Beethoven Sonata Op. 109 in E major
This essay will explore in detail each movement of Beethoven's Sonata Op. 109 in E Major. The relationships between movements and the relationships between this Sonata and some of his other works will also be examined. I will also discuss several issues which relate to Beethoven's oeuvre, from his early to his very late works, which manifest themselves in their most refined form in this magnificent composition: these are the concept of continuous variation, the structural significance of slurs and of dynamic and pedal markings, issues of notation and tempi, and harmonic treatment. Last but not least, I shall address issues of performance, specifically issues I have encountered myself while preparing this Sonata for performance.
Movement One
Throughout the Sonata Beethoven combines scalar motion with an arpeggiated chord: All three movements start with a stepwise motion scale in the left hand (with the exception of the first interval of the left hand in the third movement) and a complimentary progression in thirds in the right hand which arpeggiates the tonic chord starting with the 3rd scale degree[1].
The first theme area in the first movement is only eight measures long and is interrupted by the second theme in measure 9. One could argue that measures 5-8 of the first theme are in fact the bridge passage to the second theme, since they modulate to the Dominant key from the stable progression in E major that takes place in measures 1-4. In the recapitulation the short bridge (mm.53-57) must take us from E major back to E major and not to the B major of the exposition. Therefore Beethoven alters the original harmonic progression and the passage lasts five measures instead of four.
The theme itself is altered in the recapitulation, in measures 48-58: the bass here is a descending scale from E-2 to E-3 instead of using a Dominant 7th harmony with B in the bass before the last E[2], as in measure 3. As such, by avoiding a cadence in the end of this four bar theme, Beethoven preserves the momentum which was built in the development section. The performer should keep that in mind, as well as the fact that the recapitulation follows naturally from previous material, so much so that upon first hearing, one recognizes the recapitulation only after its arrival. Great care must be taken so as not to weaken the momentum and climactic energy by slowing down the tempo at this point. A similar type of recapitulation, where the theme follows naturally from the development section, is in the first movement of Sonata Op. 110.
The second theme is constructed of a three-measure thematic idea and an improvisatory variation on it (in which the last measure is extended to two measures in the exposition, and three in the recapitulation). The three first bars of the theme (bars 9-11) are varied in the following three bars (bars 12-14) in such a striking way, that they sound quite removed from the preceding three bars. Besides the difference in register, contour, and rhythmic values, there is a deeper level of difference: in measure 13, the F double sharp, which is meant to be a variation of the F double sharp in measure 10, actually stands for a different harmony and resolves downwards to F sharp and not upwards to G sharp as in measure 10. This slight derailing of the variation is an anticipation of the striking alteration of the harmony of the theme in the recapitulation (mm.61-62). I will now explain an important feature that relates to not only this specific example but also to many of Beethoven’s other compositions.
The term continuous variation refers to a process in which material, in this case a theme, is varied, after which the variant receives additional variation. While the listener feels that there is an organic connection through association from variation to variation, the final variation could be in fact quite removed from the original material. It is important to point out that I do not speak of the musical form of variation movement when I say variation, but on the technique of varying a musical material in a musical piece. A magnificent example for that procedure is the way Beethoven varies the first theme of the first movement of Sonata Op.31 No.1. In the second theme of Op. 109, measures 12-14 are a variation of measures 9-11. In measures 12-14, the texture, register, contour and rhythmic values are stretched to a striking extent, but the harmonic progression is very similar, and the dynamic markings are the same (I will show throughout this essay that the dynamic and pedal markings, which are usually considered as mere performance instructions, are for Beethoven, and particularly in this Sonata, often of structural significance). In the recapitulation, however, measures 61-63 do not follow the harmonic progression of measures 58-60, as they did in the exposition. On the contrary, the harmony in measure 62, C major, is quite removed from the F sharp minor chord in the parallel measure (m.59). We recognize the material of bars 61-62 because it is related to bars 12-13 of the exposition, in texture, register, contour and rhythmic values, although it has little to do with the theme in measures 58-59. Here we can see that Sonata form, with its inherent parallelism of exposition and recapitulation, creates a fruitful ground for Beethoven to experiment with continuous variation.
