CCIV. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van: Piano Sonata #6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2

CCIV. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

Piano Sonata #6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2 (1796-98)
1. Allegro
2. Menuetto. Allegretto
3. Presto
Daniel Barenboim, piano
(13:00)

First Movement

 

Look at the last two bars of the second stave -- Beethoven quickly moves from F Major to E Major, a strange modulation -- and then begins a secondary theme in the dominant.

Second Movement

Beethoven places an Allegretto minuet in lieu of a slow movement. It is light and delicate as a flower. Look at the F Minor section at the bottom of this page:

The right hand lags a half-beat behind, producing a novel effect.

Third Movement

As is common in all of Beethoven's work, he begins a fugue but doesn't bother to finish it!

Even with the repeats, this is a short movement from a short -- but wonderful -- sonata ...