Overview of Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven - Essay Example

MOONLIGHT SONATA ,BEETHOVEN ic music can be defined as a variety of music styles from the western. This music type existed basically from the 17th and until the 19th century. This classic period of music falls between two distinguished periods, the Baroque and the Romantic periods. The classical period had a variety of exemplary composers, some who played a great role in developing the classical music, others who played the transitional role .The classical era can also be referred to as Classism era or the era of Viennese classic. Some of the composers are, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig Van Beethoven and Joseph Haydn among others. Classical music can be described as a lighter and cleared textured music in comparison to the Baroque music. It is also seen as less sophisticated and more easy to comprehend. This has led to its description as homophonic, in other words the melody above the chordal accompaniments. Ludwig Van Beethoven is arguably one of the most revered composers of all time, his influence primely being in the classical era where his compositions and piano pieces were unique clear and distinct. French pianist Jean Efflam referred to Ludwig Van Beethoven style as full of intentive panache , as well as adding ,he composed his music with ultimate skill The Moon light sonata was a piano piece done by the Beethoven in the year 1801. Initially titled Quasi una Fantasia , Italian for , “almost a fantasy”. He later on dedicated the piece to countess Guilietta Guicardi a student of his who he fell in love with and it is believed he proposed a hand in marriage after the piece. In the classical era,the sonata or concerta usually had numerous characteristics. It is these characteristics that defined the style and mannerism the composer used . It is noted that during this period , though different composers produced their various individual compositions, they all were similar in nature and manner of structure. The Moonlight Sonata had a sonata structure in which there was a lot of fluctuation in moods. Classic music is characterized by the contrast of moods in the piece. The Moonlight Sonata, starts in a rather mild and collected ensemble which further but gradually heightens to create the idea of fluctuation of moods. The composer, Beethoven communicates all his expressions at the time of composition which is typical of the classical error. The conflicting surges, give an indication that sadness and joy are both present. Beethoven executes this his role as the composer well, in that the audience is left marveling at the intensity of emotions and left full of suspense before the next stage of the piece. Conflict and contrast were vital elements in the production of a musical piece in the classical error.Beethoven and Joseph Hayden were numerously skilled in this particular field. In The Moonlight Sonata Beethoven communicates a wide range of emotions, a sorrowful mood is created , a jovial one is created too. The ability of a composer to highlight his or her emotions out rightly ensured the listeners got a profound and an intense performance where the emotions harbored by the composer were swiftly conveyed down to the audience. This in the classical era ensured that all audiences were glued and literally at par with the composer due to the intense manner and structure of the piece. The melody of a classical piece is usually balanced and more often than not symmetrical. This is because they frequently are comprised of different phrases bearing the same length, the second phrase usually is like the first one only that it is more decisive towards the end and easy to sing. The moonlight Sonata appears to be structured too, in a laudable way to give a perfect balance and maintain the pieces symmetry through out whilst conveying the numerous emotions running through the composers mind. It has three distinctive separate parts, the first movement, the second movement and the third movement. The first movement is well known and mysterious to some extent with a haunting feel and a whisper which seemingly takes the form of a sonatra which is condensed.The first movement has a melody the development of the melody and is perharps the most common of all the movements. The second movement bears a slightly different key of D flat major which is generally unrelated to the previous movement. The sole essence of the second stage is to give adequate room for flexibility. Flexibility in the classical era gave rise to rhythmic patterns .Syncopations ,unanticipated pause and frequent changes in the length of the note, from either long notes to short note produce rhythmic patterns. The change of pattern in the length of the note could either be sudden or gradual, depending on what emotions the composer wants to convey. The Moonlight Sonata is encompassed by crescendo and diminuendos, this creates a necessary platform for Beethoven to express all his emotions from the bittersweet memories to the happy times while creating suspense and tension. This is done through holding certain notes for longer than usual, this creates suspended tension which leaves the audience at the mercy of the composer. The minor chords create a chilly scenario with a gloomy dread,this is executed by the soft dynamics and slow tempo which serve to create a peaceful atmosphere to make the piece timeless. The third stage in the Moonlight Sonata is highlighted by quick progressions from one note to another. This stage sets up a powerful surge and invigorating effect directly. This stage usually indicates the peak of the transition, and a different mood is represented here. The suspense is now killed here as finally the audience get to unveil all the composers emotions as the climax is reached. The rhythm is stable in the Monlight Sonata , with regular periodic ripples to alter the effect and to convey an intended emotion, the final stage is the recapitulation stage where not exact repetition occurs but only the initial key is repeated. This is typical of the classical era where the rhythmic patterns give a great range of flexibility. Classic compositions tend to be catchy and have a retainer effect, where the tunes are catchy and very easy to remember or even analyze. The Moonlight Sonata is arguably one of the most known and listened to sonatas of the classical era, this is due to the rhythm and the symmetrical melody created by Beethoven. The composition had an original theme which in turn had an original bearing to any listener. Classical compositions many times have original themes with original characters that portray what the composer wants. However, a popular tune might be borrowed. The texture of the classical era was homophonic; the texture of a classical piece was as flexible just as rhythm. Texture too may vary from sudden to smooth changes. The Moonlight Sonata begins with a melody rather homophonic ally and some accompaniments but later on intensifies into a more rigorous polyphonic texture. A polyphonic texture is one which has two melodic segments that are constantly repeated with the various instruments throughout the entire piece. The simplicity and the nature of the musical pieces of the classical era can be noted in Beethoven’s piece, in which throughout the entire piece , three sections stand out ,each having a unique display ,role and effect to the audience. In the classical error the composer wanted to convey his moods to the listener through the piece, hence the use of crescendo and diminuendos to create the intended effect. The Moonlight Sonata is a classical music sample, in that the rhythmic repetitions are present but neither are they over done nor underused. The composer Beethoven skillfully arranged the rhythm patterns in a simple , captivating and comprehensible manner. Beethoven’s piece is a relaxed and calm work which has a soothing effect to the audience. The classical era saw the rise of wonderful pieces that up until now shape the entire music fraternity. The Moonlight Sonata is and will remain to be one of the most valuable sets of classical pieces, even though some critics express that it is not wholly classical arguing it had some elements of romantism. The rhythm and the melody in classical music and in Beethoven’s piece together with the range of flexibility and contrast in moods will serve as a constant reminder of the importance and beauty of classical music Works Cited Burrows, John. Classical music. London New York: DK Pub, 2005. Print. Kramer, Lawrence. Why classical music still matters. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007. Print. Jones, Timothy. Beethoven, the "Moonlight" and other sonatas, op. 27 and op. 31. Cambridge New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Print. Fine music fm 102.5 Read More