Video: Bus Station Beethoven, One Note at a Time

Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.14, commonly known as the Moonlight Sonata, is known for its haunting melody and the emotional impression it usually gives to listeners. As of one Beethoven’s most famous pieces, even non-musicians can usually recognize the opening bars. Learning how to play the song, of course, takes time and practice.

But when you break it down, learning any song is just a matter of taking it one step at a time; or better yet, one note or phrase at a time. UK artist Anton Hecht demonstrates this concept beautifully in his recent creative piece, Bus Station Sonata. For the project, Hecht set up a piano at a Newcastle bus station, and then asked commuters and passersby to take a seat, learn a few notes, and play along with pianist Andy Jackson. Check out the pieced-together final video below:

The volunteers in the video may not be great at the piano – some of them had never even sat down on a piano bench! Obviously there is much to learn when you’re first starting out, but by taking it one note at a time, any musician can work their way up to mastering a Beethoven sonata. So what are you waiting for?

– Suzy S., TakeLessons staff member and blogger