Description
Beethoven is said to have written this prelude around the age of seventeen, in 1787. WoO stands for a work without opus number. Its minor-key shading and improvisatory figuration hint at the exploratory spirit of the young composer.
It is in F minor and 3/2 time, a metre counted in half notes, so quick figuration flows within broad, unhurried beats. The harmony shifts frequently, and though brief at under three minutes, the piece holds a fairly high 882 notes. Its range from C2 to C6 spans exactly four octaves and fits on a 61-key keyboard.
Rated intermediate, it is a good entry point for players exploring Classical style. Because the harmony keeps moving, the key is hearing where the sound changes. Listen at a reduced playback speed to follow the harmonic shifts, and repeat the modulating passages with the A-B loop so that the harmonic motion behind the figuration becomes clear. Keep feeling the broad half-note beat of 3/2 as you play.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Born in Bonn and active in Vienna, Ludwig van Beethoven is among the towering figures in music history, bridging the Classical and Romantic eras. Despite losing his hearing in later life, he continued composing, pursuing innovative forms and intense emotional expression in his symphonies and piano sonatas. His beloved piano piece "Fur Elise" and his 32 piano sonatas remain widely performed. This site includes "Für Elise," the two sonatas of Op. 49, movements from his early piano sonatas, and sets of variations.
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