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The Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111, by Ludwig van Beethoven, was composed between 1820 and 1822. It is his last sonata and one of his last compositions for the piano (along with the 33 Variations on the Waltz of Diabelli Op. 120 (1823) and the two collections of Bagatelles Opp. 119 (1822) and 126 (1824). Its second movement, an Arietta in variations, is sometimes called "The Farewell to the Sonata."

Contents 1 History of the Work 1.1 Birth of the Sonata Op. 111 1.2 Reception of the Work 1.3 Farewell to the piano 1.4 Opus 111 in literature 1.5 Opus 111 in Music 2 Analysis of the first movement : Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionato 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Exposition 2.3 Development 2.4 Re-exposition 3 Analysis of the second movement: Arietta – Adagio molto, semplice e cantabile 3.1 Theme 3.2 First Variation 3.3 Second Variation 3.4 Third Variation 3.5 Fourth Variation 3.6 Fith Variation 3.7 Sixth Variation 4 Les caractéristiques du dernier Beethoven dans la Sonate no{{{2}}} 32 4.1 L'influence de Haendel 4.2 La forme sonate et la fugue 4.3 Visionary and Personal Composition 5 Références 5.1 Sources manuscrites disponibles 5.2 Édition 5.3 Histoire de la sonate opus 111 5.3.1 Sources 5.3.2 Bibliographie 5.4 Discographie 6 Écouter la sonate 7 Partition

[edit] History of the Work

[edit] Birth of the Sonata Op. 111

Beethoven conceived the plans for his last three sonatas for piano (Opp. 109, 110 and 111) at the end of the summer, 1820, while he worked on the Missa Solemnis. These three sonatas were all major creative undertakings, stretching his imagination farther than anyone could believe. (As a testament to the grand scale of these three sonatas, they were published under different opus numbers, unlike his previous trios of piano sonatas (No. 1, 2, and 3 of Op. 2; No. 5, 6, and 7 of Op. 10; and No. 16, 17, and 18 of Op. 32) Thus, although the work was not seriously outlined until 1819, the famous first theme of the Allegro ed Appassionato was found in the notebook of 1801 - 1802, contemporary with the Second Symphony ^[1]. However, at the time, he had considered a sonata in three movements, appreciably different from the version which we know. In fact, this famous theme was first planned as a motif for the third movement. The theme for the planned first movement became that of the String Quartet No. 13 Op. 130; the theme for the second movement, then an Adagio in B flat major, was discarded.^[2] The present second movement took shape after a considerable amount of thematic research. Some evidence, found in the drafts, suggests that it was also at that point in time that Beethoven abandoned the idea of a third movement. The construct of the whole sonata appeared ideal to him.^[3]

Once the work was finished in 1822, the composer thought of dedicating it, along with opus 110, to Antonia Brentano. But he changed his mind, and from the moment that the sonata appeared, the dedication carried the name of his pupil and friend, the Archbishop Rodolphe, for whom he had moreover composed the Missa Solemnis. Given that the Mass was not completed in time for Rodolphe's ceremony of sacrement, it is possible that Beethoven meant the dedication as a pardon for his tardiness.^[4]. Antonia Brentano did however receive the dedication of the Diabelli Variations - a work of no less prestige.

[edit] Reception of the Work

The difficulty, as much pianistic as musical, of this sonata earned it the incomprehension of the musical world for an era. Before its publication in April 1823, the editing work under Schlesinger proved to be particularly laborious. The copyists, engravers, and correctors found themselves confronted with a score of complexity hitherto unseen.^[5]. Schindler had asked Beethoven unceasingly why he had not written a third movement, until the composer, infuriated, responded that he 'hadn't had the time' ^[6] - one can see from Schindler's attitude the incomprehension that the composer faced. A critic of Leipziger Musik-Zeitung in 1824, to quote but one, went as far as to judge the work 'unworthy of Beethoven's genius' ^[7]. Despite more laudatory praises from some critics, like one from Zeitung für Theater und Musik in 1823, for whom the work 'boiled over with ideas and exciting modulations' ^[8], it took some time before this sonata was included in the contemporary repertoire. It was not until the second half of the 19th century that the work received its due performance in concert, notably in the interpretations of Théodore Ritter and Hans von Bülowin the 1850s^[9].

