Ludwig van Beethoven
Three Piano Sonatas, WoO 47 (Beethoven)
The Three Piano Sonatas, WoO 47, were composed by Ludwig van Beethoven probably between 1782 and 1783, when he was between eleven and twelve years old. The sonatas show a certain level of precocity
No. 1 in E major#
The second theme of the first movement closely resembles part of the first, so that in the recapitulation the first theme can be omitted entirely without its absence being noticed. One of the main characteristics of Beethoven’s thought is evident in this sonata: the development of a multitude of contrasting motifs and characters from a basic cell. The liveliness of the Rondo reveals Beethoven’s evident pleasure in his own virtuosity. : \new PianoStaff > > bes8-. ees8-. f8-. > > > > > > > > > > \slurDotted > > \slurSolid > ees8 ees8 ees8 ees8\prall( d8) d4 bes8 \rest \grace bes'16 aes8\p \grace g16 f8 \grace ees16 d8 d8(\f ees8) ees4 bes8\rest \grace c'16 bes8\p \grace aes16 g8 \grace f16 ees8 ees8\startTrillSpan(\f d8)\stopTrillSpan d4. \grace bes'16 aes8\p \grace g16 f8 \grace ees16 d8 ees8-.\ff g16( f16) ees8-. d8-. c8-. ees16( d16) c8-. bes8-. aes8-. c16( bes16) aes8-. g8-. f8-. aes16( g16) f8-. ees8-. \grace d16 bes'8 d,16( ees16) f16( ees16 d16 c16) bes2 \new Staff \relative c \clef bass \key ees \major > \clef treble bes16 aes'16 f16 aes16 bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16 bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16 bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16 bes,16 g'16 ees16 g16 bes,16 g'16 ees16 g16 bes,16 g'16 ees16 g16 bes,16 g'16 ees16 g16 bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16 bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16 bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16 bes,16 aes'16 f16 aes16 ees8-. g16( f16) ees8-. d8-. c8-. ees16( d16) c8-. bes8-. \clef bass aes8-. c16( bes16) aes8-. g8-. f8-. aes16( g16) f8-. ees8-. \grace d16 bes'8 d,16( ees16) f16( ees16 d16 c16) bes2 » :Beginning of No. 1 in E major
No. 2 in F minor#
The musical ideas are individualized in this sonata, where the strongest emotions are expressed. In the conception of the time, the key of F minor is perceived as severe and passionate, and Beethoven would return to this character later, especially in the Sonatas Op. 2 No. 1 and Op. 57. The first movement, deeply Beethovenian, begins with a slow introduction that makes abundant use of contrasting registers. The appearance of the main theme through repetitions and the change of tempo to allegro already prefigure the Pathétique Sonata. The Presto, with its unison passages and its agitated lines, puts a passionate end to this remarkable work, written by a child. : \new PianoStaff 2\arpeggio f8.\prall f16 f4 f8\p( aes) aes-. aes-. aes\prall( g) g( f) > c,8.\prall c16 c4 g8(\p bes8) bes8-. bes-. bes( aes) aes( g) > r8 > > > > > > r8 > > > > > > r8 > > > > > > > > \hideNotes r4. r1 \unHideNotes \new Staff \relative c \clef bass \key aes \major > > > > > > c,8. c16 c4 \clef treble > \clef bass aes,,,16 f'16 e16 f16 aes16 f16 e16 f16 aes,16 f'16 e16 f16 aes16 f16 e16 f16 bes,16 bes'16 a16 bes des bes a bes bes, bes’ a bes des bes a bes c, c’ b c ees c b c c, c’ b c ees c b c > c2\fermata c4 c4\rest \new Voice \voiceOne \hideNotes r2 r8 \unHideNotes aes8^ _( g8 > > > aes4\rest » » :Beginning of No. 2 in F minor
No. 3 in D major#
In the first movement the second theme is introduced as expected, in the dominant, but in the recapitulation it reappears after only four bars, and in the key of G major rather than D major, creating interesting ambiguities about its true status. The Menuetto has six variations, the fourth of which is technically difficult to play in minuet tempo. The composer again uses G major as a substitute for D major in part of the finale, thus establishing a large-scale tonal relationship of the kind normally associated with the mature Beethoven. The humorous sentiment suggested in the Scherzando was to become a regular feature of Beethoven’s work. : \new PianoStaff > > > > > > > e8 e\prall( g e) b’( g) e-. d-. d16( cis) e-. d-. cis( d) b-. cis-. a4 a'16( fis) g-. e-. d4-. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > \grace cis'16 d4 d, r8 d’-. e-. fis-. g16\f( a) g-. fis-. e4 r8 e,(\p fis g) a16( b) a-. g-. fis4 r8 d’-.\f e-. fis-. g16\f( a) g-. fis-. e4 r8 e,-.\p fis-. g-. a16(\f g) fis-. e-. d8-. fis16( a) d8-. d-. d-. d-. d16( cis) b-. ais-. b8 d16 fis b8-. b-. b-. b-. b16( a) g-. fis-. g( a) b-. a-. g8( fis) e-. d-. cis16( a’) gis-. a-. e( a) d,-. a’-. cis,( a’) gis-. a-. cis,( a’) b,-. a’-. a,4\prall cis8. e16 a,4 r4 \new Staff \relative c \clef bass \key d \major \partial 4 r4 d,4 r4 r2 r4 d'4( e fis) > a2 a,4 r4 d4 r4 r2 d4-. d( e fis) g g a a, d16 a'16 fis a d a fis a d, a’ fis a d a fis a e a g a cis a g a e a g a cis a g a d, a’ fis a d a fis a d, a’ fis a d a fis a e a g a cis a g a e a g a cis a g a > > > > > > cis16( a’) gis-. a-. e( a) d,-. a’-. cis,( a’) gis-. a-. cis,( a’) b,-. a’-. a,4 cis8. e16 a,4 r4 » :Beginning of No. 3 in D major
See also#
*List of compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven
References#
Notes Citations Sources * *
- Composer
- Ludwig van Beethoven