From Wikipedia:
Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28, is a piano sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven. It was named Pastoral or Pastorale by Beethoven’s publisher at the time, A. Cranz. While not as widely recognised as its immediate predecessor, Piano Sonata No. 14, it is admired for the intricacy and technicality in the beauty it portrays. It takes roughly 35 minutes to play the entire work as intended with repeats.
Published in 1801, it is dedicated to the Count Joseph von Sonnenfels. This sonata was written at a time when Beethoven’s alarm at his worsening deafness was increasing. Nevertheless, Beethoven paints a serene image with this sonata.
The whole sonata is in D major, and follows the typical four-movement form of the classical sonata.
“Pastoral”
It has been speculated whether the title ‘pastoral‘ refers to the sense of countryside and nature (the 6th symphony pastoral sense), or to its sense of calm, simplicity and lightness. Beethoven’s publishers had a tendency to name his sonatas without any consultation from Beethoven himself. Beethoven wrote most of his works with greatly contrasting parts, and behaves no differently in this sonata. Though its first and last movements can well be described as “pastorale,” the inner two bear no real similarity to the name at all.
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