Finale: Sonata in C minor, Op.10 No.1 – Ludwig van Beethoven
I prefer to play slow reflective pieces on the piano, usually choosing composers from the romantic era. However, this is quite the opposite, and surprisingly, it is one of my favourite pieces. It is fast-paced, lively and very representative of a fundamentally classical piece of music. This is what made me choose this piece to feature in my journal – it is drastically different to the piece on the previous page by Liszt, and it was a challenge to learn, but I think it is always important to step out of our comfort zones, as it helps us develop in all areas of our lives. This was an example of me stepping out of my musical comfort zone.
Thinking further about this piece beyond the musical perspective, I think it paints a picture of the society we live in today. We live in a fast-paced world where people have immediate expectations. Especially in the world of Medicine – patients want a quick fix with immediate results. I learned and recorded myself playing this piece with the thought that it was a beautiful piece of classical music, but when listening back to it, I think it playfully represents the fast-paced lives that we find ourselves living.