[edit] Farewell to the piano

With the exception of the works cited above, sonata opus 111 is Beethoven's last work for piano. He went on to die in May 1827, more than four years later - four years of intense production which notably saw the birth of his ninth symphony and his last string quartets; but also of numerous works which were not to be drafted: a "10th symphony", a quintet, an overature in Bach's name, as well as an opera of the theme of Faust, an oratorio about Saül, a mass a capella and a requiem ^[10]. it is appropriate to note that there appears there no more works for piano, whereas hitherto Beethoven had never stopped writing for his instrument of predilication. We shall never know whether, should have lived some years more, Beethoven would have returned to the Piano; but it is likely that after sonata opus 111 and the Diabelli Variations, the instrument which had thus far been his experimentation had become impotent in translating his thoughts, and that he had turned to new modes of expression.

[edit] Opus 111 in literature

Of all Beethoven's Sonatas, the 32nd is without doubt the one which has known the greatest literary ordination. Under the influence of the musical and philosophical analysis of Theodor Adorno, Thomas Mann in effect cansacrated an illustrious passage to him in his novel Doctor Faustus, in which he described the work as the sum of the pianistic works of the maestro of Bonn and, in a now famous expression, as his "farewell to the Sonata", the coda of the second movement resounding like a farewell gesture (returning moreover to the coa of the first movement of the Sonata " les Adieux ",a movement that Adorno considered to be one of the most accomplished of the composer)^[11].

[edit] Opus 111 in Music

• Serge Prokofiev constructed his second Symphony on the exact model of the opus 111: two movements, of which the first lasts approximately half as long as the second; a first impetuous and very lively movement, followed by a second consisting of a series of variations of a lyrical and mysterious character. Prokofiev's own opus 111 is his sixth Symphony, the most personal he wrote, as much at the level of language as of feeling.

[edit] Analysis of the first movement : Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionato

[edit] Introduction

The first movement begins with a slow introduction, maestoso, which opens loudly with a spectacular fall by a seventh, answered by two violently struck chords:

The whole introduction is balanced by a pointed rhythm, until in the low register a crescendo is heard, which emerges on the tonic, thus opening the allegro con brio ed appassionato, written in the form of a fugue sonata.

[edit] Exposition

The first theme (A₁) of the first thematic group (A), ascending from a superb simplicity which characterises all Beethoven's main works, is at first introduced fortissimo and in octaves in the bass register, before being repeated piano and accompanied in the accute register.

It is then repeated a third time, under a lightly varied form, in the right hand, as the voice of a somehwhat conventinal fugue. It is then in the left hand, as another voice in the fugue, that can be found what one can fairly consider as being the second theme (A₂) of the first thematic group (A), if paced from the point of view of the Sonata form: a pattern of seven quavers(sol - do - ti - do - fa - mi ♭ - do, i.e. G-C-B-C-F-E♭-C), which, without delay taken and developed from one voice to the other, contibute sensitively to increase the dramatic tension.

But the fugue is quickly interupted , after only thirteen bars, in order to leave space for what the Sonata form terminology calls the second thematic group (B). It is not really a group since it only includes one theme, extremely brief, which contrasts by its calm with the temptuousness of the first thematic group (A). It is notable that this theme is not presented in the relative major as it would be by custom, but at the 6th degree, in the  ♭ major occurrence, the tonality towards which the fugue had expertly evolved. The fugue which, once theme B is exposed, takes all its vigour, starts to develop its subject (A₁) whilst passing it from one voice to another, over the time of some bars. Then comes the exposition's coming to a closure, and Beethoven, according to habit, does it by constructing the coda from an already heard element: it is indeed here, theme B, inverted and forte, which serves as the coda.

[edit] Development

After a short blow, in chromatic form, of theme A₁, the fugue pursues development and gains in complexity. After about ten bars where it has developped theme A₁ (its voice) in a polyphonic manner, the fugue is interupted to allow space for thematic harmonic development, which, six bars later, reaches a re-exposition.

