The Sad Story behind Moonlight Sonata

[@JohannaA.5013]

That's why I love Beethoven. He could put all of his tragedies into formidable music. We don't need to be happy 24/7. There must be space for melancholy. I really appreciated your exposition, Frau Annique. I would enjoy seeing you talking about Chopin's 2nd Sonata (Op. 35).

[@kade82]

I'm glad you mentioned melancholy. That's the impression I get when I listen to this most beautiful sonata.

[@JohannaA.5013]

@@kade82, now that Frau Annique mentioned the story behind this piece, I really see this first movement as pure solitude. The melancholy of being alone. Or course, artists have moments of isolation (mainly in times of increased creativity), but this is the certainty of not having anyone to share your life with you. As a Historian, I can not criticise _Frau_ Guicciardi's father, as he was a man of his time. But I can and will criticise those awful times when some old grumpy man decided the marriage choices of his Daughter. Now, Master Beethoven is getting worse each day from an illness and had denied the love of his life. He is immersed in the shadows of pure melancholy. Perhaps the fast 2nd movement represents a fleeting glimpse of happiness and light, and then, the tempestuous enraged last movement comes. I'm starting to learn the first movement of this Sonata. And now I know I can pour melancholy over it.

[@raylighttt]

Same, I agree. Along with Beethoven though, I also like Schuberts music. Tragic backstory, and the feels his pieces gives area clear demonstration of that

[@larrygraham3377]

Thank you Annique for this wonderful video. This work of Bethoven is one of many favorites by this excellent composer. Everytime I listen to it I can feel his heartache of not being able to share his life with the woman of his dreams. Again, Thank you !!! God bless you always ... 😇😇😇

[@Hans-marleyansoldier]

Wow, my teacher gave me the piano sheet for this song, I started playing it and I really just wanted to finish the song asap bc I really didn’t find meaning to it, so when I finally learned it I just played it dry, with no feeling to it, now that you explained to me the story behind it, I play it with the bottom of my heart… Thank you

[@Misteribel]

One of my favourites, you can continually finding new ways of playing this, in part because it’s “quasi phantasia”. In his time, iirc, his critics weren’t very impressed by this sonata, though. Now it’s a standard :).

[@conniejacks7485]

Thanks. I really enjoyed this! Yes, I would enjoy hearing other background stories of other composers as well.

[@djclearie2420]

The first movement of the sonata is somber and introspective. The second movement is a sprightly dance. And the third movement is running through the woods at night while being chased by wolves. Thank you for the interesting analysis. You are a very good storyteller

[@alexdelarge6279]

I started playing it like a year ago and it's the most dark and sad thing ever but i never get tired of it. It's delicate and strong, the masterpiece that was needed to start romanticism in music. The introduction sounds like something psychedelic to me but immediately the sadness begins. The atmosphere is 100% nocturnal, more nocturnal than Chopin's nocturnes. There is great heaviness, frustration and drama, but impotence wins. There are times when happiness is almost achieved but immediately falls to the deepest and darkest. At the end the left hand suggests a funeral march, while the right hand makes the piano cry, ending with that cemetery C# minor chord. Very amazing move.

[@amystarkmusic]

This is the best thing I've ever read. I agree with each and every word.

[@davidesguevillas]

I really enjoyed this video and would like to hear more backstories of pieces in the future.

[@sovietsentiment]

Totally changed my perception of this beautiful piece. Thank you for the video, Annique !

[@Alexander-kh2rc]

I love these type of videos so much, please do more music history! It's unbelievably eye opening

[@myklkay]

Hello, according to Giulietta, the two opus 27 were originaly dedicated to the Princess of Lichtenstein and the op51 n2 was dedicated to Giulietta. But he gave the op51 n2 to the Countess Lichnowsky and as gift for not giving her the Op52 n1, he cut the Op 27 in two and dedicated the n2 to Giulietta. The dedications of pieces were gifts : seldomly did composers wrote thinking of someone. This is not a love song for Giulietta but just a gift because he loved her. He composed the piece before meeting Giulietta. The girl was 16 at the time : she was kind of toying with him because aristocracy still considered the musicians as servant. She knew very well she'll never marry him and she choose Count Gallenberg to be her husband. (sources : "Beethoven" by Jean and Brigitte MASSIN) Op27 n2 was composed during a time when Beethoven realised that his growing deafness might be permanent and the sonata might reflect his despair in the 1st movement (a funeral march inspired by Don Giovanni) and the last movement might be his will to not give up and fight

[@wojt3387]

100% agreed. The image of moonlight or unrequited love are popular explanations but the seriousness of Beethoven’s condition (hearing loss) had far more impact on this music. Thank you for your comment.

