Sonatina, Op. 34: first movement
The first movement of André's Sonatina, Op. 34, is a cheerful Classical movement in C major, Octotune grade 5 of 8: a clear right-hand tune over a left hand that walks, then runs in sixteenths.
At a glance
| Composer | J. André |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate: grade 5 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: no sharps or flats |
| Time | 2/2 |
| Tempo | 104 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 131 measures, about 1:36 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | B3 to G5 |
| Left hand | G1 to D5 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Sonatina, Op. 34: first movement | 5 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
A sonatina by J. André, in the Mutopia Project's edition. Its first movement is a bright, tidy Classical piece in C major, about a minute and a half long, and a good step after Clementi's first sonatina.
How it is built. The right hand sings a clear tune in quarter and half notes: G C B C, a long D and F, then E C D B, and home to C. It is a question and answer, four measures each. The left hand walks beneath in quarters at first, and later runs in sixteenth notes, with wide leaps. The music visits G major and other keys, with F sharps and C sharps written in.
The tricky parts
- The left hand's sixteenths. Even, light and clear under a simple tune.
- Leaps. The left hand jumps more than two octaves in places. Look ahead.
- Balance. The tune leads, the left hand supports.
- Accidentals as the music changes key: F sharp, C sharp and a few others.
Practice plan
- Right hand alone in Wait for me; every note in it is one the path teaches.
- Left hand alone, slowly, with Loop this measure on the sixteenth-note passages.
- Both hands at 50% speed, then Play along.
Also try: Clementi's Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 1, a grade easier.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10, which teaches F sharp. The left hand's highest notes and the other accidentals go beyond it.
Questions
Is André's Sonatina, Op. 34, hard?
It is an early-intermediate piece, Octotune grade 5 of 8. The right hand's notes are all ones the path teaches; the left hand's quick sixteenths and wide leaps are the harder part.
Credits and license
- Music: J. André
- Typeset by Bas Wassink for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece