Hi, I played piano in the late 60's and was considered advanced despite a very poor teacher. I basically was able to mimic what she played, receiving NO instruction on time signature, expression, etc. I then had a lapse of 25 years before I picked piano up again. I managed to complete a BA in Music, yet here I am, about to learn the Pathetique, and am stumped when faced with the tremolos--something I never encountered in any prior pieces I learned since the 60's. All I can recall is that you were supposed to play them as fast as possible. Now that I've been indoctrinated with precision, rhythm, meter, etc., I want to be sure I know how to play a tremolo. have searched the net to no avail, and have no books to explain a tremolo. My question is, do I play as many as I can as fast as possible, or is there a SPECIFIC AMOUNT of notes that should be played in the LH (tremolo) I deeply appreciate your expertise.

Generally you don't need to strictly count the number of notes in a tremolo. It means to alternate the notes as quickly as possibly for the correct number of beats.

Enjoy your playing and improving!

What John says is true, generally yes, but in older music (mainly) you will get what's called measured tremolo. I imagine what you'll have is a stem with 3 lines through it? If so, as fast as possible yes! However, you might see in Haydn, for example, a crotchet with one line through it: play 2 quavers, then 2 lines would mean play the crotchet as 4 semiquavers. I think this is more common in orchestral scores in order to save space.

If I've got this right then what I think you're referring to is the octaves in the bass. In my edition these are written out as quavers and the notes that preceed the sonata in my edition say that "the tremolo in the bass must be a good steady vibration of exact quavers" So, you don't play them as fast as possible; whatever speed you take this section, you will still play quavers.

Hi, I have the Dover edition (Schenker) and the Belwin Publishing edition (Krebs). I'm referring to ms. 13 (Allegro molto e con brio section) on, and there are 2 sets of 2 half notes each measure in the LH. They are joined by a thick single line. There is noting in either edition to define the tremolo. That would indicate 2 quavers or 4? Thx.

Two minims/half notes beamed together by a single line indicates four quavers.

In Beethoven's Pathetique you play the LH tremolos as quavers - 8 notes per bar, precisely synchronised with the RH.

Unless you want to be ditterent from every performance I've ever heard!

Thank you!



No, just want to play it correctly, thanks so much.

Tremolo playing can sometimes be used to imitate the effect of tremolo strings, perhaps in accompaniments or arrangements of orchestral pieces. You play the notes alternately as fast as possible, but may want to emphasise the first beat of the bar and have the rest of the bar as a quieter continuation of the tones without obvious differentiation of the notes.

Sorry you've had some good answers now, I was just giving a general description as I don't have the score to hand!