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Master the Sonata
The sonata form became popular in the cClassical period and is perhaps
most famous because of Beethoven, though many gifted and well-known
composers have penned sonatas. Learning to play one is very often a staple of any
piano education. Sonatas take careful practice and fine articulation to play well,
but once mastered, they are a joy both to listen to and play.
Sonatas vaery as to how many forms they have, but the traditional sonataallegro form has three different variations. These are the exposition,; the
development,; and the recapitulation. Composers think of these different sections
as a way to tell a story through music—even without words. Briefly, the
exposition introduces the piece’s theme and is usually played at a moderate
tempo. The developement progresses and expands the theme. Usually, this part is
slower and has some key changes. The recapitutiulation finally ties everything
together and concludes. It is usually played quickly and is the showier part of the
music. Practice and master each movement separately before you combine them.
It is essential to keep precise timing. Practicing with a metronome at first
will help you be consistent. Oftentimes, the left hand keeps the beat.
Just because the timing is exact doesn’t mean sonatas are to be played
rigidly. They include many emotional musical elements, such as slurs, staccatos,
and accent marks. The slurs group together the phrases and are played as musical
sighs. A musical sigh is when you make the notes in a slurred phrase sound like a
human sigh—rise at the beginning with a smooth drop to the end. There will
often be staccato notes or accent notes following a phrase that which are in direct
contrast to the previous sigh. Just as composers thought of their sonatas as
stories put to music, you can create one yourself to go along with the music to
help you inject passion into your playing.
Be articulate! Sonatas have no room for sloppy or half- heard notes. Use
the finger preps you have practiced in your Hanon exercises. (Hanon is a
wonderful way to warm up before practicing sonatas.) The pedal should be used
sparingly. It should enhance your playing, not cover it up.
It is very helpful to listen to a professional recording of the sonata you are
learning. Find a CDcd or look online for a recording. Hearing how the sonata is to
be played will provide you with a guideline for what you need to work on in your
practice time.