Analysis of Beethoven Sonata Op 14. No. 2

Beethoven’s Piano Sonata opus 14. no. 2 is in G major in duple meter and begins at a fast pace: Allegro. Though there many ornamental accidentals in the thematic material, the piece is harmonically simple. For example, A-sharp is an ornamental accidental that moves to the B in measure 1, but to analyze the A-sharp only as a vii°/iii is unnecessary. Another introductory comment is to notice how dynamic marks often give clues as to how form is articulated.

Integrated Formal Analysis I, II, and Written Commentary

Exposition: 1-63
Development: 63-124
Recapitulation: 124-200

Themes

Theme 1 has two parts. Part 1: 0-8. Part 2: 8-13.
Part 1 of Theme 1 is parsed into its opening 4-note motive, exploited in the Development. Part 1 of Theme 1 ends with a PAC.
Part 2 of Theme 1 can also be thought of as a preparation to the transition. Part 2 of Theme 1 is important because it changes in the Recapitulation to set up how the transition will modulate from G major to G major (rather than the dominant, D major). Note that there is no Part 2 of Theme 1 in the Development.

Transition
The Transition is articulated by the “cresc” notation in both the Exposition and the Recapitulation. The Transition in the Exposition ends with half cadence that introduces Theme 2.
There is no Transition material in the Development.

Theme 2 has three parts. Part 1: 26-33. Part 2: 33-41. Part 3: 41-47.
While Parts 1 and 2 of Theme 2 are simple melodies, Part 3 serves as a virtuosic display, filled with 32nd notes, leading into the Closing Theme.

Strings - Create a string pad using smooth voice leading. A few lea...