[edit] Re-exposition

With Beethoven, re-expositions are rarely conventional; that is to say that they are rarely a copy in extenso of the exposition. Not derogating from the rule, the re-exposition of the first movement of Sonata opus 111 keeps several surprises - but with an exposition and a development so singular, it could scarecely procede otherwise.

Appearing firstly in the tonic, fortissimo and in parallel octaves, the theme A₁ is then once again briefly developed to reach F minor, the under-dominant, to which is re-exposed the begining of the fugue (and therefore its subject A₁ and its opposing-subjet A₂). Theme B then returns to the major tonic C, which constitutes the only truely conventional element of this re-exposition. Less conventional however is the development that theme B then undergoes, which, by modulations, takes us back to the under-dominant. The tonic, however, retakes its original form, and it is in C minor that the end of the exposition is pursued. But Beethoven is not yet finished with the under-dominant; and if it is held there, it is for a precise reason: the under dominant's major dominant is nothing other that the major tonic, in the event, of C major. Simply, to write the coda of this first movement in F major allows Beethoven to realize a tune of C major and to announce thus the second movement.

[edit] Analysis of the second movement: Arietta – Adagio molto, semplice e cantabile

[edit] Theme

The second movement of the sonata opus 111 is an arietta, of the tone of C major, followed by six variations.

[edit] First Variation

The first variation conserves the rather uncommon time signature of the theme, which is 9/16 time. Accelerating and transforming the rhythm of the right hand which is superimposed by syncopated quavers in the left hand, it acquires a dancing character.

[edit] Second Variation

The second variation conserves the tempo but goes into a time signature of 6/16. The used valued are twice as quick as those used before: The quavers become double quavers and triple quavers. One litteraraly starts to hear swing music, and the emplyed harmonies remind one inevitablely of music of the 29th century, in particular Jazz.

[edit] Third Variation

Going into a time signature of 12.32, the third variation, without changing the total duration of the bar, uses values twice as quick againas the preceding; the double quavers are from now on triple quavers and triple quavers quadruple crochets. The impression is striking; from the top to the bottom of the keyboard, veritable flows of "swinging" arpeggios in a frantic rhythm are accompanied in opposite time then clatter together in dazzling syncopated effects.

[edit] Fourth Variation

After this prodigious surge, the time signature in the fourth variation returns to the initial 9/16. The theme weakens to pianissimo, syncopated against the regular accompaniment of the bass, before the "triolets ne passent" to the right hand.

[edit] Fith Variation

La cinquième variation amène un forte, après un étonnant trille de huit mesures. La tonalité de mi ♭ major s'établit et le thème ne se distingue plus qu'à peine. Enfin réapparaît la lumineuse tonalité d'ut majeur, et avec elle, le thème accompagné de neuf triples croches par temps à la basse.

[edit] Sixth Variation

After twenty-one measures, the theme reappears briefly in the left hand in the sixth variation, before returning to the right hand, where a trill on the G then lasts no less than eleven measures, while the left hand continues to accompany a rhythm of twenty-seven "triples croches" per measure. Finally, still in "triples croches," first in thirds and then in sixths "descendantes," the two hands "parcourent l'étendue du clavier crescendo" The first notes of the theme are again heard, first forte, before the diminuendo ne ramène la sérénité finale du pianissimo.

[edit] Les caractéristiques du dernier Beethoven dans la Sonate no^{{{2}}} 32

Considérée par beaucoup de mélomanes comme un des plus grands chefs-d'œuvre de l'histoire de la musique, l’« opus 111 », ainsi qu'on l'appelle fréquemment, révèle à lui seul les caractéristiques musicales si personnelles du dernier Beethoven.

