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Piano Sonata No.3 | |
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by Ludwig van Beethoven | |
Key | C major |
Opus | 2/3 |
Style | Classical period |
Form | Piano sonata |
Composed | 1795 |
Dedication | Joseph Haydn |
Published | 1796, Vienna |
Publisher | Artaria |
Duration | 25 minutes |
Movements | 4 |
Audio samples | |
I. Allegro con brio (10:04) | |
II. Adagio (7:48) | |
III. Scherzo:Allegro (2:55) | |
IV. Allegro assai (5:22) Recorded circa 1932,performed by Artur Schnabel |
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major,Op. 2,No. 3,was written in 1795 and dedicated to Joseph Haydn. It was published simultaneously with his first and second sonatas in 1796.
The sonata is often referred to as one of Beethoven's earliest "grand and virtuosic" piano sonatas. [1] All three of Beethoven's Op. 2 piano sonatas contain four movements,an unusual length at the time,which seems to show that Beethoven was aspiring towards composing a symphony. [2] It is both the weightiest and longest of the three Op. 2 sonatas,and it presents many difficulties for the performer,including difficult trills,awkward hand movements,and forearm rotation. It is also one of Beethoven's longest piano sonatas in his early period. With an average performance lasting just about 24–26 minutes, [3] it is second only to the Grand Sonata in E♭ Major,Op. 7,also published in 1796. [4]
The sonata,in C major,consists of four movements:
The first movement follows the sonata allegro format of the classical period,and borrows thematically from Beethoven's Piano Quartet No. 3 in C major, [5] WoO 36,from a decade earlier. The movement opens with the main theme in the tonic key,beginning with a double-thirds trill-like pattern. This opening passage is infamous for pianists to play,and Arthur Rubinstein even used this passage to test pianos before performing on them.[ citation needed ] This pattern leads into an energetic outburst of a broken-chord and broken-octave section. The second theme of the exposition begins in the key of G minor,and is repeated in D minor at measure 33. It is not until measure 47 that the traditional dominant key is finally reached,where a subsidiary theme in the second thematic group appears,marked "dolce. [6] " A forte shows later,leading to a very rich melody with left and right hand. Then a similar outburst of a broken-chord and broken-octave sections appears in fortissimo. Then it ends with some difficult trills and an octave scale. Beethoven opens the development by improvising on trill patterns introduced in the end of the exposition,which are much more difficult to play. Following a broken-chords section filled with harmony changes,the main theme is restated in D major (pianissimo),the supertonic key of C major. Then a fortissimo and Beethoven's very common syncopations appears in the music giving a rhythm,this continues on to the resolution. The first movement is about 10 minutes long and is one of Beethoven's longest movements from his early period.
The second movement is marked Adagio and written in the key of E major. It is in rondo form,A–B–A–C–A–coda,written in the style of a string quartet,as there are four clear voices. The middle section,in E minor,contains numerous examples of Romanticism,and is considered a prelude to the master's later sonatas. Later in the movement,the E minor passage is repeated in E major.
The third movement,a scherzo,is written in minuet and trio form. It opens with a joke-like statement,and the composer uses some polyphony. The trio is in the relative minor key of C major (A minor) and contains running arpeggios in the right hand with the left hand playing a melodic line in octave form. The coda of this short movement ends the Scherzo softly with a tritone substitute authentic cadence.
The final movement,listed as a rondo,is in the sonata rondo form. The movement opens with an ascending run of first inversion chords in the right hand,which is the movement's main theme. Like the first movement,the second theme in the exposition is also written in G major. The great speed of this movement,combined with numerous examples of Beethoven's virtuoso skill such as the triple trill at the very end,makes it challenging for pianists.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor,Op. 13,commonly known as Sonata Pathétique,was written in 1798 when the composer was 27 years old,and was published in 1799. It has remained one of his most celebrated compositions. Beethoven dedicated the work to his friend Prince Karl von Lichnowsky. Although commonly thought to be one of the few works to be named by the composer himself,it was actually named Grande sonate pathétique by the publisher,who was impressed by the sonata's tragic sonorities.
The Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major,K. 332 (300k) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was published in 1784 along with the Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major,K. 330,and Piano Sonata No. 11,K. 331. Mozart wrote these sonatas either while visiting Munich in 1781,or during his first two years in Vienna. Some believe,however that Mozart wrote this and the other sonatas during a summer 1783 visit to Salzburg made for the purpose of introducing his wife,Constanze to his father,Leopold. All three sonatas were published in Vienna in 1784 as Mozart's Op. 6.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 29 in B♭ major,Op. 106 is a piano sonata that is widely viewed as one of the most important works of the composer's third period and among the greatest piano sonatas of all time. Completed in 1818,it is often considered to be Beethoven's most technically challenging piano composition and one of the most demanding solo works in the classical piano repertoire. The first documented public performance was in 1836 by Franz Liszt in the Salle Erard in Paris.
The Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor,Op. 37 is generally thought to have been composed in 1800,although the year of its composition has been questioned by some contemporary musicologists. It was first performed on 5 April 1803,with the composer as soloist. During that same performance,the Second Symphony and the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives were also premiered. The composition was published in 1804,and was dedicated to Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia. The first primary theme is reminiscent of that of Mozart's 24th Piano Concerto.
Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major,Op. 53,known as the Waldstein,is one of the three most notable sonatas of his middle period. Completed in summer 1804 and surpassing Beethoven's previous piano sonatas in its scope,the Waldstein is a key early work of Beethoven's "Heroic" decade (1803–1812) and set a standard for piano composition in the grand manner.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major,Op. 31,No. 1,was composed between 1801 and 1802. Although it was numbered as the first piece in the trio of piano sonatas which were published as Opus 31 in 1803,Beethoven actually finished it after the Op. 31 No. 2,the Tempest Sonata.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major,Op. 15,was written in 1795,then revised in 1800. It was possibly first performed by Beethoven at his first public concert in Vienna on 29 March 1795. It was first published in 1801 in Vienna with dedication to his pupil Princess Anna Louise Barbara Odescalchi,known to her friends as "Babette".
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor,Op. 10,No. 1 was composed some time during 1796–98.
The Piano Sonata No. 18 in E♭ major,Op. 31,No. 3,is an 1802 sonata for solo piano by Ludwig van Beethoven. A third party gave the piece the nickname "The Hunt" due to one of its themes' resemblance to a horn call. Beethoven maintains a playful jocularity throughout much of the piece,but as in many of his early works,the jocular style can be heard as a facade,concealing profound ideas and depths of emotion.
The Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor,Op. 31,No. 2,was composed in 1801–02 by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is usually referred to as The Tempest,but the sonata was not given this title by Beethoven,or indeed referred to as such during his lifetime. The name comes from a reference to a personal conversation with Beethoven by his associate Anton Schindler in which Schindler reports that Beethoven suggested,in passing response to his question about interpreting it and Op. 57,the Appassionata sonata,that he should read Shakespeare's Tempest;some however have suggested that Beethoven may have been referring to the works of C. C. Sturm,the preacher and author best known for his Reflections on the Works of God in Nature,a copy of which he owned and,indeed,had heavily annotated. Although much of Schindler's information is distrusted by classical music scholars,this is a first-hand account unlike any other that any scholar reports. The British music scholar Donald Francis Tovey says in A Companion to Beethoven's Pianoforte Sonatas:
"With all the tragic power of its first movement the D minor Sonata is,like Prospero,almost as far beyond tragedy as it is beyond mere foul weather. It will do you no harm to think of Miranda at bars 31–38 of the slow movement... but people who want to identify Ariel and Caliban and the castaways,good and villainous,may as well confine their attention to the exploits of Scarlet Pimpernel when the Eroica or the C minor Symphony is being played."
Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major,Op. 28,is a piano sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven. The name Pastoral or Pastorale became known through A. Cranz publishing of Beethoven's work,but was first coined by a London publisher,Broderip &Wilkinson. While not as famous as its immediate predecessor,Piano Sonata No. 14,it is generally admired for its intricate technicality as well as for its beauty. The sonata takes roughly twenty-five minutes to play with its intended repeats.
The Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major,Op. 79,was composed by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1809. It is alternatively titled "Cuckoo" or "Sonatina," and it is notable for its shortness. A typical performance lasts only about nine minutes. The work is in three movements:a fast-paced Presto alla tedesca,a slower Andante,and a lively Vivace.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor,Op. 2 No. 1,was written in 1795 and dedicated to Joseph Haydn. It was published simultaneously with his second and third piano sonatas in 1796.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major,Op. 2,No. 2,was written in 1795 and dedicated to Joseph Haydn. It was published simultaneously with his first and third sonatas in 1796.
Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 11 in B♭ major,Op. 22,was composed in 1800,and published two years later. Beethoven regarded it as the best of his early sonatas,though some of its companions in the cycle have been at least as popular with the public.
Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major,Op. 27 No. 1,"Quasi una fantasia",is a sonata composed by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1800–1801.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major,Op. 54,was written in 1804. It is contemporary to the first sketches of the Symphony No. 5 in C Minor. It is one of Beethoven's lesser known sonatas,overshadowed by its widely known neighbours,the Waldstein and the Appassionata.
Cello Sonatas No. 1 and No. 2,Op. 5,are two sonatas for cello and piano written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1796,while he was in Berlin. While there,Beethoven met the King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm II,an ardent music-lover and keen cellist. Although the sonatas are dedicated to Friedrich Wilhelm II,Ferdinand Ries tells us that Beethoven "played several times at the court,where he also played the two cello sonatas,opus 5,composed for Duport and himself". Although Jean-Pierre Duport was one of the King's teachers,it is now thought to have been his brother Jean-Louis Duport who had the honor of premiering these sonatas.
The Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor,Op. 5 of Johannes Brahms was written in 1853 and published the following year. The sonata is unusually large,consisting of five movements,as opposed to the traditional three or four. When he wrote this piano sonata,the genre was seen by many to be past its heyday. Brahms,enamored of Beethoven and the classical style,composed Piano Sonata No. 3 with a masterful combination of free Romantic spirit and strict classical architecture. As a further testament to Brahms' affinity for Beethoven,the Piano Sonata is infused with the instantly recognizable motive from Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 during the first,third,and fourth movements. Composed in Düsseldorf,it marks the end of his cycle of three sonatas,and was presented to Robert Schumann in November of that year;it was the last work that Brahms submitted to Schumann for commentary. Brahms was barely 20 years old at its composition. The piece is dedicated to Countess Ida von Hohenthal of Leipzig.
Franz Schubert's last three piano sonatas,D 958,959 and 960,are his last major compositions for solo piano. They were written during the last months of his life,between the spring and autumn of 1828,but were not published until about ten years after his death,in 1838–39. Like the rest of Schubert's piano sonatas,they were mostly neglected in the 19th century. By the late 20th century,however,public and critical opinion had changed,and these sonatas are now considered among the most important of the composer's mature masterpieces. They are part of the core piano repertoire,appearing regularly on concert programs and recordings.