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Three Piano Sonatas, WoO 47 (Beethoven)

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Three Piano Sonatas
by Ludwig van Beethoven
CatalogueWoO 47
StyleClassical period
Composed1782 (1782)–1783
DedicationMaximilian Friedrich
Published1783 (1783)
MovementsThree each

The Three Piano Sonatas, WoO 47, were composed by Ludwig van Beethoven probably between 1782 and 1783, when he was between twelve and thirteen years old.[1] The sonatas show a certain level of precocity and serve as a precursor to the masterworks he later produced. They are dedicated to the Prince-elector (German: Kurfürst) Maximilian Friedrich[2] and therefore also known as the Kurfürstensonaten.

Overview

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Like Mozart's, Beethoven's musical talent was recognized at a young age,[3] and these three piano sonatas give an early glimpse of the composer's abilities, as well as his boldness. Beethoven was writing in a form usually attempted by older, more mature composers,[4] as the sonata was a cornerstone of Classical piano literature. Since they were written at such an early age (and Beethoven himself did not assign them opus numbers), the works have historically been omitted from the canon of Beethoven's piano sonatas. However, Barry Cooper included the trio in his critical edition of the sonatas created for ABRSM, arguing that "A complete edition has to be complete, and if you ignore early works, you don't show the longer trajectory of the composer's development."[5] The inclusion of these three works raises Beethoven's total number of piano sonatas from 32 to 35.[a][6]

The sonatas

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No. 1 in E major

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  1. Allegro cantabile (E-flat major)
  2. Andante (B-flat major)
  3. Rondo vivace (E-flat major)

The second theme of the first movement closely resembles part of the first, so that in the recapitulation the first theme can be omitted entirely without its absence being noticed. One of the main characteristics of Beethoven's thought is evident in this sonata: the development of a multitude of contrasting motifs and characters from a basic cell. The liveliness of the Rondo reveals Beethoven's evident pleasure in his own virtuosity.


{
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff \relative c'' { \clef treble
  \key ees \major
  \tempo "Allegro cantabile" 4 = 130
  \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t
  \partial 4 bes,8. bes16
  |
  <<g4\p ees'4>>
  <<g,4.\f ees'4.>>
  bes8-.
  ees8-.
  f8-.
  |
  <<ees4\p g4>>
  <<ees4.\f g4.>>
  <<bes,8-. ees8>>
  <<ees8-. g8>>
  <<f8-. aes8>>
  |
  <<g4\p bes4>>
  <<g4.\f bes4.>>
  <<c8-. ees8>>
  <<bes-. d8>>
  <<aes-. c8>>
  |
  \slurDotted
  <<aes8 c8(>>
  <<g8 bes8)>>
  \slurSolid
  <<g4. bes4.>>
  ees8
  ees8
  ees8
  |
  ees8\prall(
  d8)
  d4
  bes8 \rest
  \grace bes'16
  aes8\p
  \grace g16
  f8
  \grace ees16
  d8
  |
  d8(\f
  ees8)
  ees4
  bes8\rest
  \grace c'16
  bes8\p
  \grace aes16
  g8
  \grace f16
  ees8
  |
  ees8\startTrillSpan(\f
  d8)\stopTrillSpan
  d4.
  \grace bes'16
  aes8\p
  \grace g16
  f8
  \grace ees16
  d8
  |
  ees8-.\ff
  g16(
  f16)
  ees8-.
  d8-.
  c8-.
  ees16(
  d16)
  c8-.
  bes8-.
  |
  aes8-.
  c16(
  bes16)
  aes8-.
  g8-.
  f8-.
  aes16(
  g16)
  f8-.
  ees8-.
  |
  \grace d16
  bes'8
  d,16(
  ees16)
  f16(
  ees16
  d16
  c16)
  bes2
}
\new Staff \relative c { \clef bass
  \key ees \major
  <<\new Voice{\voiceOne
  \partial 4 d4 \rest
  |
  ees8  ees8 ees8 ees8
  ees8  ees8 ees8 ees8
  ees8  ees8 ees8 ees8
  ees8  ees8 ees8 ees8
  ees8  ees8 ees8 ees8
  ees8  ees8 ees8 ees8
  ees8  ees8 ees8 ees8
  ees8  ees8 ees8 ees8
  |
}
  \new Voice{\voiceTwo
  \partial 4 d4 \rest
  |
  ees,1
  |
  ees1
  |
  ees1
  |
  ees1
}>>
\clef treble
  bes''16 aes'16 f16 aes16
  bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16
  bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16
  bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16
  |
  bes,16 g'16 ees16 g16
  bes,16 g'16 ees16 g16
  bes,16 g'16 ees16 g16
  bes,16 g'16 ees16 g16
  |
  bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16
  bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16
  bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16
  bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16
  |
  ees8-.
  g16(
  f16)
  ees8-.
  d8-.
  c8-.
  ees16(
  d16)
  c8-.
  bes8-.
  |
  \clef bass
  aes8-.
  c16(
  bes16)
  aes8-.
  g8-.
  f8-.
  aes16(
  g16)
  f8-.
  ees8-.
  |
  \grace d16
  bes'8
  d,16(
  ees16)
  f16(
  ees16
  d16
  c16)
  bes2
}>>
}
Beginning of No. 1 in E major