Through careful observation one can find an interesting relationship between the first and second themes: G sharp, F sharp, E, D sharp, E, F sharp of the beginning of the second theme (m.9), are also present in the inner voice of the first theme in the first four measures in the alto part.[3]
I would like to add a note about the tempo of the second theme: Beethoven marks adagio espressivo. The pianist should address this instruction as a local contrast in tempo within a movement of a lively tempo. Therefore, the choice of tempo here would probably be faster that the choice of tempo in an adagio movement. This adagio should be played at a relatively moving pace. But, since this marking relates to the whole second theme, it should definitely be played slower than how one would play the adagio in last movement of the Kreutzer Sonata Op. 49 (mm.489-492, 497-500), for example, since there only a few measures are locally marked adagio in a framework of a swift tempo.
The development section (mm.16-48) begins in B major after a long ascending scale that goes to B3. Then the register falls suddenly. However, the performer would be advised not to create a feeling of a total new beginning here, since the B3 is being reached again, and keep the former scale up to G sharp4 [4]. Only then the register drops again and the right hand receives a melodious treatment, with a long legato marking that remains for the rest of the development section (notice that the melody in measure 22, which starts the new section, actually comes from the bass line of measures 18-21). Now there is a much longer, but similar in principle, progression of going up in register, until a B4 is being reached in measure 42.
Schenker pointed out that the G sharp4 in measure 21 is left hanging high and the register changes drastically, and realized that this G sharp and the next B4 in measure 42 are related to the two first notes of the piece.[5] To that I would like to add that in measure 97, the two very last notes in the left hand, in the very highest register of Beethoven's piano before the last E major chord, are again G sharp and B.[6] This creates a beautiful symmetric shape: the first and last short units of the movement are of the same notes, and these notes are presented, far away from each other, but connected by register, in a vast episode in the middle.
I would like to investigate further how Beethoven creates relationships between different sections of this Sonata movement. A parallel that is important for a performer to notice, since it helps to frame the end of the second themes in the exposition and the recapitulation, is that the bass line in measure 15 (F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, B) is parallel to the bass line in measure 65 (B, C sharp, D sharp, E). In the second theme in the recapitulation the C major chord in measure 62 is significant because of a battle between C natural and C sharp which it anticipates, a battle between the natural and minor sixths of E major. One may notice, that right after the C major chord in measure 62 there is an A major 6 chord, with C sharp in the bass in measure 63, which resolves to B. This is an anticipation of a much clearer struggle that will appear towards the end of the movement. In measure 82 there is C natural in the bass that resolves to B and in measure 84 there is C sharp that resolves to B in the soprano part. This battle continues in measures 89 to 92 and ends with a victory of C sharp. In a similar way, the three movements of the Sonata are in the keys of E major, E minor and E major, and the first notes of each movement are accordingly G sharp, G natural, G sharp. This procedure of natural 6 to five scale degrees and flatten 6 to five scale degrees in major chord, which I described above as a battle, is something Beethoven does as early as in the first movement of Sonata op. 14 No.1, measures 137 to 140.
It is remarkable that, with all of his originality, Beethoven has certain trademarks that he uses throughout his musical career from his very first opuses until the very last. Another example that is present in our Sonata would be the double interpretation of the Augmented 6th chord, which sometimes resolves properly, but is sometimes treated locally as a Dominant 7th chord. Beethoven resolves it as a Dominant 7th chord before its proper resolution in many instances throughout his output, in both very large and very small scales. This treatment could be found in Sonata Op. 109 in the second and third movements as I will show later in this essay. A large scale example of this procedure could be found in the harmonic plan of the entire development section of the first movement of Sonata op. 10 number 3 in D major: the core of the development (m.133) starts in the key of B flat major which transforms itself to an Augmented 6th chord of the Dominant of D major in measure 165, not before it has been treated as the Dominant 7th chord of E flat major in measure 156.[7] A third example of such a Beethovenian trademark would be to start the bridge section with a surprising harmony which is in fact preparing the Augmented 6th chord of the second key theme area. Examples for that would be found in the first movements of Sonata Op.10/1 and the Spring Sonata for violin and piano, Op.24. Another example of such a trademark would be that very often, and especially in early and middle period works, Beethoven presents a very substantial theme in modulatory bridge passages; a theme which often overshadows the thematic material of the actual second theme area. Examples for that would be the first movement of Sonatas Op.2/2, Op.2/3, and Op.13.
