Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Beethoven Pathetique Sonata group--anybody here?

Here's the list from June:
AdagioM, LudwigLives072, MaryAnna, Octavia, Pianolina, sheepdip

How's it going? I'm just reviving the second movement, not ready for the other two. I had an epiphany moment tonight: the melody was coming out really well. Maybe a little more than I wanted, but it was the first time that it was so clear. Ahhh.

The hardest part for me in this piece is the section with the huge chords.

Onward!

As far as I knew, the group hadn't started yet.

Is this the official Pathetique Learning Group thread?

Mel

Let's make it so! The Raindrop group has been going strong from the beginning, so I think we just need to run with it.

I'm only going for the Adagio Cantabile; the other two movements are beyond my reach at this point.

I sort of remember how to play this piece and would love to polish it back up. Does that count?

I think reviving a piece is as valid as learning it the first time around. Maybe better; we know where the pitfalls lie!

Let's go!

I've been playing through the second movement a bit, though I've been slowed down by an illness. I find the sections with the main theme are going pretty well, but that I'm having trouble with the other parts. The ornaments are hard to play in rhythm with the left hand. And my hands feel just a little too small to sustain LVB's vision. But I'm enjoying the effort.

The second movement was my dream piece for a long time, and several years ago I could only pluck out the first few bars of the main theme, excruciatingly slowly. But I loved the way the harmonies sounded, and I just waited a couple years before really starting it. It was worth the wait.

I want to keep this one forever.

Maryanna, I'm glad you're on the mend!

Hey guys.....

I am just getting started on the 2nd movement...mainly getting fingering down on paper first although I've been playing through a bit as well....just first two pages or so.

I've been spending most of my time on the 1st movement in which I am pretty damn close to being done with. It's taken me a good couple months to get that one down. I'm just polishing up some rough spots and working on memorization after the repeat. I have to get my piano tuned real bad because some notes are starting to stick on me pretty bad and nothing else frustrates me more when I'm trying to fly through a part and a note dies on me.......

Any suggestions by anyone on how to tackle the second movement? Some of the notes seem to be a tough stretch for me.....

Would someone be able to give me some insight into the very last turn in the movement? If I don't think about it too hard, I can produce something that sounds about right. I'm not really sure where the notes are supposed to lie in relation to the left hand though. Anyone?

Pianolina, which movement are you working on?

Ludwig, I don't have big hands! Which parts are giving you problems? I don't play all the notes in measures 42 and 43, but everything else gets played.

I do rely on the pedal to help with my legato line in the opening section, and I use a fingering that is comfortable for me.

Can I play?

I've "done" the Pathetique, but about 8 years ago. It's definitely not just under my fingers now.

Plus I can't do much with my left hand right now... so maybe I can be an honorary member and help out?

Nina, yes, please!

I've only done the second movement, so we could definitely use your help around here.

Hoping your hand is better soon!

I'm (re)starting with the second movement. There are still lots of old marking my teacher put on my score to help me with them some years ago, but unfortumately there's nothing for that very last one at the end of the movement. I can't quite remember how to pull it off .

I went to the piano to figure it out, and I just realized I'm playing it wrong! I added an extra E flat in the LH.

So how I really mean to play it:

the first Ab with the Ab chord, the first three notes of the turn (Bb, Ab, G) with the first Eb in the LH, the last note of the turn (Ab) with the second Eb. The little 32nd note C I play between the turn and the E flats of the RH and LH.

Don't know if that's perfectly technically correct, but it's what I'm doing.

I agree with AdagioM.

One way you might want to try it is to just not play the turn a few times. Play the Ab chord and Ab, the Eb's and slip the C in between the triplet. Do this a bunch of times until that Ab-C-Eb motif is in your ear and brain. Then add the turn in, starting a teeny bit after the 2nd Eb.

Since the first Ab in the rh is a dotted sixteenth, it really needs to be held a bit longer. In other words, you shouldn't start the turn on the 2nd Eb of the left hand. It should start just immediately after. Then just get it done.

It won't "fit" exactly; you just need to get the turn completed within the time it takes you to play those 2 Eb's. The C needs to be alone. It is kind of syncopated.

You might also try setting the metronome so it beats every note of the lh triplet. Set it slowly. Then just play the right hand alone with the metronome. That might help you get used to the rhythm. Then add your actual left hand, and speed it up gradually to tempo.

This is funny--my teacher just gave me this piece last night. Well, actually, he couldn't find it so he's giving it to me next week. You guys all seem pretty far into the piece, and I'm just a beginner on the piano, so I think this group is a little too advanced for me, but I'll check in from time to time!

AdagioM and Nina, thanks for the detailed help . I'll give your suggestions a try when I get home this evening.

And I agree with Nina.

Since the first Ab in the rh is a dotted sixteenth, it really needs to be held a bit longer. In other words, you shouldn't start the turn on the 2nd Eb of the left hand. It should start just immediately after. Then just get it done.

I just don't actually do it that way. But I'll try it tonight.

And welcome, C.P.!

Yep. That's what's "technically" correct. But I seriously doubt anyone will have a cow if it's not spot-on. What's probably most important is that left-hand tempo remain rock solid. Don't slow it down in order to mash the turn in. It just needs to fit in.

I just started Pathetique (the first movement) today, and I have a question. I was practicing the broken octives right at the start of the piece, and after a pretty short amount of time my hand (the top) would start to hurt. I try to keep relaxed, and I haven't really had problems with tensing up before. Do you have any advice on how to play those in a way that will "lighten" my hand or make the octives easier to play? I have pretty small hands, and I can't comfortably keep my fingers directly over the notes the whole time. Should I oscillate my wrist back and forth or move from my elbow or what?

Thanks!