Beethoven's pianoforte sonatas: a guide for students & amateurs

122 Pages·1959·29.95 MB·English

by  Edwin FISCHER

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BEETHOVEN'S
PIANOFORTE SONATAS
A Guidefor Students & Amateurs
by
EDW IN FISCHER.
Translated by
STANLEY GODMAN
unth the collaboration of
PAUL IIAMDUI\GEII
FADER AND FABER
24.Russell Square
London
Fir-st published in mcmlix
by Faber and Faber Limited
24 Russell Square, London, W.e.1
Printed in Great Britain by
Western Printing Services Limited, Bristol
All rights reserved
This edition © Faber and Faber Limited 1959
Originally published by INSEL-VERLAG,
WIESBADEN, under the title:
Ludwig van Beethouens Klauiersonaten
TO
THE MEMORY
OF MY MOTHER

CO TENTS
INTRODUCTION page 15
FIRST LECTURE 15
Beethoven's Pianoforte Sonatas
The 5 Sonatas, Op. 2 19
Sonata in F minor, Op. 2, No. 1 19
Sonata in A major, Op, 2, No. 2 22
Sonata in C major, Op. 2, No. 5 25
SECOND LECTURE 29
Beethoven's Piano Playing
Sonata in Eflat major, Op. 7 55
Sonata in C minor, Op, 10, No. 1 55
Sonata in F major, Op, 10, No. 2 58
Sonata in D major, Op. 10, No. 5 59
THIRD LECTURE 42
On Practising
Sonate pathetique in C minor, Op. 15 46
Sonata in E major, Op. 14, No. 1 48
Sonata in G major,-o». 14, No. 2 50
Sonata in Bflat major, Op. 22 51
FOURTH LECTURE 54
Beethoven's Personality
Sonata in A flat major, Op, 26 58
Sonata in Eflat major, Op. 27, No. 1 60
Sonata in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2 62
Sonata in D major, Op. 28 64
9
CONTENTS
FIFTH LECTURE page 67
Interpreters
The 5 Sonatas, Op. 5' 69
Sonata in G major, Op. 5', No. 1 7
0
Sonata in D minor, Op, 5', No. 2 7
2
Sonata in Ejlat major, Op. 5', No. 5 75
The Sonatas, Op. 49 77
Sonata in G minor, Op, 49, No. 1 78
Sonata in G major, Op, 49, No. 7
2 8
Sonata in C major, Op, 55 79
SIXTH LECTURE 85
Beethoven's Instruments
Sonata in F major, Op, 54 84
Sonata in F minor, Op. 57 85
Sonata in F sharp major, Op. 78 89
Sonatina in G major, Op. 79 9
0
Sonata in Eflat major, Op. 8lA 9
0
SEVENTH LECTURE 95
Tempo and Metronome
Sonata in E minor, Op. 9 95
0
Sonata in A major, Op, 101 9
6
EIGHTH LECTURE 100
Beethoven's Circle of Friends
Sonata in Bflat major, Op. 106 5
10
Sonata in E major, Op. 109 9
10
NINTH LECTURE
112
Beethoven Biographies
Sonata in A flat major, Op. 110
Sonata in C minor, Op. I II
IQ
ILLUSTR.ATIONS
Ludwig van Beethoven. From an engraving by
Blasius Hofel after the drawing by Louis
Letronne (1814) frontispiece
The beginning of the third movement of the
Sonata, Op, 27, No. 2, in Beethoven's hand-
writing f acing page 64
Beethoven's Broadwood Grand Piano
The openihg of the Sonata, Op. 111, in Beet-
hoven's handwriting 112
Acknowledgment ismadetothe Insel-Ferlag
for supplying theseillustrationswhich
appeared in their edition ofthis book.
II

INTR.ODUCTION
In studying Beethoven's piano sonatas one encounters
difficulties, questions and problems the solution of which
constitutespartofthe entireartistic andhuman education
of a musician.
The range of the collection compels us to occupy our
selves with matters of technique, form, harmony and
textual criticism; but the main requirement is an under
standing of the artistic content. A careful study of these
works will transform us, for Beethoven will become our
teacher,and lead us to develop our own personalities and
characters.
With thisin mind I studiedthesonatas with my pupils
in 1945 and the present volume is based on the notes I
used in that course. The analysis of each group of sonatas
is preceded by an introduction on some general theme.
These informal talks make no claim to scholarly com
pleteness or significance. They are thoroughly personal,
and if they serve as a reminder of the beautiful summer
in which they originated I shall be content.
I}