Op.22

[chopithoven]

Do you think that the Op.22 sonata is similar to the most evolutive sonatas around it (Op.13 and Op.10/3) in the sense of innovating the style, or that it is more traditional than the other two?

[Peter]

I've always been fond of Op.22 (the first movement was the first Beethoven sonata I studied) and Beethoven was especially pleased with it - the last movement always reminds me of the finale of the Spring Sonata (written the same year 1800). However it is rather traditional and has none of the harmonic daring of Op.10 no.3 which I think is the finest of the early sonatas, despite the greater popularity of the Pathetique.

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by chopithoven:
Do you think that the Op.22 sonata is similar to the most evolutive sonatas around it (Op.13 and Op.10/3) in the sense of innovating the style, or that it is more traditional than the other two?

I believe Beethoven promoted it as being 'first rate' to a music publisher. More conventional in form perhaps, but a more 'con brio' performance will reveal its Beethovenian dynamism (as you will hear from Badura-Skoda here in a few weeks) The slow movement is very nice too, in B's typical Italianate first period manner.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited April 28, 2003).]

[Joy]

Referring to this sonata Beethoven once wrote to Hoffmeister in April 1802: "My sonata is beautifully printed, but it has taken a jolly long time." Composed in 1800, published in 1802 by Hoffmeister & Kuhnel, and dedicated to Johann von Browne. It has always been a favourite sonata with me as well. Too bad some of his sonatas do not get the recognition as much as his other 'more famous' ones do, i.e. Pathetique, Moonlight, etc.

[chopithoven]

Originally posted by Peter:
However it is rather traditional and has none of the harmonic daring of Op.10 no.3.

Yes, this is true. However, could we say that this sonata gives a step forward out of traditionalism? I mean, isn't it more advanced than any of the classical sonatas of previous composers?

[This message has been edited by chopithoven (edited April 28, 2003).]

[Peter]

Originally posted by chopithoven:
Yes, this is true. However, could we say that this sonata gives a step forward out of traditionalism? I mean, isn't it more advanced than any of the classical sonatas of previous composers?

It really is a consolidation of all he has learnt, ready to be taken forward into the next phase of his career - so no I wouldn't say it was more advanced, but different.


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'Man know thyself'

[chopithoven]

Originally posted by Peter:
It really is a consolidation of all he has learnt, ready to be taken forward into the next phase of his career - so no I wouldn't say it was more advanced, but different.

Fine. And what about Op.26? Could we say this sonata is more advanced, considering specially the Funeral March?

[Leigh M]

Originally posted by Peter:
It really is a consolidation of all he has learnt, ready to be taken forward into the next phase of his career - so no I wouldn't say it was more advanced, but different.

I'd have to agree with Peter here.
Beethoven's sonatas from op. 2 till op. 22, and including op. 49, had a traditional formal structure. Although the works are definately musically innovative, and and marked with Beethoven's individually he was using a template that was epitomized by Haydn and Mozart with their sonatas.
Op. 26 is said to be Beethove's first "non traditional" sonata, not simply because of its musical content, but also its structure and sequence of movements, this can be seen in both of the op. 27 sonatas too.

It is important to note that the model used for op. 26: slow/moderate movement, scherzo/march movement, slow movement, fast movement in traditional form, was also used in op. 27 no 1, op. 101 and op. 106, and loosley in op. 31 no 3. As time went on beethoven ingeniously crafted these movements with startling invention, for example the use a "minature sonata form" in the opening of the moonlight and the opening of op. 101, and how in the last movement of op. 101 he uses the fugato as the development of the form, this is also done in the first movement of the Hammerklavier.

Getting back to the point op. 22 is an example of beethoven's mastery of this form, we can count ourselves fortunate that he went so much further.

[Peter]

Originally posted by chopithoven:
Fine. And what about Op.26? Could we say this sonata is more advanced, considering specially the Funeral March?

Mozart had begun his A major Sonata with a set of variations. The funeral march though is highly original - in fact I can't think of one in a sonata before, or come to that one in a Symphony before the Eroica - in the sonata it is in the rare key of Ab minor. The finale was said by Czerny to have been inspired by Cramer's Op.23 sonatas.

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'Man know thyself'