What Makes Moonlight Sonata so Popular? - Inside the Mind of Beethoven

Рет қаралды 9,690

Күн бұрын

Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata is one of his most famous pieces of music. Most people have heard it and many want to play it. What makes this such a popular work? Step inside the mind of Beethoven as we explore the features that make the opening movement so memorable, including the hypnotic impact of the triplet accompaniment figure, the distinctive nature of the melodic line with its repeated notes and dotted rhythms, as well as the twists and turns that keep the listener engaged in the harmony. All of this sits in the context of the unexpected Adagio opening movement but above all, Beethoven makes an emotional impact that is immediately engaging and continually draws us back to this iconic movement.
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🕘 Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction to what makes Moonlight Sonata so popular?
1:08 - History behind the piece
1:37 - What makes it different?
2:01 - Playing the piece
2:40 - Tempo and metre
3:41 - Opening atmosphere
11:25 - Melodic design
17:32 - Unexpected harmonic choices
22:13 - Conclusion
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#InsideTheMindOfBeethoven #MusicAnalysis #TheAllRoundMusician

Пікірлер: 135

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Learn Music Online - Check out our courses here! www.mmcourses.co.uk/courses

@MehdiD.Ardebili 11 ай бұрын

It’s interesting how the homogeneity of the triplets that pervades the entire movement from beginning to end does not exhaust the listener as a result of the remarkable and surprising harmonic progressions. The linear movement in the bass line largely through half steps and whole steps is also very satisfying.

@MusicMattersGB 11 ай бұрын

Absolutely

@RonSwansonIsMyGod Жыл бұрын

Well, the singular mood of that 1st movement is hard to resist. It definitely weaves a spell. Hypnotic even...

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

I agree

@the_eternal_student Жыл бұрын

I thought it was interesting that he chose to sustain that powerful mood indirectly by frequently alternating minor with major and modulating keys, rather than sustaining the minor tonality directly, but I have not seen the rest of the piece.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Yes it’s an interesting dimension

@henrique88t Жыл бұрын

This analysis was as enchanting as the song itself. The whole video passed by in a blink of an eye.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@user-gq5vy3ct8m Жыл бұрын

The first music that once took me into the world of classical music🥰

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Fabulous

@charlottemacdonald4167 Жыл бұрын

For me Beethoven's humanity transforms his sorrows. It is such a beautiful transition to hear.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

It is

@carlstenger5893 Жыл бұрын

I've always loved Beethoven's work. This first movement has always struck me as being the result of "stream of conscious" composing. It seems to me that (considering Beethoven's usual preferences and biases) once Beethoven had settled on the form and structure of the first measure, the piece practically wrote itself. Beethoven (like Bach and Mozart before him) followed (what I consider to be ) the first rule of good composition -- when a good piece seems to be writing itself, DON'T get in the way. Great analysis! I'm going to have to sit down and watch your analysis of Pathetique. It may be my favorite of the Beethoven piano sonatas. Thanks!

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Absolutely bang on observations about composing.

@ruditesalina4973 9 ай бұрын

Thank you! Such a wonderful analysis❤

@MusicMattersGB 9 ай бұрын

That’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@Adks007 10 ай бұрын

What a beautiful analysis!! Thank you so much for making this video. Love and respect from India ❤

@MusicMattersGB 10 ай бұрын

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@aseemb19 Жыл бұрын

First of all nice hair cut🙂 I have been listening and practicing this piece of music for a long time but first time I realized how wonderfully it has been thought & crafted. Thanks Gareth for enlighten me.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

A pleasure. Glad you like the haircut! Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@johnmac8084 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful analysis Gareth of this seemingly simple piece

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Thank you

@mustuploadtoo7543 Жыл бұрын

I found your channel a while ago but i didnt go through any of your videos. i am changing that now and watching all of them backwards. thanks 👍

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Enjoy!

@bargledargle7941 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful video and analysis. Also hilarious at 3:11 "Phew the second bar has arrived! And by the third bar you've lost your will to live..." I would pay handsomely just to watch a whole performance with those comments

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀

@zerksari Жыл бұрын

I play this piece and Bach's air about every 2 days just for me to 'listen' to using my headsets (piano only). This is gold, so much appreciated from me.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s great

@evelyneduval6441 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this enthousiast and inspiring analysis! Great!

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

@caterscarrots3407 Жыл бұрын

Beethoven is, more than any other composer, the one that went from almost obscurity to absolute love for me. When I was young, like 9 or so, I could not appreciate what Beethoven was doing like I could with say Mozart, so I didn't really like his music. At 12, this started to change, I started to be able to appreciate his craftsmanship. When I became a teenager, I developed the bias towards minor key pieces that I still have to this day. This set in motion a cascade of events that eventually led to Beethoven becoming my favorite composer. This sonata is one of those pieces that I heard as a child and for which my opinion completely changed. The Fifth Symphony is another one.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s brilliant

@user-or2ib9pw3k Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your precious explaination concerning Beethoven's piano sonata called Moon light. As I am learning this 1st. movement, so your explaination is useful to me. I can discover new important elements through your explaination. Thank you again.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s great

@stephenbashforth8257 Жыл бұрын

Excellent, Very helpful analysis. Thank you Gareth - greatly appreciated.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Thank you

@michellesickinger1878 9 ай бұрын

Your explanation really helping me to understand this sonata. I was analyzing myself with very minimal knowledge. Appreciate your explanation with deep knowledge.