The coda of the first movement of Op.109 is unusually long in proportion to the other sections of the movement. From the beginning of the coda in the end of measure 65, there is a clear division of four quarter notes for each phrase and the phrases are organized in pairs: the right hand melody of four notes is repeated in the left hand. Each of these four note groups creates a line of an ascending fourth. However, in the middle of measure 73 a similar phrase begins, but consists of only three notes instead of four. The listener expects the fourth note of the group to appear in order to fulfill an ascending line of a fourth interval (the fourth note in this case would be B). Instead, the incomplete phrase of three notes is repeated: measures 75-77 are in fact an answer to measures 73-74. They are constructed of the same notes F sharp, G sharp, A. Then, the A in measure 77 is re-harmonized, with B sharp in the bass, which takes us to G sharp in the top voice, leaving us to wait until measure 85 for the B which was missing (there is a B in measure 79, but it is passing, and the only B in the top voice in this passage which is supported by a consonant harmony is in the second beat of measure 85). One should also notice that the new phrase that starts in measure 78 starts with the notes G sharp, C sharp, B and ends in measures 84 and 85 with the same notes and with the same rhythm. Those observations will help the performer understand where should the phrase go, and by that will prove to be very useful.
Movement Two
Before discussing the second movement I would like to explain in short the notion of hyper measure: the same way as there are, say, four beats in a measure of 4/4 time, of which the first is the strongest, the third is less strong, and yet the second and the fourth are the weakest, one could think of groups of consequent measures the same way, when each measure behaves like a beat and has its relative weight accordingly.
I would like to point out to the reader that the bass line in the first theme of the second movement is identical to the bass line of the first four measures of the first movement, but in minor. Each measure of the second movement's first theme is equivalent to half a measure in the first measure.[8] The first movement starts with an upbeat of one quarter note, although it is very possible to be mistaken and to hear it as a downbeat, and to hear the actual downbeats of the theme as weak beats. After realizing the similarity of the bass lines in the beginnings of the two movements, and since the first note of the bass in the first movement belongs to the upbeat, it occurred to me that there is a possibility of looking at certain parts of the second movement as ambivalent in their metric division on the hyper measure level. It seems clear that the first measure of the second movement is a downbeat of a two measure hyper measure but looking at some of the phrases that seem to start with a downbeat measure as if they actually start with an upbeat measure could absolve some of the obscurities of the rhythmic behavior, and particularly in the development section:
Measures 70-82 in the development section are divided into four measure units, but there is one three measure unit (measures 76-79) which leads to a change from B to C in the bass in measure 80. However, if one counts measure 70 as the fourth beat of the hyper measure, an upbeat to measure 79, measure 80 would be a downbeat measure, and would resolve that uncomfortable rhythmic change in a satisfactory way. One may also notice that the A natural in measure 71 creates a dissonance with the A in the bass, which creates a natural stress in that measure. That would be a good opportunity to change the rhythmic significance of the measure to a strong one, so that measure 79 will arrive on a strong beat. Measure 65 is also an extra measure since measures 57 to 64 are divided to two groups of four measures and in measure 66 a clear downbeat in the beginning of a four measure group appears in a transposition of the first theme of the movement to B minor. In the recapitulation (m.105), the theme appears in its entirety but in its eighth measure (m.112) an overlap occurs and the left hand enters with the theme once more.
