times)

Offline caters

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Any other tips for Appassionata Sonata Movement 3?
on: May 31, 2023, 09:14:08 PM
Movement 3 is the hardest movement of the entire sonata for me and it's the one movement that is preventing me from being able to perform the sonata. Mainly because of this left hand tremolo part as it modulates to C minor:



After looking for tips on the left hand tremolo, I found this:


Which inspired me to write a set of left hand exercises just for that tremolo passage.

But, any other tips you can give me would be helpful.
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Offline lelle

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Re: Any other tips for Appassionata Sonata Movement 3?
Reply #1 on: May 31, 2023, 10:00:16 PM
Nice work, reminds me a bit of the kinds of exercises Cortot put in his editions.

This technical problem is an interesting one. I think it's a good example of a technique that is easy when your overall technique is sufficiently developed, and can feel close to impossible to do evenly synched with the right hand when it's not. It does mess with your head since what sounds like should be ON the beat is actually not. So I don't have any good tips except to keep developing your overall reflexes, efficiency of movement and relaxation I guess.
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Offline lelle

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Re: Any other tips for Appassionata Sonata Movement 3?
Reply #2 on: May 31, 2023, 10:05:40 PM
One idea actually came to mind now. It is very important to feel the beat in this pattern. You need to feel the beat in your body and your hand on the correct note, which is always an octave or a sixth, not the thirds or 2nds. Common mistake as I alluded to earlier is that your ear tricks you into feeling the beat on the thirds/2nds, so you have to take conscious command over that and make sure you feel and aim for the beats.
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Offline liszt123

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Re: Any other tips for Appassionata Sonata Movement 3?
Reply #3 on: June 02, 2023, 06:33:19 PM
You can also cheat and not play the pinky :P
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Offline juan manuel

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Re: Any other tips for Appassionata Sonata Movement 3?
Reply #4 on: June 14, 2025, 11:28:40 PM
Have you tried to study the exercises for the left hand alone by E. R. Blanchet ? they are the 64 preludes of Op.41, they are very difficult and at times cruel, but they soften your left hand a lot and strengthen it tremendously if you study them with constancy and for months with patience. I can attest that they work because I myself study them daily and my fingers have benefited considerably. Of course they are not specific exercises for the Beethoven sonata but they can help to work on the technique of the left hand and prepare it for the kind of passages you mention. Thanks for sharing the exercises you wrote, I've been trying them, they are really excellent! we Best regards!
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