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Beethoven's Pianoforte * Sonatas * * Explained *
BEETHOVEN.
lieethoDen'is Pianofurte
Sonatas Uxjjlained.LoJfooH, W. RtEVtS.
BEETHOVEN'S PIANOEORTE SONATASEXPLAINED FOR THE LOVERS OF THE MUSICAL ART
BY
ERNST VON ELTERLEIN
WITH A PREFACE BY E.
PAUER
Translated from the
German by
EMILY HILL
REVISED TRANSLATION[Seventh Edition]
WILLIAM REEVES,
LONDON 83 CHARING CROSS ROAD,
W.C.
u^'J.
U6-
1^9^ILLUSTRATIONS.
The Poutkait of Beethoven
as fronting the title
is,
on
the authority of Mr. C. Czerny (Beethoven's most intimatefriend), the only correct likeness published of this great
man.
Beethoven's House xx Bonn facing page
1.
rrinted by The
New Temple
Press, Norbnry Crescent, S.W.
CONTENTS.PAQE
First Part
.
.
.
.
.
.11i
THE SONATASecond Part
IN GENERAL.
THE SONATA BEFORE BEETHOVEN.Third Part30
BEETHOVEN.Fourth Part3;
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.Op. Op.14,2,
No.
1.1.
Op.
2,
No. No.22.
2. 2.
Op. Op.20.1.
2,
No.
3.
Op.
6.
Op.
7.
10,
No.1
Op.2.
10,
10,
No.
3.
Op.1.
13.
Op.
Nos.2.
and
Op.
Op. No.
Op.
27,
No.
Op. 27, Op. 31, Op. 57.
No. No. Op.
Op.
28.
Op.
31,
Op. 31, No.53.
2.
3.
78.
Op. 49, Nos. 1 and 2. Op. Op. 79. Op. 81. Op. 90. Op. 110. Op. 111.
Op. 54.101.
Op.
Op.
106.
Op. 109.
Fifth Part
126
RETROSPECTIVE.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.
BEETHOVEN'S HOUSE AT BONN.
Heethotfit'x Viunolnrtc Si.iiotiu Hxiilnntfil
.
hy KUcilfiri.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION OF
THE TRANSLATION.Thenowtranscendent beauty and the exceeding im-
portance of Beethoven's pianoforte sonatas are factsuniversally recognised.It is
a healthy sign of
musical progress and an undeniable proof of the
spread of an improved taste and of a genuine appreciation of the excellent in musical art, that vari-
ous nationscorrect
now emulate each other's efforts in issuing
and excellent editions of these great works.possess
We
now
good and
correct editions of Beet-
hoven's sonatas at such cheap
and modest
prices,
that the entire collection of the thirty -eight sonatasis
to be
had
for the
same
price
which our grandthis
fathers paid for a single one;
and
remarkable
reduction of price has undoubtedly contributed in
no small degree to the universal popularity whichthis unrivalled
monument of musical
art
has
now
everywhere obtained.
2
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
To
describe the contents of a musicaldifficult
work
is
always a
task
;
and
it
cannot be denied that
a great deal of nonsense has been written, in the
endeavour to analyse, describe and annotate the
works of great musical composers.
No
author has
had
to suffer
more from the
indiscreet zeal of
busy
shallow annotators than Ludwig van Beethoven;
no other composer's works have been so unwarrantably and unnecessarily overladen with weak description.
The small work,fiir
"
Beethoven's
Clavier-Son-
aten
Freunde der Tonkunst
erlautert
von Ernst
von
Elterlein," stands forth as
an honourable ex-
ception amidst the host of insipid commentaries onthe great master's works
the multitudinous explanElterlein'sIt has, since
ations that explain nothing.
book apthat year,
peared in Leipzig
in
1856.
gone through many
editions,
and has obtained greatGermany.
and deserved popularityHerr von Elterleinis
in
Although
a musical amateur, he writes
with the ripe knowledge and thorough understanding of a practical musician; and as the merits ofhis
book speak
for themselves,
any further praise
would be
superfluous.Elterlein's
Herr von
design
is
not so
much
to
describe the beauties of Beethoven's sonatas, as to
OF THE TRANSLATION.direct
3
the performer's
attention
to
these beauties,
and
to point out the leading
andIt
characteristic fea-
tures of each separate piece.
was reserved
for
Beethoven to give expression,
in his sonatas, to the
highest and loftiest feelings of the
humanis
heart.
In
these unapproachable masterpieces, he
not only
pathetic, but also sincere, humorous, tender, graceful,
simple
in short,
he expresses in them every varying
shade of feeling that can agitate the human heart.
To
point out all these varying shades, to indicate to
the earnest student of Beethoven all these numberless beauties, is the object
of Herr von Elterlein's
book; and every musical student or amateur cansafely trust
him
as a competent
and agreeable guide.this valuableItlittle
Anwork
English translation ofis,
therefore,
most opportune.
will,
un-
doubtedly, assistto appreciate
manyand
a lover of Beethoven's music
more keenly the beauties of the greatwill, if possible,
master's sonatas,
enhance his
admiration of what
may
truly be called a
book of
wisdom.E.
PAUER.
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE.In preparing a fresh English edition of Herr vonElterlein's
book on Beethoven's pianoforte sonatas,
the translation has been carefully revised with theoriginal,
and
the author's prefaces to the
first
and
thirdfirst
German
editions have been translated for the
time.
Thefirst
four decades which have elapsed since
the
book
appeared
in
Leipzig
have
added
largely to the literature on Beethoven's music which
has appeared in Germany.
In England, however,
the aesthetics of music have been tardy in
becoming
a branch of literature, and Herr von Elterlein's elucidation of the meaning and character of Beethoven'ssonatasis
of a nature which the master's English
admirers have not undertaken.ofit
Their appreciationfor a further
has been shown by the
demand
edition of the English translation.[/uly, i8py.]
AUTHOR'S PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION*Thefollowing pages claim indulgence as thefar asI
first
attempt so
am aware
at considering BeetTheto
hoven's sonatas from an aesthetic point of view.writer's
main object has been
furnish amateurs
with a guide and commentary to the study of thesethe greatest creations in the sphere of pianoforte
music.
Experienced
artists
and
lovers of art willis
probably find in the bookit
little
that
new.
Should
fall to
my
lot to
add hereby a few
stones towards
the edifice that has yet to be raised
a
complete
biography of Beethoven, such as that of Mozart byUlibischeffattained.to
my desire and aim would be more thanUltra Beethovenites
may
take exceptionto
my
criticisms
on some of the sonatas, and
my
views on the determining influence of the opus numbering, butit is
my*
intention to state
my
sentiments
Of the original.7
8
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
candidly, and to comment on blemishes without reserve.
The
recourse
I
have had to various sources
of information will not expose
me
to the accusation
of posing in borrowed plumes, for
my
object in this
book has not beenhonour
my own
glorification but to
do
to Eeethoven, while to
many
readers this col-
lecting together of scattered information
may
prove
welcome.
My
special thanks are
due
to
Riihlmann
(state
musician at Dresden),
my friend to whom II
am
indebted for
much help and advice and manyWiththese
valuable suggestions.
words
com-
mend
the book to the lovers of Beethoven.
AUTHOR'S PREFACE TO THE THIRDEDITION.*This book now appearsbeenpartlyrewritten,its
in a third edition.
It
has
and additions have beenpublication inrespects,
made.
Since
original
1856 the
author's views have, in
many
changed con-
siderably,
and
his opinions
on
certain sonatas havethis
been modified accordingly.literature
During
period the
about Beethoven has been much increased.
First
and foremost we have had Marx's biographyepoch-making work, thoughthatthisit
an
cannot but be
regretted
great
authority
on Beethoven
should have passed over some works in silence andreferred
much
too
briefly
to
others.
What was
said in the preface to the
first
edition about glean-
ing informationless
from various sources applies nobio-
to the
ample use now made of Marx'sthis in
graphy.
Far from
any way rendering the
study of that work superfluous, the present writerOf theoriginal.
lO
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.it
would strongly recommendgo deeply into thesubject.
to all
who wish
to
The
last part
of this
volume may perhaps be found a welcome addition
by not a few
readers.