An interesting rhythmic manipulation occurs in measures 119 and 120. The theme of the bridge section in (m.120) begins in the ninth bar of the statement of the first theme in the left hand (mm.112-120), as it should in terms of hyper measure. However, the listener feels that there is an overlap between the end of the theme and the beginning of the bridge section in measure 120. The overlap is caused by an extra bar in the theme in (m.119), where a modulation from E minor to C major takes place. This is a beautiful example which of how Beethoven experiments with the idea of overlapping. In the first appearance of the theme in measure 105, the theme is interrupted in its eighth measure by the beginning of a new appearance of the theme in the left hand. This time the theme is interrupted in its ninth bar, which should have been metrically stable but to the theme itself one measure is added and therefore is felt as being interrupted again. Beethoven marks measure 120 as p espressivo, which he writes between the two staves of the right and left hand. I would suggest that the performer would treat this marking as an instruction for the new material in the right hand and therefore end the theme in the left hand ff and not subito piano. This will emphasize the effect of the overlap that occurs in this measure. If one holds the first E in the right hand in measure 120 for a bit longer than its metronomic value, which will be perfectly legitimate as it is marked espressivo, there will be enough time for the C in the left hand to fade away without the need of playing it piano. At measure 120 this overlap takes the place of sixteen measures of material in the exposition (measures 9-24), which do not repeat in the recapitulation and which are compensated for by the repetition of the first theme in measure 112 to 119 in the left hand.
There is a surprising harmonic progression from the end of the development to the recapitulation. The second movement starts very abruptly with an E minor tonality and is played fortissimo after the last E major chord of the first movement. Even the pedal is marked to be released on the first note of the second movement, which creates quite a shocking effect. In the recapitulation Beethoven achieves a surprising effect by ending the development on an F sharp major chord, the Dominant of B minor, in pianissimo, with the una corda pedal, and then the recapitulation starts with the theme fortissimo again and tutte le corde. What adds to the tension and to the surprise in the recapitulation is the entrance of the theme in the left hand in an overlap, and then the surprising entrance of the bridge section in measure 120, a procedure I previously described.
The tempo marking of the movement is presto in 6/8 meter. The difficulty in choosing a suitable tempo is that each eighth should feel like a pulse. Often in performance we loose the feeling that each eight is an actual pulse, and instead, the movement sounds as if it is written in 2/4 meter with triplets. A useful way to find the right tempo is to say aloud as fast as possible the same consonant (i.e kkkkk/bbbbb/ttttt). Surprisingly, any consonant we choose will result in about the same tempo, and still we will hear each of the consonants as an even pulse. In comparison, one could try to say as fast as possible two different consonants, i.e dbdbdbdb/ldldldld, and will find that the tempo is much faster, but that every two consonants form a pulse. A similar effect will happen with three consonants.
I would like to address another issue of performance: measures 29-33 are marked with un poco espressivo, and measure 33 is marked a tempo. This curious marking suggests that the term un poco espressivo implies some kind of change in tempo. To me it seems that there are two interpretations to this marking in relation to tempo: the first is to play the un poco espressivo section quite a bit slower than the regular tempo of the movement, and indeed this is the interpretation most performers choose. The second interpretation would be to play measures 29 to 32 in tempo rubato. Therefore the term a tempo after the un poco espressivo would mean to play strictly in time after allowing certain freedom of expression inside the bar unit and not to go back to a faster tempo after slowing down.
There is still another interesting difference between the exposition and the recapitulation in the bridge area. In the exposition, the bridge starts in measure 25 with four measures of unison marked piano and followed by four measures of a more singing and polyphonic texture marked un poco espressivo. In the recapitulation the bridge starts at measure 120 with a singing line in polyphonic texture that is marked p espressivo. This is followed by eight measures that start with the unison and are marked a tempo. Therefore, it seems to the inexperienced listener that the order of the two sections in measures 25-32 is switched in the recapitulation. However, this change in the order of events relates only to orchestration, texture, register, dynamic markings and the instructions a tempo and espressivo. Structurally, the first part of the bridges of both exposition and recapitulation is harmonically stable while the second part modulates to the second theme area (which starts on the Dominant of B minor in the exposition [m.33] and Dominant of E minor in the recapitulation [m.132]). Therefore, structurally, the order of the two sections is the same in the exposition and recapitulation of the movement.
In measures 49-57 we can see how Beethoven experiments with the two possible resolutions of the Augmented 6th chord[9]. In measure 49, we see a Dominant 7th chord of C major, which becomes a Dominant 4/2 chord in measure 51 and resolves to a C major chord in the first inversion in measure 52. This Dominant 4/2 chord is transformed into an Augmented 6th chord of B minor in its root position (m.55) and resolves to a cadential 6/4 and Dominant of B minor which is then prolonged until its resolution in measure 66. This procedure of interpreting the Augmented 6th chord as a Dominant chord is also utilized in the variation movement of the Sonata. I will reference this procedure in my discussion of the third movement.
Measures 83-96 consist of one long rising a scale which begins in the bass, moves to the tenor, and ends in the bass again.[10] Should a sensitive performer make this rising line audible to the listener, this polyphonic section will be beautifully held together.
One should notice that measures 168-169 are a harmonized repetition of measures 166-167. Therefore, the main melody of measures 168-169 appears in the bass with the notes B, B, E while the soprano part is mere upper counterpoint to this motive.
The movement ends with the same bass progression with which it started. This is also the same bass progression used in the first theme of the first movement. In Beethoven’s manuscript, the crescendo that starts in measure 173 is written below the left hand part and not, as in all of the printed editions, in between the left hand and right hand parts. That to me suggests that Beethoven wanted the crescendo to be only in the left hand, while the right hand stays piano and grows only by the change in orchestration and register. If one follows that suggestion, the effect of the forte and staccato in the last two measures will be much more powerful. Furthermore, this will draw attention to the bass line which, in effect, will reveal its structural importance throughout the Sonata as a whole.
Movement Three
The third movement is in the form of a theme and variations. There are six variations, which are followed by a final appearance of the theme. In the following analysis I will address the way in which the variations stem from the theme, how the variations relate to one another, and the connections between the third movement and the two previous movements. I will also examine each variation individually in regards to its structure, voice leading, texture, and emotional impact.
Beethoven wrote variation movements in the form of doubles, a successive speeding up of the variations in a movement, in his Apassionata and in Sonata Op. 111. Although not strictly in the form of doubles, the third movement mimics this form by increasing the complexity of texture and emotional power: the second variation starts with a single voice that arpeggiates the three voices of the theme. The third variation is written in two voices, as a kind of two-part invention. The fourth variation is mainly a three-part variation, and the fifth variation is mainly in four voices. Finally the sixth variation shows the idea of doubles on a smaller scale: the rhythmic values of the sixth variation get faster and faster throughout and create a written out crescendo as well as accelerando.
The theme is constructed of two sections which I will refer to as section A and section B. Each one of the sections is eight measures long and is repeated twice. In variations where the repeat is written out, I will refer to the first section as A1, the second as A2, and B1 and B2 accordingly. Section A is constructed of four appearances of the same melodic material, each of which is varied in register and ornamentation in a way that creates one continuous melody[11]. Section B is freer in its structure and expression: the arpeggios in measures 13 and 14 create a more improvisatory, pianistic, and personal nature than the three-part layout of section A. Section B has a freer harmonic outline than section A, and is modulatory in its nature: it starts in the Dominant with a four measure sequence and ends in the tonic key. Since Beethoven writes slurs in the left and right hands in section A, the performer should conclude that Beethoven strives for a more or less even orchestration in terms of volume and expression in the bass and soprano lines. In his manuscript, Beethoven initially slurred both soprano and bass lines of section B as well, but then deleted the slur of the bass line. One should conclude that here Beethoven wishes the soprano line to sing out with a more prominent tone in comparison to the other voices. This idea of a modest and contained A section and a freer B section is expanded in the later variations of the movement in various ways which I will address in each variation separately.
