COMPOSER: Ludwig Van Beethoven
COMPOSED: 1801
Ludwig Van Beethoven was famously unlucky in love; he had several fleeting passions with women over the years, none of which ever came to anything. One was with Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, one of his piano pupils. She had a portrait done of herself which she gave to Beethoven, and he kept it for the rest of his life. Beethoven dedicated his piano sonata Op. 27 No. 2 in C Sharp Minor to her, a work he described as ‘quasi una fantasia.’ Some thirty years later the poet Ludwig Rellstab came up with a catchier description. He wrote that the first movement – the one printed here – made him think of the moonlight shining on the water of Lake Lucerne.
The name ‘Moonlight Sonata’ has stuck ever since, possibly helping its popularity in the popular consciousness as one of the best-loved piano pieces ever.
The famous right hand triplets should flow with minimum disruption – note the word sostenuto (sustained) in the tempo marking, and use the soft pedal as indicated to keep a veil over the music. The term slentando, which appears in the last line, is one that doesn’t come round very often – Beethoven is asking the performer to slow down just a little here to bring the music to a gentle close.