The dates of
publication
and of probable composition have been taken fromThayer's latest work.In conclusion the author has
only to express his grateful thanks for the kindreception given to the former editions by the critics,especiallyZeitschrift
by Dr. Laurencin, of Vienna,fiir
in the "
Neue
Musik"; andis
also
by the musicfor a third
loving public, asedition.
shown by the demand
[August
II,
i86^?[
BEETHOVEN'S PIANOFORTE SONATASFIRST PART.THE SONATA IN GENERAL.
[HE
sonata
is
the greatestin
and mostprovince
ori-
ginal
production
the
of
pianoforte
music itsaim.
highest
exercise
andof all artistic
its loftiest
Beauty, the ideal
efforts,
may
be expressed in the sim-
plest music, but its complete realisation
can only
be attained in the highest forms.
The sonata may be consideredform of pianoforte music.
the most perfect
The
theoretical reasons
for this statement are most successfully
propounded
by Marx,lehre."
in the third part of his "
Compositions-
Marx
there explains the development of thein organic order.
different
forms of pianoforte music
12
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.begins with the study, proceeds to the fantasia,
He
variation
and rondo, and then
to the sonata, theall the
key-stone and crowning point of
forms.f iir
In
another way, Kriiger, in his
"
Beitragen
Lebenat
und Wissenschaft der Tonkunst,"sameresult.
arrives
the
Like Marx, he establishes a system of
musical forms, of which he makes the song formthe central point:
treating
firstviz.,
of the forms thatpreludes,toccatas,
preceded the song
form,
fantasias; secondly, the song form itself, variations,
rondos, fugues; and thirdly, the development of the
song form, that
is,
the union of existing song formsthe
the
sonata
and
symphony.
Kriiger
con-
sidered the three primary forms to be the prelude,
song and sonata, and that out of these have been developed.the sonata formtion of the
all the others
The supreme importance ofis
a
form which
also the founda-
symphony, string
quartet, etc.
is
shown
by
its
capability of forming a higher union of the
other forms, namely, the song, variation, rondofugue.the
and
This was, in"
fact,
indicated by Kriiger in
expression,
composition
of
existing
song
forms."cur,
Indeed, in the sonata, all these forms reare,
and
so
to
speak,
fused into a concretethis view, the son-
and
actual unity.
According to
3
THE SONATA IN GENERAL.atais
1
the organic product of these forms,
and
this
the Beethoven sonata pre-eminently proves.If
we consider more
closely the construction of theit
sonata,
we
shall find
to be divided into several
movements
two,
three,
four,
five,
or even
more
and the
plurality of
movements may be generally
stated as the former principle of composition.particularcharacter,
The
however,
of
the
life-pictureits
which a work depicts must always be considereddetermining basis.(""
The
soul
moulds
its
own body."
Die Seele schafft sich ihren Leib.")
Musical science
must, therefore, in this respect desist from laying
down binding laws and immutablelin
principles.
Kost-
(in Vischer's
"^sthetik") and Marx
(in Beet-
hoven's Leben und Schaffen") have, ably and exhaustively,
propounded and undertakenformis
to
prove
that the three or four-movementprinciple of construction.
the normal
Indeed, most sonatas doBut, on the other
contain three or four movements.
hand,
it
may
be urged that, as will presently beofBeethoven'ssonatas,
shown, in
many
even in
some of
his
most important ones, the two-movement
principle strikingly predominates,
and
to this,
from
the three
and four-movement form, the great master
of the sonata, in the last of these works (Op. in),
:
14
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.
significantly returns."
Marx
says, in another place
That
these are only suggestions as to
what may -
have been the determining causes of form, not fixedconclusions (who can bind thefectly clear that the threeis
mind
?)
for
it is
per-
as practicable as the
four-part form, and that in the future the twothe severalable."
and
movement form
will be equally justifi-
This freedom of form appears also in the
design and arrangement of the different movements.It
will be decided
by the character of the
entire
work, whether, for example, the so-called andanteor adagio
generally the slow movement forms theit
second or third movement (in the four-movementform), or whether
should stand at the commence-
ment.
It is
surely unnecessary to specify, that theis
point in discussion
not the want of form in the
composition, but the model on which that form has
been framed.ideais
Equally indisputable
is
it
that the
the only determining principle of the form.
This brings us from the form to the matter of thesonata.
Thethe"
actual essence of music
may
be described aslife,
far dark currents of the soul, the fleeting
the constant whirl of the world into which all existence
and
all
repose are drawn; as all that
rises,
5
THE SONATA IN GENERAL.hovers,
1
and trembles
in the air,
and
in the heart of
man,
all
that the soul re-echoes to itself from the(Kriiger).:
varied
phenomena of movement "
Or wemusic
may
say, with Carriere (" ^Esthetik ")
" It is
which discovers and explains for us the beautiful inthe worldus, in the
and
in the
mind, or
still
more which shows
movements of the world and of the mind,
that inner life which a spiritual nature reveals, sothat,
amid the external action
in
which we are en-
gaged, the conditions of mind and soulthemselves, or through sound
may
express
makeTheis
us acquainted
with the things of theirthe ideal in a concrete
life.
representation of
form
the
aim of music
because music
is art.
Theis
tone-art
shows the play of
various emotions
it
an ideal representation ofits
the individual lifethis
and of
soul-melodies."
As
holds good of music in general, the substance
of the sonatajective life of
may
be briefly described as the subsoul.
mind andis
As Kostlin
says, the
object of the sonata
to display a rich, expressive
and
subjective state of feeling, whether this flows
forth in a rich full stream of emotional images, or
whether, in the form of a great tone-picture, one of the different phases of the prevailing sentiment ofthe emotional lifeis
depicted.
6
1
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.
What
instrument could be better adapted to such
a purpose than the pianoforte?says Kostlin, sinceit
The
pianoforte,
blends harmony with melody,into the
and yet gives the formerject, is
hands of the sub-
the principal organ for the free, fulllatter; in thisits
and safe
conduct of theis
instrument the subjectsake,
introduced purely for
own
and
is
thus in
a position to express itself clearly and completely.
The pianoit
is
an orchestra
in miniature.
Marx
calls
the ideal instrument.
As
is
well known, Hanslick has recently* again
brought forward his charge of the emptiness ofmusic.
He
considers
it
to be only "
sounding forms,"
and compares music with arabesque; but Brendel("Neue ZeitschriftCarrierefiir
Musik," Vol. 42, No. 8) andVol.II,
(" ./Esthetik,"
page
322)
havealso,
thoroughly
refutedIII,
this
opinion.
Vischer
("^sthetik," Part
page 790) shows the contra-
diction in which Hanslick involves himself,
when
he
is
afterwards obliged to admit that " thought and
feeling, the
warmest and strongest impulses of theare the "substance" of music.
human mind,"del
Bren-
aptly says "the feelings of the soul are the
substance of music
material which
is
equally avail-
Written about 1865.
[Translator's note.]
THE SONATA IN GENERAL.able for all artists.
1/
Now
this
does not represent
mind
as having only a
vague external connection
with technical principles, as a something fleeting
and vanishing.
Mind and substance
are indispensis
able to music; the succession of sounds
the direct
expression of them, the thingform.
itself,
and not mere
Nevertheless, the whole life of music restsbasis,
on a real psychological
and we have no mere
combination of sound to deal with."Let us now turn to the historicalart.
realities
of the
Before occupying ourselves exclusively withit is
Beethoven,
necessary, for
many
reasons, to give
a brief chronological account of the sonata, fromits
commencement
to
its
perfection bythis sketch, as
Beethoven.far as the
For the ground-work oftime of Haydn, we will
make
use of the excellentJ.
contributions to the historyFaisst, in"
of the sonata, by
Cacilia," a
newspaper now discontinued.
SECOND PART.THE SONATA BEFORE BEETHOVEN.
)HE
earliest
beginnings of the sonata are
found towards the close of the seventeenth century.
Thefor
first
sonatas apsolo,
peared
in
1
68 1,
violin
by
Henry Biber; then
in
1683 there appeared twelve
sonatas for violin, violoncello and piano, by theviolinist,
Corelli.
But of more
importance
as
a
composer of sonatas was Johann Kuhnau, Sebastianin
Bach's predecessor.
He
first
wrote a sonataPartII
"B"
in
"New
Pianoforte
Practice,"").
("Neuer Clavieriibung anderer Theila whole, the formconsisting ofis
Taken
as
the present one, the sonata
a quick,stylefails
a slow, and then a quick ofin
movement.butthe
Thework
writing
is
polyphonic,unity.
inward
aesthetic
Kuhnau's' next work appeared in 1696, under thetitle
of "Fresh
Fruit
for18
the
Piano;
or
Seven
9
THE SONATA BEFORE BEETHOVEN.
1
Sonatas for the Pianoforte, Excellent in Design
andnau,
Style,
by Johann Kuhnau."Clavierfriichte,
("Johann
Kuh-
frische
oder sieben
SonatenClavierin
von guter Invention und Manier aufzuspielen.")
dem
These sonatas show an advance
form andcity,
in matter;
they are full of energy, vivaalso of deep feeling.
fresh grace,
and
They
contain sometimes four, sometimes five movements,
which contrast well with one anotherof repose and agitation.is
in alternations
The polyphonic treatment
predominant, though the homophonic sometimes
breaks through, launching forth into free melodies.Single movements showstill
greater artistic merit.
Kuhnauhis free
is
intellectually associated with
Handel, by
polyphony and energetic or
clear treatment
of melody.aesthetic
In some of the movements an inwardis
connection
discernible.
The next comis
poser to be mentioned in this category
Mattheson.
A
sonata appeared by him, in 17 13, "dedicated toit
whoever will playgewidmet, diesists
best" ("derjenigen
PersonIt
sie
am
besten spielen wird").;
conits
of one movement onlyis
the treatment of
different parts
richer than with former composers,its
nor
is
the theme without merit; but
development
shows more external brilliancy than internal wealth.
20
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.
We
come
to
Domenico
Scarlatti.
In
the
first
decade of the eighteenth century, he wroteSonate percembalo."il
"
30il
clavicembalo" and "6 Senate per:
Every sonata contains two parts
the
present so-called fantasia (Durchfiihrungstheil)the third part being blended into one; thereis
andalso
a similarity to the two-part fcrm-song.part
The twois
form predominatesfitted to the
;
the
style
of writing
morelatti's
instrument than was that of Scar-
predecessors;
and
the crossing of the
hands
claims notice.
With
respect to the matter of the
sonatas, Scarlatti himself describestricks of art."intelligent,
them
as "clever
They
are bright, fresh, lively
and
and often overflow with humour, with
touches also of a softer and more earnest feeling;
though of a deeper meaning thereScarlatti did not give ain the sense of
is
no
trace.
new form
to the scnata,
making
it
a combination of severalin a style of writing
movements, but he produced
freed from the fetters of polyphony
and
fitted to
the true nature of the instrument, a form regularly
matured from the early kernel of the single move-
ment scnata.
This form as the standard,
if
not
for all, at least for the
most important movement
of the sonata, and as the most considerable gener-
THE SONATA BEFORE BEETHOVEN.ally
21in-
among
the
non-polyphonic
forms of anfirst
strumental movement, must have
developed a
degree of excellence corresponding to the lofty aimof the sonata, before what afterwards happened
could have been possible, namely, the giving to thesonata, as a combination of several movements, a
systematic and logical shaj)e.
Francescotioned:
Durante,
the
Italian,
must be men-
he produced a unique work
"
Sonate perIn formal
cembalo divise
in studiei divertimenti."
construction, these sonatas are a transition between
the song-form
and the sonata formConsidered
;
they are homothelight
phonically
written.
in
of
historical development, they are deeperlatti's
than Scar-
sonatas; in a free, natural style of writing,are
they
a
stage
beyond Kuhnau
;
while,
as
re-
gards matter theyingenious.
may
be
called
valuable
and
We
now approach
that musical giant, Sebastian
Bach, ofatas in
whom we
will give
two examples, the son-
C minor and Dof
minor.
The sonata formmovementsinto
the combination
several
one
whole reappears
with him.is
In the sonatas men-
tioned he certainly
not, either in
form or
style,
equal in freedom to Scarlatti; he stands nearer to
22
Beethoven's sonatas explained.is
Kuhnau; but heness
far superior to the latter in rich-
and a
free
command
of means; and on the
other hand, he shows himself in advance of Scarlatti, in
that he combined several
movements
into a
whole, in accordance with the characteristic style ofthe sonata, so that a higher intellectual inner mean-
ing was more apparent
than before.
Altogether,
Bach
is
the intervening transition step.Martini, "perI'or-
The twelve sonatas by Fathergano
vel cembalo," are another intermediary work.their
Judging by the character of
composition the
sonatas should have been styled "for the piano"
not
" for the organ."
In form, they are a
medium
between the so-called suite and the sonata proper,being a mixture of polyphony and homophony, andcontain plenty of intelligence andskilfullife,
with very
workmanship.the middle of the eighteenth centuryin 1788,till
From
the
death of Emanuel Bach,
was the beginningit
of a new period for the sonata whenregular form, and one adequate to
acquired aconception.
its
Pianofortereckons inthirty-fi.ve
literatureall
increased
rapidly.
Faisst
two hundred and eight sonatas andAfter thetrue, or at least the
composers.
predominant, form had been found for the single
THE SONATA BEFORE BEETHOVEN.23
movement ofsonata
the sonata, the object
was
to give to the
as a wholeBut
formed of several movementsits
a systematic shape corresponding to
design.
These
sonatas, therefore, regularly contain several
move-
ments.
this
union of several movements into onein
whole took placeso
many
different ways,
and
is
not
much
to be considered as
an expression of greatersuit-
freedom as of indecision, of a striving after aable form.
The three-movement form predominates,in the
two and four movements are the exception;latter,
the minuet
already appears as the secondis still
movement. The form of the single movement
partly like Scarlatti's, partly more perfect than hiswas.
Movements with a second theme already apis
pear, but the latterfirst
more
like ait;
complementits
to theis
theme than a contrast to
substance
notis
so characteristically different,
its
existence even
often doubtful
;
hence the weakness of this period.
Weits
observe further an enrichment and extension of
the song-form, although only an outward one, forinternal expansion leadsit
into the
rondo and
sonata-form.
Movements with
variations, the dance-
forms of the minuet and polonaise, and more rarelythe rondo-form, already appear. ent
The most prominEmanuel Bach,
name
in this period is that of
:
24
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.
while Johann Christian Bach and Leopold Mozart
may
be briefly mentioned.sonatas of Johann Christian Bach are full offresh grace;
Thefire,
humour and
they resemble to someMozart.
extent those of
Haydn andwe seem much do
In Leopoldlistening
Mozart's sonatas
to be alreadytheir style
to his great son, so
and
spirit
remind us of the
latter.
Emanuel Bach's works display agent, exceedingly intellectual
refined, intelli-
and pleasing natureis
we
feel
with him that everything
the expression
of an, enthusiastic and noble-minded man.
He
is
Haydn's forerunner bothhis works.
in the
form and matter ofperfect three-move-
The complete and
ment form becomes a regular principle of construction with him.first
His sonatas contain, as a
rule,
a
movement,
allegro, in the short sonata-form; a
second movement, andante, in the song- form; and athird
movement,
presto,is
in
the
rondo-form.
His
style of writing
generally homophonic."
Brendel":
says of him, in his excellent
History of Music
"Bach, by representing, contrary to former composers,writer,
the
individual
mind and
feeling
of
the
directly
brought in the new instrumentalsetting
music,
and by
forth
individualism in
its
THE SONATA BEFORE BEETHOVEN.
2$
changing and diverse forms became the founder of
modernfor
music."
His chief works are his
"
Sonatasf iir
Connoisseurs
and Amateurs."").
("
Sonaten
Kenner and Liebhaber
A
new epoch now began
:
the grandest which the
sonata has ever known, that of Haydn, Mozart andBeethoven.
As
in the principal
departments ofas
in-
strumental
music,
Haydn
appears
an
epoch-
maker, a genius breaking through the old bound-
in proof of which we have only to refer to his symphonies and quartets so also did he give to thearies
pianoforte
sonata an important impetus
and, de-
velopment, both in form and matter.
