# Beethoven's Piano Sonata No.22, op.54



## Renaissance (Jul 10, 2012)

This sonata hardly finds its place into modern repertoire, partially because it is overshadowed by its famous neighbours, Waldstein and Appassionata. And, as if it weren't enough, some critics (or simple listeners, who knows, or who cares) decided to be play "dirty" and make laugh of it by using all kinds of descriptions and interpretations about this little sadly-underrated sonata. The best example is on Wikipedia :

" ....No biographical details are known as to whether Beethoven thought of any person or household divinity in connection with this sonata; but its material is childlike, or *even dog-like*, and *those who best understand children and dogs have the best chance of enjoying an adequate reading of this music*; laughing with, but not at its animal spirits...."

   It can't be allowed such a blasphemous thing !

OK, leaving the joke aside, what do you think about this sonata ? It is certainly weird-sounding (almost schizophrenic), very short, uses strange forms, rhythms and harmonies across the movements...the overall feeling that I get is that Beethoven might have been on LDS while writing this :lol: But I really like it...is one of the most uncompromising pieces that Beethoven wrote, in my opinion. He seemed here to have completely forgotten about the critics, listeners, everything...this is certainly another musical "joke" from our beloved master.

What do you think of it ?

I almost forgot to put the video :


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

A very odd sonata. It was difficult to figure from the beginning. Here's a contemporary (1806) review, based on the critic's own playng of the sheet music:

"This sonata consists only of a Tempo di Minuetto and a not very long Allegretto. Both are difficult to execute. Both have been written in the most original spirit and with obviously mature, harmonious artistry, particularly inasmuch as this leads to the expansion. Both, again, are filled with peculiarities."

"With respect to the characteristics of B., both those that should be praised and those that should be criticized: so much has been written, both in this periodical and elsewhere, that the most devoted friends of his truly deep spirit are concerned. However, he continues to add effectless peculiarities and contrived difficulties, and not just where he is trying to explore his material in all possible ways. By this he shows how he disregards all such comments. Thus the reviewer does not have to add anything other than the mere announcement that this work again offers new opportunities to repeat that which has already been said. Etching and paper are beautiful."

By 1806, negative reviews of Bethoven's works were quite rare.

BTW Schiff's lecture on this sonata is very helpful and illuminating.

http://audio.theguardian.tv/sys-audio/Arts/Culture/2006/12/05/01_22fmajop54.mp3


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## Renaissance (Jul 10, 2012)

Interesting, thank you KenOC  They were rare, but Beethoven sure knew how to respond them when it was the case :lol:


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I'd never listened to it before, that's a nutty sonata, I like it!

There is something very Holberg Suite about the way that finale starts. Could be a Handel keyboard suite too. Just the start.

That is a wild ending too.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Renaissance said:


> They were rare, but Beethoven sure knew how to respond them when it was the case :lol:


Yes indeed! In 1825 he scrawled on a nasty review of Wellington's Victory: "O du elender Schuft! Was ich scheisse, ist besser als du je gedacht!" You'll have to use Google Translate for that... 

I really want the T-shirt!


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## Renaissance (Jul 10, 2012)

I think this sonata will forever be associated with death...in my mind. I will keep it this way. Some facts are really shocking. Though I discovered it few hours ago I already became obsessed with it...


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

I was just listening to a fortepiano recording of it. I think it sounds strangely like an early-period sonata, but more concise.

Richter's performance is lovely.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

I really like this one, and I also really like no. 24, which is also a charming little one overshadowed by its neighbors.


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

I agree with that, although I think 24 is better than this one.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

I always liked using the first movement as a morning alarm, actually. The lethargy of the heavy bass definitely illustrates my morning attitude.

Then I switched to the first movement of the 6th Symphony of Beethoven, and then to the "Raindrop" Prelude of Chopin.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Webernite said:


> I agree with that, although I think 24 is better than this one.


Agreed. Beethoven reputedly said 24 was his personal favorite. I find it very beautiful and graceful, whereas this one is quirky and funny.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Another similarly odd one is Sonata 16 in G major, though more hyper maybe.