The marking of mezza voce, which Beethoven writes in the beginning of the theme, should be addressed. Each composer uses different terminology to express his intentions and indeed sometimes the terms mezza voce and sotto voce are treated as synonyms in terms of execution. Mezza voce literally means ‘in half voice’ and sotto voce means ‘under the voice’ or ‘in the very bottom of the voice’. Czerny writes in his treatise about piano performance that mezza voce is, in terms of dynamics, somewhere between mp and f.[12] The performer could imagine a singer singing not in his full voice nor with a very tender pianissimo. The term mezza voce could also imply fewer inflections in phrasing. It would suggest that the musical line should be carried out in an even way and not with great crescendi and diminuendi.
First variation
In the first variation there is a clear division of solo melody and chordal accompaniment. Although there are repeat signs, the sections are connected by written out transitions in the first and second repeats. This movement has a certain resemblance to the Benedictus of the Missa Solemnis (on which Beethoven worked simultaneously in 1820, the same year that he wrote Sonata Op. 109), with its solo violin and chordal accompaniment. In his sketches for this variation, Beethoven wrote a G sharp between the B and E in the right hand in measure 17. Although this version relates closer to the melody of the theme, Beethoven later chose to omit the G sharp, perhaps in order to separate the B from the other parts of the melody. Beethoven also accents the B in every reoccurrence and then in the B section continues with A and G sharp. In the last variation we will see how Beethoven expands this idea with a pedal point of B throughout the entire variation.
Second variation
Variation two is actually a double variation. Each section of the theme is treated in two different ways instead of repeating the material literally. Beethoven often uses a double variation in his sets of variation movements, two examples of this being the third variation of the Appassionata and the fourth movement of Sonata op 111. Section A1 is almost entirely written in single notes, and in a perpetual mobile of sixteenth notes. It is interesting to notice that although the texture of this section is so different from that of the theme, it is actually an arpeggiation of the three voices of the theme in their exact pitches and registers. The dynamic markings in the second variation are the same as in the theme except for measure 40 which instead of subito p is marked in the second variation as dimin. p. The cause for that change could be the fact that Beethoven, as he does often, renotates the A sharp of the Augmented 6th chord as B flat and resolves that chord to an F chord before returning to the Augmented 6th chord while this time resolving it correctly to the Dominant of E major[13]. This variant in the harmony creates an emotional tension that requires a gradual diminuendo towards the resolution of the Augmented 6th chord to the Dominant chord and would not be as effective if one would play a subito p as it appears in the theme. This is the first time in the third movement that Beethoven introduces a false resolution of the Augmented 6th chord as a Dominant 7th chord. In this instance the length of the false resolution lasts for only one eighth. Beethoven will expand this possibility in variations IV and V.
Section B1 in this variation is written an octave higher than its parallel section in the theme. It starts pianissimo, and follows the theme less strictly than section A1, which again draws attention to the freer expression of the B section in the theme itself. Section A2 (m.41-48) is marked teneramente, which means tenderly, and uses the technique of reaching over.[14] The beginning of the fifth variation uses this technique as well. This is an example of how Beethoven uses the idea of continuous variation in a variation movement. Section B2 (m.57) starts with a D natural that was not present in the theme or in the variations before. The performer might mistakenly relate this D natural to the D sharp in the bass line of the theme in measure 9. However, this D natural is in fact an upper neighbor of the C sharp that is in the top voice of measure 9. This C sharp in turn is the upper neighbor of B. In the second movement of the Sonata, the second half of measure 43 demonstrates the exact voice leading procedure that I suggest here, with the exact same pitches.[15] This brief progression in the 43rd measure of the second movement is the same as the voice leading construction of the first two measures of the B section in this variation as well as in variations four, five, and six.
Third variation
In the third variation the bass and soprano lines of the theme are inverted: the left hand has the main pitches of the melody of the soprano parts of the theme and the right hand has the main notes of the bass. In this variation it becomes clear that the original theme is in fact constructed of repeated voice exchanges of the first and third degrees of the tonic in the first measure and of the Dominant in the second[16]. In the fourth measure of this variation, Beethoven reverses the parts again, i.e. what starts in the right hand of this variation as the representation of the bass line becomes in the fourth measure the main note of the soprano line. This is marked with a sf on the notes A sharp, A sharp, B, and in A2 section this transformation is marked by forte after a crescendo of three measures. Since the voices are inverted at the point of the change in dynamics, the markings could be regarded as having structural importance. The notes A sharp, A sharp, B in measures 68 in the right hand sound very similar those in the left hand in measure 72, but in fact form different harmonies, as they do in the parallel spots in the original theme in measures 4 and 8. The former A sharp is supported by a Dominant 4/3 chord of B major and the latter is supported by an Augmented 6th chord.
