Description
This is the Prestissimo finale of Sonata No. 5. After the calm song of the preceding Adagio molto, it switches abruptly to a rush of running notes that drives the entire movement. It closes this three-movement sonata, which has no minuet or scherzo, in short, sharp fashion.
It is in C minor and in sonata form. Technically demanding passagework abounds, and the tightly interlocking hands heighten the tension. For all its headlong drive, it is striking that the ending settles down and closes quietly. It lasts under three minutes with 1,974 notes, about eleven per second. Its range from F1 to F6 spans exactly five octaves, the width of the keyboard on pianos of the time.
Rated advanced, it tests both the concentration to keep notes accurate at speed and quick finger response. Focusing on speed tends to flatten the dynamic contrasts, so make the quiet passages just as definite. Check how the hands interlock with the hand colours at a reduced playback speed, then raise the tempo section by section with the A-B loop for a performance that holds together.
Piano sonatas representative of the Classical and Romantic eras, including Beethoven's early works — substantial multi-movement pieces throughout.
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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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