Although the
three-movement form
is
mainly
to be attributed to
Emanuel Bach,
the contributions:
made by Haydnthat he repeated
to the progress of the sonata were
the principal theme of the
first
part of a move-
ment
in the third part, that
he regularly settled the
second, so-called fantasia part,
and the
third, so-
called repetition part, into the sonata form; that he
reduced what had before been the mere humour andcaprice of the composer,
and
in
many
of the earlier
works had not even been found
at all, into
an un-
changing principle of construction; that by these
means he
raised, enriched
and amplified the
single
;
26-
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.
movement
which
means the sonata generally, that
he reached a higher unity, and created a stronger
and more uniform whole.
There necessarily
fol-
lowed the development of the substance of the sonata.
The
chief
thought
gained
importance
byto
repetition;it
more especially as Haydn had given
a decided and characteristic expression, whichIn-
he firmly maintained throughout the movement.
deed the principal movements of the Haydn sonatahave a uniform
fundamental thought firmly and
decidedly stamped on them.singletive.
Not only does theunity, but
movement show
this
the collec-
movements of the sonata form a much morebasis,
uniform whole, proceed more from a settled
and are much morein
closely connected together thanwriters.I
the
works of previous
say
"much
more," for the unity thatunitythat
we
find in Beethoven, ait
was
absolute,is
because
rested;
on a
psychological basis,rather, ifI
not yet apparent
we have
may
use the expression, the stringing
together of several movements united by one com-
monItis
sentiment.
But what
is
the ruling sentiment
?
that spirit of naive
and
childlike cheerful-
ness, that
teasing
play
of
jest
and. mirth, thatf rolicsomeness
roguish humour, that caprice and
THE SONATA BEFORE BEETHOVEN.in
2/
short,
all
Haydn's musicof his artistic
reflects
the thoughts
and
feelings
nature.
Kostlin wellstyle,art,is
says that
Haydn
brought in the epoch of free
the golden agethat with
and spring-time of the musical
him music becomes conscious that she
not a mere system and science, but a free impulse
and aest
lyric
poem.
Brendel calls
Haydn
the great-
master of jest and humour.be,
However limitedto the boundlessto us,
Haydn's world mayvistaslittle
compared
which Beethoven has revealed
however
Haydn's childlike nature may show us of thesoul, yet heis
deep secrets of the
in his
own
sphere
so inventive, so rich in genius, that a place belongsto
him among the
first
of the tone artists; and heinto the gigantic constill
who has thoroughlyceptions
entered
of
Beethoven
may
turn back,
now
andasit
then, to a sonata of " Father
Haydn,"
to enjoy,
were, a picture of his
own
past childhood, andfirst
to pass once again through thelife.
paradise of
Among Haydn's numerous:
sonatas, two only
need here be specifieda smaller one in
the one in
E
flat
major and
B
minor.real successor in the depart-
Mozart was Haydn's
ment of the sonata.mentin
He
gave
it
a further develop-
many
directions.
Mozart adhered also to
28
*
Beethoven's sonatas explained.
the principle, received from
Haydn, of
starting withit
a definite and expressive theme, and makingbasis of the
the
movement.
But
this
did not satisfy
nim; he wanted a something by which a greaterdiversity,
together with a more intellectualthis
unity,
should be attained, andtabile,
something was the can-
or the second subject,first
which Mozart
intro-
duced into the
movement ofricher
the sonata.
He
composed longer andlarger
phrases
of
melody,
and broader
periods, established a
more de-
fined difference between light
and shade, dividedtime,
both
into
larger
divisions
of
and
precise
periods,
and thus produced a
definite
distinction
between the tender and the vigorous parts, a greaterclearness
and decision
in the
form and in the
se-
quence of thought.of his sonatasinis
Another characteristic feature
the perfect beauty of form, which,itself
system, symmetry and regularity, shows
alike in small
and
great.
This
is
the natural result
of a perfect and harmonious nature.
As Brendel
and
others have well shown, Mozart's artistic indi-
viduality revealed,
from
tlie
very beginning
andsoul,
throughout, the purest harmony of
mind and
a quiet, self-contained balance of powers, a condition of the inner life in which the moral struggles
;
THE SONATA BEFORE BEETHOVEN.are hushed, or at most
29
form but the
far
dark back-
ground.
This primary adjustment imparted thatis
gracefulness of thought, whichistic
another character-
feature of his music.
This
is
such an essential
quality with him, thatsion,
when he
depicts violent pas-
he holds himself far aloof from roughnessis
everything
so closely enfolded in a beautiful garb,is,
that the passion
so to speak, stifled.
It is
only
Mozart, the
artist,
who
strugglesago.
;
Mozart, the man,Ininthis
came out conqueror longMozart's
respect,
Symphony and Quintet
G
minor areit
especially characteristic.
As regards
the sonatas,
must be frankly admitted that Mozart stands
far
higher in other departments of instrumental music.
The most important sonata
is
unquestionably theit;
C
minor with the fantasia beforethein
beside this rank
F
major,
A
minor, the sonata for two performers
F
major, and a few others.
On
the foundation
laid
by the
Haydn and Mozart
sonata, Beethoven
reared his gigantic edifice, to the consideration of
which we now turn.*
*
From
this historical
sketch Clementi
may with
pro-
priety be omitted, for his forteforte playing in
was the technique
of piano-
which eAen Beethoven
scarcely excelled
him.
THIRD PART.BEETHOVEN.
S Beethoven,
in
his
instrumental music
generally, took his starting point from
Haydn andfirst
Mozart, so in his sonatas he
trod in the footsteps of these com-
posers.
But when he had reached greater maturityleft these paths, struck
and independence, Beethovenout a new
way and took
a fresh aim.
He improvedneveras
both the form and matter of the sonata, breathedintoit
a spirit such asin a
Haydn and Mozart hadit
known;yet
word, gave to depth
that peculiar,
and
unreached,
and grandeur, which
ever
awaken afresh
the unqualified
admiration of theMozart,ofthe
true lover of music.
Unlike
Haydn andthis
^Beethoven became
so
absorbed init
species
composition, and displayed in
so
much ofHand,
essential character of his genius, that
in his
1
BEETHOVEN.
3
"Esthetics of Musical Art," comes to the conclusion that
Beethoven's originality
is is
pre-eminentlyoverstating the
displayed in his sonatas.case, for
This
Beethoven
is
at his greatest in theit is
sym-
phonies and quartets, though
true that the son-
atas give us one of the best opportunities for fully
understanding him.
It
is
in
these
pre-eminently
that the stages of Beethoven's artistic development
may
be traced with the greatest certainty, for evenall
Beethoven was nothis prime.
at once
what he became
in
The gradual growth and ripening of
his
mind
surely
one of the most interesting psycho-
logical periods in the course of a great artist's evo-
lutionis more clearly illustrated
in
his
sonatas
than
in his ether works.
Nowhere
else are those finein-
gradual changes, that progress towards an evercreasing independence, so noticeableable.
and
so trace-
For what an unbridged chasm
exists
between
the secondtets,
and8,
third symphonies, between the Quarthree Constellations, Op. 59.
Op.
1
and those
The sonatas surrounding and connecting these worksform the intermediarythe chasm,stages, build the bridge over If the question
and solve the problem.:
be
now asked
what are
the
contents
of
the
Beethoven sonatas? the answer will be found in the
32
BEETHOVEN
S
SONATAS EXPLAINED.
following analyses of each separate work.while
Mean-
we must
set forth
some leading considerations
and the general point of view from which the examination of details must proceed;in other
words,
we must
depict the nature of Beethoven's artistic
individuality
and
the general features of his instru-
mental music in order to get a sound basis for theapprehension of the particular and the special.
The
essential characteristic of his genius
is,
in
my
opinion, wealth of imagination, united with a naturefull of
foreboding and unfathomable depths,* but
irradiated by a lofty intellect,
and sustained byIn
strong moral determination.!gination, feeling,intellect
Beethoven, imaare
and character
dein
veloped withperfect
equal
potency
and import, andIt is to these
harmony with eachfinest
other.
fun-
damentals that thebetraced,' indeed,
works are unmistakably to
they seem to
me
to
be their in-
evitable outcome.*
Nor can
this close connection of
Kullak says, in his excellent work on " The Beautiful Music": ''No one has ever felt more devoutly than Bach, more happily than Mozart, or with more giganticin
power than Beethoven."t
with regard to the
Richard AVagner says (''Kunstwerk der Zukunft") C minor symphony, " Beethoven raised
the expression of his music almost to a moral determination."