In section A2, beginning in measure 77, Beethoven fills the thirds of the bass line of the original theme with an ascending scale. This becomes similar to the notes of the original bass while showing even more clearly the connection between the bass line of the beginning of this movement and the descending bass lines of the beginnings of the first and second movements. In the bass line, in measure 78, there is a D natural followed by a D sharp which is related to the D natural of measure 57 and the D sharp in the bass line in measure 9. However, this time the D natural is a chromatic ornamentation of a single voice, while in the former case the D natural belongs to the top voice and resolves down to C sharp while the D sharp is in the bass leads up to E sharp and F sharp.
Fourth variation
In the fourth variation the Augmented 6th chord is also resolved first as a Dominant 7th chord (m. 104). Here one could see more clearly the function of the D natural as an upper neighbor of C sharp. The tempo marking in the German is quite clear. Nevertheless, in the Italian translation, which Beethoven marked himself, the composer reveals his opinion regarding a discussion that does not relate to this piece alone. The debated question is: Is andante basically a slow pace or a fast one? In his translation Beethoven says: “A bit less andante and more adagio more than the theme.” Therefore Beethoven shows that he considered andante (literally translated as ‘going’) as a moving pace and therefore piu andante implies a faster pace, not slower. Many pianists play the theme of this variation movement, as well as the variation movement of Appassionata, in a very slow tempo, despite the fact that Beethoven marks both movements as andante, in contrast to the variation movement of Sonata Op. 111 which is marked adagio molto.
Fifth variation
In this fugato variation Beethoven repeats the B2 section twice. The repetition is exact but the first time is forte and the second time is piano. Here too the dynamic markings are of structural importance as they clearly frame each of the B2 sections. The repetition of section B2 in this variation is an example of Beethoven’s treatment with the freer B section of the theme in comparison to the A section. He exploits the freer possibilities of the B section by expanding it to twenty-four measures instead of sixteen. Another example of Beethoven’s emphasis on the freer character of section B is found in variation six, where the A section sounds almost like a prelude to section B and creates great tension and anticipation before the explosion which we experience in the arrival of section B, in measure 169. In the fifth variation, the first voice of the fugato is constructed of the same notes of the melody of the theme with the exception of the C sharp in measure 114. In this variation one can see once again the procedure of continuous variation as it starts with a reaching over procedure which comes from the A2 section of variation two (m.41), and presents a D natural in measures 129, 137, and 145 which comes from the B2 section of the second variation (m.57). Here the D natural appears very clearly as an upper neighbor of C sharp. In this case, as well as in the case of the clear voice exchanges in measures 65-67 in variation three, Beethoven not only composes in continuous variation by the means of varying the variation of a theme but he also clarifies enigmatic qualities of former variations in the ones which follow them.
Sixth variation
In the sixth variation we see, on a small scale, the features of the doubles form expressed in its entirety. The A section is composed as a written out crescendo and accelerando in the following way: the theme is accompanied with repeating B quarter notes in the upper voices of the right and left hands that are (beginning in measure 155) divided into eights, then to triplets, sextuplets, groups of eight, and a free trill. During this accelerando the theme itself starts a new progression of subdivision that marks the beginning of section A2 (m.161). The pedal point on B, throughout this entire variation, comes from the tenor voice of section B of the theme (measures 9-11), as well as the accented B in the top voice in section A of the first variation. Beethoven does a similar thing in the last variation of the second movement of Sonata Op. 111. The trill there too comes from G in the tenor voice of the theme.