[@heartofthekeys]

Time to talk a little bit about all the dirty gossip in music history again ;P Who of you is playing this sonata right now? let me know in the comments!:)

[@cameronbegay9016]

The most early I been for your videos👏🏽

[@solaire5668]

not moonlight sonata, but I am currently practising Fantaisie-Impromptu, which was heavily inspired by it!

[@erneuerteseinfuhlungsvermogen9]

@@cameronbegay9016 and remember -" playing without passion is inexcusable" ---- Ludwig van Beethoven

[@wonderfulworld3503]

Meee

[@mysto5107]

Mee

[@Christian333x]

I actually returned to playing piano again after not touching the keys for over 25 years and recently just taught myself this piece! Every time I play it I think of the story behind this sonata and the unrequited love. It really gets you into the flow of playing this sonata. I’m considering getting a tutor mainly because I’m having a hard time finding a new piece to learn that is in my skill set!

[@TheBlackD]

Same story for me. I recently started to learn the little preluce in C minor from Bach BWV999 and even if it is really hard it slowly starts to come together. My advice would be to just listen to a lot of music and try to find something not too rapid on the left hand that sticks in your head.

[@liellavi5722]

First time I hear the story of this piece, it's amazing! I never thought of it that way! thanks so much for the videos. makes me so happy and inspires me to keep practicing! you can finish the whole sonata and upload to this channel or your other channel... you're the pianist whose interpretation I like the most! thanks again!

[@danpotato8334]

Random, but I was so lonely at one point that i arranged the bach/gounod ave maria for SATB. I thought the original was so beautiful, so i tried to make it in a slightly more modern style to express my emotions while still following the wishes of the original composer/arranger. It turned out almost exactly how I wanted.

[@Christobanistan]

Our brains' natural synesthesia tells all of us: this song REALLY sounds like the moonlight! It got this peaceful, relaxed feeling that no other song has ever come close to, IMO. It's certainly my favorite classical piece.

[@Erastical]

song?

[@rsyvbh]

@@Erastical what do you think the video was about?

[@jimtownsend8010]

I really really appreciate all of your content. You are a passionate musician, and a good video maker. From one musician to another. Cheers

[@EduardoRohdeEras]

As hobbyist pianist and composer, I can ensure that unfulfilled love is the de facto source of inspiration for the best compositions.

[@Iridescent1904]

Thanks for the video! Bethoveen is my favourite composer. I read much about him and know that he wasn't an esy-going person but I totally understand it because of all his personal tragedies and how he dealt with them. It makes me admire him even more. To my mind, he's a genius. I'm happy to be able to play Moonlight Sonata as it has such a profound message and always resonates with my heart and soul.

[@jackbaker9023]

I did not know the story. I loved learning what the inspiration was. Yes, yes to more stories! Great video!

[@bruhdotmpthree2792]

I never could relate this piece with the moonlight tbh. I just always felt a sense of dread listening to the girst movement. Like someone really important to me passed away.

[@redstep-child3096]

One of the most beautiful songs that will ever be written

[@OpalBerries]

I'm curious about Chopin's Op. 28 no. 15. I've heard stories about this piece and how he came about it. But I think maybe you could give a more accurate historical perspective on it. Just a thought. Loved the Beethoven story! Beethoven's life is always so interesting to me and I love hearing new stories or history about him.

[@SuperTicklemonsters]

unfortunately there isn't much to say about chopins inspirations because he didn't document them for more than a handful of pieces. the prelude set was started sometime before chopin and George sand went to Majorca in late 1838 and was finished by January of 1839. George sand wrote that one of the preludes reminded her of water falling on a rooftop which chopin disagreed with. it's likely 15 was the prelude she was referring to.

[@littlefurnace]

You did a great job with that long-ass sentence. It's written in very old-fashioned English (I guess translated from old-fashioned German), and I think most English people would have to take a second to figure out what it meant so brava. Honestly I sometimes forget that there might be English words you don't know, because it's really excellent. Very interesting, if sad, video. Would like to see you do more like this for sure ☺️

[@KathyEasler]

Thank you. A beautiful story.

[@bh5606]

Enjoyed.

