Beethoven Sonata in Eb Op. 27 No. 1

[epsil0n]

Does anyone have any advice on learning this piece? 

The parts I am currently working on that give me the most trouble are the Allegro episode in the first movement, and the part in the second movement where the hands go out of phase.  Any advice on perfecting these sections would especially be helpful.

I have not yet started the finale but it looks to be rather taxing at times, so some tips on handling that would be nice as well.

Thanks in advance.

[Goldberg]

Ah! That was, indeed, my first Beethoven sonata; I learned it in my first year as a prep student at Rice, but never performed it because I had taught, or rather tried to teach, myself how to play it before going there and had HORRIBLE, indelible habits that, although palliated after some time, elongated the time it took me to learn the piece fully, and as a result I was too bored with it to give an *effective* performance of it--I couldn't really stand to play it, which is bad form I know but still.

Anyway, I remember learning those parts well, not fondly. That Allegro section is damn tricky at first, and gets very hard up to speed, no matter how much you play it slowly (that is to say, the speed affects the difficulty moreso than most pieces, it seems, probably because of the intense fingering demands). But do practice slowly, without pedal, and in varying rhythms. I assume you know the dotted 8th-16th practice method? Hold the first note in the scale for a dotted 8th note, and then play the next as an exaggeratedly fast 16th note, but do it all quite slowly, and with changing accents--so, once you play with an accent on the first note, and the next time accent the second note and so forth. That will smoothen your finger reactions. Also change the rhythms entirely: do a 16th note into a dotted 8th and so on.

For the C minor arpeggio part....*sighs* that was frustrating....keep in mind that the bottom part has to be all staccato and the upper part must be legato. Again, make sure that no matter what your foot goes nowhere near the pedal. You can try dotted rhythms here too, in which case you would hold the left hand note down for a certain time, and then rapidly touch and hold the right hand note, but quickly play the next left hand note again (making sure to take the left hand off the first note as soon as the right hand note sounded). But generally I think a slow practice of wrist relaxation and "bouncing" for staccato is the way to go there.

The last movement is actually the reason I took up this "hidden beast" in the first place, because at the time I was attracted to fast movements exclusively (it was a long time ago...and actually I can't say I like the slow movement at all really, I mean the Ab major one not the beginning), and the op. 27 no. 1 finale is really high-spirited indeed. It actually sounds good at a moderate tempo, by the way, although I would advise a brisk allegro if you can. It requires the utmust clarity of course, and a superb control of dynamics. Besides that, however, it's one of the easiest movements as long as you can nail the fingerings accurately. There are some pretty tricky scales here or there (in fact, just look at the opening bars, there is one that does a two-handed thirds scale, which is easy to get off balance--do that one slowly and in rhythms as well...hell, do the whole piece slowly and in rhythms), but after you get those down pat it shouldn't be too difficult really. Even as an inexperienced noob, I had no endurance problems to speak of. Accuracy at the end was killer, though.

Also, there are a few difficulties in the Ab slow section. I recall there is one upper-hand trill that is made quite difficult by movement in the lower part of the hand, and I always fudged it up because I never could get the motion down quite right. I don't know what to advise for you there, except maybe you're more patient than I am...

Anyway, it's a great sonata and I'm sure you'll enjoy working on it. I would say that it's underplayed but, frankly, I've noticed a remarkable revival in the past few years, starting in about the time I picked up on it myself actually. It still is overshadowed by the Moonlight a little, though, but you know I guess it won't be long before the Moonlight has been so shunned by its popularity that it will become fashionable to play it again! Maybe if I start learning it now...

[Tash]

hey i'm learning this sonata too! and was actually about to start a thread on essentially the same thing so thanks a bunch goldberg that's excellent!

[epsil0n]

Thanks alot goldberg, that was indeed a very helpful post.

I agree that this is a wonderful sonata that tends to be overlooked by many.
And its funny when you mention how you used to be exclusively attracted to fast movements, because I have just moved past that stage myself.

[krittyot]

I agree that this is a wonderful sonata that tends to be overlooked by many.

none of the Ludy sonatas are overlooked, but overplayed.

[Goldberg]

You're welcome (epsil0n and tash)! I found my post merely scrapped the surface of a few technical difficulties, though, so if you ever have any specific questions don't be shy about posting here or, indeed (my preference), sending me a PM or email (you can use goldberg@pianomail.net  though you might want to PM me anyway because sometimes I forget to check my emails...). I'm happy to help, and it's rare for me to actually hear about someone playing a piece that I actually KNOW, heh...