BEETHOVEN.fancy,feeling,intellect
33realised
and character be
except by a strong subjectiveness, not one-sided or
wrapped up
in itself, but in unison with objective
qualities equally potent.
In contrast to Mozart
and other composers,
Beet-
hoven has been called a pre-eminently subjectiveartist,
with
whom form wasThereis
subservient to subjectivein this assertion, but
contents.
some truth
we must guard
against misunderstanding, for, with
all his self-absorption,
Beethoven had more true obof the soi-disant objective
jectiveness than
many
composers.
Such fully developed, tensely strung
subjectiveness can rarely exist without a struggle,at least not without violent agitation
and emotion
could
it
come
into being,
and
into contact with other
existences.
Do we?
not find this to be the case withsays,
Beethoven
Kostlin
that
with
Beethoven
music, being a reflection of himself and his relationto the objective world,is
alike the attraction
and
re-
pulsion of the subjective through the objective infothe innermostpeculiarities
and all-pervading
ego.
All thesein-
appear prominently in Beethoven'sit
strumental music; andthat his forte
has long been recognised
lies in this,
and not
in vocal music.in-
Concerning the idiosyncrasy of Beethoven's
4
34
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.
strumental music, Brendel, with admirable conciseness, writes thus, in his"
Musical History
"
:
"
The
chief characteristic of Beethoven's instrumental musicis
the increased power of the subject-matter, which
results in the heightening
and extending of
all the
means of expression.
Following
this increased sig-
nificance of the matter,
we
see a striving after the
utmost clearness of expression by which music alone,not united to words,is
made capable
of representing
definite states of mind.
In earlier times, with
Haydn
and Mozart,
the
common
character of instrumental
music was a free play of vague, general expression.Beethoven, on the contrary, expressed definite situations
and portrayed
clearly recognisable states of
mind.set
Closely allied with this was his endeavour to
a poetical image before the mind of the hearer,life
while the dramatic
of
his
compositions
was
evolved by development of the matter.
Mozart's
aim had been an
intelligent
and
logical working-out
of the form which a piece of music took.
But with
Beethoven the formal treatment ceases to be a leading consideration, and the tone-poet, following hispoetical object, brings before us a
grand
soul-picture,
portraying every variety of emotion.
Finally, the
humorous element also plays
its
part in his works."
;
BEETHOVEN.
35
Beethoven's sonatas, reflecting as they do the artistic
personality of their composer, are distinguishedtheir contents, the
by the increased importance of
representation of definite states of mind,poetic tendency.
and
their
The range
is
indeed in no wayit
so comprehensive as, for example,
is is
in the
sym-
phony.
In the latter the sentiment
preponder-
atingly objective
and general
in character,
pervaded
though by a Beethoven subjectiveness.atas
In the sonself.
Beethoven refers only to his innermostin the secrets
Buried
of his
own
heart, to the
piano
alone does he confide the concerns of his inmostsoul.
These works we
will
now
review; but before
doing so we must say a few words on the style andperiodsof
Beethoven's
creations.first
It
has
been
already intimated that at
Beethoven trod in
the paths of his predecessors,
Haydn and MozartThis
yet in the works belonging to that time his individuality continuallyis
becomes more conspicuous.
the
first
period.
Then Beethoven has emancipatedandin-
himself, stands alone, has reached maturity
dependence, has become aof the word.
man
in the fullest sense
This
is
the second period.
In the
course of his artistic
life,
partly in consequence of
outward, partly of inward circumstances, Beethoven
36
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.;
con tinually retreats into himself
he.
so to spea k.to
^^ isolatesbeing,
his soul's
life,
raises his subjectivenessartist
a ^oin t at which
th e
appearsan_2Solatedfeelings a re
and only the most individu alThisis
represented. thefirst
called the third period.
Toare,
period the
first
twenty or thirty works
on an average, assigned; to the second, those up toa
hundred and;
to the third period, the
works beyondis
that number.
To draw
a definite boundary line
in the nature of things impossible; since at the
time
of publication as now, the numbers prefixed to the
works did
not, in a great measure, at all
correspond
to the time of their composition; therefore, the so-
called opus numbers can afford no criterion.
Then,
again, everything in Beethoven's works flows in such
a living stream that abstract divisions cannot beset
up between single works; theMarx,in
transitions are too
fine.
his
excellent
book on Beethoven,
goes too far when he rejects these periods as lifelesslimitations.
In
its
essence, indeed, Beethoven's style
certainly
is
but one and the same; that somethingis
which distinguishes him from other mastersparent from the very beginning.
ap-
Yet such characeach period
teristic differences arise in this unity, that
surely has
its
raison d'etre.
FOURTH
PART.
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.
jEETHOVEN'Spresent,
sonatas
may
be divided
into groups; but deferring this for the
we
will,
without further preto
face, closely
examine them according
their
opus numbers, and reserve other considerations
for the last part.
OP.
2,
No.
I,
F MINOR.to
Appeared
in ijg6.is
Dedicated
Joseph Haydn.
This sonata
distinguished throughout by the
consistent development of a fundamental thought,
by which, with much diversity ofcharacteris
detail, a
uniformit,
given to the whole,
or,is
as
Marx puts
a series of
moods and
feelings
psychologically
developed as a subjective whole.
A
certain discontentedness runs through the first37
38
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.allegro,
movement,
F
minor, | time; a mild rest-
lessness, a half -shy seeking for
something and notat the
finding
it.
This we see
if
we do but lookand secondwhich eachI,
characteristic
form of the
first
subjects,receives.122.)
and
at the opposite treatment
{Compare Marx, "Beethoven," Vol.
page?
What
then remains but quietly to submit
Does notfirst
the third subject, shortly before the close of thepart,
and
also before the end of the whole move-
ment, the passage marked con expressione, suggestthis?
There
is
all
through the movement a breathit
of really passionate yearning, but only a breath;
does not come to a real struggle, and to sharp contrasts;
theit.
piece
has
a
sort
of
bitter-sweetness
about
Marx
calls the
second movement, adagio," It
F
major,it
f time, a child's prayer.
comforts
if
does
not find a hearing, yet the anxiety depicted in thefirst
movement has not disappeared, butsubject quietly,felt.";
in the tribu-
taryitself
though unobtrusively, makes
Perfect peace breathes through these
strains
it is
only in passing that anything painful
arises to
darken the picture; and then the cloudletit is
soon disappears, and
clear sunshine again.
Few
of Beethoven's movements bear such an impress of
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.placidity.
39
This gentleness
is
also to
some extent ex-
pressed in the other movements.
Thethird
repose of the adagio was but passing.
In thef
movement, menuetto
allegretto,
F
minor,
time, the
mind of
the tone-poet falls back into thefirst
discontent and restless yearning of the
move-
ment.keine
"NoRuh")
restis
and no peace" ("keine Rast undthe
impression
produced by the
minuet and by the
trio in
F
major, and the climax
of this sentiment in the second part of the minuetis
very
fine.
But now,
in the fourth
movement, prestissimo, F:
minor, | time, a storm rises in the soulfinely says,
as
Marx
when fortune
fails
we behold
the cour-
age of suffering and the indignation of a noblemind, struggling with unworthy troubles, andif
notIn
crowned with conquest, possessed of thethis
victory.
movement, the dominant and basic sentimentwhichis
rises to real passion,
effectively expressed
by the sweepingtheme.
trills
and
the well-marked chiefin the first partis
Only
for a
moment
a
quieter sentiment perceptible; then, at the beginning
of the second part, a soothing melody predominatesfor a time,vent.
andthis
the expression becomes deeply fer-
But
image of
bliss
gradually disappears,
:
40for the
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.waves of passion sweep onward again, ever
stronger
and more
irrepressible, the
storm and rush-
ing begin afresh and retain the mastery until theend.
