Description
Sonata No. 27, written in 1814, is known as one of the first works in which Beethoven wrote his tempo markings in German rather than Italian, and this first movement is headed "Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck" ("with liveliness, and with feeling and expression throughout"). Dedicated to Count Moritz Lichnowsky, it is a two-movement sonata from the transition between his middle and late periods.
It is in sonata form, in E minor and 3/4 time. Passionate motion alternates with more wistful passages, conveying a deepening inwardness within a short movement. It runs over four and a half minutes with 2,629 notes, and its wide range from E1 to C7 fits on a 76-key keyboard.
Rated intermediate, it calls for careful expression in moving between the gentler and more agitated passages. Loud and soft alternate at short intervals, so build the dynamic range deliberately. Repeat the points where the character changes with the A-B loop, and check each hand's role with the hand colours at a reduced playback speed to sort out the movement's peaks and valleys.
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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