Yesterday I performed the entire program, which ends with 'Moonlight,' for a friend. I do want to emphasize that the process I'm going through with this Sonata that I'm blogging is also taking place simultaneously (although not on a blog, just in my head, and in notes I make for myself) for all the other pieces in the program. FYI, here is the entire program: (all by Beethoven)
Eight Variations in F Major, WoO 76
Sonata in Ga Major, Op,. 14 No. 2
Six Variations in D Major, Op. 76
Sonata in A Major, Op. 101
Sonata in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ('Moonlight')
As you can see, the Moonlight is the last piece on the program. Yesterday evening I played the entire program for a friend, straight through from start to finish, pausing for the intermission as I would in a formal recital. The entire program's playing time (not counting intermission) is about an hour twenty minutes. As this was the first time I'd tried it all the way through, I must say that by the end of the third movement of the 'Moonlight' I was pretty fatigued. I rushed the last movement - a symptom for me of being tired. As soon as my friend had left, I went back to the music, and reviewed each piece, noting where things weren't right, and correcting it in my head. At this point I didn't practice it, as I've learned that compulsive over-practicing after playing the program all the way through is ultimately more harmful than helpful. However this morning, after a good night's sleep I corrected any place in the program that didn't go as well as I would have liked, paying special attention to the last movement of 'Moonlight.' I'll be playing it again this evening, and will go through the same process. Tomorrow morning I'll have more time to do detailed corrections. I'll also have more time to record some specific insights about what I learned from my first two 'run-throughs' at that time.
But the most important point I want to make here is that the period immediately after a performance is the most powerful time for corrections. So I try to make a space shortly after a performance for a review and correction, and will continue to do so after each try-out.