{"id":6551,"date":"2021-12-17T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-17T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=6551"},"modified":"2024-03-22T08:57:19","modified_gmt":"2024-03-22T15:57:19","slug":"best-beethoven-piano-sonatas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/best-beethoven-piano-sonatas\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Beethoven Piano Sonatas: What Every Pianist Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Beethoven composed some of the best piano sonatas ever written. His 32 sonatas are a cornerstone of piano music, and even if you don\u2019t get around to playing all of them, every pianist should understand their importance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After all, Beethoven is one of history\u2019s greatest musicians. Chances are, you\u2019ve heard of him since you were a child. And his influence <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Ls5XWu4PhSs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">extends<\/a> to the music we enjoy today, including rock, pop, jazz and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today (December 17) is Beethoven\u2019s baptism day. So let\u2019s take a look at some of the best Beethoven piano sonatas and what makes them legendary.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But first, let\u2019s explore what a sonata is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is a sonata?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p>A <strong>sonata<\/strong> is a multi-movement musical work, usually for a solo instrument. \u201cSonata\u201d comes from the Italian <em>sonare <\/em>(\u201cto sound\u201d). This type of composition has been around in some shape or form since the 1500s, but it really crystallized in the 18th century, and it\u2019s especially associated with Haydn and Beethoven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The movements of a sonata use keys that are related to one another and there are conventions for tempo and structure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/1\/11\/Beethoven_Piano_Sonata_14_-_title_page_1802.jpg\" alt=\"Best Beethoven piano sonatas.  Landscape yellowed title page.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">The title page to &#8220;Moonlight&#8221; sonata (Sonata No. 14, Op. 27, No. 2).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><meta charset=\"utf-8\">Typically, at least one movement is in <strong>sonata-allegro form<\/strong>, a structure with three major parts with these conventions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the <strong>exposition<\/strong>, the sonata states two themes with a transition between them. The first theme is written in the home key and, if it\u2019s major, the second theme is in the dominant key. If it\u2019s minor, the second theme happens in the relative minor. The exposition ends with a section called the <em>codetta<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Next, the themes undergo transformation in the <strong>development<\/strong> section. This includes modulations, sequencing, variation, and other forms of exploration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finally, we hear the themes restated in the <strong>recapitulation<\/strong> section, ending in a <em>coda.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, Beethoven didn\u2019t invent the sonata, but he did revolutionize the form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px;\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Get a Head Start on Classical Piano \u2728<\/b><\/h2><\/center><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Beginner%27s%20Guide%20to%20Classical\/victoria%20theodore%20beginner%20classical%20guide.jpg\"><p>Love classical music but not sure where to start? Head over to <b>Classical Piano Quick Start<\/b>, four free lessons designed for beginners taught by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/victoria-theodore\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Victoria Theodore<\/a>. Victoria is a classically trained pianist with degrees from Oberlin College and Stanford University, and has played with Beyonc\u00e9 and Stevie Wonder. Start your classical journey with Victoria today!<\/p><br><center><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/classical-piano\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GET 4 FREE CLASSICAL LESSONS<\/a><\/center><br><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Best of Beethoven Piano Sonatas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Beethoven famously wrote 32 sonatas over the course of his career. These sonatas are <a href=\"https:\/\/online.ucpress.edu\/jm\/article-abstract\/35\/1\/42\/63680\/Hans-von-Bulow-and-the-Confessionalization-of?redirectedFrom=fulltext\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nicknamed<\/a> the \u201cNew Testament\u201d of piano music to highlight&nbsp;their importance. (Bach\u2019s 48 preludes and fugues are considered the \u201cOld Testament.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>You can trace the evolution of Beethoven\u2019s sonata style as you move from Sonata No. 1 to Sonata No. 32. The composer\u2019s earlier works were influenced by his teacher Franz Haydn and are more conventional. But his later sonatas are more experimental, influenced by another mentor: Johann Georg Albrechtsberger. Some of Beethoven\u2019s later sonatas even have fugue-like sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll explore some of Beethoven\u2019s&nbsp; most well-known sonatas: \u201cPath\u00e9tique,\u201d \u201cMoonlight,\u201d \u201cWaldstein,\u201d \u201cAppassionata,\u201d and \u201cHammerklavier.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Nature of Genius: Beethoven and the Sonata Form\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LGnglC9DTrk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lecture that traces Beethoven&#8217;s evolution in style using his first. and last sonatas as examples.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, &#8220;Path\u00e9tique&#8221; (O. 13, No. 8)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Daniel Barenboim plays Beethoven Sonata No. 8 Op. 13 (Pathetique)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SrcOcKYQX3c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Daniel Barenboim plays all three movements of Piano Sonata No. 8, Op. 13.