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Beethoven's Piano Sonatas: A Short Companion
Beethoven’s piano sonatas form one of the most important collections of works in the whole history of music. Spanning several decades of his life as a composer, the sonatas soon came to be seen as the first body of substantial serious works for piano suited to performance in large concert halls seating hundreds of people.
In this comprehensive and authoritative guide, Charles Rosen places the works in context and provides an understanding of the formal principles involved in interpreting and performing this unique repertoire, covering such aspects as sonata form, phrasing, and tempo, as well as the use of pedal and trills. In the second part of his book, he looks at the sonatas individually, from the earliest works of the 1790s through the sonatas of Beethoven’s youthful popularity of the early 1800s, the subsequent years of mastery, the years of stress (1812–1817), and the last three sonatas of the 1820s.
Composed as much for private music-making as public recital, Beethoven’s sonatas have long formed a bridge between the worlds of the salon and the concert hall. For today’s audience, Rosen has written a guide that brings out the gravity, passion, and humor of these works and will enrich the appreciation of a wide range of readers, whether listeners, amateur musicians, or professional pianists.
The book includes a link to recordings of Rosen performing extracts from several of the sonatas, illustrating points made in the text.
In this comprehensive and authoritative guide, Charles Rosen places the works in context and provides an understanding of the formal principles involved in interpreting and performing this unique repertoire, covering such aspects as sonata form, phrasing, and tempo, as well as the use of pedal and trills. In the second part of his book, he looks at the sonatas individually, from the earliest works of the 1790s through the sonatas of Beethoven’s youthful popularity of the early 1800s, the subsequent years of mastery, the years of stress (1812–1817), and the last three sonatas of the 1820s.
Composed as much for private music-making as public recital, Beethoven’s sonatas have long formed a bridge between the worlds of the salon and the concert hall. For today’s audience, Rosen has written a guide that brings out the gravity, passion, and humor of these works and will enrich the appreciation of a wide range of readers, whether listeners, amateur musicians, or professional pianists.
The book includes a link to recordings of Rosen performing extracts from several of the sonatas, illustrating points made in the text.
272 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2001
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About the author
Charles Rosen
56 books53 followersCharles Rosen was a concert pianist, Professor of Music and Social Thought at the University of Chicago, and the author of numerous books, including The Classical Style, The Romantic Generation, and Freedom and the Arts.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 16, 2023
Music Of A Lifetime
Beethoven's 32 sonatas are the glory of music written for the piano. They are music of Beethoven's lifetime in that their composition spans the period from his early days in Vienna to near the end of his life. In another sense, Beethoven's piano sonatas are the music of my lifetime. I first was exposed to them as an early adolescent through concerts, records, and my own early attempts at playing the easier of them. Today, all too many years later, I still try to play the sonatas and I go to recitals. I listen to them on CDs now instead of records. And I read about them, particularly Charles' Rosen's erudite and eloquent study. With short periods away, Beethoven's piano sonatas are probably the most lasting interest I have had in my life.
Rosen was inspired to write this book by giving a performance of the sonata cycle and to lecture on Beethoven at a summer music festival and school. The book is, on one level, a continuation of Rosen's study, "The Classical Style" with application to the Beethoven sonatas. The book is marked by its wide-ranging references. There is a great deal of specific discussion of Beethoven's piano sonatas, of course, but the book is enriched immeasurably by examples from and discussions Mozart, Haydn, and Schubert, as their works are compared and contrasted with Beethoven's.
The book is divided into two Parts. Part I, "The Tradition" begins with a discussion of the nature and development of the sonata form. Rosen describes well how Beethoven's sonatas have, until very recent years, been a bridge from the world of performance of classical music in the home to its appreciation in the concert hall. This was certainly the case with me.
