Beethoven's Pathétique Sonata 3rd Movement

scottg4life

Hi! I finished learning the 2nd Mov and now I am going to learn the 3rd Mov. The 2nd was very easy for me and I think this one is going to be a LOT harder! :P I just want to know if anyone here has ever played the 3rd Movement before and what is it like; Is it hard?; Easy?; Is there any advice and tips on how to play it?? I really want to be stuck in with this piece and play it perfectly.
So if you you have experience, tips, and helpful advice on how to play it please share them with me. It would be great! Thanks!

P.S. What are the pieces for 2011 RIAM Grade 5 Piano??

The Raven.

The 3rd movement is my favourite. I find it so enjoyable to play. It needs lots and lots of practise. It is quite fast but as usual my advice would be to play it slowly in the beginning and learn each section thoroughly before trying to speed it up, watching every detail such as rhythm, articulation, dynamics etc. and good fingering is vital. It is a very dramatic piece with a lot of contrast, but the drama and sensitivity can only be achieved when you have the confidence that comes with practise and knowing the piece. I would recommend learning to eventually play it without having to look at the music. However, it is also very important to practise it regularly from the music so as not to lose sight of what is there. There are the occasional unexpected notes in Beethoven’s pieces that can be misread.

You will find many exciting passages and, if you have any difficulties, don’t hesitate to come back here for help. It is also useful to listen to good professional pianists, recorded on CDs or YouTube. Good luck with it!

I haven’t looked at the pieces for 2011 RIAM Grade 5. By the way, the Pathetique 3rd movement was on Grade 8 a couple of years ago!

scottg4life

The Raven. wrote: »

The 3rd movement is my favourite. I find it so enjoyable to play. It needs lots and lots of practise. It is quite fast but as usual my advice would be to play it slowly in the beginning and learn each section thoroughly before trying to speed it up, watching every detail such as rhythm, articulation, dynamics etc. and good fingering is vital. It is a very dramatic piece with a lot of contrast, but the drama and sensitivity can only be achieved when you have the confidence that comes with practise and knowing the piece. I would recommend learning to eventually play it without having to look at the music. However, it is also very important to practise it regularly from the music so as not to lose sight of what is there. There are the occasional unexpected notes in Beethoven’s pieces that can be misread.

You will find many exciting passages and, if you have any difficulties, don’t hesitate to come back here for help. It is also useful to listen to good professional pianists, recorded on CDs or YouTube. Good luck with it!

I haven’t looked at the pieces for 2011 RIAM Grade 5. By the way, the Pathetique 3rd movement was on Grade 8 a couple of years ago!

Thanks for that very detailed analysis on the 3rd Movement. I will be playing this very slowly in my own time because I have pieces that I have to prepare for my Grade 5 piano Exam in 2011.
The pieces I have chosen for Grade 5 Piano 2011 are:
J.S. Bach: Air from French Suite No.4 in E flat Major BWV 815.
Stephen Heller: Tarantelle in E Minor Op.46 No.7.
L.V. Beethoven: Bagatelle in G Minor Op.119 No.1.

Are these good selected pieces. What piece is easy/hard and what would I have to look out for with these pieces??

Reply to me when you can. Thanks!

evolving_doors

Slow is the way,..definitely follow the music carefully as raven said, there's always something I miss when I learn Beethoven..

Have a listen to the glen gould version on you tube (search.. Glenn Gould - Pathetique pt. III) he plays it at a perfect tempo and with very little pedal..(as always)

It can be murder on a heavy action piano too.

Undergod

I generally like Gould but I don't the I liked his Pathetique. Best way to practice it is slowly, hands seperately, know the parts well before putting it hands together. Rhythmic practice in any fingerwork passages is something I find really helps me too.

I haven't learned the third movement, but I did the first movement last year, one of my favourite pieces of music.

scottg4life

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