I would like to point out that the changes in meter in the A section of this variation (mm.157, 160) refer to subdivisions of a consistent beat, i.e. three eights equal one quarter note. A similar problem of metric notation arises in the last movement of the Kreutzer Sonata, Op.47, in measures 127-147 and 403-425, where the meter changes back and forth from 6/8 to 2/4.
In Sonata Op. 109, measure 169, the D natural is again prominent in the right hand. However in section B2 (m.127), this upper neighbor of C sharp is presented in the passages of the left hand while the right hand introduces the main melody in a very high register. The last bar of the B section is stretched in this variation for four measures (mm.184-187) which Beethoven unites under one pedal. Notice that Beethoven refrains from pedaling the sonorous passages before that particular section. This pedal marking should be considered as structurally important, since it is meant to show that measures 184-187 are a unit that originates from the single last measure of the theme. Those four measures however do not resolve the dissonant of the Dominant 7th chord above the tonic bass. The resolution only occurs in the first quarter note of measure 188, which is the last statement of the original theme. The G sharp in the main melody of this final appearance of the theme resolves from the A in the measure before that and not from the trill on B. The performer therefore should be advised not to end the turn of the trill on B as if it is leading to the G sharp but rather kept sustained in the air as a part of a long ritenuto. This time the theme appears with the marking cantabile and not molto espressivo as the beginning of the movement. One should take this into account as well as the fact that there is no crescendo in the fourth measure of the theme this time. In the end of this variation, Beethoven marks pedal on the last chord. One should be careful that the last chord sounds like the third beat of the measure and should not let the pedal emphasize too strongly the last chord. It should still sound as a resolution of the Dominant 7th chord on a weak beat.
In our universe, several principles of nature manifest themselves in an infinite number of phenomena, which at times compliment each other and at times contradict one another. The great masterpieces of art possess this quality too: they contain a wide range of expressions, from the purest tenderness to the most explosive ferocity, but are united by a greater force of absolute structure, where everything is put in order and the content never threatens the work of art as a whole. On the contrary: it intensifies its expression and gives it life. The great artist achieves what is closest in our human abilities to the work of God – the act of creating. Creating a universe that is able to live by its own, with its own balance between law and expression, between order and life. The Sonata Op. 109 is its own universe. Its laws of nature are the links which connect each phrase so beautifully to another, whether it is the following phrase or a phrase in a different movement, just as the same laws of nature apply in the interaction between two people, as well as between two removed galaxies. In this essay I sought to reveal some of those beautiful laws of the nature of this piece to the reader, and tried to address the pianist who takes upon himself the task of performing this piece. I did my work with love and humility for this beautiful work of art and its creator, and hope the reader will find it beneficial.
Bibliography
Czerny, Carl 1791-1857. Über den richtigen Vortrag der sämtlichen Beethoven'schen Klavierwerke. Paul Badura-Skoda. Wien: Universal Edition, 1963. Printed in German. ISMN: M008001017
Czerny, Carl 1791-1857. Von dem Vortrage : (1839) : dritter Teil aus Vollständige theoretisch-practische Pianoforte-Schule : op. 500..
Schenker, Heinrich 1868-1935. Beethoven: die letzten Sonaten: Sonate E Dur Op. 109. Wien: Universal Edition, 1971. Printed in German.
Beethoven, Ludwig van 1770-1827. Artaria 195 : Beethoven's sketchbook for the Missa solemnis and the Piano sonata in E major, opus 109. William Kinderman.
Beethoven, Ludwig van 1770-1827. Klaviersonaten. Bertha Antonia Wallner 1876-1956, Conrad Hansen. München : G. Henle, 1980. Printed in German, English, and French. ISMN: M201890326 (v. 1);ISMN: M201890340 (v. 2)
[1] See Example 1
[2] See example 2
[3] See Example 3
[4] See Example 4
[5] Schenker, 18
[6] See Example 6
[7] See Example 5
[8] See Example 7
[9] See Example 8
[10] See Example 9
[11] See Example 10
[13] See Example 13
[14] See Example 11
[15] See Example 12
[16] See Example 14
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