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SONATA in C-Sharp minor Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight’

The piano sonata in C-sharp minor, opus 27 no 2, is the world famous 14th sonata with the nickname ‘Moonlight’. The ‘Moonlight Sonata’ is not only the most famous of the Beethoven sonatas, but maybe even one of the most famous pieces of serious art music ever written. The nickname ‘Moonlight Sonata’ traces to the 1830s, when the German romantic poet Ludwig Rellstab published a review in which he likened the first movement to a beautiful evening in the moonlight on Lake Lucerne. And though ‘Moonlight’ has nothing to do with Beethoven, it stuck on the sonata like glue. Beethoven did give the sonata a subtitle: sonata quasi una fantasia. Technically a sonata, but also a free flowing fantasia, with a dreamy first movement, a lively second movement and a tempestuous final movement. The overall style is innovative: although written in the classical period, this sonata is, with its emotional rhetoric and contrasting movements, a romantic composition. It has a unique atmosphere, something never heard before. Never before had otherworldliness and unbridled power been shown in such an uncompromising opposition as in this sonata. According to music critic professor Joachim Kaiser, ‘extreme calm and extreme savagery grow intertwined as a threatening and threatened organism emblematic of all that is eccentric’.

The first movement is, very unusually, marked adagio sostenuto. Though adagio means ‘slowly’, some say the ‘alla breve’ tempo should make it sound nearly twice as fast as the way it is usually played. Another interesting fact is that Beethoven prescribed to play the whole movement with the sustain pedal down, so harmonies can overlap and fade into each other, thus creating a very special sonority. This is something that cannot be done on a modern piano. The construction of the piano changed radically already during Beethoven’s lifetime, so the first movement soon was not played with the particular sound Beethoven imagined. Today it is up to the interpretations of the pianist. This is one of those rare pieces of music that, like Bach, are totally impervious to all kinds of interpretive freedom. It will always be beautiful. The dotted rhythm makes you think back to the famous funeral march of the 12th sonata in A-flat major, opus 26. Edwin Fischer found out that Beethoven was indeed inspired by a funeral scene from Mozart’s Don Giovanni. No moonlight, but a death scene. Mystery and tragedy in an immaterial sound world. The first movement is not in sonata form. It’s almost like a Bach prélude, with the ostinato in triplets and organ pedal notes in the bass.

The allegretto of the second movement is in D-flat major, the enharmonic equivalent of C-sharp. Liszt deemed the bright allegretto between its moodier outer movements ‘a little flower between two abysses.’ The trio is again in the nocturnal atmosphere of the sonata. The movement lasts only a few minutes, before ending up in the inferno.

According to Charles Rosen, the first movement is too delicate for modern instruments and the last movement is too massive for contemporary instruments. The first movement has an atmosphere of unspeakable mystery and tragedy, which finally results in rage and fury in the last movement, marked presto agitato, C-sharp minor. At last we have a movement in sonata form, structured along the most classical and regular lines. And what a fantastic movement it is. With its state of almost perpetual climax and insistent rhythm, it’s one of the miracles of the piano literature. An example of how wonderful the final movements of Beethoven are. Beethoven had a wonderful sense of architecture and took great care of balance. In this sonata, the first two movements are counterbalanced by this incredible, scary and visionary finale. It’s with music like this that Beethoven must have smashed the hammers and strings of his instruments, as he was reputed to do. The coda enlarges the structure almost towards a piano concerto. Amazing and addictive.

Sonata No. 14 ‘Moonlight’ is sponsored by Cobie Oliehoek

Adagio sostenuto
Allegretto
Presto agitato
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