Sonatina in C, Op. 20 No. 1: I. Allegro
The first movement of Friedrich Kuhlau's Sonatina in C, Op. 20 No. 1, is a bright Allegro in 4/4, Octotune grade 6 of 8: a tune that climbs the C major chord over an Alberti bass, with quick runs and a second tune in G major.
At a glance
| Composer | Friedrich Kuhlau (1786–1832) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate: grade 6 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: no sharps or flats |
| Time | 4/4 |
| Tempo | 120 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 80 measures, about 2:39 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | E3 to C7 |
| Left hand | B1 to A4 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Sonatina in C, Op. 20 No. 1: I. Allegro | 6 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
Friedrich Kuhlau's sonatinas are, with Clementi's, the classic Classical-style teaching pieces. The Sonatina in C, Op. 20 No. 1, has three movements; this is the first, an Allegro in C major, bright and confident.
How it is built. The tune climbs the C major chord in long notes, C, E, then G, held and repeated, up to high C and E. Under it the left hand plays an Alberti bass: each chord broken into a steady pattern of eighths, C G E G. Later come quick runs of sixteenths and triplets, and a second tune in G major, with F sharps. Then both tunes return in C.
The tricky parts
- An even Alberti bass. Soft and steady, the thumb's repeated note lightest.
- Quick runs. Scales and broken chords in sixteenths, climbing far above the staff. Practice them in groups.
- High notes. Read them up from high C; where the sheet writes them under an octave line (8va), play an octave higher.
- Accidentals. F sharps, D sharps and others as the music moves.
Practice plan
- Left hand alone in Play along, until the Alberti bass is automatic.
- Right hand alone in Wait for me, runs slowly.
- Both hands at 50% speed with the loop on each run; then raise the speed.
The whole sonatina: the Andante and the Rondo.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10, and Clementi's Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 1. The highest notes and the accidentals go beyond the path.
Questions
Is Kuhlau's Sonatina Op. 20 No. 1 hard?
Its first movement is an intermediate piece, Octotune grade 6 of 8: a clear tune over an Alberti bass, with quick scales and runs that climb very high. The Andante is easier, the Rondo harder.
What is an Alberti bass?
A left-hand accompaniment that breaks each chord into a repeating pattern of lowest, highest, middle, highest note: C G E G. It is everywhere in Classical-era music.
Credits and license
- Music: Friedrich Kuhlau (1786–1832)
- Typeset by Bas Wassink for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece