All About Moonlight Sonata

What’s the story behind Moonlight Sonata? Learn all about this timeless piece below

The Moonlight Sonata is easily one of the most popular and recognizable classical pieces ever composed. This piece by Ludwig van Beethoven is often played on classical radio stations, it has appeared in many films and television shows, such as Charlie Brown’s Christmas, and it is frequently learned and performed by piano students. The Moonlight Sonata is such a great sonata to learn because it’s a crowd pleaser, it’s very fun to learn and play, and it’s an impressive addition to your repertoire. Read on to learn all about the history of this famous piece of music and more. 

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Why is Moonlight Sonata so powerful?

The Moonlight Sonata is a powerful piece of music because of its recognizability and popularity, but also because of the emotional range that its three movements explore. Unlike other sonatas from the classical period, which begin with quick movements, the first movement of Moonlight Sonata is slow, serene, and haunting. The second movement contrasts with the first movement by sounding joyful and playful. Finally, the final movement is dark, quick, and turbulent.

Listen to Hungarian pianist Petra Somlai perform this wonderful work on the same kind of instrument that Beethoven would have played it on. This instrument is an early form of the piano, called the fortepiano. It’s smaller than a modern grand piano and has a slightly different sound. Her performance really highlights the power of the work.

Beethoven is famous for having composed many of his most famous pieces while he was completely deaf. He started losing his hearing around the age of 28. The Moonlight Sonata was written when Beethoven was 31 years old and he could still hear, but his hearing was certainly deteriorating. Later in his life, his hearing was so bad that nothing would allow him to hear well, but at this time he would “listen” to himself play through a bone conducting device. He would take a wooden stick, place one end of the stick on the piano, then bite the other end of the stick. When he played, the vibrations would travel up the stick, through his jaw, to his inner ear. Miraculously, he could hear what he was playing! Can you imagine composing while not being able to hear well or at all?  

Learn more about Beethoven and how to play his music here.

What is unusual about Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata?

The Moonlight Sonata is unusual for its time because it doesn’t follow traditional sonata form, which was the standard format for sonatas during the classical period. 

Here is the standard format for a classical sonata to follow:

1. Sonatas begin with a fast movement, most commonly Allegro. This movement is written in sonata-allegro form, meaning that it has an exposition, development, and recapitulation.
   1. An exposition is a statement of two differing themes. The first theme establishes the tonic key (I) of the sonata. The second theme often modulates to the dominant (V) key.
   2. The development is when the composer takes those two themes and winds them around each other, modulates them, inverts them, and takes the performer/listener on a journey to explore the themes.
   3. Finally, the recapitulation restates the themes, normally in the tonic key, so that the movement ends in the same key that it began.
2. A slow movement, often Andante, Adagio, or Largo. Sometimes the themes of each movement are related, but this is not always the case.
3. Sometimes a dance movement, such as a Minuet and Trio, or sometimes a Scherzo and Trio.
4. A quick finale, often written in sonata-rondo form.
   1. Sonata-rondo form: The most common sonata-rondo forms are the five-part rondo (ABACA) and the seven-part rondo (ABACADA).

The “Moonlight Sonata” follows a different format:

1. The first movement is slow, mysterious, and somber. This is the most popular movement of the entire sonata and is what most people think of when they hear the name “Moonlight Sonata.” It sounds a bit improvised and doesn’t follow the sonata-allegro form that first movements of sonatas normally follow.
2. The second movement is quicker, playful, and joyful. It’s written so that the chords and melody are very exposed, which adds to the playfulness of the movement. While this piece is not extremely difficult to play, the exposed nature of its composition can be a challenge for many pianists.
3. The final movement is very quick and tempestuous. This movement is quite a bit more challenging than the rest of the piece. Finally we hear a movement that is written in sonata-allegro form, which is strange to hear at the end of a sonata. This form allows the movement to follow a well-planned out progression and build to a satisfying climactic ending.

Why is it called Moonlight Sonata?

The name “Moonlight” did not come from Beethoven himself, but came to be attached to the sonata around the 1830s. It most likely originated in a story named Theodor that German poet and critic Ludwig Rellstab published in 1824, in which he described his own visions conjured by the sounds of the first movement:

“The lake reposes in twilit moon-shimmer, muffled waves strike the dark shore; gloomy wooded mountains rise and close off the holy place from the world; ghostly swans glide with whispering rustles on the tide, and an Aeolian harp sends down mysterious tones of lovelorn yearning from the ruins.”

In the late 1830s, the sonata appeared in German publications as the “Mondscheinsonate” and as the “Moonlight Sonata” in English publications. Soon afterwards, the sonata was known universally by these names.

Is Moonlight Sonata difficult to play?

The original Moonlight Sonata can certainly be challenging to learn. The first movement is probably the easiest to learn, but is still considered a more advanced piece. Here at Hoffman Academy, we have created simplified versions so that even late elementary and early intermediate pianists can have fun learning this enchanting piece! Check out the video and links to the sheet music below:

Late Elementary 1st Mvt.

Early Intermediate 1st Mvt. (Our video tutorial will teach you this version)

We also have the sheet music for Beethoven’s original composition beautifully inscribed and available in our store:

Early Advanced 1st Mvt. (original)

Early Advanced 2nd Mvt. (original)

Now that you know all about the Moonlight Sonata, its history, and about different versions that you can learn, you are ready to start playing! Make sure to listen to someone else’s performance on Spotify or YouTube to help you along your learning journey. Also, have fun and don’t be discouraged if it feels challenging. With determined and consistent practice, you can learn anything that you set your mind to!