In this lesson, renowned Beethoven interpreter John O’Conor guides you through the dramatic first movement of Beethoven’s famous “Pathétique” Sonata. Popular since the day it was written, this powerfully expressive sonata was unlike any piano work that came before. O’Conor’s engaging and multifaceted teaching style will help you learn how to bring out the wide-ranging emotions of this extraordinary piece.<br><br>The lesson is full of clear yet detailed comments on how to shape phrases expressively but without exaggeration, the importance of body language, on how pedal makes the sound of even a single note more colorful, that we should make big melodic leaps as passionate as a singer would, and a comprehensive look at the remarkable structure Beethoven devised.<br><br>O’Conor often describes passages as if they were a dialogue between different characters — and often a conflict! He encourages you to describe the music using words that mean something to you, and shows how beautiful it sounds when we phrase music as meaningfully as we say “I love you.”<br><br>O’Conor offers very practical technical advice, including solutions for keeping the wrist loose during the tiring left-hand broken octaves, chromatic scale fingerings for speed and reliability, building accuracy by thinking of smaller groups (and imagining a tiny gap between them), redistributing notes from one hand to the other, and how to look before you leap. To get a deep, rich sonority on the powerful first chord (and many other places), O’Conor recommends follow-through — the motion of the arm continues even after the note sounds, like swinging a golf club.<br><br>He also offers insights regarding how to interpret Beethoven’s dynamic markings: to treat pianissimos as fairly extreme and repeated fortissimos as powerfully insistent — and also a discussion of sforzandos, rinforzandos, and staccato dots (which sometimes mean more than just detaching the note!).

Join famed Beethoven interpreter John O’Conor for an in-depth lesson on one of the greatest sonatas ever written: the mighty “Appassionata.” In this video, O’Conor shares his insights for every bar of the dramatic first movement.<br><br>He introduces this sonata as one of Beethoven’s personal favorites, and often relates the musical content to the composer’s personality and personal struggles.<br><br>Throughout the lesson, O’Conor brings close attention to the beauty and variety of the harmony, finds meaning in expressive indications, shares tips for reliable and powerful fingering as well as redistribution between the hands (even in trills!), sheds light on the taut rhythmic framework, and attends to Beethoven’s long and coloristic pedal markings. Most importantly, every detail helps communicate the drama of this work and empowers you to find an interpretation and a narrative that you find meaningful.

In this lesson, Irish pianist John O'Conor guides you through the first movement of Haydn's C Major Sonata, Hob.XVI:50. O'Conor begins with an overview of Haydn's piano sonatas in the context of his larger output. An "underestimated" composer, Haydn—O'Conor insists—should be appreciated for the depth and variety of his work. <br><br> Diving into the exposition of the Sonata, O'Conor advises against playing the staccato notes to short. Turning to phrasing, he demonstrates how capturing the character of the music allows you to express the shape of the phrase much more easily. In the technically challenging passagework, O'Conor describes precisely how to hold the hand and arm, and how to shape the fingers, to achieve effects with facility. <br><br> Moving to the development, O'Conor stresses the important of expressing different key areas, as Haydn ventures away from the tonality of the piece. Dynamic contrast is also crucial to the development, and O'Conor shows how to achieve a proper fortissimo in the context of the character of the passage. In the famous open pedal passage, O'Conor makes the point that—depending on the room or hall—you may consider different strategies for collecting and releasing some of the acculumated sound. What matters is the effect, Haydn is getting across. <br><br> In the recapitulation, O'Conor focuses on balancing different voices and stresses finger strength. "Every pianist needs to get to know their body very well." O'Conor brings together the technique and character of the work, ensuring that your approach to the work will be without strain, and full of life.

Join famed Beethoven interpreter John O’Conor for a wide-ranging interview about perhaps the most famous composer in the world, celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday in December 2020.<br><br>O'Conor takes a close look at who Beethoven really was: the man and the music, both the composer’s arrogant, fiercely independent personality and his gift of genius to the world. This vivid and lively sketch of Beethoven’s personality is necessary to really understand his pathbreaking music: Beethoven’s musical innovations are inextricably linked with his outlook on life.<br><br>Beethoven lived during the time of the French Revolution and later the Napoleonic Wars, and the ramifications of these world-historical events had a real impact on his compositions. Beethoven also had a great deal of personal struggle — not only his premature deafness, but deep issues related to love and family.<br><br>Knowing this history is a key to play the music of great composers with true understanding, and O’Conor also believes it is essential to know their other works: the lieder of Schubert and Schumann; Beethoven’s string quartets, trios, and symphonies. O’Conor speaks from experience, having spent his early years playing a great deal of chamber and vocal music — including entire operas!<br><br>This interview also includes an engaging overview of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, showing the shifts in style and personality from the beginning to the end of his life, as well as charming anecdotes about O’Conor’s life and studies. The lesson closes with a classic Irish limerick.

In this segment from his lesson on the third movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," John O'Conor tells the story of his early training in Vienna. It was there, under the tutelage of Dieter Weber, that he first learned how to develop his fingerwork in learning some of Chopin's Etudes. Beginning with Hanon exercises, O'Conor demonstrates how to lift and drop each finger individually in order to develop a strong foundation before moving to faster passagework. After applying lifts and drops to individual notes in the "Moonlight," he shows how to begin combining notes. There are six combinations of rhythmic drills you should apply to each group of four sixteenth notes, up to tempo, before you are ready to combine groups of sixteenth notes, and ultimately build speed and power throughout the ascending passage. Try applying these strategies in your own rapid passagework!

In this lesson, Irish pianist John O'Conor performs and guides you through the first movement of Beethoven's so-called "Moonlight Sonata."<br><br>As O'Conor points out, the biggest difficulty of the movement is balancing the accompaniment with the melody in the right hand. You shouldn't approach the key too vertically or risk over-articulating the triplets. Instead, pet each key almost horizontally back towards your body, as if painting with a paint brush, and you'll create a smooth and flowing texture.<br><br>To express the melody effectively, O'Conor insists, you must really listen to the decay of each note. Your work is not done once the key is struck.<br><br>These techniques will take you through most of the movement, as the texture remains more or less uniform throughout. O'Conor shows you nuances, hidden melodies, pedal tricks, and expressive devices, that will improve your musicality and allow you to find your own voice in this most famous piece.