Teaching Moonlight Sonata
Found in: Reading
Georgia H., Perth, Western AU
Does anyone know of a simplified version of Moonlight Sonata? I have a couple of students who have started to learn it, but there are a lot of stretches of an octave or more and they have small hands.
Neil Moore
Firstly, I usually suggest not learning a simplified version of Moonlight Sonata. The original version (in C# minor) is quite straightforward and requires only basic reading skills. Naturally, it has everything to do with how it is taught. Octaves, as always, can be played by choosing the uppermost note only. Admittedly, it is a little tricky with this piece, but nonetheless very achievable.
Once a student has ventured far enough into the syllabus, we routinely begin dealing with a broad array of pieces from the traditionally accepted classical repertoire, Moonlight Sonata included. I most commonly would teach from ‘The Library of Piano Classics’, an AMSCO Publication (ISBN 0-8256-1111-3). This is a great book, and in conjunction with all else we provide, lasts a student for years.
Strategies for this and other advanced pieces from various genres are available in the teacher training materials for the Development levels.