[edit] L'influence de Haendel

Beethoven's interest during his final years in older music, and particularly his limitless admiration of Handel, clearly showed through in this sonata's introduction . It is necessary to know that Handel wrote the "quasi-totalité" of his overtures, but also numerous other works, in the style of the "ouverture à la française, jusqu'à ce que ce procédé devienne véritablement caractéristique de son expression musicale. L'ouverture à la française," very popular in the baroque era, consisted of a slow, majestic introduction, often marked grave, constituée de rythmes pointés, qui est suivie d'une fugue (ou d'un fugato) d'un caractère très vif. Quand on sait que Beethoven voyait en Haendel le plus grand compositeur de tous les temps, et qu'il aurait souhaité s' , on ne peut s'empêcher de faire un lien entre le premier mouvement de la sonate no^{{{2}}} 32 et ce procédé qu'il admirait tant chez son illustre aîné. Comme dans l'ouverture à la française, l'introduction de ce premier mouvement est lente, grave, puissante, majestueuse (c'est même le sens de l'indication maestoso) et se constitue entièrement de rythmes pointés ; et comme dans l'ouverture à la française, cette introduction est suivie par un mouvement fugué extrêmement vif. Cette fascination de Beethoven pour les rythmes pointés « haendeliens » est par ailleurs perceptible dans beaucoup de ses dernières œuvres : on en retrouve ainsi dans le premier thème du premier mouvement de la Neuvième Symphonie, dans l'ouverture Die Weihe des Hauses, ou encore dans le sujet de la Grande Fugue opus 133.

[edit] La forme sonate et la fugue

Cependant, Beethoven ne cherchait nullement à faire un « pastiche » d'œuvre baroque, mais à assimiler ces influences à son propre style : par conséquent, l’Allegro con brio ed appasionato n'est pas qu'un simple morceau fugué, il est aussi et surtout un premier mouvement de sonate. Admirateur de musique ancienne, mais compositeur profondément classique, Beethoven s'est donc vu confronté, comme nombre d'autres compositeurs dans l'histoire de la musique, à la question suivante : comment intégrer la fugue dans la forme sonate, sans trahir l'esprit ni de l'une ni de l'autre ? C'est là toute la problématique de ce premier mouvement.

Comme nous l'avons vu, Beethoven y répond par deux procédés. Le premier consiste à conférer à certains éléments musicaux une double fonction, à l'exemple du premier thème, qui est à la fois thème A₁ de l'exposition de la sonate et sujet de la fugue, ou encore de la phrase mélodique de sept croches (sol - do - si - do - fa - mi ♭ - do), qui est à la fois thème A₂ de l'exposition de la sonate et contre-sujet de la fugue. Ce seul procédé n'ayant sans doute pas paru suffisant à Beethoven pour assurer la cohésion d'une construction à si grande échelle, il en utilise un second, qui consiste à alterner des passages « sonate » et des passages « fugue ».

Le tableau suivant permet de suivre, dans cet allegro de la sonate no^{{{2}}} 32, les cheminements respectifs de la forme sonate et de la forme fugue, formes qui tantôt se superposent et tantôt s'alternent.

MESURES	Forme SONATE	Forme FUGUE	Parcours tonal
19 - 34	Exposition : Thème A1	---	tonique (ut m)
35 - 47	Exposition : Thèmes A1 - A2	Exposition : Sujet & Contre-sujet	tonique modulant
48 - 57	Exposition : Transition - Thème B - Transition	---	6×10{{{1}}} degré maj. (la ♭ M)- modulant
58 - 63	Pré-développement : Thème A1	1Template:Er Divertissement : Sujet modulant	6×10{{{1}}} degré maj. modulant
64 - 69	Coda de l'exposition	---	6×10{{{1}}} degré maj. (la ♭ M)
70 - 75	Développement : Thème A1	---	dominante (sol m)
76 - 85	---	2×10{{{1}}} Divertissement : Sujet modulant	modulant
86 - 91	Développement : Thème A1	---	modulant
92 - 99	Réexposition : Thème A1 (avec post-développement)	---	tonique (ut m) - modulant
100 - 113	Réexposition : Thème A1 - A2	Reprise de l'exposition : Sujet & Contre-sujet	sous-dominante (fa m) - modulant
114 - 134	Réexposition : Transition - Thème B (avec post-développement)	---	tonique majeure (ut M) - sous-dominante (fa m) - modulant
135 - 140	Réexposition : reprise du pré-développement de A1	Reprise du 1Template:Er divertissement	tonique modulant
141 - 158	Coda	---	tonique (ut m) - sous-dominante (fa m) - tonique majeure (ut M)

