- Piano Sonata No. 5 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven 's opus 10 no. 1 is the "Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor". It is dedicated to Anna Margarete von Browne. The first movement of the sonata has a 3/4 meter, the second movement 2/4, and the final movement 4/4. Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 5 is a first period composition, anticipating more notable C minor works such as the Pathétique Sonata and the Fifth Symphony in its nervous energy. Indeed, this sonata has been christened "The Little Pathétique"Fact|date=December 2007 , as it has many characteristics of the sonata, with respect to key and tempo.Form
The sonata is divided into three movements:
#"Allegro molto e con brio" in C minor
#"Adagio molto" in A flat major
#"Prestissimo" in C minorThe first movement, in
sonata form , opens energetically with contrasting loud and soft phrases. A 24-measure modulating passage provides a quiet contrast before arriving at the second theme in E-flat. In the recapitulation, the second theme is initially in F major before returning to C minor.The second movement is a lyrical Adagio with many embellishments. It is in A-B-A-B or "sonatina" form (there is no development section, only a single bar of a rolled V7 chord leading back to the tonic key); an apparent third appearance of the main theme turns into a coda.
The third movement is a highly nervous piece in sonata form, making heavy use of a figure of five eighth notes. The coda slows the tempo down, leading to a final outburst which fades to a quiet but agitated C major.
Comparison to the Pathétique Sonata
This sonata embodiesFact|date=December 2007 the Pathétique Sonata in all three movements in many styles. For example, the first movements start out with a storming exposition, before arriving at the quiet secondary theme in E flat major. However, when the secondary theme of both sonatas is used again in the minor key, there is a shocking conversion: the happiness and hope of the secondary theme has been banished.Fact|date=December 2007
The second movement of each sonata is written in A flat major, at Adagio tempo and in 2/4 time. Both movements unwind gentle, docile melodies and weave into many modulations.Fact|date=December 2007
The third movement of each sonata is written at a vigorous tempo, and contains, on occasion, the storminess of its first-movement predecessor.Fact|date=December 2007
External links
* For a public domain recording of this sonata visit [http://musopen.com Musopen]
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