No. 2 in F minor

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  1. Larghetto maestoso – Allegro assai (F minor)
  2. Andante (A-flat major)
  3. Presto (F minor)

The musical ideas are individualized in this sonata, where the strongest emotions are expressed. In the conception of the time, the key of F minor is perceived as severe and passionate, and Beethoven would return to this character later, especially in the Sonatas Op. 2 No. 1 and Op. 57. The first movement, deeply Beethovenian, begins with a slow introduction that makes abundant use of contrasting registers. The appearance of the main theme through repetitions and the change of tempo to allegro already prefigure the Pathétique Sonata. The Presto, with its unison passages and its agitated lines, puts a passionate end to this remarkable work, written by a child.


{
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff \relative c'' { \clef treble
  \key aes \major
  \tempo "Largetto Maestoso" 4 = 60
  \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t
  \time 2/2
  |
  <f,\f aes c f>2\arpeggio
  f8.\prall f16 f4
  |
  f8\p( aes) aes-. aes-.
  aes\prall( g) g( f)
  |
  <<c'2\f e2 g2 c2>>
  c,8.\prall c16 c4
  |
  g8(\p bes8) bes8-. bes-.
  bes( aes) aes( g)
  |
  <<f2\ff f'2>>
  r8
  <<f,8-.\p f'8>>
  <<f,8-. f'8>>
  <<f,8-. f'8>>
  |
  <<f,8( f'8>>
  <<ges,8) ges'8>>
  <<ges,4\f ges'4>>
  r8
  <<ges,8-.\p ges'8>>
  <<ges,8-. ges'8>>
  <<ges,8-. ges'8>>
  |
  <<ges,8( ges'8>>
  <<a,8) a'8>>
  <<a,4\f a'4>>
  r8
  <<a,8-.\p a'8>>
  <<a,8-. a'8>>
  <<a,8-. a'8>>
  |
  <<bes,8\pp bes'8>>
  <<f8 f'8>>
  <<des,8 des'8>>
  <<bes,8 bes'8>>
  <<f,8 f'8>>
  \hideNotes
  r4.
  |
  r1
  \unHideNotes
}
\new Staff \relative c { \clef bass
  \key aes \major
  |
  <<f,2 f'2>>
  <<f8. aes8.>>
  <<f16 aes16>>
  <<f4 aes4>>
  |
  <<\new Voice{\voiceTwo
  f1
}
  \new Voice{\voiceOne
  aes8(
  c8)
  c8-.
  c8-.
  c8(
  bes8)
  bes8(
  aes8)
}>>
  |
  <<c,2 e2 g2 c2>>
  c,8.
  c16
  c4
  |
  \clef treble
  <<\new Voice{\voiceTwo
  c'1
}
  \new Voice{\voiceOne
  e8(
  g8)
  g8-. g8-.
  g8( f8)
  f8( e8)
}>>
  |
  \clef bass
  aes,,,16 f'16 e16 f16
  aes16 f16 e16 f16
  aes,16 f'16 e16 f16
  aes16 f16 e16 f16
  |
  bes,16 bes'16 a16 bes
  des bes a bes
  bes, bes' a bes
  des bes a bes
  |
  c, c' b c
  ees c b c
  c, c' b c
  ees c b c
  |
  <<\new Voice{\voiceTwo
  <<des1 des,1>>
  |
  c2\fermata
  c4
  c4\rest
}
  \new Voice{\voiceOne
  \hideNotes
  r2
  r8
  \unHideNotes
  aes''8^[_( g8 <<f8] b8)>>
  |
  <<f2 b2\fermata>>
  <<c4 g4 e4>>
  aes4\rest
}>>
  |
  
