Even in Beethoven's day the 'Moonlight' Sonata was a popular favourite. This 1999 book provides an accessible introduction to the Sonatas Opp. 27 and 31 (including The 'Moonlight' and 'The Tempest'), aimed at pianists, students, and music lovers. It begins with the works' historical background - the emergence of a 'piano culture' at the end of the eighteenth century, Beethoven's aristocratic milieu in Vienna, and his oft-quoted intention to follow a new compositional path. An account of the sonatas' genesis is followed by a discussion of their reception history, including a survey of changing performing styles since the mid-nineteenth century. The concept of the Sonata quasi una Fantasia is examined in relation to the cult of artistic sensibility in early-nineteenth-century Vienna. The study concludes with a critical introduction to each sonata.

Edited by Willard A. Palmer, this is Beethoven's complete Sonata, Opus 27, No. 2. There are historical notes about the work and the composer, as well as illustrations, performance suggestions regarding staccato, notes by Carl Czerny, and additional footnotes within the score. Mr. Palmer notes that "the present edition has been carefully prepared from the original autograph manuscript and the first edition…"

Beethoven's Sonata, Opus 27, No. 2, was not known as the "Moonlight Sonata" during his lifetime. The name has its origins in 1832, in remarks by the German music critic Ludwig Rellstab, as he likened the effect of the first movement to that of moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne. The name caught on quickly, and later in the nineteenth century, it could be said that the sonata was "universally known" by that name.

Re-engraved, corrected editions by Artur Schnabel, with Schnabel's notes and comments in five languages. Volume One contains Sonatas One through Seventeen and Volume Two contains Sonatas Eighteen through Thirty-Two.

Beethoven wrote 32 sonatas for piano. The final installment, Volume 4, edited by Stewart Gordon, contains Sonatas 25-32, written between 1809 and 1822 and published shortly thereafter. Of the eight sonatas in this volume, autographs exist in whole or in part for all but Op. 106, missing since World War II. This edition is based on the existing autographs and the first editions. Dr. Gordon discusses a variety of topics including Beethoven's life; the pianos of his time and their limitations; Beethoven's use of articulation, ornamentation, tempi; and the age-old challenge of attempting to determine the definitive interpretation of Beethoven's music. Valuable performance recommendations, helpful fingering suggestions and ornament realizations are offered in this comprehensive critical body of Beethoven's sonatas. Where performance options are open to interpretation, other editors' conclusions are noted, enabling students and teachers to make informed performance decisions. Titles: * Op. 79 ("Sonatine") * Op. 81a * Op. 90 * Op. 101 * Op. 106 ("Hammer-Klavier") * Op. 109 * Op. 110 * Op. 111

In Beethoven's 32 Piano Sonatas, renowned performer and pedagogue Stewart Gordon addresses textual issues, Beethoven's pianos, performance practices, composer's indications, and the composer's development, pointing to patterns of structure, sonority, keyboard technique, and emotional meaning. In addition, each sonata appears in a helpful outline-chart format for easy-access reference.