Good 'ol' moonlight sonatas

[oboe_15]

Three questions:
1) I have been told that Beethoven didn't nickname the Moonlight sonatas himself, but someone else did it either beleiving they would sell better, or it just reminded them of the moonlight (However I cannot see how the second and third movement would do that) (and I am sorry for I hve forgot the opus no. and the piano son. no.)?

2) Who was the person who named them that (if the answer to the above is that he DID NOT name them)?

3) Was Beethoven deaf or semi deaf of completey deaf when this sonata was written? I cannot find the date of completion in ANY of my text books! (and anything on Antonio Vivaldi, might just have to get a few more up to date books for my Birthday!).

Thankyou for your reply!

Beethoven rocks!

oboe_15

[~Leslie]

Hi Oboe,

Opus 27 Quasi Una Fantasia #'s 13 & 14 were probably composed in 1801 and published in 1802. The first sonata in E flat major was dedicated to Princess Josephine Sophie von Liechtenstein, and the 2nd in C# minor was dedicated to Countess Guiletta Guicciardi.

The critic Rellstab coined the name Moonlight.

In October 1802, Beethoven wrote a long, impassioned document called the Heiglnstadt testament, in which he poured his inner torment over becoming deaf....but the letters he wrote earlier in 1801, also confirm that deafness was creeping up on him.

Hope this helps. ~Leslie

[Peter]

Originally posted by ~Leslie:
The critic Rellstab coined the name Moonlight.

And he envisaged a boat gliding across the waters of Lake Lucerne lit by moonlight.

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'Man know thyself'