# Beethoven's 16th Piano Sonata



## Aurelian

Recently I became familiar with this sonata. The second movement, deliberately long and repetitive, is a mockery of overlong opera arias, and for me is the most amusing piece Beethoven wrote.

Why is this sonata not better known?


----------



## Triplets

I listen to all the Sonatas fairly frequently, and have several complete versions by different Pianists. I'm pretty familiar with the work, but in general, the best known Beethoven Piano Sonatas are the ones that have nicknames (Moonlight, tempest, etc) or the last 3 Sonatas, which are usually spoken about in reverential awe.


----------



## Larkenfield

Not the master at his best, methinks. I find the run of his sonatas highly variable in interest and quality. Some just don't gel, and for me, this is one of them—difficult to make work even by the greatest of pianists. No disrespect intended, but the repeated eruptions and explosions in the 1st movement sound like he's checking to see if he could still hear.


----------



## Triplets

Larkenfield said:


> Not the master at his best, methinks. I find the run of his sonatas highly variable in interest and quality. Some just don't gel, and for me, this is one of them-difficult to make work even by the greatest of pianists. No disrespect intended, but the repeated eruptions and explosions in the 1st movement sound like he's checking to see if he could still hear.


Umm, that's a bit harsh. I am fascinated by the three Op.31 pieces, which have a transitional feel to them. They need a Sympathetic Player to make their mark. Yesterday I was listening to Annie Fisher in 31/3, and as much as I admire her cycle, she just murders it. Rubinstein is so gentle and playful here.
Richard Goode did a very good disc of the three works.


----------



## JasonHolloway

Beethoven's 16th sonata in G major of opera 31 was composed during 1800. It is one of the famous sonata of opus 31 publications. Beethoven was dissatisfied with the difficulties of classical music and he started doing the different version of music called sonata and the results he got was really fantastic. The Beethoven's 16th piano sonata is little different which gives the smooth and breezy feel and it creates some kind of humor in its flow. Beethoven's style of compositions are very mature and the his piano sonatas are the real evidences which represents the matured compositions.


----------



## Mandryka

Aurelian said:


> Recently I became familiar with this sonata. The second movement, deliberately long and repetitive, is a mockery of overlong opera arias, and for me is the most amusing piece Beethoven wrote.
> 
> Why is this sonata not better known?


Love it, in a good performance it can be fun, sophisticated, refined, graceful, condescending.

Opera parody is a big thing in Beethoven and I think you're right to spot it here. Another good example is in op 130/5.

I didn't know it wasn't well known, maybe it suffers from not having a nickname. Who cares?


----------



## premont

Larkenfield said:


> ..but the repeated eruptions and explosions in the 1st movement sound like he's checking to see if he could still hear.


Anything wrong with that? It is at least fun to listen to IMO. So is the second movement, even if he stretches the point a tad too far.


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Larkenfield said:


> I find the run of his sonatas highly variable in interest and quality. Some just don't gel, and for me, this is one of them-difficult to make work even by the greatest of pianists.


I'm sorry you feel that way. I guess I'm fortunate that these works are some of the first that made me truly love classical music (Schnabel's recording), and that I'm able to see the beauty in each and every one of them (I think most of them, especially the later ones, are perfect for what they're trying to be, actually).

About this sonata, I also find it quite amusing, and the third movement has a wonderful elegance to it that Beethoven does not often choose to explore.


----------

