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Hello everyone, I'm working on Beethoven Sonata No 20 in G major. But I'm a little lost on how to execute the ornamentation in bar 4. Hope some one can help me out with this. Here is the excerpt of the music:


Should it be played as:
1. CDCDCDCBCB
2. CDCDCDBCB
3. DCDCDCDBCB
4. DCDCDCBCB

I've read that in Classical music, trill can go both ways so it's a little confusing. Also, do I need a short pause between trill and the appoggiatura or it should be played as one long trill.
Thank you.

1 is best.

You can start trills on the subsidiary note in music from the Classical era, but it's better not to repeat it if approaching from that note. And there should definitely be no pause (and no missing adjacent notes) between the trill and the appoggiatura.

FAIK you do not start the trill on the upper note of the trill if the previous note is that same upper note

I would play it like (2) because you have an extra note with (1) that does not fit nicely

Trills are not measured precisely. You should never have a "missing note" within a trill, like in 2, whether within it or when finishing it off.

I've just looked at my own edition (ABRSM, edited by H.Craxton, notes by D.F.Tovey) of the Beethoven sonatas. It recommends the much easier CDCBCB, which seems right - the tempo is Allegro ma non troppo and it would be almost impossible to fit nine or ten notes into that trill at that speed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u662Ep6o0k

Listen to Maurizio Pollini, one of the world's greatest living pianists - he plays even fewer notes by starting the trill on the upper note.......

Whereas Barenboim, not quite so cleanly, plays an extra three notes and starts on the lower note:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqUZ0IjRkvM

Thank you Bennevis. I just include those notes for illustration purpose only. You're correct. I cannot get all of those notes played. So I'll take your advice and stick to CDCBCB. Thank you again.

>Trills are not measured precisely

I disagree, you have to study these relatively slow and having regularity makes life a lot easier

> You should never have a "missing note" within a trill, like in 2, whether within it or when finishing it off.

It seems to me not "a trill", but two figures: a trill on c, followed by a mordent on b.

I play this sonata since a long time. Correct answer is :

1. CDCDCDCBCB

There is no "correct answer". If there were you would not find two different, fine pianists with two different solutions.