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Historians organize Beethoven\u2019s career into the Early, Middle, and Late periods. \u201cPath\u00e9tique\u201d comes from the Early period, while Classical conventions were still very much in vogue. As such, \u201cPath\u00e9tique\u201d follows these conventions quite faithfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of Beethoven\u2019s sonatas weren\u2019t named by the composer himself, but he <em>may <\/em>have named this one \u201cPath\u00e9tique.\u201d Or, it may have been his publisher\u2019s doing (we\u2019re not sure). The full subtitle to this work is \u201c<em>Grande donate path\u00e9tique<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>C Minor is a particularly moody key, and Beethoven would use it again in Symphony No. 5 (the famous \u201cduh-duh-duh dum\u201d symphony). He may have also been influenced by Mozart\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/HfptgKV1qI4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Piano Sonata No. 14<\/a>, which was also in C Minor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>For Beethoven, the sonata form is not a scheme that can be used in caprice one day and abandoned the next. This form dominates everything he imagines and composes; it is the very mark on his creation and the form of his thought \u2013 an inherent form, a natural one.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicfm.com\/composers\/beethoven\/music\/ludwig-van-beethoven-piano-sonata-no8-c-minor-path\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Edwin Fischer<\/a>, conductor and composer<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, &#8220;Moonlight&#8221; (Op. 27, No. 2)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Play Moonlight Sonata On The Piano \ud83c\udfb9\ud83c\udf19 + Sheet Music PDF\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IUhdOfY9_4o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Valentina Lisitsa plays all three movements of the &#8220;Moonlight&#8221; sonata (Sonata No. 14).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMoonlight\u201d is perhaps the most famous of Beethoven\u2019s sonatas. It was another Ludwig \u2014 Ludwig Rellstab, a music critic \u2014 who likened the slow, dramatic arpeggios of the first movement to flickering moonlight. Rellstab\u2019s nickname for the piece has stuck ever since, but originally, both sonatas in Beethoven\u2019s Op. 27 bore the subtitle \u201c<em>quasi una fantasia<\/em>\u201d (\u201cin the style of a fantasia.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMoonlight\u201d breaks sonata conventions with a slow, first movement. Typically, sonatas open with a faster, more upbeat movement, but the <em>adagio sostenuto <\/em>is iconic\u2026and it\u2019s not that difficult to play! In fact, if you are an intermediate-level pianist, you can probably handle it. Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/moonlight-sonata-easy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">our tutorial<\/a> for free sheet music and a head start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the first movement, the mood flips into a cheerful, short <em>allegretto<\/em> second movement before ending on the explosive <em>presto agitato<\/em>. That <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/zucBfXpCA6s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">final movement<\/a> is legendary and is sure to impress. Like the first movement, its theme is based on arpeggios, but played in a way that requires an expert level of dexterity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, &#8220;Waldstein&#8221; (Op. 53)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Claudio Arrau Beethoven &quot;Waldstein&quot; (Full)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dL0JLNt_3EE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All three movements of the &#8220;Waldstein&#8221; sonata performed by Claudio Arrau.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ferdinand Ernst Gabriel, the Count von Waldstein, was a friend and patron of Beethoven. He once wrote to the composer: \u201cWith the help of unceasing diligence, you will receive the spirit of Mozart from the hands of Haydn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Compared to the previous 20 sonatas, \u201cWaldstein\u201d is more technically challenging. Interestingly, all three movements start <em>pianissimo <\/em>(very soft) and the sonata has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.udiscovermusic.com\/classical-features\/beethoven-piano-sonatas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">described<\/a> as having an \u201corchestral texture.\u201d The stylish runs and flairs that open up the first movement foreshadow the technical prowess to come, and the second movement is based on a Rhenish song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the time of writing the \u201cWaldstein,\u201d Beethoven had just received a piano from the Parisian piano-maker <a href=\"http:\/\/mim.org\/musical-history-of-the-erard-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00c9rard<\/a>. This piano may have affected the unusual pedal markings of this sonata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I shall seize fate by the throat; it shall certainly never wholly overcome me.<\/p>\n<cite>Beethoven: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/10-best-beethoven-quotes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Letter to Franz Wegeler<\/a> about his growing deafness<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, \u201cAppassionata\u201d (Op. 57)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Beethoven Appassionata Piano Sonata No  23 in F minor Op  57 FULL\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U2f_mNh8Olk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anastasia Huppmann plays Piano Sonata No. 23 in full.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Beethoven considered \u201cAppassionata\u201d his greatest sonata of all. The title \u201cAppassionata\u201d itself was coined by a publisher 30 years after the sonata\u2019s original release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This sonata is full of surprises: sudden dynamic shifts, dramatic pauses, and quick trills keep the listener engaged. This is a challenging piece, but it\u2019s also very visual. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicfm.com\/composers\/beethoven\/guides\/sonata-23-appassionata\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Carl Czerny<\/a>, a student of Beethoven\u2019s, suggests imagining a stormy night at sea with a person crying for help in the distance. \u201cThen such a picture will give the pianist a guide to the correct playing of this great tonal painting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interestingly, this sonata was dedicated to Franz von Brunsvik, who was more of a cellist than a pianist, though he came from a family of piano players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat Major, \u201cHammerklavier\u201d (Op. 106)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Beethoven Sonata Nr.29 &quot;Hammerklavier&quot; - Opus 106 - Historical Tempo Reconstruction - Alberto Sanna\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IFYdLxDcF90?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The &#8220;Hammerklavier&#8221; sonata played on a fortepiano similar to the one Beethoven may have used.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The title of this sonata conjures up a ferocious image of hammers pounding on a keyboard, and its opening chords further portray this visual. But \u201chammerklavier\u201d is simply the German word for \u201cpiano.\u201d Beethoven wrote this sonata in the midst of a deep depression, when he was suffering creatively. Then, the English piano-maker Broadwood shipped him a brand new piano \u2014 its largest and strongest \u2014 and this re-ignited in Beethoven a new desire to compose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The<a href=\"https:\/\/www.laphil.com\/musicdb\/pieces\/2836\/piano-sonata-no-29-op-106-hammerklavier\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra<\/a> describes this sonata as &#8220;thrilling for the audience and treacherous for the pianist.&#8221; Like \u201cAppassionata,\u201d this sonata has dramatic shifts in dynamics and mood. The first movement is majestic and triumphant, the second playful, and the third tragic. But the fourth and final movement (yes, this sonata has four movements!) is more experimental and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-fugue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> fugue<\/a>-like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.<\/p>\n<cite>Beethoven: reported in a letter from Bettina von Arnim&nbsp;to Goethe<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Listening to Sonatas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sonatas can have a barrier to entry, but knowing a few contextual facts can help you appreciate them. Pick a sonata that catches your ear, then dive into its history and its structure. Watch a dynamic performance by your favorite pianist, and don\u2019t feel obligated to listen to all movements at once. Take your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, when you\u2019re ready, try playing one of Beethoven\u2019s best piano sonatas one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\">Sources &amp; Further Reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicfm.com\/composers\/beethoven\/guides\/beethovens-music-piano-sonatas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Beethoven&#8217;s Piano Sonatas: John Suchet&#8217;s guide to the music&#8221; &#8211; Classic FM<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicfm.com\/composers\/beethoven\/music\/ludwig-van-beethoven-piano-sonata-no8-c-minor-path\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Beethoven &#8211; Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor (&#8216;Path\u00e9tique&#8217;)&#8221; &#8211; Classic FM<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicfm.com\/composers\/beethoven\/music\/moonlight-sonata-no-14-c-sharp-mi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Beethoven&#8217;s &#8216;Moonlight&#8217; Sonata: discover the 1801 piano masterpiece&#8221; &#8211; Classic FM<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicfm.com\/composers\/beethoven\/guides\/sonata-23-appassionata\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Beethoven &#8211; Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, &#8216;Appassionata&#8217;: Full Works Concert Highlight of the Week&#8221; &#8211; Classic FM<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Beethoven-Piano-Sonatas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Beethoven Piano Sonatas&#8221; &#8211; Encyclopedia Britannica<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/art\/sonata\">&#8220;Sonata&#8221; &#8211; Encyclopedia Britannica<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/art\/sonata-form\">&#8220;Sonata Form&#8221; &#8211; Encyclopedia Britannica<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gramophone.co.uk\/features\/article\/beethoven-s-waldstein-sonata-a-guide-to-the-greatest-recordings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Beethoven&#8217;s &#8216;Waldstein&#8217; Sonata: a guide to the greatest recordings&#8221; &#8211; Grammophone<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/musictheory.pugetsound.edu\/mt21c\/SonataIntroduction.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;25.1 Sonata Form&#8221; &#8211; Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.udiscovermusic.com\/classical-features\/beethoven-piano-sonatas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Explore Beethoven&#8217;s Complete Piano Sonatas&#8221; &#8211; UDiscoverMusic<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Beethoven\u2019s piano sonatas changed the history of music. Take a look at the stories behind the best Beethoven sonatas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":6631,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1108],"tags":[1133],"class_list":["post-6551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-musicianship","tag-survey"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6551"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16815,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6551\/revisions\/16815"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}