Sonate no 18 op. 31/3 « La Chasse » : II. Scherzo : Allegretto vivace
Romantic Sonata Piano solo
In brief

This second movement feels sprightly and incisive, with hunting-like accents and rhythmic thrusts that require lightness and crispness to keep its playful-yet-nervous character. Technically, Connaissance des formes (3.6/5) is key: you must clearly map repeats and contrasting sections so you can shape returns and transitions without losing forward drive; Tempo rubato (3.1/5) involves small, controlled tempo adjustments—brief anticipations or delays—while preserving rhythmic integrity and attack clarity. The piece sits within Beethoven’s piano sonata output and reflects his move toward more romantic expressive traits, using vivacity and irony within a compact scherzo-like structure. I do not give a reference recording here because I prefer not to risk an inaccurate recommendation.

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MusicCoach difficulty
65/100
Advanced
Likely range : 57–73/100
Confidence : 43% · to confirm
BeginnerIntermediateAdvancedVirtuoso
Exam grade
About grade 7

Estimated from our difficulty score, not taken from an exam syllabus. Checked against 333 works on the ABRSM syllabus: the exact grade is right 7 times out of 10, and within one grade 99 times out of 100.

Difficulty estimate by MusicCoach on a scale of 1 to 100.

Where this work sits
050100

Most works cluster between 45 and 65: a small score gap often marks a real step. The highlighted bar shows this work among those for the same instrument.

The MusicCoach difficulty measures a work's overall demands (technique, reading, stamina) on a shared 0-100 scale, consolidated from editorial and pedagogical reference points (Henle, exam syllabuses, curation) and our own analyses. It measures neither musical value nor the practice time YOU will need: two musicians of the same level can experience the same work very differently depending on their strengths (hands used to octaves, quick sight-reading…). The confidence reflects how many reference points sit behind the score and how well they agree — a lightly documented score is flagged “to validate”. For a truly personal bearing, the diagnostic and your space compare each work to YOUR estimated level, which the score alone cannot do.

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Relative difficulty
69%
Among Ludwig van Beethoven
67%
Era Romantic
65%
Genre
Estimated skills
Theory
Harmonic analysis
1
Theory
Knowledge of forms
1
Pedaling
Sustain pedal
1
Rhythm
Tempo rubato
1
Style
Romantic style
2
Style
Character and style
1
Tone
Touch control
1
Technique
Hand independence
1
Technique
Legato
1
Interpretation
Dynamics
1
Ornaments
Romantic ornaments
1
Technique
Fast passages
1
Interpretation
Phrasing
1
Rhythm
General rhythm
1
Technique
Staccato
1
Rhythm
Syncopation
1
What to play next?

Each suggestion combines difficulty gap, risk, confidence and skill overlap. The first two cards in each column are the most useful pedagogically.

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