5th Sonata, Opus 10, No. 1, in C minor.
Allegro molto e con brio—Adagio Molto—Prestissimo.
This Sonata is dedicated to the Countess von Brovne, and appeared for the first time on September 26, 1798. It is in three movements—the slow movement in A flat major. There is no Minuet or Scherzo, the Finale instead being instilled with the spirit of the Scherzo.
The first movement is the usual development form, the first subject being composed in Beethoven's usual manner of two figures here, (a) upward flight, (b) soft chords. It ends with a decided perfect cadence, the bridge subject entering after a bar's silence. It is noteworthy that the second subject on its return appears in F major, before settling down finally into C minor. This first movement, although in the minor, breathes a happy contented spirit, which deepens into seriousness in the Adagio. This opens with a beautiful 16 bar phrase. We then pass straight into the second subject, a florid one in a lighter vein of thought, closing in E major. A sprinkled dominant seventh takes the place of the development section, and the whole is then repeated. For the Coda, the first subject has passed into that serene happy atmosphere which only Beethoven's spirit seems to have penetrated. The Finale is again cast into development form, and is typical of the way Beethoven expands his movements from
