Overview

Course No. 7250

Examine 32 piano sonatas with Great Courses favorite Professor Robert Greenberg as he combines music, anecdotes, and humor to highlight classic pieces. Spanning Beethoven’s compositional career, these sonatas showcase his personal musical development and reveal the extraordinary evolution of the piano sonata genre. In these 24 lectures, discover how Beethoven broke the rules to create profound effects with his works.

Video Lectures

• Beethoven and the Piano
  • Introduction to Beethoven’s biography and early piano history.
  • Duration: 48 min

• Homage to Mozart
  • Exploration of Classical style influences and Beethoven’s Piano Sonata no. 1 in F Minor.
  • Duration: 45 min

• The Grand Sonata, Part 1
  • Examination of Beethoven’s first four piano sonatas and their orchestral scope.
  • Duration: 46 min

• The Grand Sonata, Part 2
  • Continued analysis of the grand sonatas, showcasing Beethoven’s artistic evolution.
  • Duration: 46 min

5. Meaning and Metaphor
   • Insights into Beethoven’s three opus 10 sonatas, highlighting varied emotions.
   • Duration: 45 min

• The Striking and Subversive, Op. 10 Continued
  • Examination of Piano Sonata no. 6 in F, followed by no. 7 in D.
  • Duration: 45 min

• The Pathetique and the Sublime
  • Focus on the popular Piano Sonata no. 8 in C Minor (Pathetique).
  • Duration: 45 min

• The Opus 14 Sonatas
  • Exploration of the lighter side of Beethoven in his two opus 14 sonatas.
  • Duration: 47 min

• Motives, Bach and a Farewell to the 18th Century
  • In-depth look at Piano Sonata no. 11 in B flat, reflecting Beethoven’s development.
  • Duration: 45 min

• A Genre Redefined
  • Study of Sonata no. 12 in A flat with contrasting movements.
  • Duration: 46 min

11. Sonata quasi una fantasia – The Moonlight
    • Analysis of the tragic yet popular Moonlight Sonata.
    • Duration: 46 min

• Lesser Siblings and a Pastoral Interlude
  • Examination of Sonata no. 13 and Sonata no. 15 in D (Pastoral).
  • Duration: 46 min

• The Tempest
  • Exploration of Sonata no. 17 in D Minor (Tempest) as a workshop for new ideas.
  • Duration: 46 min

• A Quartet of Sonatas
  • Study of Sonatas no. 16, 18, 19, and 20, highlighting lesser-known pieces.
  • Duration: 45 min

15. The Waldstein and the Heroic Style
    • Analysis of Piano Sonata no. 21 (Waldstein), emphasizing its uniqueness.
    • Duration: 47 min

• The Appassionata and the Heroic Style
  • Focus on Sonata no. 23 (Appassionata) as a prime example of the heroic style.
  • Duration: 46 min

• They Deserve Better, Part 1
  • Examination of Sonata no. 22 and 24, highlighting their merits.
  • Duration: 45 min

18. They Deserve Better, Part 2
    • Further exploration of Sonatas no. 25 and 27, focusing on their unique characteristics.
    • Duration: 45 min

19. The Farewell Sonata
    • Analysis of Piano Sonata no. 26 (Les Adieux) as program music.
    • Duration: 46 min

• Experiments in a Dark Time
  • Focus on Piano Sonata no. 28 and its experimental nature.
  • Duration: 46 min

21. The Hammerklavier, Part 1
    • Introduction to Piano Sonata no. 29 (Hammerklavier) and its complexity.
    • Duration: 45 min

• The Hammerklavier, Part 2
  • Continued analysis of the Hammerklavier, focusing on the fourth movement.
  • Duration: 46 min

• In a World of His Own
  • Exploration of Beethoven’s last three piano sonatas and their spiritual links.
  • Duration: 46 min

• Reconciliation
  • Final thoughts on Sonata no. 32, Beethoven’s valedictory statement.
  • Duration: 47 min