Piano Sonata No. 22 (Beethoven)
Encyclopedia
Ludwig van Beethoven
's Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op.
54, was written in 1804
. It is contemporary to the first sketches of the equally concise Symphony in C Minor, #5
. It is one of Beethoven's lesser known sonatas, overshadowed by its widely known neighbours, the Appassionata
and the Waldstein
.
The Sonata is remarkable in its concision, a precursor in some ways to the Sonata in E Major, Opus 109. The two movements present opposite faces on many levels:
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op.
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
54, was written in 1804
1804 in music
-Events:*Beethoven angrily renames his Third Symphony from the Napoleon to the Eroica after Napoleon crowns himself emperor.*Nicolas Dalayrac is awarded the Légion d'honneur.-Classical music:*Ludwig van Beethoven** Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major written...
. It is contemporary to the first sketches of the equally concise Symphony in C Minor, #5
Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata, an andante, and a fast...
. It is one of Beethoven's lesser known sonatas, overshadowed by its widely known neighbours, the Appassionata
Piano Sonata No. 23 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 is a piano sonata. It is considered one of the three great piano sonatas of his middle period . It was composed during 1804 and 1805, and perhaps 1806, and was dedicated to Count Franz von Brunswick...
and the Waldstein
Piano Sonata No. 21 (Beethoven)
The Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53, also known as the Waldstein, is considered to be one of Beethoven's greatest piano sonatas, as well as one of the three particularly notable sonatas of his middle period . The sonata was completed in the summer of 1804...
.
- In tempoTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
d'un menuettoMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
: A Minuet in 3/4 time, with a modulating Trio. Anton KuertiAnton KuertiAnton Kuerti, OC is an Austrian-born Canadian pianist, music teacher, composer, and conductor. Since his performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto with the Boston Pops Orchestra at age 11, he has developed international recognition as a solo pianist, particularly focusing on the works of Beethoven...
refers to this piece as a parody of uncreative composers. The melody commences, but grinds to a halt, and after doing this again, it decides to suddenly end the phrase in an attempted friendly way, which is anything but friendly, and nothing but awkward. This piece gradually redeems itself (but not much) when it garners variations for its main theme. Only at the coda does a virtuoso performance take place. - Allegretto - Più allegro: In 2/4 time. "If the first movement was constipated, then the second movement suffers from the opposite ailment." (Anton Kuerti) This is shown in the piece, as the main melody has a non-stop continuous, sixteenth-note pattern that does not stop for even a second in this piece. The piece gradually gets more and more agitated in the coda, keeping a forward motion, unwilling to close.
The Sonata is remarkable in its concision, a precursor in some ways to the Sonata in E Major, Opus 109. The two movements present opposite faces on many levels:
- In tempo: the first movement is relaxed, the second, agitated.
- In meter: the first movement is in triple time, the second, double.
- In rhetoric: the first movement is improvisatory and wandering in its unfolding, the second is a relentless moto perpetuo.
- In thematic material: the first movement develops two distinct theme, the second develops one thematic idea.
- In harmonic development: the first movement follows a classic Tonic-Dominant schema, the second includes abrupt harmonic shifts.
External links
- A lecture by András SchiffAndrás SchiffAndrás Schiff is a Hungarian-born British classical pianist, who has won a number of awards including the Grammy and made numerous recordings.- Biography :...
on Beethoven's piano sonata op. 54 - For a public domain recording of this sonata visit Musopen