Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ("Moonlight")

Originally known as "Piano Sonata in C sharp minor", also known as "Moonlight Sonata", composed In 1801, it was close to Beethoven's creative maturity.

This work has three movements:

The first movement-continuous adagio, in C-sharp minor 2/2 time, trilogy (Piano Sonata Nr.14 (Mondschein - Sonate) - 1. Adagio sostenuto)

This movement is extremely rich in emotional expression, including meditative tenderness, sad chanting, and dark premonitions. Although the accompaniment, theme and intensity have not changed much, the fluctuations of the author's heartstrings are still delicately expressed through changes in harmony, register and rhythm. This sonata contains Beethoven's most original ideas. Its dream-like improvisational nature and the way it explores the sound of piano sounds anticipated Debussy's Impressionism about a hundred years later. The theme it is based on is very simple: at the beginning of the music, boundless fantasy is constructed by the continuous flow of triplets. Four bars later, the first theme appears faintly in the alto area. It is delicate and calm, with a hint of melancholy. The second theme appears in the key of B major at 1 minute and 18 seconds in paragraph 1. The middle part begins with the first theme. The triplet twists and turns towards the high range, showing an irritable and restless mood. Then, entering the third paragraph, the first theme reappears calmly, the second theme reappears in the key of C-sharp minor, and then the bass continues to play the coda of the basic motive, slowly disappearing and ending.

Second movement - Allegretto, D flat major, 3/4 time, trilogy (Piano Sonata Nr.14 (Mondschein - Sonate) - 2. Allegretto)

This movement is relatively short. Liszt described this movement as "a flower between two abyss". It perfectly connects the contemplation of the first movement with the tense atmosphere of the third movement with completely different light expressions. The first section is a theme echoed by legato and staccato, and then repeated with variations. The middle part also remains in D flat major. Section 2 reproduces the first section at 1 minute and 13 seconds. This movement seems to be a gentle smile left in an instant.

The third movement - exciting Presto, C sharp minor, 4/4 time, sonata form (Piano Sonata Nr.14 (Mondschein - Sonate) - 3. Presto agitato)

Although the tonality is closely related to the previous movement, the emotions expressed are completely different. The first theme is the uncontrollable boiling and incitement of enthusiasm, which is like a fierce rage and a continuous sound of jumping feet. The second theme is like a complaint from the bottom of my heart. The continuous eighth notes and decisive rhythm near the end express passionate emotions and strong will. After a short development, the inner excitement became even stronger. At the end, when the boiling enthusiasm reached its peak, it suddenly fell silent, but the turbulent mood did not calm down. Beethoven once said that both sonatas in his Opus 27 were like fantasies. He instructed that the movements of the "Moonlight" sonata should be followed without a pause, so that the opening movement could gradually unfold in a suggestive way and enter the intricate final movement, thus providing a sense of cohesion and climax. Beethoven's sonatas of this period were full of experimental approaches, and he attempted to re-evaluate the main creative principles of the sonata form. Generally speaking, if you want to follow the traditional pattern, the sonata form often appears in only one movement, usually in the first movement. But Beethoven broke this pattern. The "Moonlight" Sonata is the beginning of the classical music school moving towards the romantic music school. One of the works of transformation.

The reason why this piano piece is called "Moonlight" is because the German poet Ludwig Leerstable said after hearing it: "After listening to the first movement of this work, "It reminds me of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland and the bright moonlight rippling on the lake." Later, the publisher added the title "Moonlight Song" based on this passage, about the composer's improvisations under the moonlight. The legend became popular. In fact, what touched Beethoven's creation was not the bright moonlight, but the painful mood after the failure of Beethoven's first love with Julietta Guichardi (1784-1856).

Julietta Guichardi was the count's daughter, 14 years younger than Beethoven. The two loved each other sincerely, but the family gap forced them to break up. After suffering this heavy blow, Beethoven poured all his inner pain and intense grief and indignation caused by the feudal hierarchy into this passionate and fiery piano piece. So, this piece is dedicated to her. On November 16 of this year, Beethoven mentioned her in a letter to Wegler and said: "She loves me and I love her." But by the beginning of 1802, she had fallen in love with Luo Luo. Count Burr Hallenberg, and was driven by the family to marry him in 1803. Romain Rolland linked this piece to Beethoven's lovelorn, saying, "The fantasy lasted for a short time, and there was already more pain and grief in the sonata than love." Rolland interpreted the first movement as melancholy, lamentation and crying. Russian musicologist Olibyshev (1794-1858) believed that the first movement is a "deep sorrow" of lost love, like a "dying fire". But in 1801, Beethoven and Guichardi were passionately in love. To say that this work is about the pain of lost love may not be consistent with the facts.

Regarding the explanation of this work, perhaps the views of Russian art critic Stasov (1824-1906) are more reasonable. After recalling listening to Liszt's performance in Petersburg, he believed that this sonata was a complete tragedy. The first movement was full of wistful tenderness and a mental state sometimes full of dark premonitions. He also had a similar impression when listening to Anton Rubinstein's performance: "... from far away, far away, as if from the invisible depths of the soul, a quiet voice suddenly rose. Some voices were melancholy and full of The article "Moonlight Song" in Lesson 10 of the Chinese fifth-grade textbook is named "Moonlight Song" by the publisher. A touching "story" invented for the title.

Original text:

One autumn, Beethoven went to travel and perform in various places and came to a small town by the Rhine River. One night, while walking on a quiet path, he heard the intermittent sound of a piano coming from a hut, playing his own music.

As Beethoven approached the hut, the sound of the piano suddenly stopped and someone was talking in the house. A girl said: "This piece of music is so difficult to play! I have only heard it played a few times by others, and I can't remember how to play it. It would be great if I could hear how Beethoven played it himself! "A man said: "Yes, but the tickets for the concert are too expensive and we are too poor." The girl said: "Brother, don't be sad, I just said it casually."

When Beethoven heard this, he opened the door and walked in gently. There was a candle burning in the hut. In the dim candlelight, the man is making leather shoes. There was an old piano in front of the window, and sitting in front of it was a girl of sixteen or seventeen years old. She had a pretty face, but she was blind.

The shoemaker saw a stranger coming in, stood up and asked, "Sir, who are you looking for? Did you go to the wrong door?" Beethoven said, "No, I'm here to play a piece of music for this guy. The girl listened."

The girl quickly stood up and gave up her seat. Beethoven sat in front of the piano and played the piece that the blind girl had just played. The blind girl listened with rapt attention. After finishing the song, she said excitedly: "How skillful you are in playing! How deep your emotions are! You, are you Mr. Beethoven?"

Beethoven did not answer. , he asked the blind girl: "Do you like to hear it? Let me play you another song."

A gust of wind blew out the candle.

The moonlight shines through the window, and everything in the hut seems to be covered with silver gauze, making it look particularly quiet. Beethoven looked at the poor brother and sister standing beside him, and pressed the keys under the quiet moonlight.

The shoemaker listened quietly. He seemed to be facing the sea, and the moonlight was rising from where the water and the sky met. The sparkling sea surface was instantly filled with silver light. The moon rises higher and higher, passing through wisps of veil-like clouds. Suddenly, strong winds blew on the sea and huge waves rolled up. The waves illuminated by the moon were shining brightly towards the shore one after another... The shoemaker looked at his sister, the moonlight was shining on her peaceful face and her wide-open eyes, and she seemed to have seen it too, She saw a sight she had never seen before, the rough sea illuminated by the moonlight.

The brother and sister were intoxicated by the beautiful sound of the piano. When they woke up, Beethoven had already left the hut. He rushed back to the inn and spent the whole night recording the song he had just played - "Moonlight Song".

Appreciation:

The first part just narrates one thing, and at the same time expresses Beethoven's leisurely mood. It reads in a calm tone; while the latter part is written with a beautiful artistic conception. In the imagination of the two brothers and sisters, the scene changes from stillness to movement, and the tone and speed of speech naturally change greatly accordingly. To use a specific sentence, "A gust of wind blew out the candles, and the moonlight shone through the window. Everything in the hut seemed to be covered with silver gauze, making it look particularly quiet. Beethoven looked at the poor brother and sister standing beside him, By the quiet moonlight, press the keys. "These sentences express the hazy beauty. If you imagine the mood of the characters at that time, they should be very peaceful. When reading, the voice is soft, the speaking speed is slightly slower, and the tone changes. Not big. Read "Suddenly, strong winds blew on the sea, rolling up huge waves. The waves, illuminated by the moonlight, rushed towards the shore one after another..." It suddenly accelerated, and the intonation fluctuated greatly, protruding from the sea. The waves looked rough, and then "She seemed to have seen it, and saw a scene she had never seen before, the rough sea under the moonlight." The speech slowed down again, paying special attention to the words after "the moonlight" To pause, "Rough Sea" is slower, but each word is extremely powerful to show the brother and sister's intoxication in the music.

Until now, many people still equate this beautiful and touching legend with the fact itself. In fact, according to research by music historians, Beethoven never had this experience. His "Piano Sonata No. 14 in #c minor" was given the title "Moonlight" because the music critic Lyle Stauber believed that the beginning of the song is reminiscent of the moonlight on Lake Lucerne. The shrewd publisher invented a touching "story" under the title "Moonlight Song".

In fact, when Beethoven wrote this work, it was in 1801. At that time, his deafness was getting worse and the pain of broken love had not yet healed. In a painful state of mind, he wrote this piano sonata.

Therefore, in the first movement, the sighing theme blends into his melancholy thoughts. Someone once explained this movement with the help of imagination and said: "The first movement is like the rising of the moon, full of hope, but it is covered by floating clouds, and all shadows disappear, which makes people feel sad."

The second movement is a small allegro. As a transitional movement, the mood of the music tends to be soft and warm, like recalling the sweet dreams of the past and looking forward to the blueprint for the future. The two musical themes in the movement seem to soothe the traumatized soul. The soothing transitional movement will give people the feeling of a peaceful moonlit night. However, this moon-like tranquility is just a short rest in Beethoven's turbulent heart.

The third movement comes like a surge, and the lion-like Beethoven leaps onto the rushing black and white keys again. If the second movement is, as Liszt commented: "It is a little flower among two cliffs," then the finale movement is the flood pouring down from the cliff. The exciting Allegro tempo makes the notes sound like a storm, blending in anger, appeal and resistance. The bumpy circumstances gave Beethoven not sighs and surrender, but fights and struggles.

This movement has two contrasting themes. The former is composed of decomposed chords of sixteenth notes; the upward impact phrase shows strong power; the latter has a beautiful melody and clear tone, full of longing and hope for faith. The two themes are intertwined, contrasted, developed, or reappeared, making the composer's state of mind like the sea, with turbulent waves that are difficult to calm down.

This sonata is an early work by Beethoven. It was during the period when the fortepiano was developing into a modern piano. Since the sustain pedal used in the first movement of this piece is beyond the reach of the fortepiano, this piece It is the first work suitable only for piano playing.