3 Facts About Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata

It is the longest standard piano sonata A typical performance runs 45 to 50 minutes, making it the longest in the standard repertoire until Sorabji’s works surpassed it.

It held the record for decades No other standard piano sonata matched its length until the 20th century.

Its length is a defining feature The sonata’s scale and ambition set it apart from earlier piano works.