}>>
}
Beginning of No. 2 in F minor

No. 3 in D major

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  1. Allegro (D major)
  2. Menuetto – Sostenuto (A major)
  3. Scherzando: Allegretto, ma non troppo (D major)

In the first movement the second theme is introduced as expected, in the dominant, but in the recapitulation it reappears after only four bars, and in the key of G major rather than D major, creating interesting ambiguities about its true status. The Menuetto has six variations, the fourth of which is technically difficult to play in minuet tempo. The composer again uses G major as a substitute for D major in part of the finale, thus establishing a large-scale tonal relationship of the kind normally associated with the mature Beethoven. The humorous sentiment suggested in the Scherzando was to become a regular feature of Beethoven's work.


{
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff \relative c'' { \clef treble
  \key d \major
  \tempo Allegro 4 = 120
  \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t
  \time 4/4
  \partial 4 a16\p( fis) g( e)
  d4-. <<b'4( d>> <<cis a>> <<g) b>>
  <<a fis-.>> <<fis\f( a>> <<g e>> <<d) fis>>
  e8 e\prall( g e) b'( g) e-. d-.
  d16( cis) e-. d-. cis( d) b-. cis-. a4 a'16( fis) g-. e-.
  d4-. <<d'(\p b>> <<cis a>> <<b) g>>
  <<a fis-.>> <<fis(\f d'>> <<cis g>> <<a) c>>
  <<b\prall g>> <<b8( g'8>> <<e) g,>> <<g( e'>> <<d) fis,>> <<fis( d'>> <<cis) e,>>
  \grace cis'16 d4 d, r8 d'-. e-. fis-.
  g16\f( a) g-. fis-. e4 r8 e,(\p fis g)
  a16( b) a-. g-. fis4 r8 d'-.\f e-. fis-.
  g16\f( a) g-. fis-. e4 r8 e,-.\p fis-. g-.
  a16(\f g) fis-. e-. d8-. fis16( a) d8-. d-. d-. d-.
  d16( cis) b-. ais-. b8 d16 fis b8-. b-. b-. b-.
  b16( a) g-. fis-. g( a) b-. a-. g8( fis) e-. d-.
  cis16( a') gis-. a-. e( a) d,-. a'-. cis,( a') gis-. a-. cis,( a') b,-. a'-.
  a,4\prall cis8. e16 a,4 r4
}
\new Staff \relative c { \clef bass
  \key d \major
  \partial 4 r4
  d,4 r4 r2
  r4 d'4( e fis)
  <<\new Voice{\voiceTwo d4\rest g2 gis4 } \new Voice{\voiceOne \hideNotes r4 \unHideNotes b2.}>>
  a2 a,4 r4
  d4 r4 r2
  d4-. d( e fis)
  g g a a,
  d16 a'16 fis a d a fis a d, a' fis a d a fis a
  e a g a cis a g a e a g a cis a g a
  d, a' fis a d a fis a d, a' fis a d a fis a
  e a g a cis a g a e a g a cis a g a
  <<d,2. d,>> <<cis4 cis'>>
  <<b2. b,>> <<a4 a'>>
  <<g2. g,>> <<gis4 gis'>>
  cis16( a') gis-. a-. e( a) d,-. a'-. cis,( a') gis-. a-. cis,( a') b,-. a'-.
  a,4 cis8. e16 a,4 r4
}>>
}
Beginning of No. 3 in D major

See also

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References

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Notes

  1. ^ With the incipit of a possible 36th identified by Thayer. A fragmentary work in D found in the Kafka Miscellany has been identified as a possible 37th.

Citations

  1. ^ Cooper 2017, p. 15.
  2. ^ Thayer 1921, pp. 71–74.
  3. ^ Thayer 1921, p. 59.
  4. ^ Cooper, Barry (2008). Beethoven (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 10.
  5. ^ White, Michael (20 January 2008). "Settling Old Scores by Beethoven". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  6. ^ Cooper 2017, p. 13.

Sources

Further reading

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