Second themes in Allegro movements

[gprengel]

Second themes in first Allegro movements usually constitute a lyrical contrast to the main theme. Today I was wondering which of these themes I love the most. Themes from these Beethoven works came to my mind:

Coriolan overture(!!),
Appassionata sonata,
piano concertos No 3, 4 and 5,
Violin concerto,
String quartett a-minor op. 132

From Schubert who even more than Beethoven was a master of "second Themes" like in:

Sinfonies Nr 8, 9 and 10,
piano sonatas a-minor op. 143 and A-Major,
string quartett in G-Major and
string quintett in C(!!)

What other themes are your favourites?

[Peter]

I can't say 'favourites' as there are so many, but here a few more examples of lovely contrasts in first movements, Brahms symphonies 2,3, Tchaikovsky symphonies 4,5,6.

[hal9000]

The B-flat major theme in the first movement of the ninth. A planted seed by Beethoven that foresees later developments in the symphony. The contrast is even more striking after the explosive recapitulation.