The
finale
is
indisputably the finest move:
ment of the sonatathedistributionin "
it
is
beautifully finished, and
of
lightet sessi
and shade
is
excellent.it
Lenz,
Beethovensi
Trois Styles," says of
"Untait
morceaupas dansradical
franc
dramatique,lui
qu'il n'en exis-
le
temps qui put
etre compare."is
The
principle of the sonata
decidedly
Mozartish, whether as regards the form or the matter,
especially the principal subject, though therein the finale, both as a
is
no doubt thatdetail,
whole and;
in
the
later
Beethoven already appearslast
the
elevationtransition
and energy of the
movement, and theit
from the second to the third part of
exhibit the true Beethoven.
OP.
2,
No.
2,
A MAJOR.to
Appeared
in
ijg6.is
Dedicated
Joseph Haydn.
This sonata
distinguished by an almost equallyif
uniform and consecutive,
not quite so compact
and
clear a
development of the primary thought, asit
the preceding work, to which
is
throughout
in-
ferior in elevation of style, while to a certain extent
1
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.superior in originality.
4alle-
In the
first
movement,
gro vivace, | time, Beethoven at once strikes quitea
new
chord.
Howis
courageously and self-reliantly
the
firstit
themeis
announced,out,!
how
boldly andare
cleverlyscales
carried
how
striking
the
and modulationsis
A
youthful
and evensees into give
wanton humour
the leading idea.
Marx
fancy, a restless boy
who does
not
know how
vent to his overflowing vitality.
However, a deep,
yearning feelingof
arises, just as if this
wanton play
humour could not possibly ensureThisis
true
and
last-
ing satisfaction.
the tributary subject in
E
minor, which appears in
Ais
minor
in the
second
part.
The whole movementis
cast in one mould,
and
full of a fresh
and uniformly harmonious exAlready, the original geniusfirst
pression of feeling.
of Beethoven distinctly appears, and theings of the later Beethoven
dawn-
humour
are perceptible.as the oneis
The movement
contains passages
such
which, at the entrance of the second part,
first
worked up
in C,
and then comes
to rest in the
same
'key, the passage further on in
E
major, just before
the return of the
first
subject,
and
others
also^
which contain nothing akin to Mozart.In the second movement, largo appassionato,
D
42
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.
major, f time, feeling, humour and fancyfor a
make waysomething
more exalted sentiment.
There
is
sublime in the procession of those quiet, measuredmelodies andstyle of the
harmonies.piece reminds
Lenz- remarks that the
one of Handel.
Pro-
found but restrained agitation pervades the movement.
Very impressivein the
is
the entrance of
the
D
minor
second half of the piece, the diver-
sion into
B
major, and then the return intofirst
D
major
with the repetition of theoctave; by this,
subject in a higher
and by the conclusion which immeis
diately follows, a quiet touch of glory
added
to
the picture,
and the whole
is
roundedis
off in
beauty,
Marx
well says:
"The song
quiet
and solemn,the
like the thoughts of a noble
mind alone under
starry firmament
"
;
and the entrance of the minor,if
he adds, produces a thrilling emotion aslike
words
death and eternity had fallen on the heart.scherzo allegretto,
The
A
major, f time, whichis
follows as the third movement,
a lively, bright
composition, "charmingly alluring," reminiscent, asis
also the minor (trio), of the
Haydn-Mozart minuet
form, and in nothefirst
way
attaining to the originality of
two movements.
Lenz finds
in the trio the
character of Russian
and Slavonic melodies.
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.
43
Thef time,
fourth movement, rondo grazioso,is
A
major,
a picture of easy, cheerful life; with nofirst
touch of the Beethoven in the
movement;is
this
movement, the chief theme especially,Mozartish in conception; thereis
decidedly
an agreeable playis
of sounds, but a deeper meaning
wanting.
The
formal musical structure
is,
however, interesting; the
rondo-form being originally treated.I
On
this point
would
refer the reader to the third part of Marx'sin
"
Compositionslehre,"
which he speaks of the rondo-form
movement
as the best specimen of theus.
Beethoven has givenconsists of
The;
sonata, as a whole,the last
two unequal parts
two move-
ments not fully corresponding in style and expression to the twofirst.
Marx
also thinks that theis
psychological unity of the last movement
not in
harmony with
the
first
movements.
OP.Appearedin
2,
No.
3,
C MAJOR.to
ijg6.also,
Dedicated
Joseph Haydn.
This sonata
though resting as a whole on
Mozart's principles, reveals the later Beethoven inparticular passages, and, with the exception, per-
haps, of the second movement,
it
has a steadily de-
veloped uniform idea lying at
its basis.
A
bright.
*
44active
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.life,
full
of youthful freshness and vigour,
pervades themajor, | time.
first
movement, allegro conis
brio,
C
Nor
gracefulness wanting,, as the
passages marked dolce, inrespectively,in
G
major and
E tmajor,abunis
the
first
and second
parts,
dantly prove.withoutits
On
the other hand, the picture(see
not19,
humorous side
motive at bar
before the conclusion of the
first part).
Storm and
hurry are well depicted by the rolling up andof the octaves.
down
The
so-called fantasia part contains
some verythanin the
fine
writing,
and shows more freedommost on
works of
earlier composers, but the
original part seems to
me
to be the point d'orgue
the chord of
A
flat
major, followed by an interestfirst
ing cadence, leading back to the
theme, andIn
ending
in a
powerful and magnificent conclusion.
the whole of the coda, Beethoven boldly discards thestrict
sonata-form for the free form of the fantasia.
Aof
deep devoutness pervades the
first
theme of the
second movement, adagio,
E
major, f time; a sense
inwardits
contentmenttones.
and
happiness
breathes
through
Soon, however, with the appear-
ance of theout painthe
E
minor, a yearning impulse, not withis
and sorrow,
manifested (entrance ofFurther on, the
A
and B minor
in fortissimo).
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.first
45
theme returns soothingly, andit
in
C major
for-
tissimo
evenItit
rises tois
an expression of courageousthat the
confidence.
true
yearningthe
begins
again, but
is
materiallyfirst
subdued,
pain
is
dulled,
and the
theme
is
heard for theit
last time,
an octave higherfied
sounding, asin
were,
from a
glori-
height
and,ends.
a
calm, beatifiedcolouring,
mood, thethe
movement
Theall
the shading,
modulation, areeven magicaling, such as;
fresh, new, original,
sometimes
we have
true tone-poetry, soul-paintto
was peculiar
Beethoven alone.
After this movement what can the third movement
theform
allegro scherzo,is
C
major, f time
mean?;
Its
characteris
careless, self-satisfied cheerfulness; the
still
that of the
Haydn-Mozart minuet
thein
Beethoven scherzo has not appeared.
Theits
trio
A
minor
is
not without originality, with
almost
wilful sequence of the upper
and lower
registers;
the former restless, fleeting, surging, in contrast to the hopefulness of the latter.
The
tone colouring
of the whole
is
original,
and an excellent prepara-
tion for the character of the finale.
This fourth movement, allegrotime,is
assai,
Clife,
major, falittle
full
of the
most
sparkling
Bacchanalia, the product of bold youthful
petu-
;
46lance,
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.an episodeinin a
period of
"
Sturm und Drang."middle of the
The motive
F major
(dolce) in the
movement forms an agreeable
contrast,
and
serves to
enhance the sparkle and dash of the whole.
This
movement reaches
its
climax in the shake towards
the end; the shake here becomes the most direct
and the mostwhirl.
striking expression of the Bacchanalian
The
A
major, which follows without inter-
mission, has a striking effect,ful conclusion,
and
like theis
powera trueus,it
which immediately ensues,Particular
Beethoven
trait.
passages
remindis,
now and
then, of Mozart, but the
whole
as
were, cast in one
mould by some newits
being,
and
it
seems, sometimes, with
Bacchanalian revelry, toquitefaintly, the
foreshadow, though
as
yet
Ais
major Symphony.
Lenz says that the movement
a sort of rondo a la chasse,
and he perceives the
"Halali" quitehe will;
distinctly.
Let him have that as
the law of working up the sentiment to afulfilled in this sonata
climaxI
is
by
this finale.
But,to
ask again, what has the second movement
do
with the organism of the whole?tion betweenitit
An
inner connecis
and the other movements
wanting
belongs to a later stage of development.this opinion.
Lenzfan-
seems also to be of
He somewhat
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.cifully
47
says that one lingers before the piece as
before the Venus of Milo in the Louvre; and adds,
one would do well to play the movement apart fromthe whole sonata.
