Which Beethoven Sonatas do you teach first?
Beethoven turns 250 next month! In celebration, I thought I would answer a question that I had to wrestle with in earlier years of teaching, and which other teachers have asked me:
Which Beethoven Sonatas do you teach first?
I’d like to start by saying what is probably understood by all, but what begs saying out loud (or in print!): that no student should embark upon learning a Beethoven Sonata without a significant amount of preparation.
The most obvious choices for this are sonatinas by Clementi, Kuhlau, Diabelli, and others who are often categorized as “minor masters.”
Click here for another post on Beethoven’s Sonatina in F Major.
There are numerous wonderful Sonatinas collections available, and the intermediate repertoire series that I frequently use contain several movements that are often student favorites.
Speaking more broadly, the following would help prepare as well:
more repertoire from the classical era (such as dances by Mozart or Beethoven),
easier Haydn Sonata movements,
works by Bach to prepare for contrapuntal sections,
works by 19th century composers to prepare for the expressive range needed in Beethoven’s pieces, and
practice of scales, chord inversions, and arpeggios to both technically prepare for those items presented in the Sonatas as well as help students analyze the harmony found within them.
Wondering how I determine the level of difficulty on any given piece? I have many tools such as books and exam syllabi that I use in addition to years of experience teaching pieces multiple times. However, I also have a resource for you! Enter your email address here to download my free Repertoire Difficulty Worksheet:
One more note: I’m not including the Moonlight Sonata on this list. The first movement, while widely played, does not actually function like many other sonatas by Beethoven. Students who ask to learn it and are highly motivated could do so by rote or in a simplified version at an earlier stage in their development if their teacher is willing to oblige. Otherwise, this sonata could be inserted at almost any point in the list below with caution. The final movement is technically demanding and should be chosen with care.
And now, with no further ado: my thoughts on first Beethoven Sonata movements to teach:
“LIGHT” SONATAS
Op.49 No.2 - in G Major; both movements are of relative equal difficulty, comparable to a longer, more difficult sonatina by Clementi. Light and happy in character. This was my first Beethoven Sonata, and I distinctly remember how grown up I felt to be playing it!
Op.49 No.1 - The first movement, in G minor, is more melancholy than 49/2 and is often attractive to teens. The second movement is long, and I usually do not assign this for performance, but ask students to learn at least part of it to understand the Sonata as a whole.
Op.79 - Again in G Major, but more technically demanding than 49/2. The first movement is fun and has some octaves for a student who enjoys those. All three movements are of similar difficulty, and a student ready for this can learn the entire Sonata well.
EARLY TRUE SONATAS
Op.2 No.1 - While the middle movement of this Sonata is slow and I have yet to have a student want to play it, the first movement is well-loved and a great example of early Beethoven style. The last movement is technically challenging but a real crowd-pleaser if your student has the chops to execute it!
Op.14 No.1 - I love all of the movements of this, and I think they hang together well as a whole. The third is only hard if a student struggles with polyrhythms. The first is really beautiful - more melodic in nature than some other Beethoven movements.
Op.10 No.1 - I have found the first movement of this piece to be an excellent choice for older high schoolers needing a serious, strong sonata-allegro movement. The last movement is a lot of fun with fast-running scales and humor. The second movement is very long and not as appealing to pre-college students.
SONATAS THAT I WOULD NOT TEACH FIRST
Op.13 “Pathetique” - Everyone knows and loves this Sonata. Be warned that the second movement is much easier than the first, and while that movement might be introduced at an earlier stage, the first is quite difficult and requires both technical and musical maturity to execute well. That said, don’t ignore the last movement of this when teaching - it is a fun rondo that does not require the same emotional investment as the first movement.
Op.31 No.2 “The Tempest” - While many high school students can play this well, my opinion is that it should only be assigned after a previous experience with Beethoven or similarly difficult early 19th-century music. The range of expression and technical demands are great and difficult to hold together over the course of a movement.
Wondering about which edition to use? Here are some of my thoughts:
The Barenreiter is new and I have not personally reviewed it; however, a glance at the preview pages of this edition of Op. 49 shows there are no fingerings, meaning this would not be my first choice for a student edition.
The Henle edition is an expensive urtext option, but it’s what I own for my own personal use, and I use it sometimes with students who are able to make an investment. Click here for volume 1 and here for volume 2.
Students often do just fine with the Dover as a reliable, yet cheaper alternative - click here for volume 1 and here for volume 2.
The Alfred Masterworks edition done by Stewart Gordon fall in a similar price range per volume to the Dover and are also excellent student editions. Note, however, that these come in four volumes as opposed to two. Click here for volume 1, here for volume 2, here for volume 3, or here for volume 4. There are also some single sonata options in this edition, such as the Moonlight (Op.27, No.2), and this might be a good option for a recreational student just needing to purchase one piece.
I do think it’s terribly important that our students listen to quality professional recordings of pieces like Beethoven sonatas (as opposed to student recordings found on YouTube!) in the learning process. I enjoy this one by Alfred Brendel, and I hope you will too:
Haven’t seen my video yet discussing how to teach Beethoven’s Sonatina in F Major? Hopefully it will give you some ideas on how to teach an intermediate piece by the great master.
The above are Amazon and Sheet Music Plus affiliate links. If you click on a product link and make a purchase, Janna will receive a small commission.