[@ebonies]

This was a wonderful video and a fresh look at this beautiful piece that I hadn't gotten to see. :) I started playing the Moonlight Sonata (first movement) when I was around 16, about a year after my then-piano teacher refused to teach it to me because she said I wasn't "mature enough." I stopped taking lessons soon after this incident xD, and spent a few years playing just for myself, before picking up lessons again at the age of 18 (at which point I found a piano teacher who was VERY enthusiastic about helping me learn what *I* wanted to play). The Moonlight Sonata will always have a super special place in my heart because it reminds me of that time when the piano stopped being a chore & started to become fun again. I had such a fantastic time puzzling my way through the piece and learning it little by little (and wow-ing my friends once I felt confident enough to play it for a small audience :p). My technique did suffer during my teacher-less time, but I learned that for me personally, great technique is worthless if it isn't backed up by passion and enjoyment. -- Anyway, sorry for this novel :p, and thank you for this inforamtive video! I think I'll go practice now. ;)

[@ebonies]

(P.S. At the time, I resented my teacher for that "not mature enough" comment, but I no longer do! She was sort of right, and sort of not - it's difficult to explain. But the journey I went on while trying to learn this piece was an important one to make, and my failures were important as well. And over the years as my playing evolved under the tutelage of that second teacher, I realized that the difficult parts HAD to happen so I could come to a deeper understanding of this wonderful, sublime piece of music. I hope that makes some kind of sense! I think back to that first teacher only with fondness now. No more resentment. ;) )

[@Kazuma0915]

Moonlight sonata is my favourite piano piece. Now I know the reason why I always feel sad whenever I listen to this music.

[@Halikatti]

I had heard the story before, bc I fell in love with the piece (especially the 3rd movement, I mean listening it) and I googled the piece. But I didn’t know Beethoven didn’t name it! Such a sad story, what a loss!

[@Viviana-bebeg]

From an Italian perspective..sonata comes from suonata aka "a sound" . So it's called "a sound almost (like) a fantasy"

[@Henri.d.Olivoir]

I loved this history video! I would love some more

[@ryanallgaier1986]

Awesome video and i appreciate it so much! Definitely one of my favorites. Love your videos!

[@chopin65]

You made my day brighter. Thank you.

[@TheBlackD]

I started piano as a 37 yo adult to play the first movement. It was stuck in my head. Took me 6month to be able to play it. Still working on it but I must admit I am quite proud. Hence my comment :)

[@jorgefiguerola1239]

Have you seen the film Immortal Beloved? Bernard Rose directs and Gary Oldman as Beethoven. Came out in the late 90s. Check it out.

[@daniosborne8134]

Good to know‼️❗️❣️👋🏻😎🫶🏻🇨🇦👍🏻👀🎼🎹

[@cliveparaschis]

I agree we should liberate compositions like this from nicknames that strangle the imagination. This is about emotion. Don’t blame it on the sunshine, don’t blame it on the moonlight....

[@rolfbleijs]

Imagine the dad seeing how remembered Beethoven is now

[@egumit]

The 3rd movement is very popular for guitar.

[@egumit]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWfVc35md9Z_aNk

[@vincentneale2620]

The first movement is a funeral march at the lost of love the 2nd movement is about him remembering the joy of being in love and the third movement is full of anger at being let down. I was told this explanation by Dr Daivd Evans Whether its true or not it works for me in my interpratation

[@General_Flippy]

Thank you for telling this story!

[@vcparodi]

Just finished learning the full sonata omg I needed thiz

[@kbrother]

Thank you so much for the effort you put into this video. I'm not a professional musician nor am I a good one but I love music I admire it respect it. And moonlight sonata is one of few pieces that constantly gives me goosebumps

[@1sigtor]

Nicely Done!

[@yashsaranpiano]

currently struggling with this sonata 😥

[@jamesgorman7846]

Bravo! Thank you!

[@josephkello5758]

😳 wow I just played a new interpretation of this piece similar to what you just described literally just 2 hours before watching this video. Thanks for this video. I love that you’re such an expert with your playing and your knowledge.

[@sweettooth2708]

Giulietta Guicciardi is pronounced something like “Juliette-a G-witch-ar-dee” I’m italian 🇮🇹❤️

[@13loodySword]

never knew it had such a deep background, cool to listen about

[@noobsarecool8418]

Theses vids are so interesting! Rlly looking forward to more vids like this 💯

[@Walrus-jk4yn]

Don't cry annique

[@bennypaulos2801]

That's very good of you for posting a history of this piece. Hope you will do chopins pieces next

[@musicpiano4304]

Thank you for that amazing video🙏🏻✨🥰

[@stevesteranka]

Love this story time 💔

[@bobschweitzer4313]

Annique, thank you so much for this informative and interesting vlog, I did not know all of that. Beethoven is my favorite composer and to learn all of this is remarkable and makes me understand him a bit more. Thank you so much for all of your vlogs, I watch them all and am amazed at your wonderful talent both of playing the piano and developing your vlogs.

