Hello

I would like to know if anyone out there can point me in the direction of a website or book to help me with my programe notes for this piece.
I have been hunting on the net and cant find anything, maybe im just looking in the wrong place?!
thanks

Beethoven Sonata Op.10 Number 2 F Major

Not much information, but a little bit to give you ideas here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_...%28Beethoven%29

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/pizarro/sonata06.shtml

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/11/...ven_part_2.html

If you can find a copy of Sir Donald Tovey's (?) guide to the Beethoven Piano Sonatas somewhere, that might help - I don't have a copy myself but I believe it's an in-depth analysis of all the sonatas.......

I've got a BBC Music Guide on Beethoven Piano sonatas which has a little bit about this one in it.

edit: Also, if you have the Associated Board edition of the 1st volume of Beethoven piano sonatas there's an analysis of this sonata, written by Tovey in there.

I think you MUST look at Tovey here. It won't be of much use for the programme notes as you are writing for a general audience - no technical terms or analysis.

But, for the viva it is essential. When I played Beethoven Op.10 No. 3 for the LRSM (!) I had learnt the Tovey analysis in detail. The one analysis question the examiners asked was the most important point Tovey had made. So I quickly answered and illustrated it by playing the passage again.


There is a great book called Playing the Beethoven piano Sonatas by Robert Taub. This has great chapters on interpretation, pedal, editions, dynamics, instruments etc.


For your programme notes at DipABRSM level the first place to look MUST be New Grove II. You should be able to get most of the info you need for all your pieces from this one source. For the viva you should then read alittle more in detail, particularly about the history of the piano and other music by the composers you are playing.

eg - What do you know about the other works Beethoven was writing in the late 1790s? Were they orchestral? What period was this? In fact, Beethoven was producing alot of string works at this time - Violin sonatas, string trios, etc. Still very much influenced by Haydn, but beginning to break from the traditional classical mould. What is the structure of the sonata - 3 or 4 movements? Why? What was the norm at this time? How does the opening movement conform to normal sonata form? Does it make any significant changes to sonata form - unexpected changes of key? Is there a coda? The relative minor of the sonata is a most dramatic key - what later works did Beethoven write in this key?


These are the sort of issues you should look at in the notes, and also think about for the viva.

Hope this helps. Let me know what else you are playing.

Andrew

Thank you to everyone who posted a reply- all your responses have been very helpful.

Jenny

There is also the Charles Rosen book which gives a very helpful guide to all of the Beethoven sonata's and comes with a cd.