Need help on Third Movement of the Moonlight Sonata

[regiear1991]

Hi,

     I'm new here and I need some help with the 3rd movment of the moonlight sonata.  even thogh i seem to young for it (13) I want to play it in this recital that is coming up near the end of this year. I have the German edition of the moonlight sonata (the one with SONATE in big letters and with a subtitle saying. Der Grafin Julie Guiccairdi gewidment). I'm almost finished with the whole 3rd movement, but one part is still bugging me. In measures 9-12 when your left hand goes with the melody, i cant seem to get the fingerings right because of the g# you press after a note. like this:       

     Treb:    G# G#(octavehigher) G# G#(O/H) a#      G#     b     g#    C#      D#




      Bass:  B#                               B#               C#                D#            E        F#

you know which part im talking about right? Do you  use different fingerings that are more comfortable?...

  P.S: I want to play this song because i like songs with a deep feeling (i.e : appassionata, pathetique,Totentaz,mephisto waltz no.1). Since it has the same chords played in the 1st movement, it got a little easier for me.

[jlh]

Not quite sure exactly what you're talking about... do you want to know what fingering to use for the melody in the right hand, or the left hand -- or do you want to know what finger to use on the high G#?

[regiear1991]

Not quite sure exactly what you're talking about... do you want to know what fingering to use for the melody in the right hand, or the left hand -- or do you want to know what finger to use on the high G#?

                  This attachment right here might explain it better:
           ( the download link on the bottom of the divider)
                   
                   See how the bass goes with the melody? Do you use different/more comfortable fingerings for it?



       

[Motrax]

Nope - that fingering is the only one that works unless you have big hands or let go of the bass whole note. Thus, it requires some careful pedalling - I'm a great fan of the middle pedal, which lets you hold the bass note down while keeping a good, clean legato melody in the top with whatever fingering you want to use. If you don't have a middle pedal which works, I still let go of the bass note while sustaining it with the pedal - but you must be especially careful to keep both the right and left hand melodies crisp and clean. Hope that helps.

[jlh]

I personally wouldn't use the middle pedal for this section.  For one thing, it wasn't even invented yet when Beethoven composed the moonlight.  In fact, that pedal wasn't invented until decades after his death.  Also, it seems a bit on the cumbersome side.

Catching the G# with the damper pedal and then releasing the note also poses problems.  It is impossible to hold the G# sufficiently with the pedal and still keep the other parts clean enough. 

I'd play it with the fingerings written, and find a shape for your hand that allows that fingering to be played as efficiently as possible.  Afterall, holding a note and playing other notes in the same hand is a basic skill we should all posess.  If it is this skill that poses problems, you might try some exercises to increase your ability to do this. 

Anyway, that's my $.02

[rebel1ns]

haha, i played it when i was 13 too

anyway yeah i know what you're talking about, i just used the fingering in the book though, just remember to voice the inside voices, so play your thumbs louder than the pinkies...

or i dont know maybe it isnt the part you're talking about

[kilini]

Huh. I have the same edition, I'm 13, and I'm having some troubles with that section, too.

 

[faulty_damper]

This is the fingering I use for it:

At m9
5 plays and holds the G#
2 plays the B#, then 1.
3 plays C#
2 D#
1 E
2 F#
3 D#
etc...

And on the repeat where the B3 is played 3 times instead of two, use
1, 2, 1 etc.

I would not use pedal for this section except for the apogy, which is the A natural, which would be played with the 1.  Reason is because it is an accented note and because it can not be connected because it is played with the thumb.

However, this A natural can actually be played with the right hand.

[Siberian Husky]

Im probably no help, just wanted to say im starting this movement as well..wish me luck