[@sammishocking]

I love your videos especially these types of backstory videos 🙂👍🏽

[@iamchampion8]

You should do more of this type of video. To explain in details the meaning of each piece! I always listen to the classical musics but never able to relate to them.

[@rayswick4707]

adorable video. thank you for sharing. ❤

[@3dbadboy1]

A young composer named Alma Deutscher is bringing improvisation back to classical music.

[@RoseWilson]

She's an incredible composer, pianist and singer. A real musical prodigy ❤️

[@thefireseler4446]

This was such a good video,More like this!!!!💖

[@danielnieto8972]

The first movement has a prelude form, the sonata form with the two contrasting themes comes up until the third movement

[@mattp5107]

Thank you this was a very interesting video!!

[@SouPianoJ1407b]

What about the second and third movements then?

[@RoseWilson]

Excellent 👏 Very interesting facts about Beethoven's sonatas & sonata form. Also his relationships. Very inspiring ❤️

[@funklover24]

The first movement is written in "alla breve", which is of high importance for the tempo. Basically it means, that most of the interpretations are way too slow.

[@Popsicle946]

Re form I do like the way that Koch referred to the 'male and female' themes.

[@annabeckman4386]

That was fascinating! I didn't know that story but as a period piece fan myself, i am not surprised by the objections of the lady's family. It is very common of the time. Still very sad for him! I was would be so interested to learn more about G Minor by Bach. I love that song! I would have loved to hear him play it....

[@erggish]

Another interpretation of the piece is that it's a funeral scene (and as such not very romantic). For that, people point out to the similarity of the accompaniment to the death scene in Don Giovani's opera by Mozart (which Beethoven has transposed to C# minor for his sonata) for example here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpXVfGt7otWofJY. So, I don't know if Beethoven did it on purpose (was inspired by Mozart's work) or if he just happened to come up with a similar sound. It also makes sense to associate it to a funeral due to the rhythmic pattern of the melody (that resembles a funeral march).

[@liedo3358]

but, Sonata quasi una fantasia, means that the composition is a Sonata but almost a Fantasia, as in the compositions. I guess there's been a mix-up with 'sonata' (the composition) and 'suonata' (to play, past tense(more o less)). Never knew the story behind this piece, it changed a bit my perception of it, the drama is palpable

[@jpdj2715]

Yes, I knew the story about his love. When you talked about, later in the video, translating quasi una fantasia, I thought "like" a fantasy would resonate with youngsters as they like to use the "like" word like all the time. I would translate quasi with "sort of" or "kind of". But that's sort of the same as "like". I had heard so many performances of this sonata, over decades, by different pianists and they generally never rang a bell. And then I heard Schiff play it and after a few bars thought, "that's it". Not a fanboy of his in general, but his Van Beethoven sonatas resonate with me. Talk about Beethoven. It's a Dutch/Flemish name and the "Van" is really part of the last name. In German "von" generally points to a family of nobility (and the geography of their territory), in Dutch the "van" does not, but rather points to geographic origin only. Omit "von" from a German family name and you start a war. Writing etiquette dictates "van" with capital v when not preceded by first name or initials: Mr. Van Beethoven, but with lowercase when preceded by first name or initials: Ludwig van Beethoven. Post WW2, the Flemish have really messed this up. As you play Chopin most of the time, talking about where people are from, you know his dad was French and in Poland to teach French to the well to do? In that position he married a Polish woman that became Frédéric's mother - or, the French also have a claim on this composer. Less of course than the Polish because a man inherits the anatomy of his brain from his mother only (on the X chromosome) and his mitochondrial DNA from his mother only too. Why the Y chromosome is there, really, fundamentally - I guess that's why it's called Y? The question with this Van Beethoven sonata is if it tries to tell a story or if it is just inspired by a mood, or a few sentiments. It's not like Berlioz's fantastic symphony in that we can point out how the story with it evolves with the progression of the music.

[@yosefGames]

Do a challenge of one hour, half an hour, 10 minutes, one minute of Mazpa List

[@haiya6035]

i would love to know why brahms wrote his 2nd piano concerto i heard somewhere that he wrote the 2nd movement with clara schumann on his mind

[@ichkannnichts157]

Thank you for this video! The story behind this masterpiece is actually really interesting. I'm currently practising the third movement of Moonlight Sonata, and it's really hard. I can't play the piece fast.

