Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor Opus 27 No. 2, "Moonlight"

The Piano Sonata no. 14 by Beethoven was not called "the Moonlight Sonata" by the composer himself. However, Beethoven, who dedicated it to a beautiful 17 year old girl whom he loved, would have probably agreed with the definition made by the music critic and poet Ludwig Rellstab, whom 31 years later described the work in the words "... like the moonlight reflecting in the water of a lake". The accurate image he gave it became the sonata's nickname.

The sonata's structure is one of three movements, the first of which is slow and calm. The concluding movement is tempestuous and dynamic. Beethoven in fact complained about the success of this piece, saying "I have written better ones...", but that made no difference to the audience - this sonata is one of the most loved works in the piano repertory.

The "Beatles", one of the most successful and important rock bands in the 20th Century, were inspired by this sonata to write one of their beautiful songs - "Because", and countless movies make use of the opening movement with its magical chords to accompany quiet, idyllic scenes. Even in commercials, it is considered a "winner", for example - it was used in a well-known baby-lotion commercial.

The structure of the piece: