7/28/2019 Programme notes (excerpt)

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/programme-notes-excerpt 1/2

Beethoven : Piano Sonata Opus 10 No. 5

Movements 1-3Beethoven is famous for his piano sonatas and lived from 1770-

1827. This sonata was composed in 1798, one year before hepublished his highly successful Pathetique piano sonata. At this

time, his compositions were becoming more expressive.This sonata is from Beethoven’s early period, where he moved away

from the traditional sonta-allegro form. The sonata-allegro form is

characterized by exposition, where thematic material is introduced;

the development, where the thematic material is transformed andtransposed, etc.; and the recapitulation, which repeats the thematic

material. However, Beethoven sought to make the sonata’s

recapitulation a conclusion instead of a repetition.

The opening melody is in dotted quavers, which is very differentfrom the subsequent melody ,which consists of triplets in the righthand. After concluding with a chord, the opening theme returns and

leads to a quiet passage with sustained notes in the left hand.

Similar passages with sustained left hand notes, alberti bass, and

the opening theme are repeatedThe calm second movement contrasts the agitated first movement.

Ends with a gentle coda Unlike the other two movements, this one

uses hemidemisemiquavers and flowing passages. The melodic

content is repeated twice. In the second repetition, the melody issequenced. It ends with a quiet coda in the key of A flat major.

A six note theme introduced in the beginning of the third

movement. It is integrated into the subsequent passages. This is

also found in Beethoven’s other works. The theme starts every newsection.

 

Johannes Brahms

Intermezzo Op 118 No. 2 (1892)Born in 1833, Brahms showed musical potential at an early age.

Brahms refused to consider himself a ‘modern’ composer- that is,

one who composed programme music-that is, music with astoryline- and stuck to Classical forms such as the sonata. An

intermezzo is a short, lyrical composition.

Intermezzo is written in binary form. The A section has a mostly

chordal right-hand part. After an imitation of the opening melody,arpeggiated chords lead to an increasingly forte and heart-

wrenching climax. It fades out into a passage remniscent of the

passage that came before. It ends on a A major chord, after whichthe B section is introduced.

7/28/2019 Programme notes (excerpt)

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/programme-notes-excerpt 2/2

The second section has a thinner texture, with a simple melody in

the right hand that is repeated. However, a chordal passage played pp links the introduction of the second melody to an exposition. 

BibliographyBeethoven, Ludwig van. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.

2001-07. Accessed on 20 March 20, 2009, available at:

http://www.bartleby.com/65/be/Beethove.html 

Brahms Biography- Accessed on 21 June, 2009, available at:

http://www.johannesbrahms.org/JBbio.htm

 Klassika: Johannes Brahms- Werkverzeichnis- Accessed on 21 June

2009, available at:

http://www.klassika.info/Komponisten/Brahms/wv_opus.html 1911 Encyclopaedia Brittanica: Beethoven, Ludwig van; Annotated

list of works –Wikisource. Accessed on 21 June 2009, available at:

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop

%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Beethoven,_Ludwig_van/Annotated_List_of  _Beethoven%27s_Works

Burrows, John, ed. Classical Music . DK, 2005. Print.