The book discusses various ways in which the sonatas have been interpreted over the years and attempts to find that elusive quarry -- the manner in which the composer would have interpreted the sonatas. Rosen devotes a great deal of attention to questions of tempo and questions of phrasing, with examples from Beethoven's predecessors. He concludes that modern performers place more emphasis on a smooth legato style than would have been the case in Beethoven's day and that Beethoven's tempos would be somewhat different from those at which we now hear the music. In some cases, tempos would have been faster, but I get the impression that in the main tempos were taken at a slower pace. The book comes with a CD recorded by Guiilio Caesare Ricci which illustrates helpfully many of Rosen's musical examples. Rosen stresses that there is no single way of performing these complex, wonderful pieces of music. His discussion of performance practices still is highly useful in understanding the sonatas and in listening to them.
The second part of the book consists of a chronological discussion of each of the 32 sonatas. The discussion is arranged in five parts: a)the early 18th Century sonatas (the sonatas from opus 2 to opus 22); b) the sonatas of Beethoven growing in popularity and independent style (the sonatas from opus 26 to opus 28) c) the sonatas in which Beethoven attained mastery (the sonatas from opus 31 through opus 81a) d). the sonatas composed during Beethoven's years of stress and personal difficulty (the opus 90 and opus 101 sonatas and the "Hammerklavier" sonata, opus 106 ); and e)the last sonatas (opus 109. 110,111)In each instance Rosen offers some general comments on the character of each sonata followed by detailed thematic, harmonic and pianistic discussions.
I found it useful in this section of the book to read first Rosen's discussion of the sonatas with which I was most familiar, either by attempting to play them or by repeated hearings over the years. Thus I began with Rosen's discussion of the opus 26 sonata and followed it the the "Waldstein", the "Pathetique" and the opus 90 sonata. I then went through Rosen's discussion work by work as it appeared in the book. There is much to be learned, and Rosen's discussion will be useful in listening to the sonatas and following along with the score or with Rosen's discussion.
It is worth noting that Rosen spends a great deal of time on sonatas which are relatively little performed, particularly the opus 54 (which is given in full on the CD that comes with the book) and with the opus 31 no. 1 sonata. His discussion of these work illuminates them and illuminates Beethoven's output. He also gives thorough discussions of more familiar works particularly the "Moonlight" sonata and the Hammerklavier -- with respect to the latter, he follows-up upon the lengthy analysis of this work in The Classical Style.
Beethoven's piano sonatas are indeed music of a lifetime. If you love them, by playing or by hearing them, you will love this book. If you want to learn about them, this book will be an outstanding guide.
Robin Friedman
Beethoven's 32 sonatas are the glory of music written for the piano. They are music of Beethoven's lifetime in that their composition spans the period from his early days in Vienna to near the end of his life. In another sense, Beethoven's piano sonatas are the music of my lifetime. I first was exposed to them as an early adolescent through concerts, records, and my own early attempts at playing the easier of them. Today, all too many years later, I still try to play the sonatas and I go to recitals. I listen to them on CDs now instead of records. And I read about them, particularly Charles' Rosen's erudite and eloquent study. With short periods away, Beethoven's piano sonatas are probably the most lasting interest I have had in my life.
Rosen was inspired to write this book by giving a performance of the sonata cycle and to lecture on Beethoven at a summer music festival and school. The book is, on one level, a continuation of Rosen's study, "The Classical Style" with application to the Beethoven sonatas. The book is marked by its wide-ranging references. There is a great deal of specific discussion of Beethoven's piano sonatas, of course, but the book is enriched immeasurably by examples from and discussions Mozart, Haydn, and Schubert, as their works are compared and contrasted with Beethoven's.
The book is divided into two Parts. Part I, "The Tradition" begins with a discussion of the nature and development of the sonata form. Rosen describes well how Beethoven's sonatas have, until very recent years, been a bridge from the world of performance of classical music in the home to its appreciation in the concert hall. This was certainly the case with me.
