Although most of Beethoven’s piano sonatas are cast in three or four movements, this piece consists of just two movements. Both are provided with performance instructions in German.
- Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck (“With liveliness and with feeling and expression throughout”) The first movement has a restless character and is cast in sonata form in which the exposition is not repeated, and the development section is based almost entirely on the first subject.
- Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen (“Not too fast and conveyed in a singing manner”) The second movement is a gentle sonata-rondo movement of Romantic character, which foreshadows Schubert’s music, and an example of Beethoven’s most accomplished melodies.
Here is pianist Igor Levit to play this amazing music for you:
