Tips for Beethoven Sonata No. 15 Mvt. 2

[rtheunissen]

Hello everyone,

Recently I've been trying to get back into playing the piano a bit more again. I've decided on some pieces to study on my own, one of which is the second movement of Beethoven's 15th sonata (together with Chopin's funeral march, Bach's prelude No. 6 WTC1 and Scriabin's Op. 74 No. 2). However, I'm struggling a bit with making the left hand staccato and playing the right hand legato, does anyone have tips?

Also, a small bonus question , I'm looking for some easier but good sounding pieces to study on the side, around the difficulty of Grieg's Arietta, Bach's Adagio from the Concerto in d minor, Chopin's posthumous waltz in a minor, Scriabin Op. 11 No. 15, etc. Any era is fine, but maybe some Bach (Chorales), since my dad likes it when I play Bach.

Thanks very much in advance )

[essence]

I'm never sure how to respond to these kinds of requests. What level are you at? Have you tried to google? What have you found?

There are, for example, many Bach chorale prelude transcriptions for piano, most very fine. There are also many performances to be found on youtube.

In dir ist Freude was one of the first organ pieces I learnt.

[dizzyfingers]

However, I'm struggling a bit with making the left hand staccato and playing the right hand legato, does anyone have tips?

Re:  Beethoven sonata op 28 (no 15), 2nd mvt
Do you practice them hands alone?  Do it until you have completely mastered each hand separately (for the first 8 measures).  When you put them back together again, take it slowly, get one measure down correctly, then another, don't move on until you've got hand independence working in those first 8 measures.

[anacrusis]

To play the right hand legato and left hand staccato you could use a mix of finger substitution, very quick pedals after left hand staccato notes to tie right hand material together, and simply faking it. You can make two disconnected notes sound "legato" without being actual legato. You'll need to use your ear, it's entirely a listening thing.