No offense intended. I love that sonata, but I played it too much.

op.57 Appassionata (No.23 in F-). Wonderful

Least favorite: Opus 10 Number 2.

I played this one. It's certainly one of the easiest. Beethoven also arranged it for String Quartet which gives a lot of insight on it. It really needs a very strong dynamic range, dramatic decrescendos and the melodies have to be voiced much louder than the other parts to work. Still there are too many other sonatas way better than this one.

Another one that I'm working on I like but it's still in the least favorite category: Op 2 No 3.

It's too long--a full half an hour or more in many recordings! The second movement is nice but goes on forever, the first movement repeats way too much, the third movement is short and concise with a dramatic Trio, but then the last movement is repetitive again. It's very orchestral and has to be played that way or it's very boring. Much of this one was one of Beethoven's very early String Quartets; a lot of that kind of distinct sonority is difficult to translate onto the piano.

As a whole though, the sonatas are some of the most thoroughly enjoyable music in the repertoire. Some just are forgettable compared to the best of them though.

I love them all. So I can't reply.

I've sometimes heard the complaint that beethoven's rondo finales are too repetitive and the rondo themes too long. I've never held that opinion and several of his rondos are my favorite movements in the sonatas (love op22's finale). What I do think is that his allegretto finales are sometimes played way too slowly (like andante, when allegretto is really 'rather fast') to the extent that they drag and do become boring.

least fave


op14 no 1
op 31 no 1
op 49
op2 no 2

Op. 14 No.2 in G
However, the second movement is almost amusing.

Op. 13 in c minor is too cliche.

The first movement of Op. 27 no. 1 is irritating to me, but I enjoy the other movements (the third mov't is especially nice as a slow movement).

Op. 79 sounds childish in comparison to the rest of his Sonatas.

hmmm.. that's all that come to mind, really. I don't not appreciate any of the above, Beethoven was a genius.

I don't seem to like Op. 111 as much as most people. Not sure why, I've heard plenty of excellent performances and understand the work in its historical context, but it just doesn't grab me as much as it seems to grab others.