The opening of this sonata is dramatic, with a forte C-minor chord. The most salient feature of the first theme is the sudden digression to A♭ major. Both themes progress somewhat in the style of variations and are structured with irregular phrase lengths.
The development section is highly chromatic and is texturally and melodically distinct from the exposition. The recapitulation is once again traditional, staying in the tonic and stressing subdominant tonalities.
II. Adagio
The second movement is nostalgic in its traditional Classical character. The opening theme of this movement is an elegant, touching melody that eventually undergoes remarkable tonal and cadential treatment, undermining the peaceful setting.
III. Menuetto: Allegro – Trio
The third movement is somber, quite distinct from the typical atmosphere of dance movements. It is relatively conservative in its key scheme, moving to the relative major key and back to the tonic.
IV. Allegro
This movement is written in a tarantella style and is characterized by a relentless galloping rhythm calling on demanding pianistic effects with frequent hand-crossing and leaps across registers.
The coda begins with a long anticipatory passage which then reintroduces the first theme, and this passage is characterized by sweeping arpeggios with violent dynamic contrasts – a series of subito fortissimo decaying to piano, following the rise and fall of the melody. On the last iteration, the melody hits triple forte at the zenith of its register and then plunges four octaves in a descending arpeggio, marked poco a poco diminuendo al pianissimo. An emphatic cadence then concludes the piece.
Clearly this is a highly emotional sonata that signals the approaching end of Schubert’s life.
Here is pianist Seong-Jin Cho to play this sonata for you:
