Beethoven Piano Sonata Op 27 No.1

July 4, 2008 • Program Notes • 0 • Previous | Next

Beethoven was 31 years old when he was writing Op 27. He had been living in Vienna for eight years, was firmly established as one of the best pianists around and had his first symphony, six string quartets, five violin sonatas and twelve piano sonatas under his belt. In contrast with some of his earlier piano works intended for students, Beethoven was writing these pieces for public performance. Staging concerts of his own work was very lucrative and since Beethoven was not formally employed by any court or church, profit was a very good thing indeed.

Not so good however, was Beethoven’s mental health. His deafness was becoming more and more apparent and frustration turned to into dark depression. Playing the piano was one of the few ways he had left to communicate as he wished. Piano sonatas were now much more than moneyspinners. They were a place for Beethoven to express himself freely without the encumbrance of speech.

He had already been experimenting with variations on traditional forms in his first four sonatas but in Op 27, perhaps trying to free himself from any impediment to his expression, Beethoven throws convention into the wind and marks both pieces quasi una fantasia. Both sonatas are still loosely based on sonata form but are conceived more as one whole unit rather than three separate episodes.

One of the hallmarks of fantasia is its improvisational style. Beethoven was a master improviser and often won competitions when he was younger. Themes are not heard in full and formally developed as they are in strict sonata form but rather introduced at will, taken over by something new only to reappear a little while later in a different form. Also typical are quick, unannounced changes in tempo, mood and key.

Op 27 No.1 ‘quasi una fantasia’
Andante-Allegro
Allegro molto e vivace
Adagio con espressiones-Allegro vivace

The pairing together of these two sonatas is one of those rather unfortunate moments in history and Op 27 No.1 suffers badly from being completely overshadowed by the Moonlight sonata. Granted, Op 27 No.1 is not one of the strongest of the 32, nevertheless it is not without its moments of beauty.

The adagio opening of the last movement is particularly lovely and contains wonderfully contemplative, cadenza-like passages. Eventually, the adagio gives way to a cheerful fugue. Counterpoint and other learned styles were often included in fantasia because it was a way for the composer or improviser to show off their technical skill. Fantasias were a test of the musician’s worth.

It is difficult to modern listeners to appreciate how much of a premium was put on a musician’s improvisation skills during the Baroque and Classical eras. Many classical musicians in modern times can go an entire career without ever having to improvise, something that would have been completely unheard of 200 years ago.

To Op 27 No.2 ‘Moonlight’