Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 1: III. Vivace
The Vivace, the finale of Clementi's Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 1 (1797), is a quick, bright movement in C major and 3/8, Octotune grade 4 of 8: sixteenth-note runs in the right hand over the left hand's broken chords.
At a glance
| Composer | Muzio Clementi (1752–1832) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Beginner: grade 4 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: no sharps or flats |
| Time | 3/8 |
| Tempo | 80 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 70 measures, about 1:18 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | B3 to D6 |
| Left hand | G2 to D4 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 1: III. Vivace | 4 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
The last movement of Muzio Clementi's Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 1 (1797) is marked Vivace: lively. After the slow Andante in F, it returns to C major, in a quick 3/8, three eighths in a measure felt as one beat.
How it is built. The right hand has the tune, full of quick sixteenth notes: E D C, C, then up to G. The left hand plays broken chords in eighths, C E G, one to each measure, like a spinning wheel. The runs climb as high as the D above high C.
The tricky parts
- Even sixteenths. Crisp, light fingers, the same weight on every note.
- One in a measure. Feel the downbeat of each measure, not all three eighths, or it will plod.
- Jumps back. After a run, the right hand often leaps back down. Look ahead.
- Steady left hand. The broken chords keep time for both hands. Never let them rush.
Practice plan
- Left hand alone in Play along, until the broken chords are automatic.
- Right hand alone in Wait for me, then in Play along at 50% speed.
- Both hands at 50–60% speed; raise it only while the runs stay even. Use Loop this measure on any run that stumbles.
The whole sonatina: the Allegro and the Andante come first.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 9. The top D is a step above the path's high C; the few F sharps are taught in Unit 10.
Questions
Is the Vivace of Clementi's Op. 36 No. 1 hard?
It is a Beginner piece, Octotune grade 4 of 8, like the rest of the sonatina. It is quick: sixteenth-note runs in the right hand over steady broken chords, in 3/8.
Credits and license
- Music: Muzio Clementi (1752–1832)
- Typeset by Brian D. Rude for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece