Description

Beethoven originally titled the piece “Sonata quasi una fantasia,” yet it is widely recognized as the “Moonlight Sonata,” a name that was already in circulation during his lifetime. In 1823, Ludwig Rellstab described the first movement as evoking a serene lake illuminated by the moon at twilight, with waves gently lapping against a dark shore. Wilhelm von Lenz further illustrated the imagery, likening it to a vast grave in a desolate landscape, softly lit by a crescent moon. Recent research, as noted by Murray Perahia and Norbert Gertsch in their introductory texts, suggests that Beethoven may have drawn inspiration from the sound of the Aeolian harp. Perahia also contributed fingerings for the piece.