Pianoforte Sonatas interpreted by Maurice Cole

Sonata in E Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 (Concluded)

The First Movement of this Sonata was annotated in last week's issue (Saturday). Beethoven took over from Haydn and Mozart the graceful Minuet, the sole survivor of the dances in the Suite (which developed into the Sonata). Very soon he made of this simple piece a playful, often whimsical, Movement, with far more liveliness and interest in it than the Minuet had.
In this Sonata he includes both Scherzo and Minuet, but no Slow Movement.

II. The Scherzo is, unusually for the composer, in two-time, and is of the same general build as the First Movement, with Two Main Tunes as the material for treatment. The First Tune is given out twice and the jovial Second Tune follows.

III. The Minuet is less a dance than a gracious, lyrical song-piece. The first part of it, in two portions, marked to be repeated, is succeeded by the middle portion. called a 'Trio' (because originally in concerted music that section was played by three instruments). Some of those who had listened regularly to the recent evening Pianoforte Recitals will probably say 'Where have I heard that Trio tune before?' It is that which Saint-Saens took as the subject of his Variations for two Pianos (played on September 28). After the Trio the Minuet is repeated and the Movement dies away.

IV. Last Movement. 'Very quick, spirited,' is the direction to the player. The piece, in the style of an Italian Tarantella, dances and sparkles in the gayest fashion through its three-hundred odd bars. Those pauses near the end make us wonder what the composer has up his sleeve; but it is a false alarm - he is just preparing for a final scamper home.