# Using pedal in Beethoven; yes or no?



## darrenwaters (May 3, 2011)

Hi all,
As a piano student of mine is learning the Rondo from Beethoven's piano sonata no. 13 in C minor, I'm interested to know how we should approach the use of the sustain pedal. Look forward to hearing from you all.
Darren


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

Guessing you mean Op. 13, not No. 13? The _Pathetique_ Sonata?


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

My advice is this - always make sure that the chord changes are clear. It is perfectly fine to use the pedal but only to sustain a chord. Never carry the sound over to another chord because it is stylistically incorrect to "blend" two chords in Beethoven's music. I feel that it is very important to know how to play the piece without using the pedal, to make sure that one does not rely to heavily on the pedal as a cover but rather uses the pedal as an instrument to make one's performance even better.

As the third movement of the op. 13 is a Rondo, it's important to make sure that the pedal does not interfere with the lively, dance feel that characterizes the movement. I'd say for passages such as the first few measures, use the pedal only sparingly.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Having played that rondo quite a few times, I agree with most everything Air said. When the left hand is outlining arpeggios and the right hand plays legato (like the first full measure), it is appropriate to change the pedal about twice per measure. When both hands are more active, or where staccato is marked, I would try to mostly avoid it. Above all the piece must not get bogged down in pedal so much that it loses its agile character.


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