Piano Sonata No.5 Op.10-1 - I. Allegro molto e con brio

Description

Sonata No. 5, the first of the three Op. 10 sonatas published in 1798, begins with this Allegro molto e con brio. The sonata has three movements with no minuet or scherzo, and within that tight scale the young Beethoven's dramatic temperament comes through clearly.

It is in sonata form, in C minor and 3/4 time. A theme that opens with forceful chords and shoots sharply upward establishes immediate tension, alternating with quieter replies, and the music moves through a dramatic development toward the recapitulation. The drama heard here already anticipates later works like the Pathétique (also in C minor) and the Appassionata. It runs over five minutes with 2,054 notes, and its range from G1 to F-sharp 6 fits on a 76-key keyboard.

Rated advanced, it calls for sharp dotted rhythms and precise, sudden dynamic contrasts. The rests are part of the music, so do not rush the silences after the chords. To combine forcefulness with tight construction, you need the structural sense to keep the tension from slackening over more than five minutes. Repeat the opening theme with the A-B loop to settle the sound of the chords and the snap of the rhythm before playing the whole movement.

Piano sonatas representative of the Classical and Romantic eras, including Beethoven's early works — substantial multi-movement pieces throughout.