The book discusses various ways in which the sonatas have been interpreted over the years and attempts to find that elusive quarry -- the manner in which the composer would have interpreted the sonatas. Rosen devotes a great deal of attention to questions of tempo and questions of phrasing, with examples from Beethoven's predecessors. He concludes that modern performers place more emphasis on a smooth legato style than would have been the case in Beethoven's day and that Beethoven's tempos would be somewhat different from those at which we now hear the music. In some cases, tempos would have been faster, but I get the impression that in the main tempos were taken at a slower pace. The book comes with a CD recorded by Guiilio Caesare Ricci which illustrates helpfully many of Rosen's musical examples. Rosen stresses that there is no single way of performing these complex, wonderful pieces of music. His discussion of performance practices still is highly useful in understanding the sonatas and in listening to them.
The second part of the book consists of a chronological discussion of each of the 32 sonatas. The discussion is arranged in five parts: a)the early 18th Century sonatas (the sonatas from opus 2 to opus 22); b) the sonatas of Beethoven growing in popularity and independent style (the sonatas from opus 26 to opus 28) c) the sonatas in which Beethoven attained mastery (the sonatas from opus 31 through opus 81a) d). the sonatas composed during Beethoven's years of stress and personal difficulty (the opus 90 and opus 101 sonatas and the "Hammerklavier" sonata, opus 106 ); and e)the last sonatas (opus 109. 110,111)In each instance Rosen offers some general comments on the character of each sonata followed by detailed thematic, harmonic and pianistic discussions.
I found it useful in this section of the book to read first Rosen's discussion of the sonatas with which I was most familiar, either by attempting to play them or by repeated hearings over the years. Thus I began with Rosen's discussion of the opus 26 sonata and followed it the the "Waldstein", the "Pathetique" and the opus 90 sonata. I then went through Rosen's discussion work by work as it appeared in the book. There is much to be learned, and Rosen's discussion will be useful in listening to the sonatas and following along with the score or with Rosen's discussion.
It is worth noting that Rosen spends a great deal of time on sonatas which are relatively little performed, particularly the opus 54 (which is given in full on the CD that comes with the book) and with the opus 31 no. 1 sonata. His discussion of these work illuminates them and illuminates Beethoven's output. He also gives thorough discussions of more familiar works particularly the "Moonlight" sonata and the Hammerklavier -- with respect to the latter, he follows-up upon the lengthy analysis of this work in The Classical Style.
Beethoven's piano sonatas are indeed music of a lifetime. If you love them, by playing or by hearing them, you will love this book. If you want to learn about them, this book will be an outstanding guide.
Robin Friedman
July 5, 2013
charles rosen fuckin rules. he's the guy you want to read when you want to read about beethoven and his sonatas - or anything for that matter. the man's a genius.
August 6, 2017
Impossibile poter apprezzare questo testo (che è la chiave per entrare ancora più profondamente nello scheletro delle sonate) senza conoscere bene la musica. Ma non le 7 note: l'armonia, le regole compositive, le assonanze con Mozart, la struttura tecnica dello strumento, le notazioni musicali... Saper distinguere tra allegro e allegro assai, e riconoscere l'uso del pedale o la nota di partenza di un trillo... Saper scorrere le partiture e seguire il fiuto di R. nel trovare gli errori, o le sviste tipografiche, e intanto confrontare il tempo dell'esecuzione con quanto richiesto dal compositore... L'ascolto delle 32 sonate è esperienza emotiva; poter leggere questo testo con piena cognizione di causa - e legarlo ai passaggi di Backhaus o alle velocità di Gulda, riconoscere la compostezza di Arrau o il vigore di Schnabel - è su un livello intellettuale e uditivo che, ahimè, mi resterà per sempre sconosciuto.
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March 27, 2020
The first third or so, on tempo/touch/notation/etc., was a lot of useful and fascinating info about classical piano that I can inform my own playing and listening, full of examples from the 32 sonatas.
The rest of the book, going one by one through Beethoven's sonatas, was up and down for me. A lot of the more nitty gritty theory/structure sections (which were bountiful) went over my head--I could have sat there with the score and a recording and spent hours going over each one, but frankly I am not a serious enough pianist for that to be super useful, nor do I have that kind of spare time (at least, I didn't until shelter-in-place...). That said, there were still some interesting insights, and I was able to get a lot out of the sections on the sonatas I was most familiar with, those I have tried to play or those I listen to most.