[@paultaylor1814]

Beethoven. Now we're talking. I really enjoy playing and listening to deep, moody pieces like this. Thanks for the history of the piece; it was very interesting. I know you've already done Liszt's Un Sospiro in your "1 Minute, 10 Minutes, 1 Hour" series but I'd like to hear the history of that piece; it's another favourite of mine. I didn't realize you didn't understand that long passage you read because you read it very well. Basically it said that Beethoven didn't have sufficient social rank and his affliction (I'm assuming his hearing loss) was starting to be noticeable which wouldn't allow him to advance in society, so that's why he wasn't allowed to marry her. Plus there were concerns about his character, and if you watch "Immortal Beloved" starring Gary Oldman you can see all about that. I learned how to play this when I was 14 and couldn't reach all the keys because a lot of the chords are a full octave. Eventually I grew into it. I saw it on a Dracula show on tv played with the violin, and since my dad played it I already had the sheet music. My piano teacher told me it was a Grade 10 piece and I was only in Grade 6 but I loved it so much I had to learn it, so I did. This is one of those pieces that can relax you if you're having a stressful day; just sit down and play it and the stress will melt right off you. The first movement is deep and moody, the 2nd movement I'm not fussed about, and the 3rd movement I've never learned to play, but it's pretty cool. If you want to work on your speed, learn to play that.

[@angelakoppendrayer3754]

Love your video videos are always amazing I want to become a pianist

[@blinkieeee1699]

I think you should put what movement it is on the title

[@charleswebb2545]

Also perhaps an inspiration for Twenty Øne Pilots 'Neon Gravestones' 💛 🖤

[@zappa248]

To be honest, I have never thought about background stories to classical music. I know Chopin went through some hardships, what about him? But yes, some more stories please. Thank you very much! Helps me that my daughters are learning these pieces.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

"what about him?" His first Scherzo is a reaction to not being allowed to marry the woman he loved.

[@BoofamOrbital]

I love these videos!.. ❤️❤️❤️

[@justsaeb7069]

This new idea is cool actually

[@hockbengoh872]

Now we have two different versions of the origin of this sonata Andras Schiff suggests that Beethoven was influenced by Mozart's play Don Giovanni . Interesting indeed . But thanks for the second version beautifully presented as well aporeciated

[@RQLuib]

Love yah💕

[@ytsendevries]

Hey I like to play this sonata very much, The first part actually, I have tried the third part also, but that part is quiet hard to play it well.

[@lohann_x]

This is so interesting!! Thanks for this video 🥰 Also you've got an accent when saying for example "reprise", where are you from ?

[@mozart27th]

As a boy who is so emotional and knows how to play piano a little bit.. i can say ur thumbnail is true. 😭

[@predrop]

You should analyze Tempest or Appassionata

[@uptownboy3856]

Can u make a vid for Beethoven’s Appassionata? 🥹 Im planning to include it in my piano repertoire for graduation ❤️

[@II-zf3vo]

Could you make a video about Nocturne in C sharp minor

[@JordanVanRyn]

I grew up learning about Beethoven in school and I honestly preferred his music over Mozart because considering his upbringing from his abusive father and his eventual deafness, it's clear why you hear so much emotion within his music. It's even said that Salieri was also one of his music teachers and once even claimed that Beethoven's music made Salieri as "deaf as he was". Many accounts from others who knew him did mention that he was very rude and an asshole to others. But it's obvious, he was a guy who suffered and had to make music channeling his pain because of it.

[@Aeneiden]

What's the name of that painting of Lucerne?

[@Joshua-j3n]

Hast du schonmal Beethovens Op. 80 Fantasie für Piano und Chorus gespielt ?

[@lesleynelson7708]

But what about the mood of the mood of the second and third movements?

[@capribreezee]

My man was just going through it

[@psirus89]

I once read somewhere that the maintheme is inspired by Mozarts Don Giovanni. Apparently researchers found notes by beethoven referencing Don Giovanni. At the 14 Second Mark kzbin.info/www/bejne/eInbZaSGm8Sml68 you CLEARLY can hear the transposed Moonlight Sonata Theme. Im sure your research is completely accurate, I just wanted to add this interesting fact. Therefore I always try to emphasize a "murdery vibe" to the moonlight sonata. I always imagine a sneaky Murderer whos following his victim.

[@allgood6760]

Thank you for this🎶🇳🇿

[@Misteribel]

5:26 that sounds so much like the ‘other side’ of Jane Austen’s famous opening sentence: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

[@stuntrushjr64]

What about the third movement

[@stateoftheart7569]

Great information

[@peterchan6082]

Please tell us the story behind Chopin's Sonata No.3 Op.58 in B minor (since I am learning it now). Thanks!

[@peterchan6082]

@@MR-jd1wq I am just looking for stories and different versions. Need not be accurate.

[@user-never-existed]

Random thought: Do a 1 minute 10 minute 1 hour challenge with La Valse by Ravel (I haven’t seen any videos with the piece so I assume there are none)