A new adult student is working on Beethoven’s Sonatina in F, one of the composer’s less played works, but nevertheless quite a musical gem.
While the composition has a Mozartean flavor, the abrupt shift in dynamics in the opening theme, for example, offers a glimpse into Beethoven’s later development of his larger Sonata form, where emotional highs and lows become more conspicuous with polyphonic support. (more voices)
The F Major Sonatina’s first movement is scored for two voices, yet still demands an understanding of weight transfer to produce dynamic contrasts through singing tone passages, and an exploration of supple wrist motions to improve phrasing.
In this lesson-in-progress, the student makes gains as he integrates attentive listening with needed physical expression or choreography. (He worked on refining his staccato–i.e. having destination-oriented, or directed detached notes, and enlisted a flexible wrist to resolve harmonies and taper phrases)
The concept of contrasting themes in the Exposition, sequential relationships, and key changes (Development section), expanded his understanding of the composition and how to communicate content, form, and structure in the Classical style.
Naturally, a behind tempo approach was appropriate to the student’s early learning efforts.
