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Exploring Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas

Approx. 18 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Explore the world of Beethoven's piano sonatas, including the famous Moonlight Sonata, in this online course from Coursera. Learn about the history, structure, and interpretation of these timeless masterpieces from renowned pianist and musicologist, Jonathan Biss.

Key Learning Points

Discover the fascinating stories behind Beethoven's piano sonatas
Learn how to analyze and interpret the structure and themes of each piece
Gain insights into the performance techniques and artistic choices of great pianists

Learning Outcomes

Understand the historical and cultural context of Beethoven's piano sonatas
Analyze the structure and themes of each sonata
Develop skills in interpretation and performance

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of music theory and piano performance
Access to a piano or keyboard

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online video lectures
Interactive quizzes and assignments
Self-paced learning

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Description

Our relationship to Beethoven is a deep and paradoxical one. For many musicians, he represents a kind of holy grail: His music has an intensity, rigor, and profundity which keep us in its thrall, and it is perhaps unequalled in the interpretive, technical, and even spiritual challenges it poses to performers. At the same time, Beethoven’s music is casually familiar to millions of people who do not attend concerts or consider themselves musically inclined. Two hundred years after his death, he is everywhere in the culture, yet still represents its summit.

This course takes an inside-out look at the 32 piano sonatas from the point of view of a performer. Each lecture will focus on one sonata and an aspect of Beethoven’s music exemplified by it. (These might include: the relationship between Beethoven the pianist and Beethoven the composer; the critical role improvisation plays in his highly structured music; his mixing of extremely refined music with rougher elements; and the often surprising ways in which the events of his life influenced his compositional process and the character of the music he was writing.) The course will feature some analysis and historical background, but its perspective is that of a player, not a musicologist. Its main aim is to explore and demystify the work of the performer, even while embracing the eternal mystery of Beethoven’s music itself. This season's Curtis courses are sponsored by Linda Richardson in loving memory of her husband, Dr. Paul Richardson. The Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation supports Curtis's lifelong learning initiatives.

Outline

Welcome to Class!
Notes from the Instructor
Syllabus
Join the Curtis Online Forum
Getting to Know You

How Things Were
Music in the Time of Bach
Music in the Time of Haydn and Mozart
Enter Beethoven
Sonata Form in Theory
Sonata Form in Practice
…and the Form of the Sonata
Lesson Notes and Resources (How Things Were)
Lecture Corrections
Mr. Biss Asks...
How Things Were

The First Thirteen
Beethoven’s Early Style
Expanding the Scope of the Sonata: Op. 7, 1st Movement
Early Experiments in Metaphysics: Op. 7, 2nd Movement
Respecting and Disrespecting Tradition: Op. 7, 3rd and 4th Movements
Lesson Notes and Resources (The First Thirteen)
Mr. Biss Asks...
Sonata from "The First Thirteen"
The First Thirteen

New Paths
Moving Beyond the Early Period
Re-shaping the Sonata: Op. 26
Blurring the Lines Between Fantasy and Sonata: Op. 27, No. 1
Psychological Extremity in Music: Op. 27, No.2
Subtlety and Innovation: Op. 28
Lesson Notes and Resources (New Paths)
Lecture Correction
Mr. Biss Asks...
Sonatas from "New Paths"
New Paths

Crisis
Beethoven’s Mediant Fixation Begins: Op. 31, No. 1
Deafness, Personal Problems, and Searching for a New Way
Beethoven as Improviser: Fantasy, Op. 77
Serenity and Slapstick: Op. 78
Formal Experimentation and Musical Storytelling: Op. 81a
Lesson Notes and Resources (Crisis)
Lecture Correction
Mr. Biss Asks...
Sonatas from "Crisis"
Crisis

Towards Infinity
Beethoven’s Late Style(s)
Circling Back and Moving Forward: Comparing the First Movements Op. 10, No. 1, and Op. 109
Variations as Psychology: Op. 109’s Finale
Coda: The Sonata after Beethoven
Lesson Notes and Resources (Towards Infinity)
Mr. Biss Asks...
Sonata from "Towards Infinity"
Towards Infinity

Op. 2, No. 1, and Op. 10, No. 2
Re-introduction
Beethoven at 24: Style and Priorities
Op. 2, No. 1: Wrestling with the Past
Op. 2, No. 1: 1st Mvt.: Mining his Materials
Op. 2, No. 1: 1st Mvt.: Sonata Form in the Minor Mode
Op. 2, No. 1: 2nd Mvt.: Borrowing from Haydn, and Himself
Op. 2, No. 1: 3rd Mvt.: Adding Ambiguity to an Old Form
Op. 2, No. 1: 4th mvt.: Releasing the Shackles
Op. 10, No. 2: Beethoven’s Humor!
1st Mvt.: Subverting Expectations
1st Mvt.: Beethoven as Stubborn Child
2nd Mvt.: The Menuet/Slow Movement Hybrid
3rd Mvt.: The Non-fugue
Lesson Notes and Resources (Op. 2, No. 1, and Op. 10, No. 2)
Mr. Biss Asks...
Op. 2, No. 1
Op. 10, No. 2

Op. 57: The "Appassionata"
Beethoven and the Tragic Mode
1st Mvt.: Musical Economy as Noose-tightening
1st Mvt.: Musical Economy and Beethoven's Resourcefulness
1st Mvt.: Unprecedented Intensity, and Delayed Resolution
2nd Mvt.: A Fragile Serenity
3rd Mvt.: Relentless Intensity, On a Leash
3rd Mvt.: …and Unleashed
Lesson Notes and Resources (Op. 57)
Mr. Biss Asks...
Op. 57

Op. 101
Towards a Late Style
1st Mvt.: Beginning in Mid-thought
1st Mvt.: Harmonic Instability as a Source of Character
2nd Mvt.: March!
2nd Mvt.: Painting in Primary and Secondary Colors
3rd Mvt.: Creating a Cyclical Form
3rd Mvt.: Delayed Resolution, Delayed Gratification...
3rd Mvt.: ...and Ultimate Triumph
Lesson Notes and Resources (Op. 101)
Mr. Biss Asks...
Op. 101

Learning Library
Lesson Notes and Resources
Suggested Readings
Listen to Sonatas (All)

Feedback, Please
Feedback

Announcements and Events
Upcoming meet-ups in your area
New Lectures!
October 13, 2015 Update--IMPORTANT: Improvement to course structure
Concert on February 20, 2015 at Rice University in Houston, Texas
New recording by Jonathan Biss released January 27, 2015
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Volume 5 is now available!

Summary of User Reviews

The Beethoven Piano Sonatas course on Coursera has received high praise from users with many noting the instructor's passion and expertise in the subject matter. One key aspect that users appreciated was the in-depth analysis of each sonata.

Pros from User Reviews

The instructor's passion and expertise in the subject matter is evident throughout the course
The in-depth analysis of each sonata is appreciated by users
The course is accessible to both beginners and advanced learners
The course provides valuable historical context for each sonata
The course includes interactive assignments and quizzes

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course pacing to be too slow
The course may not be challenging enough for advanced pianists
Some users found technical issues with the video lectures
The course does not provide personalized feedback on assignments
The course may require more time commitment than some users anticipated

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