Piano Sonatas

[Danzan]

I need help on a question for a Music History course. I need to find out which of Beethoven's piano sonatas was the first to use Variations for the Finale. I've been looking through the scores and I think it might be the Finale in his 5th Sonata (op 10, No. 1), but I can't be sure unless I hear them, and I can't play piano to save my life. If you can help me out, PLEEEAASE reply. Thanks!

[Chris]

For the Finale? I thought is was No. 30 (Op. 109).

[Michael]

I think Chris is right. Opus 10 No. 1 ends with a sonata-form movement. That means that only two of the piano sonatas end with a variation-form movement, Opus 109 and 111, the third-last and the last. I would have thought there were more than that, but apparently not.

Michael

[PDG]

On video, I have a performance of op.109 by Vladimir Ashkenazy, and so intense is it that during the variation movement, sweat pours from his forehead, onto the piano keys - it`s a wonder he kept his fingers from slipping. Watching this always makes me think of Clifford Curzon`s dislike of modern plastic keys, to the extent that he would sandpaper them down for extra grip!

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Peter (PDG)

[deSitter]

#28 Op. 101 has a finale that features an extended variation section in the development, athough it is not strictly speaking a variation piece.

[deSitter]

Brain fart - for some reason I read "variation" as "fugue" - I guess because I was just listening to it! Op. 101 has a *fugal* finale. Sorry.

[Peter]

Originally posted by PDG:
On video, I have a performance of op.109 by Vladimir Ashkenazy, and so intense is it that during the variation movement, sweat pours from his forehead, onto the piano keys - it`s a wonder he kept his fingers from slipping. Watching this always makes me think of Clifford Curzon`s dislike of modern plastic keys, to the extent that he would sandpaper them down for extra grip!

I recall seeing that Ashkenazy recital on tv a few years back - fine performance. Interesting about Curzon, I don't think I'll try his method on my piano though !

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'Man know thyself'