OP.
6,
D MAJOR.Date of com-
Appeared
in the winter of iyg6-y.
position uncertain.
This
is
the only sonata for two performers on theItis
pianoforte which Beethoven has written.the small sonata- form,
in
and
is
certainly a
work of
Beethoven's earliest youth, a work which can in no
way be comparedwhichlittleis
to
the preceding sonatas,
and
far surpassed even
by Mozart's charmingThereis
pianoforte
duet sonatas.It is
nothing
more to say about the work.ful whether Beethoven
decidedly doubtto
had anythingit
do with
its
publication, as Op. 6;
is
far
more
likely that this
was the work of some uncalled-for hand.
OP.
7,
E FLAT MAJOR.Dedicatedto
Appeared
in
lygy.
the
Countess
Babette von Keglevics.
As regardsIS
the
first
two movements
this
sonata
an important one.brio,
The
first
movement, allegrois
molto con
E
flat
major, f time,character.
a tone-pic-
ture rich in colour
and
The aroma of
48
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.feelingis
the later romantic
shed over
its
tone-
images
;
one has the impression of going into a gar-
den, gorgeous with a profusion of the finest
and
brightest flowers, most skilfully arranged
so splentime, this;
didly do the tone-pictures group themselves, and
enhance each other's glory.
At
theis
same
many-coloured play of sounds
full of soul
that
shadow may not be wanting
to
the light, a
few
earnest touches are interspersed here
and
there, the
humoroussuffice to
strains
not being forgotten.
This will
indicate the richness of the picture; the
reverent player
and hearer
will easily understand
everything,
and the
rare beauties of the music will
speedily reveal themselves.
The second movement,
largo con gran expressione,
E
major, f time, strikes a higher note.
The
sub-
stance of the
movement may be described
in a single
word, deep thoughtfulness (Tiefsinn).
A
sacred and
exalted tone pervades these strains, which give aninsightinto the depths of the soul.
The master
seems to have been caught up into higher spheres
than those in which he had just lingered.
I
only
say he seems to have been caught up, for he soonfeels that a yet higher
world
lies
before him, and a
strong yearning after it moves his soul (see the motive
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.in
49
A
fiat
major, bar;
25).
Stroriger
and stronger
becomes the pressureheart
blows resound that shatterasif
and marrow;
it
is
fate were knocking at
the door,
and the
soul were reminded of the pain
of living by the rough reality of existence.a powerful, dramatic passage!
Whatbefall
The yearning
comeson thetion,
less ardent,
and touching, plaintive tonescalms
ear, the soul
itself into quiet resignafirst
and with the return of theits
theme sinks
intotion.
former deep reflection and reverent meditais
Once again
the tone-poet seized with
a
painful longing after those lighter spheres; but thefeeling of
what he has been soaringhe has won,
after, of
what
in spite of all things,
now
takes per-
manent possession of him, and hetrance.
rises into a
happy
In thisit
moodisit
the
movement
closes.
We:
find in
what
as yet the most melancholy ofreal soul-secrets are unveiledus.
adagios, for in
we
have the tone-poet Beethoven again withfollowing
In the
movements,to
Beethoven,
alas,
descends
from the height
which he had attained.allegro,
Thetime,
third
movement,
E
flat
major,is,
f
and minore,latter,
E
flat
minor, certainlypej-sistent
as retrills,
gards theits
with
its
restless
harmony and modulations, of a highly
original5
50
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED."
stamp, a
fanciful
and
plaintive melody, like that(Ulibischeff), inclining
of an olditself,
German ballad"says, to an
as
Marx
inward unquiet ruminin
ation
and brooding, beingto
no way an unworthy
successorallegro,
the
first
two
movements
;
but
the
and
especially the fourth movement, rondoflat
allegretto,
E
major,
f time,a
are,
as
regards
substance
and
form,
of
strikingly
Haydn-
Mozartish character, without any prominent originality.
They merelyand
present a vague, general playis
of sounds,interesting
the finale
overloaded with un-
figures
and passages.is
The
defect:
of
the sonata throughout
a want of climax
it
showsstill
what a stronghold Beethoven's predecessors
had over him.triumph asyet.
He
has only attained a temporary
OP.
lo.
No.
I,
IN C MINOR.to
Appeared
in
ijgS.
Dedicated
the
Countess
von Browne.In the sequence of the movements this sonatais
characterised by one very steadily developed funda-
mental thoughtperhaps of the manner.
;
it
is,
however, with the exception,in the
lastfirst
movement, written movement,if
Mozart
The
allegro
molto,
C
minor, f time, seems as
the composer
had been
1
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.overhearinghis
5
great
forerunner,
to
whom
one
might unhesitatingly ascribe the movement, so entirely in Mozart's spirit, are the chief
themes and
their
working
out.
Everything recalls Mozart's great
C minor
Sonata.
The underlying thought of
the
movement may be called subdued, restrainedThroughflat
passion.
the second movement, adagio molto,
A
major, f time, there breathes that Mozartish
spirit (Innigkeit)tal
which was not the result of a men-
struggle,
and which has no such dark backfrom a mindatis
ground, but emanatesitself.
rest
with
In correspondence with this
the whole
style of the composition, which, without
any very
special originality in melody,lation,is
harmony and moduMozart,though,of
a
reproduction
of
course, not a slavish but
an intelligent one.
The
difference
between Beethoven and Mozart will be
fully appreciated by
comparing
this
movement withby playing the
the largo of the previous sonata, or
two immediately after eachof the movementis
other.
The conclusion
very well-devised.the sonata, prestissimo,
The
third
movement ofis,
C
minor, | time,
on the other hand, the most
original.
The two
chief subjects
and
their develop-
ment are quite unique; something of the
true Beet-
52
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.spirit
hoven
pervades the whole.
The master
de-
parts from hisis
model and
seeks his
own
path.
Therefills
no more reticence or
restraint, lively
emotion
the heart, a small battle almost begins.tion,
The
agitaif
however,
is
not profound.
It
seems as
the
aim of the struggle were to shakecharacter ofthe minor,is
off
the melancholy
the
C major
continually
breaks through, and'
in the
end triumphant.it."
One
might say
" that's
the
humour of2,
OP.
lo.
No.
F MAJOR.to
Appeared
in
ijgS.
Dedicated
the
Countess
von Browne.In thefirstis
and
last
movements of
this
sonata
Beethoven
under the influence of Haydn.
The
jocose, cheerful, easy nature of the
merry roguish
Haydn
runs through the
first
movement, allegro, Fis
major, | time.stance ofthis.
TheIt is
first
subject
a striking in-
a delightful ensemble, full ofsurprises, such
diverse changes,
and of
as an en-
trance of the
D
major, while certain passages bear
decided marks of originality.
But;
this is all that
can be said for the movement
even the enthusiastic
Lenz
calls
it
meagre.allegro,
The second movement, however,
F
minor,
I time, transports us into Beethoven's world.
Here
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.are the
53
germs of the Beethoven scherzo; the master
stretches out far
bsyond the forms of the Haydn-
Mozart minuet, and produces a most original creation.
The whole
is
so imaginative, so ethereal,effect,
anda
has such a magical
that
it
awakensin "
in
me":
feeling like that of Goethe's
words
Faust
Wolkenzug und NebelflorErhellen sich von oben,
Luft im Laub und
Wind im Rohr
Und AUes
ist
zerstoben.
Lenz says that
it
brings before us a"
Brockencalls
mountain scene from
Faust,''
whilst
Marx
attention to the reposeful harmonies inin the
D
flat
major,it
middle movements, and justly asks: "Is
then, only in melody, only inis
movement, that poetry
to be
found
?"
In the third movement, prestissimo,
F
major, |
time, Beethoven relapses into the style ofIt is
Haydn.
constructed on one motive, and pervaded by aspirit;
Puckish
as
Marx
observes,is
a
mischievous
game between fugue and sonata
carried on; the
former seeming to resemble an oldpulling his beard.
man
with a child
To
this apt observationit
we have
nothing to add but that
is
useless to seek in this
movement
for
a
trace
of
the
Beethoven
whose
idiosyncrasy has already frequently been revealed.
54
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.
OP.
lo,
No.
3,
D MAJOR.to
Appeared
in
1798.
