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Whose Composition Is the Moonlight Sonata?
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Quick Answer
Ludwig van Beethoven composed the Moonlight Sonata (Piano Sonata No. 14) in 1801.
The Full Story
Beethoven completed his Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, in 1801 and dedicated it to his student (and rumoured love interest) Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. The popular nickname "Moonlight Sonata" was coined by music critic Ludwig Rellstab in 1832, who likened the first movement to moonlight reflecting on Lake Lucerne. The hauntingly beautiful opening Adagio sostenuto is one of the most recognised pieces of classical music, but the stormy third movement (Presto agitato) is considered the most technically demanding.
Key Facts
1.Beethoven himself called it a "sonata quasi una fantasia" (sonata in the style of a fantasy).
2.The first movement's triplet arpeggios were revolutionary for the time.
3.Beethoven was losing his hearing when he composed it — his "Heiligenstadt Testament" was written the following year.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Moonlight on the Keys — The Story of Beethoven's Most Famous Sonata"