Apparently, the title for this sonata 'the tempest' was not given by Beethoven, but comes from a claim by his associate and early biographer Anton Schindler that it is inspired by the Shakespeare play. However, I have also read that researchers have found Schindler unreliable due to his falsifications of such things as Beethoven's Conversation Books and his exaggeration of his period of close association with the composer and that nothing he has recorded can be relied on unless it is supported by other evidence. But, refering to the tempest sonata, what do you think???? Appologies if I havnt really made it clear what im asking about..........

In typical internet discussion forum style, I am posting in slight ignorance, but...
I heard that somebody asked Beethoven what the sonata was "about", and he supposedly growled "Read Shakespeare's The Tempest!".

So far as I know, Beethoven did not nickname his works. The nicknames came later.

Steve

Exactly. A poet or painter nicknamed the Op.27 No.2 the "Moonlight" as the first movement reminded him of a boat sailing across a calm lake in the moonlight

Beethoven named only two of his Sonatas himself, the 'Pathetique' (although it has been said by some that this only applied to the first movement) and 'Das Lebewohl' (or 'Les Adieux', although he preferred the German name). The rest were named by others afterwards. I have a feeling I read that the Tempest was written after Beethoven had Recently experienced the Shakespeare play; and also that I've heard a quote similar to the one given by Andrew McC, but whether or not it was truly inspired by this no one knows.

I always thought that the Tempest had something to do with Shakespeare