Moonlight Sonata

[Megan]

As is well known, the name Moonlight did not arrive from Beethoven, but by a later poet name Ludwig Rellstab. In fact at the time Beethoven composed this there was a fragment of the motif from Don Giovannis death scene after the opening overture. (Opera by Mozart) The motif are very much like the motif in this movement by Beethoven. And on top of the rolling march motif the melody plays like a funeral march theme.


There is an apocryphal tradition that the beautiful first movement is not about moonlight but indeed a funeral march and a tribute to Mozart. But what I would really like to know is, does it have any basis in fact, such as, did Beethoven tell anyone on credible testimony that the 1st movement was tribute to Mozart?




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[Peter]

There is no evidence of it and actually I think if it were Beethoven's intention he most likely would have referred to the fact in the score. It's more likely that Beethoven was simply inspired by the passage you quote - one thing is certain, he wasn't thinking of moonlight either!

[Michael]

In Vienna it was known as the "Arbour Sonata" due to a story doing the rounds that Beethoven composed it in an arbour. I don't know if this was current during his lifetime.

My earliest Beethoven memory is of a story in my English schoolbook, when I was about eight or nine. The composer was walking with a friend when he heard some beautiful music coming from an open window. They investigated and it turned out to be a young blind girl who was playing the piano. (Blind girl, deaf composer - get it?)
Beethoven then sat down at the young girl's piano and intoned: "I will compose a sonata unto the moonlight." (!!)
For some reason that sententious phrase stuck in my mind. "I will compose a sonata in C sharp minor" doesn't have the same ring to it.


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[Peter]

In Vienna it was known as the "Arbour Sonata" due to a story doing the rounds that Beethoven composed it in an arbour. I don't know if this was current during his lifetime.

My earliest Beethoven memory is of a story in my English schoolbook, when I was about eight or nine. The composer was walking with a friend when he heard some beautiful music coming from an open window. They investigated and it turned out to be a young blind girl who was playing the piano. (Blind girl, deaf composer - get it?)
Beethoven then sat down at the young girl's piano and intoned: "I will compose a sonata unto the moonlight." (!!)
For some reason that sententious phrase stuck in my mind. "I will compose a sonata in C sharp minor" doesn't have the same ring to it.


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Ah but he might have said 'I'll compose a Fantasia unto the moonlight'!