@MusicMattersGB 9 ай бұрын

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@jayducharme Жыл бұрын

That was fascinating! I've heard the piece so often, it's become almost a cliché and I never really thought about its construction. It's much more complex than I expected.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀

@muntius8680 Жыл бұрын

Pure passion. Thanks.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀

@markE946 Жыл бұрын

I have thoroughly enjoyed this, I did something similar myself before I began playing the piece where I analysed what he was actually doing. Please do some more of these videos

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

There are more on the channel and more to come

@Bass60134Player Жыл бұрын

Great analysis. I find it amazing that Beethoven didn't think this piece was particularly noteworthy but we now consider it a work of perfection

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Absolutely

@Philrc Жыл бұрын

Great video! Thank you

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

A pleasure

@robertwinfieldstabler7697 Жыл бұрын

I always enjoy you’re almost over the top minute analysis. I must admit, however, that your mellifluous voice put both the baby and me to sleep 😴

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Glad the video has enabled sleep!

@pablovasquez2166 Жыл бұрын

I love this inside music analisis series of videos thanks Gareth

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

A pleasure. Glad it’s helpful

@kadran3263 Жыл бұрын

Superb presentation!

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@TrollMeister_ 8 ай бұрын

Moonlight shimmering on the water of Lake Como. That’s how I always looked at it.

@MusicMattersGB 8 ай бұрын

😀

@houdinididiit Жыл бұрын

Great! Wish I could have given this 10 thumbs up 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

@voorth Жыл бұрын

About making a repeating note more interesting, Jobim's "One Note Samba" comes to mind...

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Great example

@alexsoft9120 Жыл бұрын

Chopin's e-minor prelude, as well

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

True

@jennyanderson5220 Жыл бұрын

Great to understand this beautiful piece better. Love the “stick that in your pipe and smoke it” comment! Thank you.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀

@mohammadgh3683 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video this peace always inspires me to be a creative person

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

It’s remarkable

@jimlynch22 Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@AtomizedSound Жыл бұрын

All 3 movements are wonderful. Would be nice to see a video on the 3rd movement however

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Great movement

@zerksari Жыл бұрын

Oh 'boy'. I tried it. Failed miserably. With that said I would pay to hear the analysis of course.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀 We have an analysis of the complete Pathetique Sonata of Beethoven at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@winniechan76 Жыл бұрын

Excited to subscribe today and start my music journey of lifelong learning online with Music Matters. So interactive

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Welcome. Great to have you with us.

@bothzoli Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much Gareth for this wonderful analysis. After hearing it thousands of times and even having played it a few hundred times myself I still cannot get bored with this piece. I am always fascinated at how Beethoven weaves these "easy and simple" patterns into a very rich and exciting music. I was very much interested on your take at that exact measure where you stopped the analysis 😁 Are C and A# simply chromatic neighbouring tones? Or is the C major functioning as a Neapolitan chord preparing a plagal cadence (E to B)? Anyways thank you again 😊

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

The C and A# are indeed wonderful chromatic neighbour tones, either side of the B onto which they resolve. They generate compelling tension.

@chmendez Жыл бұрын

I plead guilty to addiction to this piece. And I am another intermediate piano player who plays it. Actually every Monday (Because that is the day of Moon. 😆. Really). I have seen and read several analysis. This is a great one. Love this channel. Beethoven the god of Music.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s great. Enjoy!

@ezemans Жыл бұрын

This song is a master piece created by a genius, music theory cannot explain it.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

It’s a masterpiece and the analysis helps to illuminate the genius of the writing.

@PlayitonPan Жыл бұрын

🔥🙌🏾 1ˢᵗ n 2ⁿᵈ theme 😎 …and still there’s the development (🌀with that diminished🙃), recapitulation and coda… all in the first movement😊

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

It’s fabulous

@gabrielfigueiredo4372 Жыл бұрын

That was so helpful, Gareth! Wish you could do a Mozart - Lacrimosa one!

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

@ant7936 4 ай бұрын

But how can he do that? Because he is Beethoven, a genius! I'm learning this now (at bar 19, so very pertinent) Thanks for this. 🙂

@MusicMattersGB 4 ай бұрын

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@mistral-unizion-music Жыл бұрын

Great analysis. Thanks for sharing your amazing knowledge with us. Could you do this with his piano sonata no 17, 3rd movement, please? It's my favorite piano work of Beethoven!

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀

@the_eternal_student Жыл бұрын

I think it would be helpful if you identify the small structural units, like periods or sentences and binary forms or variations for each piece or whatever the equivalent terms are in the proper Angle language. By the way I enjoyed, the analysis of Sonata Pathetique; these short analyses that you do on youtube are small enough for me to digest, but I would be glad to see you do the full analysis for the other sonatas of Beethoven.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

We could do more of the full courses.

