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This iconic sonata revolutionized piano writing with its atmospheric first movement marked "Adagio sostenuto", whose triplet figuration inspired poet Ludwig Rellstab's moonlight comparison decades after Beethoven's death.

Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2, commonly known as the "Moonlight Sonata," is one of his most iconic works. Its first movement, marked "Adagio sostenuto," evokes a hauntingly serene atmosphere. The nickname "Moonlight" was coined posthumously by poet Ludwig Rellstab, but its French translation "Clair de Lune" occasionally appears in references, though it is more famously linked to Debussy’s composition.

Composed in 1801, this iconic sonata breaks classical conventions with its haunting first movement marked "Adagio sostenuto," foreshadowing Romantic-era emotional expression. Its nickname "Moonlight" was coined posthumously by poet Ludwig Rellstab.

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked Quasi una fantasia, Op. 27, No. 2, is one of Beethoven's most popular compositions for the piano. The famous name "Moonlight Sonata" was not given by Beethoven but by the German poet Ludwig Rellstab in 1832, five years after the composer's death. He compared the effect of the first movement to moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne. The sonata's unusual structure, opening with a slow, brooding adagio instead of a sonata-allegro movement, was revolutionary for its time.