GRMUS T615 — Beethoven’s Late Piano Sonatas

2 credits
Fall
Kendall Briggs

The late piano sonatas represent Beethoven’s final statements on the genre as well as his unique mark on the use of sonata and other architectonic principles. These unique works stand as monuments in the compositional history of the piano sonata. All composers since have had to reconcile their own piano sonatas to those of Beethoven. This course will focus on his late sonatas, beginning with op. 101 and finishing with his remarkable op. 111. Because of their unique nature and proximity, the late sonatas will be compared with his late string quartets in order to understand more fully Beethoven’s compositional process at the end of his life. Sonatas written at the time by other composers will also be included, to help situate Beethoven’s own in the appropriate context.