@deandrelambert Жыл бұрын

I almost subbed twice off this my guy you teach the classical music the simplest. You probably got a nice old school mustang that's why you still cool aint it? lol jp appreciate the content seriously though keep it coming

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Sadly I don’t yet have the Mustang but thanks for the comment

@deandrelambert Жыл бұрын

@@MusicMattersGB lol me either at the moment but no problem I learn from these so I’ll be tuned in for sure

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@iharu-jp Жыл бұрын

Hello Gareth-san from Japan! 2 in the morning watching this video! lol

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s dedication for you!

@iharu-jp Жыл бұрын

@@MusicMattersGB thank you for the lovely video!

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

@MarketGarden87 Жыл бұрын

I love this. I need to get my harmonic ducks in a row

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

You’ll have a chance to work on that this Saturday

@jakubr4634 Жыл бұрын

I have never realized it before but now that I am listening to it, it starts reminding me of one of the motives in Bellini’s Norma. Don’t you think?

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

Interesting connection

@Frank29 Жыл бұрын

❤

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀

@bigpicturehero Жыл бұрын

Is it too simple to say that because Beethoven keeps us oriented with a repetitive rhythm of triplets we willingly follow the many twists and turns in key and harmony and melody, which alter and ultimately deepen the initial calm feeling? Thanks for this.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s a very good way of thinking about it

@hougrel9514 Жыл бұрын

It always feels as the slow movement in the 7th Symphony has a lot in common. Many years between them? And he "gets away with" a repeated melodic note even more? Tx a most interesting video.

@hougrel9514 Жыл бұрын

11 years

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀

@andregosteli2177 Жыл бұрын

I wonder if Beethoven thought on all that musical theory when he composed the introduction or if it was just intuition and later could be explained with musical theory (Neapolitan chord, D major). I compare with Paul McCartney who composed many songs with quite sophisticated chord progression without have an idea what that meant in musical theory. Anyway, I love this Sonata and I appreciate you explanation which is excellent.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

It’s a good question. I think Beethoven knew exactly what he was doing although it may have been instinctive. The main point of this kind of analysis is for us to understand what exactly is going on, which puts us more in touch with the music

@andregosteli2177 Жыл бұрын

@@MusicMattersGB Absolutely. I find it thrilling. Thank you!

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

😀

@martenbergstrom3879 Жыл бұрын

C natural, stick that in your pipe and smoke it😂😂😂 Love you Gareth, you’re the best teacher☀️

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

You’re too kind.

@alexsoft9120 Жыл бұрын

This one note melody is a kind of funeral melody, isn't it? A moment when we think it's all over and there's no reason to live. And the third movement is music of hope, music of life.

@MusicMattersGB Жыл бұрын

That’s certainly a perfectly valid approach

@belindadrake5487 8 ай бұрын

Beethoven is GOD👊🏾🎹🌟

@MusicMattersGB 8 ай бұрын

😀

@belindadrake5487 8 ай бұрын

@@MusicMattersGB Hello at Music Matters. 🎹😃 I’d love to do a course ( or 2) with you. I’ve done up to 5th grade piano exams ( honours & one credit 😩) . I’m a perfectionist; l drive myself crazy. I can dedicate all the time in the world to study & practice. I have peripheral neuropathy; but thank the BIG MAN upstairs, it’s not affecting my arms or hands. ( Yet, & l won’t let it!) Maybe an English program would suite me; Australia isn’t offering any kind of plan that l’ve checked. Besides, it’d be pretty’snazzy’ to have a certificate from your courses. I played & taught guitar, but my heart lies in the piano. ( Jazz doesn’t pay! ) I love ‘West Coast American jazz. Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck My DAD 💔 who was a music nut left me over 17,000 records, CDs & videos. I’ve heard music since l was an embryo. I miss sitting with him & just listening. So it’s about time l started theory again ( l love it! Am l mad? Up to George Russell. WHEW!! ) If you have time, can you let me think of a jazz book that escaped me by Mr. Levines ‘must have book’? Thank you; love to hear back from you!! 🎹👊🏾✨❤️‍🔥😁

@MusicMattersGB 8 ай бұрын

@belindadrake5487 Hi. It’s great to hear your background and thanks for sharing it. If you want to engage with theory go to www.mmcourses.co.uk and have a look at our 1-8 theory bundle or our 1-5 theory bundle. That will help you enormously.

@belindadrake5487 8 ай бұрын

@@MusicMattersGB OH WOW! Thank you! I’ll definitely look at that; perhaps l could do the 5-8 theory course…. My theory is better than average; l did exams for that as well. I’m definitely going to save up my ‘bikkies’ to do some of these exciting lessons! I’ll have a GOOD LOOK; l don’t mind doing 1 to 8; THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR getting back to me. I like one on one teachers; my peers l respect greatly. You’re stuck with me now!! 😆🎹❤️😅

@MusicMattersGB 8 ай бұрын

@belindadrake5487 Welcome to Music Matters. Enjoy the course!