L. van Beethoven: Sonata in F Minor, op.

57
Appassionata
Mvt. III: Allegro ma non troppo- Presto
By Jure Rozman for Music Theory 4

Always a tireless innovator, Beethoven produced a number of works that

transcended musical conventions of his time. One such work is the Finale of the
Sonata in F Minor, op. 57. This essay will explore the circumstances of its
composition and detail its formal and stylistic innovations.
Ludwig van Beethovens biography is well known, but it warrants a brief
consideration. Born in Bonn, Germany in 1770, Beethoven was taught by his father
and by composer Christian Gottlob Neefe. He moved to Vienna (then the capital of
the musical world) at age 21 and pursued further studies with Joseph Haydn, the
most established and respected composer of the time. Beethoven quickly gained a
reputation as a virtuoso pianist and an innovative composer. By his late 20s his
hearing began to deteriorate, and by the last decade of his life he was almost
completely deaf. From 1811, because of the inability to perform, he devoted himself
entirely to composing. He died a recluse celebrity in 1827.
Beethovens creative life is usually divided into three periods:
Early Period: formative and early mature works. Haydns influence is
strongly felt, although there are flashes of innovation, especially in piano sonatas
(e.g. op. 27 no. 1 Moonlight).
Middle (Heroic) Period: Beethoven became increasingly dissatisfied with
the classical style and made a conscious decision to take a new way. 1 Includes
1 From Heiligenstadt Testament: a famous letter reflecting Beethovens despair over
his increasing deafness and strong desire to nevertheless complete his artistic
destiny.

Symphonies 3-6 and other large-scale works; many are emotionally powerful,
rhythmically aggressive and hint at Romanticism.
Late Period: marked by Beethovens withdrawal from the society at large,
masterpieces from this period are markedly more intimate and reflective. Renewed
study of contrapuntal styles (specifically of J.S. Bach) contributed strongly to these
innovative, transcendental works.
Beethoven wrote 32 piano sonatas. The genre was for him a laboratory in
which he explored novel ideas in an intimate setting before employing them in
large-scale orchestral or chamber works. The study of all piano sonatas thus offers
invaluable insight into Beethovens growth as a composer.
Sonata op. 57 was composed during 1804 and 1805 and is one of the most
significant works from Beethovens middle period. Technically one of the most
challenging, it is also considered his most tempestuous. In year 1803 Beethoven
finally came to grips with the irreversibility of his deteriorating hearing; this Sonata
clearly depicts the resulting anguish and sadness, but also heroic defiance and
undiminished vitality. It is one of the most performed of all Beethovens works.
Here is the form chart:
m. 1-20: Introduction
m. 20-75: Theme 1 (F Minor)
m. 75-117: Theme 2 (C Minor)
m. 117-212: Development (Theme 1 and a new theme)
m. 212-267: Theme 1 (F Minor)
m. 267-308: Theme 2 (F Minor)
m. 308-360: Coda (Presto in F Minor)
This movement is one of the most breathless of all of Beethovens works for
piano, with near-constant perpetual motion. It is innovative in several other ways;
here are a few:
1. It is a Sonata-allegro, instead of a more typical Rondo form.
2. It is connected to the 2 nd Mvt. via a fully dim 7th chord built on Db (the key
of the 2nd Mvt.)

3. It has much in common with the 1st Mvt., including the prominent use of
the Neapolitan sixth chord and several written-out cadenzas.
4. It is the only known movement by any composer that instructs the
combined repetition of the Development and the Recapitulation, rather
than the Exposition.
5. The 2nd theme is in a minor key (C Minor), rather than the usual major.
6. The Development section introduces a new theme.
7. Coda also introduces an entirely new theme (it is usually thematically
dependent).
8. It contains both an Introduction and a Coda, which is very unusual for a
Finale.
9. The Development section (95 measures) is almost as long as the
Exposition (97 measures).
In conclusion, Beethovens Piano Sonata op. 57 is rightfully recognized as one
of the greatest masterpieces from any era. Its virtuoso elements, darkly profound
themes and rhythmic vitality have made it a favorite of performers and audiences
alike. For me, it represents the improbable victory of the defiant human spirit over
the inevitable, and often cruel, fate.