Who wrote the Moonlight Sonata?
Quick answer
German composer Ludwig van Beethoven wrote the Moonlight Sonata in 1801. Its official title is Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2, marked “Quasi una fantasia” (“almost a fantasy”). The nickname “Moonlight” was given years after his death by a music critic who said the first movement reminded him of moonlight on a lake.
Key facts
- Composer
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Written
- 1801
- Official title
- Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2
- Dedicated to
- Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, his pupil
How it got its name
In 1832, five years after Beethoven died, German music critic and poet Ludwig Rellstab compared the first movement to moonlight shining on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. The nickname stuck so firmly that most people know the piece only as the Moonlight Sonata. Beethoven himself never used it.
Three movements
| Movement | Tempo | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Adagio sostenuto (slow) | Quiet, dreamy and sorrowful; the famous part |
| 2nd | Allegretto | Light and graceful; Franz Liszt called it “a flower between two abysses” |
| 3rd | Presto agitato (very fast) | Stormy and dramatic, very difficult to play |
Unusually, Beethoven put the slow movement first and saved the fastest for last, which is why he called it “almost a fantasy.”
The dedication
Beethoven dedicated the sonata to Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, a young pupil he was reportedly in love with. Her family’s social rank meant they could never marry.
Composing while going deaf
By 1801, Beethoven was already losing his hearing. A year later he wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament, a letter describing his despair. He went on to compose some of his greatest works, including the Ninth Symphony, while almost completely deaf.
Beethoven’s other famous works
- Symphony No. 5, with its famous four-note opening
- Symphony No. 9, whose “Ode to Joy” is the anthem of the European Union
- Für Elise, a short piano piece
- His only opera, Fidelio
Beethoven (1770–1827) was born in Bonn and spent most of his career in Vienna. For a much more recent composer, see who composed the Star Wars music.
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