Andrew Wilson

10/26/16
Dr. Madsen
MUS 500
The Beethoven Sonata Bridging His Early and Middle Periods
Ludwig van Beethovens piano sonata in D major, op. 10 no. 3, bridges the gap
between his earlier, Haydn inspired works, and his later more motivic, bombastic, and
self-wrought compositional style pushing the boundaries of sonata form. Concerning his
three stylistic and compositional periods, there is the early period, which spans from 1794
and his opus 1, up until about 1800. Beethovens middle period then extends from 1800
until 1815. Finally, his late and mature period lasted from 1815 to his death in 1827.
Stylistically, the early period was Beethovens time of mastering classical composition,
inspired by his teacher, Joseph Haydn, and drawing on outside influences from the likes
of Mozart and Clementi. During the middle period, Beethovens style becomes more
emotional, romantic, and of his own accord, in that he begins manipulating form to suit
the needs of his music and starts using motives to tie together his work. Exercising
musical and compositional elements such as motives and a reworking of specifics of the
structure of classical sonata form, Beethovens seventh piano sonata can be seen as a tie
or transition between his early and middle periods.
The seventh piano sonata, op. 10, no. 3, was composed in 1798 and dedicated to
Countess Anne Margarete von Browne. Opus 10 is a set of three piano sonatas, with the
seventh sonata being the third of the set. The great contemporary pianist and interpreter
of Beethoven, Andras Schiff, said this of the opus 10 sonatas, If the first is dramatic and

the second is comical, I cannot really find an adjective for the third. Schiff goes on to
say that op. 10, no. 3, has many, many faces its an enigmatic piece one of the
miracles of music, and not just of Beethoven. The sonata is in the lyrical and sunny key
of D major and is in four movements: Presto, Largo e mesto, Menuetto: Allegro, and
Rondo: Allegro. This paper will be focusing on the first movement, Presto, in cut time,
and in sonata form, but it is worth mentioning that the second movement in D minor,
Largo e mesto, is, in the words of Schiff, an extraordinary slow movement an
expression of the deepest tragedy that has ever been written, to me Beethoven
historian and author, Lewis Lockwood, adds that the Largo e mesto, breathes an air of
desolation whose only parallel form the time is the great slow movement of the opus 18
no. 1 quartet associated with the tomb scene in Romeo and Juliet. Beethoven had
written slow movements in his previous works, but none, in the minor mode nor any that
reach the emotional depths of this one. (Lockwood) The nature of this second movement
is important to this paper since it characterizes a trait found in Beethovens middle
period. This dark, mournful and tragic slow movement is further evidence that Beethoven
was moving away from his early period and progressing towards the prolificacy of his
middle period works.
In analyzing the first movement of this sonata, we will look at its formal
framework, major themes, motives, harmonic movement, and other points of interest.
(Please refer to the attached full score of the first movement to observe the figures cited
with measure numbers.) Interestingly, Beethoven starts the piece on beat four of the cut
time signature. Later we will see how this could be considered special since the main
motive found throughout the first movement is a series of four notes. Beethoven is able to

draw so much material out of such a seemingly simple four note, step-wise descending
motive. The exposition starts in D major with theme area 1 and theme 1. Theme 1 (mm.
1-5) is a variation on the Mannheim Rocket, a popular device during the classic era
which is basically an ascending arpeggio outlining the tonality of the piece. Theme 1
starts with the descending four note motive and then begins rising up towards the
dominant, A, in measure five. Theme 2 (mm. 5-11) is in stark contrast with theme 1, yet it
maintains the four note descending motive in the bass voices. Theme 1 is in unison,
vertical, staccato, and upward in motion. In contrast, theme 2 is polyphonic, horizontal,
legato and moving downward until its cadence on I. So, already we see great contrast in
just the first theme area with the four note motive holding it all together. Theme 1 and its
relation to the Mannheim Rocket shows Beethovens early period is still present in the
piece. A syncopated transition (mm. 11-23) based on theme 1 then ensues ending on
octaves in F# (iii). Theme area 2 then begins with a lengthy theme 3 (mm. 23-54) and a
shift to B minor (vi). The four note motive is still present as it moves upward in the left
hand while the right hand plays a beautiful, lyrical melody on top. A comical triplet figure
(mm. 52) grandly ends the first theme. Comical, because this triplet really clashes with
the strong motive of four. We are now firmly in the dominant, A or V. Theme four (mm.
54-94) is another variation in the descending four note motive. Beethoven uses a grace
note as the first note of the sequence of four, followed by two eighths and two quarters.
This theme offers a rhythmic variation from the straight four found in the other themes
based on the motive. Theme four starts in A major and then repeats its material in A
minor. In measure 67, we return to A major with the four note motive now in imitation
between the hands and it all builds up to the Coda (mm. 94-124). Beethoven offers a final

