Sonate No. 25, 1st Movement

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About this score

The Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major, Op. 79, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1809. It is one of Beethoven's shorter sonatas with an approximate performance time of only eleven minutes, if Beethoven's prescribed repeats are all observed. It is also the shortest of his sonatas with more than two movements.

The first movement opens forcefully with a three-note motive (G, B, G) heard frequently throughout the movement. The second theme group in D major is based on fast scale and arpeggio passages and leads very swiftly into the forceful codetta. A few hesitant octave notes are played before the exposition repeats. The entire exposition is but 35 seconds long (without the repeat).

The development section dominates this movement, being approximately 60 seconds long. It features frequent modulation as well as themes borrowed and fragmented from the exposition including the opening three note motive which is heard in the form of left-hand crossovers. This motive starts on E major, then moves on to B 7th and later moves in C minor followed by G 7th, ending in almost strange E-flat major, B Flat 7th combination. The recapitulation snaps the listener back to the home key forcefully with its opening three note motive, then proceeds to repeat the exposition entirely in the home key.

The development and recapitulation together are enclosed in a second, longer repeat mark.

As a final touch to this sonata, the coda features the main theme played in G Major in the left hand with treble, then the theme again in A minor in the right hand with bass accompaniment, then the same thing again except with comedic acciaccatura inserted. The recapitulation and coda together take up approximately another minute.

The whole movement (with the exposition repeated) lasts approximately three minutes. If the second repeat prescribed by Beethoven, encompassing the development and recapitulation, is observed, this brings the total performance time to around four and a half minutes.

Genre: Classical
Format: Transcription

Comments (1)

Flyingninja77's picture

Thank you for posting. I think some of the notes on the first page aren't right (but I may be mistaken).

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Info

Uploaded Jul 13, 2012
Pages 8
Duration 5:03
Measures 205
Key signature 1 sharp
Parts 1
Part names
  • Acoustic Grand Piano
License All rights reserved
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