Piano Sonata No. 16 (Beethoven)
Encyclopedia
Ludwig van Beethoven
's Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31 No. 1, was composed between 1801 and 1802. Although it was numbered as the first piece in the trio of piano sonata
s which were published as Opus
31 in 1803, Beethoven actually finished it after the Op. 31 No. 2, the Tempest Sonata
.
Due to his dissatisfaction with the 'classical' style of music, Beethoven pledged to 'take a new path' of musical composition and style. The Opus 31 works are the first examples of Beethoven's new innovative and unconventional ideas, an attempt to make a name for himself in the annals of music history. It is important to take into account that these pieces were written after the famous Heiligenstadt Testament
of 1802.
In critical terms, this sonata is light, breezy and has touches of humour and irony amongst its movements. Critics say that the Opus 31 works show now a more pronounced 'Beethovenian' sense of style that will become more evident in later, mature works.
. A typical performance lasts about 20 minutes.
The first movement, Allegro vivace, begins in an animated fashion. Almost comical, the main theme is littered with brisk, semiquaver passages, and chords written in a stuttering fashion, suggesting that the hands are unable to play in unison with one another. Episodes suggest a more sensitive or romantic feeling, but overall, the piece is light, elegant and entertaining. The beginning of the piece is reminiscent of the Courante from J. S. Bach's French Suite No. 5, which is in the same key.
Rather unorthodoxly, the second subject in the exposition is in B major and minor (alternating between major and minor). This is one of the earlier manifestations of Beethoven's tendency, especially later in his career, to place the second subject of a major-key work in more remote keys, usually the mediant
major or minor, for instance, (Symphony no. 7
in A major, op. 92 (movement 4); Sonata no. 21
in C major, op. 53 ("Waldstein") or submediant
major (Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat major, op. 97 ("Archduke"); Piano Sonata no. 29
in B-flat major, op. 106 ("Hammerklavier").
With long, drawn out trills and reflective pauses, the Adagio grazioso in C Major is the more sentimental movement. The heavy ornamentation almost suggests a grotesque parody, but the several graceful melodies in the piece saves it from merely being a joke. The movement is full of quick, shimmering right hand passages that should be played as quick as possible, with a fairy-like glitter. Apart from the Hammerklavier sonata's adagio and the 32nd sonata's second movement, this is the longest slow movement of Beethoven in the piano sonatas (ca. 11 minutes). According to many great pianists (e.g. Edwin Fischer
and András Schiff
), this movement is a parody of Italian opera and Beethoven's contemporaries, who were much more popular than Beethoven at the beginning of the 19th century. Schiff explained this theory in his masterclass of this sonata; he said it's totally uncharacteristic of Beethoven because it is not economical, it's incredibly long, everything is too much ornamented, it's filled with "show-off cadenzas (...) who are trying to make a cheap effect" and bel canto
like elements and rhythms (on them Schiff said "it's very beautiful, but it's alien to Beethoven's nature"). But there are also "very profound moments, because Beethoven cannot really jump out of his own skin".
The Rondo is similar in character to the first movement: light, enthusiastic, and youthful. This rondo is considered by critics to be one of the finest rondos to be written by Beethoven. Here, a single simple theme is varied, ornamented, syncopated, modulated throughout the piece. But Beethoven's creativity never makes us bore of it. All the ideas are fresh, inviting, and intriguing, a delectable piece. Beethoven eventually pulls the movement into a brief adagio, but when it seems the piece has finished, a presto erupts, bringing this vibrant sonata to an ebullient conclusion.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31 No. 1, was composed between 1801 and 1802. Although it was numbered as the first piece in the trio of piano sonata
Piano sonata
A piano sonata is a sonata written for a solo piano. Piano sonatas are usually written in three or four movements, although some piano sonatas have been written with a single movement , two movements , five or even more movements...
s which were published as Opus
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
31 in 1803, Beethoven actually finished it after the Op. 31 No. 2, the Tempest Sonata
Piano Sonata No. 17 (Beethoven)
The Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2, was composed in 1801/02 by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is usually referred to as "The Tempest" , but this title was not given by him, or indeed referred to as such during his lifetime; instead, it comes from a claim by his associate Anton Schindler...
.
Due to his dissatisfaction with the 'classical' style of music, Beethoven pledged to 'take a new path' of musical composition and style. The Opus 31 works are the first examples of Beethoven's new innovative and unconventional ideas, an attempt to make a name for himself in the annals of music history. It is important to take into account that these pieces were written after the famous Heiligenstadt Testament
Heiligenstadt Testament
The Heiligenstadt Testament is a letter written by Ludwig van Beethoven to his brothers Carl and Johann at Heiligenstadt on 6 October 1802....
of 1802.
In critical terms, this sonata is light, breezy and has touches of humour and irony amongst its movements. Critics say that the Opus 31 works show now a more pronounced 'Beethovenian' sense of style that will become more evident in later, mature works.
Structure
The sonata consists of three movementsMovement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
. A typical performance lasts about 20 minutes.
- Allegro vivaceVivaceVivace is Italian for "lively" and "vivid". It is pronounced in the International Phonetic Alphabet.Vivace is used as an Italian musical term indicating a movement that is in a lively mood ....
- Adagio grazioso
- RondoRondoRondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
, allegretto - presto
The first movement, Allegro vivace, begins in an animated fashion. Almost comical, the main theme is littered with brisk, semiquaver passages, and chords written in a stuttering fashion, suggesting that the hands are unable to play in unison with one another. Episodes suggest a more sensitive or romantic feeling, but overall, the piece is light, elegant and entertaining. The beginning of the piece is reminiscent of the Courante from J. S. Bach's French Suite No. 5, which is in the same key.
Rather unorthodoxly, the second subject in the exposition is in B major and minor (alternating between major and minor). This is one of the earlier manifestations of Beethoven's tendency, especially later in his career, to place the second subject of a major-key work in more remote keys, usually the mediant
Mediant
In music, the mediant is the third scale degree of the diatonic scale, being the note halfway between the tonic and the dominant. Similarly, the submediant is halfway between the tonic and subdominant...
major or minor, for instance, (Symphony no. 7
Symphony No. 7 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, in 1811, was the seventh of his nine symphonies. He worked on it while staying in the Bohemian spa town of Teplice in the hope of improving his health. It was completed in 1812, and was dedicated to Count Moritz von Fries.At its debut,...
in A major, op. 92 (movement 4); Sonata no. 21
Piano Sonata No. 21 (Beethoven)
The Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53, also known as the Waldstein, is considered to be one of Beethoven's greatest piano sonatas, as well as one of the three particularly notable sonatas of his middle period . The sonata was completed in the summer of 1804...
in C major, op. 53 ("Waldstein") or submediant
Submediant
In music, the submediant is the sixth scale degree of the diatonic scale, the 'lower mediant' halfway between the tonic and the subdominant or 'lower dominant'...
major (Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat major, op. 97 ("Archduke"); Piano Sonata no. 29
Piano Sonata No. 29 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major, Op. 106 is a piano sonata widely considered to be one of the most important works of the composer's third period and among one of the great piano sonatas...
in B-flat major, op. 106 ("Hammerklavier").
With long, drawn out trills and reflective pauses, the Adagio grazioso in C Major is the more sentimental movement. The heavy ornamentation almost suggests a grotesque parody, but the several graceful melodies in the piece saves it from merely being a joke. The movement is full of quick, shimmering right hand passages that should be played as quick as possible, with a fairy-like glitter. Apart from the Hammerklavier sonata's adagio and the 32nd sonata's second movement, this is the longest slow movement of Beethoven in the piano sonatas (ca. 11 minutes). According to many great pianists (e.g. Edwin Fischer
Edwin Fischer
Edwin Fischer was a Swiss classical pianist and conductor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, particularly in the traditional Germanic repertoire of such composers as J. S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert...
and András Schiff
András Schiff
András Schiff is a Hungarian-born British classical pianist, who has won a number of awards including the Grammy and made numerous recordings.- Biography :...
), this movement is a parody of Italian opera and Beethoven's contemporaries, who were much more popular than Beethoven at the beginning of the 19th century. Schiff explained this theory in his masterclass of this sonata; he said it's totally uncharacteristic of Beethoven because it is not economical, it's incredibly long, everything is too much ornamented, it's filled with "show-off cadenzas (...) who are trying to make a cheap effect" and bel canto
Bel canto
Bel canto , along with a number of similar constructions , is an Italian opera term...
like elements and rhythms (on them Schiff said "it's very beautiful, but it's alien to Beethoven's nature"). But there are also "very profound moments, because Beethoven cannot really jump out of his own skin".
The Rondo is similar in character to the first movement: light, enthusiastic, and youthful. This rondo is considered by critics to be one of the finest rondos to be written by Beethoven. Here, a single simple theme is varied, ornamented, syncopated, modulated throughout the piece. But Beethoven's creativity never makes us bore of it. All the ideas are fresh, inviting, and intriguing, a delectable piece. Beethoven eventually pulls the movement into a brief adagio, but when it seems the piece has finished, a presto erupts, bringing this vibrant sonata to an ebullient conclusion.
External links
- A lecture by András SchiffAndrás SchiffAndrás Schiff is a Hungarian-born British classical pianist, who has won a number of awards including the Grammy and made numerous recordings.- Biography :...
on Beethoven's piano sonata op. 31 no. 1 - http://www.raptusassociation.org/son16e.html - More in-depth information of this sonata, with critical musical analysis and creation history.
- For a public domain recording of this sonata visit Musopen