The rest of the book, going one by one through Beethoven's sonatas, was up and down for me. A lot of the more nitty gritty theory/structure sections (which were bountiful) went over my head--I could have sat there with the score and a recording and spent hours going over each one, but frankly I am not a serious enough pianist for that to be super useful, nor do I have that kind of spare time (at least, I didn't until shelter-in-place...). That said, there were still some interesting insights, and I was able to get a lot out of the sections on the sonatas I was most familiar with, those I have tried to play or those I listen to most.
October 17, 2021
Part I: The Tradition is informative about theory and performance practice in the late 18th / early 19th century. Part II: The Sonatas was something of a disappointment: Rosen analyses here tend to be dry and purely technical with only occasional insight into the sonatas' contexts and larger structures. Things improve with the later sonatas, Op. 90 and later, but perhaps all this effort was merely to climb Mount Nebo for a glimpse of the Promised Land: on the next to last page, discussing Op. 111, Rosen writes
Eventually Beethoven was won over to Diabelli's unprepossessing waltz: he saw that it had possibilities, and wrote not one but thirty-three variations that can lay claim to being his greatest work for piano - at least it is the work that allows us best to grasp almost all the facets of his genius.
July 22, 2025
This single volume really feels like two books in one. The first section is an amazing analysis of classical style in the time of Beethoven. This section was super helpful for me in understanding what classical musical notation means for slurs and tempo. The second part of the book is a commentary on Beethovens 32 piano sonatas. It was good, but kind of dry to read straight through. It seems more like a reference book for thinking through interpretations of individual sonatas. But the first section of the book is absolutely insightful. Every pianist who plays Haydn or Mozart or Beethoven should at least read the first part through once and retain the second half for reference later.
March 9, 2022
The erudition and insights are staggering. I hope all pianists who play Beethoven publicly have read it and internalized what Mr. Rosen has written, even if they have made other decisions on how to play the sonatas.
January 22, 2023
Improved my theory knowledge significantly! The first half is an incredibly informational set up to the second half (which takes some more time to read if you’re listening to the pieces while looking at the music). Part 1 explains how Beethoven wrote his music and what was meant by tempos, slurs, dynamics, etc. Part 2 delves into each sonata and what makes it special. I found some examples difficult to follow on occasion so for that, it loses a star.
September 14, 2021
More technical than his other books - will need to reread it
May 23, 2025
An excellent reference book. I learned a lot from dipping into this, and found it opened avenues for improving the actual playing of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas
June 2, 2008
This book probably has somewhat of a niche audience, but I find myself squarely in that niche. Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas comprise the ultimate achievement in the form, never to be rivaled since. I have loved and studied these works for years now - I look forward to reading what Rosen has to say about them.
. . .
Well, I ended up mostly skimming this book. There is a lot of good information contained in there, but I found that it was not presented in a way that makes this very conducive to casual reading. While there were a few score examples, there were not nearly enough. To be able to glean some good information from this book, one would need to sit down with the book in one hand and the full score in the other.
Personally, I find Andras Schiff's lecture series on the Beethoven sonatas to be much more compelling. There is likely a lot of similar information in both works, but Rosen's presentation just can't come close to Schiff's.
. . .
Well, I ended up mostly skimming this book. There is a lot of good information contained in there, but I found that it was not presented in a way that makes this very conducive to casual reading. While there were a few score examples, there were not nearly enough. To be able to glean some good information from this book, one would need to sit down with the book in one hand and the full score in the other.
Personally, I find Andras Schiff's lecture series on the Beethoven sonatas to be much more compelling. There is likely a lot of similar information in both works, but Rosen's presentation just can't come close to Schiff's.
March 6, 2021
Charles Rosen's expertise in the realm of classical music is on display in this brilliant analysis of the great cycle of piano sonatas by Beethoven. One of the gods of the piano and classical music in general, Beethoven's genius is brought to the fore by the inimitable style of Charles Rosen.
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August 16, 2014Hey Chris- how about being polite and less crass with your comments. If you need to use the f word, save it for another forum.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews