Beethoven and Rockets

For most of 2019 I was working on one beethoven piano sonata. The first movement is one of the most popular pieces of piano music in history, nicknamed The Moonlight Sonata. The third movement is very difficult. When I began I did not have the ability to work through the opening themes. It was three months before I made it to the development. At that point I knew it was within reach.

During those same three months of uncertainty, I got a job interview at a rocket factory. A month later I was working there.

Both have been going well and now it’s almost two months into the year. I can make it through most of the Moonlight sonata from memory. I bought the full Henle Urtext of all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas. The first sonata if Very Classical and is more difficult than I expected. I don’t really like the way it sounds (like Hayden or Mozart) but the harmonic movement and hand spread is good practice. Beethoven was 25 years old when it was published, so that’s encouraging.

I decided to move onto a new sonata. It’s even more challenging than the moonlight so yea!