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## Renaissance (Jul 10, 2012)

Yes, I like that too, especially the second movement. There is a heart-breaking moment at the beginning.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I must be missing something, but it doesn't sound that peculiar or nutty to me other than it's Beethoven being Beethoven. That's peculiar enough for me. The only sonatas of his that I don't enjoy are the two "easy" ones that I think are among the WoO's, the sonata semplices? They are a little too far into Mozart land for me, but they too have their charms. And oh yes, I would have written a bad review of Wellington's victory too. I still can't listen to it even though I idolize Beethoven.


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

There are some WoO sonatas, but I think you mean the two sonatas Op. 49.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Yes, those two. Actually I take it back. I do enjoy them, the first one more than the second, just not as much as his other sonatas.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Weston said:


> And oh yes, I would have written a bad review of Wellington's victory too. I still can't listen to it even though I idolize Beethoven.


The review of Wellington's Victory that PO'd Beethoven was by Gottfried Weber:

"Should not everyone, the dearer Beethoven and his art are to them, the more fervently wish that oblivion might soon draw an expiatory veil on such an aberration of his muse, through which he has desecrated the glorified object, Art, and himself."

Beethoven's response was less elegant but more vigorous.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Renaissance said:


> OK, leaving the joke aside, what do you think about this sonata ? It is certainly weird-sounding (almost schizophrenic), very short, uses strange forms, rhythms and harmonies across the movements......this is certainly another musical "joke" from our beloved master....What do you think of it ?


Odd, odd...In the first movement, I felt as though Beethoven was "jacking" with me...Is there a point? I think he's being witty, and that never translates as humor to me, but as quirky. The first mvt wanders, the second is a perpetuo moto..."put a motor in yourself"...why dogs? Oh, I get it...he's chasing his tail.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Webernite said:


> There are some WoO sonatas, but I think you mean the two sonatas Op. 49.


Those were probably WoO works from Bonn, tidied up a bit and sent to the publisher.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> Those were probably WoO works from Bonn, tidied up a bit and sent to the publisher.


The sonatas are probably the three sonatas WoO 47 in E-flat major, F minor, and D major. Dubbed the "Kurfürsten Sonatas" or "Electoral Sonatas," they were written in Bonn when Beethoven was 11 or 12 years old. Many sonata cycles include these. I believe they were published, possibly while Beethoven was still in Bonn, but without opus number of course.


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## Renaissance (Jul 10, 2012)

KenOC said:


> The review of Wellington's Victory that PO'd Beethoven was by Gottfried Weber:
> 
> "Should not everyone, the dearer Beethoven and his art are to them, the more fervently wish that oblivion might soon draw an expiatory veil on such an aberration of his muse, through which he has desecrated the glorified object, Art, and himself."
> 
> Beethoven's response was less elegant but more vigorous.


A really nasty review, I can understand Beethoven's reaction on it. I mean, this certainly sounds like a provocation, and not only insults Beethoven as a composer, but his Art too.  And he lived for his art, as he said on some occasions. And, he was also right when he responded ...Has Gottfried Weber composed anything better than Wellington's Victory ?  If not, Beethoven was certainly right :lol:


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## Renaissance (Jul 10, 2012)

millionrainbows said:


> Oh, I get it...he's chasing his tail.


Yes, actually, that is a review from Tovey (a professor?) and is included on sonata's wiki page, along with a very brief harmonic and formal analysis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No._22_(Beethoven)


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I have been piece hunting for a long time, and I almost want to learn to play this one now!


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Renaissance said:


> Yes, actually, that is a review from Tovey (a professor?) and is included on sonata's wiki page, along with a very brief harmonic and formal analysis.


Yes, I noticed that you used that WIK quote in your opening post.

Of the Beethoven Sonatas, ten of them (Nos. 1-4, 7, 11-13, 15, 18) are constructed in four movements; 7 have only two movements (Nos. 19, 20, 22, 24, 27, 30, 32); the remainder have three.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Renaissance said:


> Yes, actually, that is a review from Tovey (a professor?) and is included on sonata's wiki page, along with a very brief harmonic and formal analysis.


"Sir Donald Francis Tovey (17 July 1875 - 10 July 1940) was a British musical analyst, musicologist, writer on music, composer, conductor and pianist." He is well-known and highly regarded in music circles for his analyses, especially of Beethoven and Bach. He even wrote a completion of Bach's Art of Fugue!


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