Voicing the Melody in Beethoven's Pathetique: Playing in the Sand

   In a recent piano class, I worked with a student on a performance of Beethoven's 'Pathetique' sonata, second movement. She was capable of producing an agreeable singing sound, though her attention seemed to be focused on the obsure, particularly in the opening measures. Or perhaps her attention, that is, her ear, was not focused at all. We heard in her performance a very nice rendering of the viola part, the accompanying sixteenth-notes. Yes, really. Nothing against the viola, but I'm almost positive that Beethoven meant for the first violin to dominate.

     I decided to use the occasion to talk about voicing chords, although there is another solution that is quite workable and perhaps more practical for some pianists on some pianos.

 

   I told her to picture herself at the beach, sitting at the shore line. Now, I told her, imagine your fingers making small indentations on the wet sand, allowing the fourth finger to go a little deeper. That's the feeling. Of course, we're talking about distribution of weight and both fingers have to move down at the same time. In this case, she needs to tilt her hand to the fourth-finger side. The problem is compounded by the fact that four is already lower than two, as two is on a black key. After working through another exercise, playing the melody note (C) slightly ahead of the accompanying note (Ab) (not my favorite device, though it can help), she began to get the sensation. 

     And that's what it is, a sensation. I showed her how to apply the principle to various triads, featuring each voice. It's fun and an essential skill for all pianists.

     Alternatively, it's possible to play the viola and cello lines in the left hand for the first measure and a half. This can give the anxious player a leg up. I do think, though, it's preferable to play these opening one-and-a-half bars as printed because immediately after it becomes necessary to play the parts as printed. Still, as the melody continues, voicing in the right hand is easier because the combinations of notes place most of the top notes on black keys.