Beethoven piano sonatas with titles

The sonata genre occupies a very important place in the work of L. Beethoven. His classical form undergoes evolution and transforms into a romantic one. His early works can be called the legacy of the Viennese classics Haydn and Mozart, but in his mature works the music is completely unrecognizable.

Over time, the images of Beethoven’s sonatas completely move away from external problems into subjective experiences, internal dialogues of a person with himself.

Many believe that the novelty of Beethoven’s music is associated with programmaticity, that is, endowing each work with a specific image or plot. Some of his sonatas actually have a title. However, it was the author who gave only one name: Sonata No. 26 has a small remark as an epigraph – “Lebe wohl”. Each of the parts also has a romantic name: “Farewell”, “Separation”, “Meeting”.

The rest of the sonatas were titled already in the process of recognition and with the growth of their popularity. These names were invented by friends, publishers, and simply fans of creativity. Each corresponded to the mood and associations that arose when immersed in this music.

There is no plot as such in Beethoven’s sonata cycles, but the author was sometimes so clearly able to create dramatic tension subordinated to one semantic idea, conveyed the word so clearly with the help of phrasing and agogics that the plots suggested themselves. But he himself thought more philosophically than plot-wise.

Sonata No. 8 “Pathetique”

One of the early works, Sonata No. 8, is called “Pathetique”. The name “Great Pathetic” was given to it by Beethoven himself, but it was not indicated in the manuscript. This work became a kind of result of his early work. Courageous heroic-dramatic images were clearly evident here. The 28-year-old composer, who was already beginning to experience hearing problems and perceived everything in tragic colors, inevitably began to approach life philosophically. The bright theatrical music of the sonata, especially its first part, became the subject of discussion and controversy no less than the opera premiere.

The novelty of music also lay in sharp contrasts, clashes and struggles between parties, and at the same time their penetration into each other and the creation of unity and purposeful development. The name justifies itself fully, especially since the end marks a challenge to fate.

Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight”

Full of lyrical beauty, beloved by many, “Moonlight Sonata” was written during the tragic period of Beethoven’s life: the collapse of hopes for a happy future with his beloved and the first manifestations of an inexorable illness. This is truly the composer’s confession and his most heartfelt work. Sonata No. 14 received its beautiful name from Ludwig Relstab, a famous critic. This happened after Beethoven’s death.

In search of new ideas for the sonata cycle, Beethoven departs from the traditional compositional scheme and comes to the form of a fantasy sonata. By breaking the boundaries of the classical form, Beethoven thus challenges the canons that constrain his work and life.

Sonata No. 15 “Pastoral”

Sonata No. 15 was called the “Grand Sonata” by the author, but the publisher from Hamburg A. Kranz gave it a different name – “Pastoral”. It is not very widely known under it, but it fully corresponds to the character and mood of the music. Pastel calming colors, lyrical and restrained melancholy images of the work tell us about the harmonious state in which Beethoven was at the time of writing it. The author himself loved this sonata very much and played it often.

Sonata No. 21 «Aurora»

Sonata No. 21, called “Aurora,” was written in the same years as the composer’s greatest achievement, the Eroic Symphony. The goddess of the dawn became the muse for this composition. Images of awakening nature and lyrical motifs symbolize spiritual rebirth, an optimistic mood and a surge of strength. This is one of the rare works of Beethoven where there is joy, life-affirming power and light. Romain Rolland called this work “The White Sonata”. Folklore motifs and the rhythm of folk dance also indicate the closeness of this music to nature.

Sonata No. 23 “Appassionata”

The title “Appassionata” for sonata No. 23 was also given not by the author, but by the publisher Kranz. Beethoven himself had in mind the idea of ​​human courage and heroism, the predominance of reason and will, embodied in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The name, coming from the word “passion,” is very appropriate in relation to the figurative structure of this music. This work absorbed all the dramatic power and heroic pressure that had accumulated in the composer’s soul. The sonata is full of rebellious spirit, ideas of resistance and persistent struggle. That perfect symphony that was revealed in the Heroic Symphony is brilliantly embodied in this sonata.

Sonata No. 26 “Farewell, Separation, Return”

Sonata No. 26, as already said, is the only truly programmatic work in the cycle. Its structure “Farewell, Separation, Return” is like a life cycle, where after separation lovers meet again. The sonata was dedicated to the departure of Archduke Rudolph, the composer’s friend and student, from Vienna. Almost all of Beethoven’s friends left with him.

Sonata No. 29 “Hammerklavier”

One of the last in the cycle, Sonata No. 29, is called the “Hammerklavier”. This music was written for a new hammer instrument created at that time. For some reason this name was assigned only to sonata 29, although Hammerklavier’s remark appears in the manuscripts of all his later sonatas.