Dedicated
the
Countess
von Browne.In^
this,
which Marx
calls the first great sonata,
we
clearly recognise the later Beethoven, especially
in the first
two movements.
WJaat storm and dashpresto,
there
is
in the first
movement,is
D
major, \first
time
!
How
characteristic
the ascent of the
notes in unison from the bass note
D
to to
A
the fifth
above, above,
and then the broken octaves
the tenth
F
sharp, which
by the combination of an
opposite descending passage to the A, below thestaff,
are rendered
still
more
expressive."
The
resist-
less
rushing and hurrying, the
Sturm und Drang,"
depicted in the opening passage are repeated and intensified, till there is scarcely a
moment offirst
rest; the
reposeful motive in
A
major, in the
part,
is
powerless to
still
the raging of the storm.is
The
whole movementspecial beauty.terlynotes,
extremely rich in passages ofis
Particularly noticeable
the masfirst
power with which the motive of theD,
four
C
sharp, B, A,
is
worked
out, theit
numerous
andstill
characteristic forms in
which
appears,
and
more remarkable
is
the iron energy displayed inat bar 38, before the conclu-
the fantasia part,
and
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.sion of thefirst
55
part, in the
proudly pacing bassoctaves, interwovenat bar 32
notesv^ith
and stormily descendingwhichis
the
humorous motive
a pasin the
sage which reappears in the third part.
This moveis
ment
is
not only full of lyric power, butit
highest degree dramatic;ful vigour
is
pervaded by youth-
and heroism; and in fancy,in the
we can
see,
though only as yetof the"
dim
distance, the creator
Eroica
"
symphony.largo,
The second movement,is
Dfirst.
minor, f time,
a worthy
associateits
of
the
Marx aptly
characterises
meaning
as one of dismal frettingIt
and
depressing
melancholy.
bespeaks
deep,
manly sorrow borne with
fortitude; in therest,
A
major
motive the mind finds temporaryspeedilysorrow,
only to be
overwhelmed with awhichslowlysubsides,
deep,
impassionedgentlydies
and
away.
And now!
for the musical representation of
such a subjectpredecessorsin?
Does
it
remind us of Beethoven'sHere, as in fact,laterori-
Not
in the least.
the
firstis
movement, the greatness of thealreadyapparent,so
Beethovenginalis
new and
the composition.
And
again the dramatic
feeling
makesis
itself felt, especially
where the chiefrestless,
subject
heard in the low bass, with a
a
56
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.accompaniment,first
stormythenin
in
demisemiquavers,in
semidemisemiquavers!
the
treble
powerful and striking passagedoes the thrice-repeated
And how
well
G
sharp, shortly before the
close, depict the keen, cutting,
inward woe
!
This
largo surpasses any of the slow movements hitherto
mentioned, andatas.
.also
many
of those in the later son-
Unfortunately, the other parts of the sonata
are not
up
to the level of the first
two movements.major, f time,
The
third movement, minuetto,it
D
sunnily bright as bothtrio are,
and the teasing
G
major
does not accord well with the unfathom-
able depths of sorrow of the largo. thinks differently,correctpiece.
Marx, however,as a
and considers the movementin the
and necessary member(Compare
organism of the
his " Compositionslehre," Part III).in the
Supposing that in the inward, asworld, thereis
outward
a refreshing sunshine clearing up all
the mysteries of darkness,
and granting
that psycho-
logical correctness requires that brightness
and
light
should follow the night which had gathered roundthe largo,still it
seems to
me
that the
movement
in
question has toofulness, I
much of
that lightlittle
Haydnish
cheer-
might say too
of the ideality ofBeethoven,
form which was peculiar
to
when
in
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.
57
good
spirits
and quite himself,
to be considered as
in clear
and necessary connection withI
the previous that
movements.Beethoven
always
haveI
the
impression
lost his cue here;
miss the working up
of the ruling thought.
Nor does the fourth movement, rondomajor, | time, supply this want.It
allegro,
Dis
certainly
morefirst
characteristic
than the third movement; the
motive
is
original
and worked out
into
the
most diverse forms,
in a masterly
manner, while the
whole
is
exceedingly lively and not without humour.
But the influence of Beethoven's predecessors, whichin
the largo,
was slightly
perceptible,all,is
and
in
the
first
movement
scarcely seen at
apparent atfirst
intervals.
After the depth and grandeur of the
two movements, the tone and keeping of the wholeof thising,
movement appears
to
me
too light and
fleet-
and the humour too shallow,
to give an impres-
sion of any striking internal unity, or to
form an
adequate conclusoin to the whole work.
OP.
13,
C MINOR.to
Appeared
lygg-
Dedicated
Prince Lichnowsky.
In this sonata
Beethoven again attains a very
close unity between the movements.
The work has
58
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS EXPLAINED.dilet-
always enjoyed a special preference amongtanti.It
may be described as one ofis
the master's most
popular compositions, andthose
the ne plus ultra with
who havelater
not arrived at an understanding
of the
works, such as
Op.
57.
The namethis, as
"Pathetique"
may have
contributed tois
has
also the fact that the sonata
easy to play, more
easy to play than, for example, the last-named composition.
But the intellectual contents of the work,
the plastic soul-pictures, explain the preference; the
sonata comes very near to the emotionalstanding,not
under-
and the
title "
Pathetique
" is
striking
andare
easilyif
mistaken,not
althoughpathetic.
other
works
equally,is
more,
Here the pathos
deep, earnest passion, which, however, does not
overstep a certain measure of gravity
and dignified
deportment.
The
first
movement, grave, then allegrois
molto con
brio,
C
minor, | time,
the most telling
expression of his primary character, a lifelike picture
of
manly,Inthe;
earnest,
painful
and passionatethe
emotion.
stately
introductionthere thefire
ardour
seems restrainedin a
here
and
breaks out,
marked rhythm, but onlyBut
to be immediately
quenched.
at the entrance of the allegro, theits
lava stream bursts
bounds, and rushes forth.
In
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.the tributary subject, in
59
E
flat a
minor, and then more
intensely inis
D
flat
major,
pleading, soothing voice
heard restraining the storm.
Butis
in vain
is
the
stream arrested.the passage
A
moment's pause
perceptible in
marked grave; then
the storm beginsin
anew and with increased vehemence
E
minor.
And
again arise those beseeching, soothing strains inminor.
F minor and Cspenditself,
But
in vain; theit
storm must
till
at length
subsides in a diminthe grave
ished chord of the seventh.appears,
A^hird time
and then arepose.
last
short outburst, followed
by deep
Marx
points out the repeated ap-
pearance of the grave as particularly significant.
Says he
:
" It
does not stand there as an empty clangits
of sounds or chords, but hasin the min.d of the
own
specific
purpose
composer, and
is
in accordance
with the character and intention of the whole; threetimes before the endit
portentously points back to
the solemn introduction to the work."
The natureit
of
this
grave gives the impression that
coulddeter-
be
the
product
only
of
some
strong
mination.
The sharp
struggle being
over,
in
the
second
movement, adagio cantabile,
A
flat
major, | time,
a profound peace takes possession of the master's
6osoul,
Beethoven's sonatas explained.
and
is
well expressed in the sustained singingfeeling becomes
theme.
The
more and more deep
andOnce
reverent,
and
rises,
in the end, to real rapture.is
only,
when
the theme
heard
in
AEof
flat
minor,
a cry of sorrow escapes; but this produces courageous, joyful exaltation
(transition
to
major); arest
moment, and the untroubledpeace again hover roundus.
forms
and
The
third
movement, rondo
allegro,
C
minor, f
time, gives completeness to the whole.
The stormmovement
which swept through the soul
in the first
has subsided, the tcne-poet has saved and ensuredhis
inward peace;
his
mind
has, in a measure, puri-
fied itself.
Theprocess
finale
seems the outcome of
this
purifyingstrictly
its
most
direct expression.is
More
speaking, the result
a certain submission to some-
thing that was inevitable, but a happy, courageoussubmission, full of power for fresh exertions,
andthis
renewed
activity.
There
runs
also
through
movement anin
active,
though not unquiet life-current
many changing
forms, "bewegt
und doch massIt is
vol Alles"
a
satisfactory conclusion.last
not to
be denie