theme (mm. 106-114) within the Coda. Made up of half notes, it gives a feeling of
slowing down at the end of this presto, cut time exposition.
The exposition is repeated and after the second ending (mm. 126-134) we are
expecting a move to D minor (i), but Beethoven throws us a huge surprise and we start
development triumphantly fortissimo in B flat major, the neapolitan of the dominant, A.
This sudden and strange modulation sounds naked in that it is a brand new and quite
distant tonality to D major. The development (mm. 135- 185) is dramatic and based on a
new order of the four note motive (mm. 135- 139). The core of the development (135169) focuses loosely on theme 1 and eventually on theme 2 (mm. 149-159). The
retransition (mm. 169-185) back to the recapitulation ends on a mighty V7 chord leaving
us hanging on the dominant.
The recapitulation (mm. 185-345) begins with theme 1 (mm.185-189) presented
exactly as it was in the exposition, in D (I). The following theme 2 (mm.189-195) is also
written exactly as in the exposition. The transition (mm. 195-206) to theme area 2 is
noticeably different to the transition heard in the exposition. Beethoven takes us from D
(I) and ends the transition (mm. 205-206) in B major (VI). Theme area 2 then starts with
theme 3 (mm. 206-235) in the key of E minor. Here, E minor functions as either the
subdominant of B major, or as the minor ii of our home, D major. By the end of theme 3,
Beethoven has landed us squarely back to D (I) (mm. 235). Theme 4 (mm. 235-276)
begins in D before it modulates to D minor (i) (mm. 242). D major is brought back for the
imitative part of this theme (mm. 249). The Coda (mm. 276-345) starts in D (I) and is
very similar to the Coda in the exposition save a few variations and subtle changes. The
final theme (mm. 288-300) functions to slow everything down with chordal half notes,

just as in the exposition. Following the final theme, Beethoven makes very interesting use
of the subdominant, G (IV), by using it as a bass pedal underneath our familiar ascending
and descending four note motive. This use of the subdominant (mm. 300-307) gives a
great closing effect to the piece while we linger otherwise on the tonic. The recapitulation
continues using the four note motive in counterpoint and imitation and builds up to a
strong finish on D major to conclude the first movement.
After a succinct overview and analysis of the first movement, we will now look at
how this sonata incorporates elements from Beethovens early and middle periods. The
first major point is that all of Beethovens early works, this one included, clearly show
the influence of his teacher, Haydn, through the way he structured this sonata. The form
and harmonic changes mostly stay true to the standard sonata form of the classic era, yet
there are differences, such as the move to iii and vi after the transition in the exposition;
the B flat major development; the use of VI and ii in the recapitulation when most classic
composers would remain on the tonic. Physical structural differences include a very
lengthy second theme area and codas, and a surprisingly brief and harmonically strange
development. The use of the Mannheim Rocket in theme 1 is another hallmark of early
Beethoven. The most important factor in citing this work as a forerunner to his middle
period is the use of the four note motive literally everywhere in the movement, and also
the stark contrast between themes. Beethovens middle period is partially defined by his
use of monothematic material to present his music. In the case of op. 10, no. 3, one can
derive almost everything in this sonata from the first four notes. (Schiff) Emotionally,
the work wrenches us back and forth in a way that is not common with early Beethoven.
The composer is clearly beginning to emphasize emotion and his own personal style over

the conventions of the classic period. To conclude, Beethoven demonstrates elements

from both his early and middle period in his seventh piano sonata through the combined
use of: Haydns influence, the Mannheim Rocket, structural and harmonic tendencies,
monothematic and motivic thematic material, and a personal emotional touch that
encompasses everything we have come to love about Beethoven.