DAILY DOSE of BEETHOVEN (November 20, 2020)
Earlier this week we covered Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 31 in Ab major, Op. 110 in two posts (November 17 & 18). Earlier in this series, we discussed up to a point, Beethoven’s Op. 111 (July 13th and 14th). Scholars are eager to fit these sonatas into the traditional forms. But to us, it is a bit like saying that a fishing shack and a cathedral are of the same form because they both have a roof. (See photos)
We are not quite prepared to say how many movements Op. 110 has, as it is in a process of continuous change. But for Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109, we can safely say that it has three movements, while Op. 111 has two. However, Opus. 109 and 111 share the similarity of both sonatas ending with a transcendent theme and variations, that constitutes the heart of both sonatas.
All three of them follow their own narrative, rather than any fixed pattern. Much as we might wish to categorize them according to a formula we find acceptable, the truth may well be that the world has yet to catch up to the late Beethoven.
The recording we include here is from 1965, by the late Claudio Arrau. He treats the work with dignity and respect, letting it breath, and taking a few minutes longer than others. There are some modern pianists who we feel might be well served, by having a police officer walk on stage, and issue them a speeding ticket!
Here is Arrau's version:
The first movement, in E major, is the one that most defies an easy characterization. It starts out, not with a theme, but with intervals in apposition. For those not familiar with the term, it derives from grammar:
“Apposition is a grammatical construction in which two elements, normally noun phrases, are placed side by side so that one element identifies the other in a different way; the two elements are said to be in apposition. One of the elements is called the appositive, although its identification requires consideration of how the elements are used in a sentence.”
The right hand forms one element, which for the first three measures, consists of rising thirds, followed by falling fourths (see diagram). The answer in the left hand consists of rising fifths and falling octaves. Although the right hand features longer dotted eighth notes, which the left does not, many pianists emphasize the right hand too much, and do not bring out the apposition enough, probably because the right hand usually expresses the soprano voice melody. Is there really a melody here, or is the dialogue between voices what the composer wishes you to hear?
Only nine measures in, the movement switches from “Vivace” to “Adagio espressivo”, changes time signatures, and leaves the key of E major for a passage beginning on an unresolved dissonance, which soon involves long arpeggios.
Six measures later, we are back to the opening idea, though the intervals are different. These two drastic contrasts dominate the first movement. We simply identify them as "A" and "B". The timings in this recording are: "A"- 0:0, "B" - 0:14, "A"- 1:07, "B" - 1:56, "A" - 3:05.
This does not not fit any known form, but even presenting it this way reduces it to formalism. What is the actual story being told here? Why do its many changes move us so much?
The transition to the second movement, in E-minor, is negotiated by the sustain pedal. This movement comes close to fitting both “sonata” and “scherzo” forms, but not quite either. It is marked “prestissimo”, which does not mean as fast as possible. Listen to some performances, and you might feel like handing out the speeding ticket yourself!
The heart of the sonata is the third movement, a vastly transformed theme and variations, back in E major. Several of Beethoven's late works accomplish this transformation of theme and variations in different ways. If one had never heard the last movement of Op. 111, one might think that this movement of Op. 109 could never be surpassed. Then compare these two with the theme and variations movements in the late string quartets, Op. 127, Op. 131, and op. 135.
The theme of this movement is a hymn-like song, marked "Gesangvoll, mit innigster empfindung." (Songful, with inner feeling), and "Andante molto cantabile e espressivo." (walking speed, very singing and expressive). Though “Andante” might suggest a somewhat faster tempo, walking speed depends on the topic being discussed, and this song obviously deserves reverence.
The theme and variations occur at:
Theme: 6:36 It has two sections, both of which repeat.
Variation 1: 9:19 molto espressivo. As in the case of so many themes and variations of the time, the simple song now takes on the characteristics of a virtuosic bel-canto aria.
Variation 2: 11:52. Suddenly, the apposition of pairs of notes from the first movement is back with us. We have 8 measures of this apposition (A), followed by 8 measures of the main song of the third movement (B), then another 8 of A, and 8 of B, reminding us of the first movement.
Variation 3: 13:36. This is marked allegro vivace, and this is again where the speeding tickets come in. Mr Arrau recognized that it continued the pattern of variation 2, and that too fast a tempo could undermine that connection.
Variation 4: 14:47 This is marked "somewhat slower, a little less andante and adagio like the theme." Here is where we make a mistake in taking Beethoven's tempo indications too literally. Schindler indicated that Beethoven changed his mind about them frequently. Beethoven originally identified the theme as “Andante”, and now “Adagio”. We must let the music speak to us!
Variation 5 begins at 17:25, again invoking the first movement but not so directly. The right hand repeats a dropping third, the characteristic interval of the entire piece. This time, the left hand answers it with rising thirds.
Variation 6, beginning at 18:26 is a miracle! If you had not already discerned that this movement left the typical theme and variations gasping for breath, this will make it clear. it begins with "tempo primo del thema" (the original tempo of the theme), slowly, in quarter notes, then accelerates through eighth notes, sixteenths, thirty-seconds, and breaks out into triplets, and double trills, until eventually winding down to restate the opening theme at 21:19.
We urge our readers to study the piece well. It represents a revolution in thinking, not just in music, but life!