Keeping Up!

It has been a crazy summer! I have been performing and traveling more for concerts and work. The practice and the study of these sonatas has not slowed down though. I was asked to perform the Sonata in C-sharp minor, op.27, no.2 “Moonlight” and had the opportunity to play it in front of a few hundred people.

The Moonlight Sonata, originally known as ‘Sonata quasi una fantasia’, reminded a poet of a moonlight scene over a lake and so a publisher placed a a picture of a moonbeam on the cover of the music and sales soared and we have then “Moonlight” Sonata.

This piece is played by every beginning pianist who loves the music. Honestly, very few people dislike this piece. The difficulty that lies within this piece is the control that one must have to make it sing beautifully and bring out the poetic and somewhat profound moments of the music. Strive to bring out the color of the piece without it devolving into a quasi version of a Chopin nocturne. In performing Beethoven and in experiencing his music, the performer must demand a higher attention span out of the audience. His music is not just beautiful, it is not just a lovely, pretty tune, His music is spiritual and demands the soul’s attention.

Alas, my next recital program has been set. I wanted to finish my Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms recital. The program is such

Beethoven: Sonata No. 25 in G major, Op. 79
J.S. Bach: English Suite No. 2 in A minor, BWV 807

Intermission

Brahms: 7 Fantasien, Op. 116

Beethoven: Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight"

The recital is planned for Spring of 2025.

More to come!