This piano sonata marks the beginning of Beethoven’s late style when his sonatas became highly philosophical and transcendental in nature. Written in the summer of 1816, his physical health continued to deteriorate as he neared total deafness. At this time, Beethoven began to use German tempo markings, in addition to the Italian, which he believed captured deeper meaning into the affect he intended for each movement. The first movement is marked, Etwas Lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung, translates to, “somewhat lively, and with the innermost feeling”.
Though written in A Major, Beethoven opens this movement in the dominant harmony and delays any semblance of a tonic cadence until the recapitulation. The second movement (04:25) is a lively march in F Major with a canonic middle section. Contrapuntal writing becomes a prominent characteristic of late Beethoven, as many of his later sonatas included long and complex fugues. The third movement (10:55) , Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll, meaning “slowly and longingly”, serves as a slow introduction to the last movement. A cyclical moment in the transition reminisces upon first movement theme before a trill rings in the final movement. The finale (14:00) returns to A Major, and Beethoven provides the direction, Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit (“quickly, but not too much, and with determination”). The development of this movement unfolds as a four-voice fugue. Towards the recap, and with a touch of humor, Beethoven pretends to begin the fugue theme all over again, only to quickly turn around and close out the movement.
Performed in fulfillment of my first DMA Recital at USC in Alfred Newman Recital Hall.