[edit] Visionary and Personal Composition

The second movement and its surprising variations illustrate how the stylistic success of late Beethoven works, resulting as much from the influences cited above as from his exceptional internal creative power, is unique in the history of music. The introduction of the first movement shows that Beethoven was fascinated by Handel and his "pointed rhythms": the six variations of the Arietta show "ce qu'il a su en faire." Far from being satisfied with easy dramatic effects that "auraient pu lui inspirer de telles influences," Beethoven in his last years aspired to an entirely new and personal musical expression, transcending the historical concepts of the time. In these variations as in other works, the "pointed rhythms" of which he was fond were accelerated and syncopated to the point of being transformed: by the third variation, they had already acquired a surprising rapidity; and in accidentally "overflowing" on the half-step neighbors, they have a seizing allure that resembles nothing else. The rest of the movement is no less visionary: as in the last string quartet, the syncopated rhythms "glide" literally above the measure bars, foretelling--and above all inspiring--Bela Bartok and so many others. Today again, this sonata, and the collection of Beethoven's last works more generally, constitute a source of inspiration for numerous composers. In this, his music has gained transcendant universality and eminence by looking several centuries forward and back at the same time.

[edit] Références

[edit] Sources manuscrites disponibles

• Un manuscrit autographe du premier mouvement, conservé à Bonn ; il comporte de nombreuses modifications effectuées entre mars et juillet 1822;
• Le manuscrit autographe complet, conservé à Berlin ;
• Les corrections envoyées par Beethoven à l'éditeur, conservées à Bonn ;
• Une copie de la main d'un « copiste B », établie au printemps 1822, qui est conservée à Bonn. Comprenant un grand nombre de corrections faites par le compositeur, c'est elle qui a finalement servi à la gravure.

[edit] Édition

• (Italian) Schnabel A, Beethoven : 32 Sonate per pianoforte, volume terzo - edizione tecnico-interpretativa - Edizioni Curci, Milan, 1983

[edit] Histoire de la sonate opus 111

[edit] Sources

1. ^ Zwei Skizzenbücher von B. aus den Jahren 1801 bis 1803, Breitkopf, p. 19 et 14 - cité par R. Rolland, dans Beethoven- Les grandes époques créatrices : Le chant de la résurrection - Editions du Sablier, Paris, 1937, p. 517
2. ^ Rolland R, Beethoven- Les grandes époques créatrices : Le chant de la résurrection - Editions du Sablier, Paris, 1937, p. 518-520
3. ^ Rolland R, Beethoven- Les grandes époques créatrices : Le chant de la résurrection - Editions du Sablier, Paris, 1937, p. 513
4. ^ Prod'homme J. G, Les Sonates pour piano de Beethoven (1782-1823) - Delagrave, Paris, 1937, p. 273
5. ^ Prod'homme J. G, Les Sonates pour piano de Beethoven (1782-1823) - Delagrave, Paris, 1937, p. 277
6. ^ Boucourechliev A, Beethoven, Seuil, 1994, p. 93
7. ^ Rolland R, Beethoven- Les grandes époques créatrices : Le chant de la résurrection - Editions du Sablier, Paris, 1937, p. 513
8. ^ Brisson E, Guide de la musique de Beethoven, Fayard, 2005, p. 724
9. ^ Prod'homme J. G, Les Sonates pour piano de Beethoven (1782-1823) - Delagrave, Paris, 1937, p. 284-285
10. ^ Rolland R, Beethoven- Les grandes époques créatrices : Finita Comoedia- Editions du Sablier, Paris, 1945, p. 11, 19-22, 27 et 30
11. ^ http://www.hjs-jazz.de/doktorfaustus.html

[edit] Bibliographie

• Boucourechliev A, Beethoven, Seuil, 1994, 251 p. (ISBN 2-020214806)
• Brisson E, Guide de la musique de Beethoven, Fayard, 2005, 878 p. (ISBN 2-213624348)
• Prod'homme J. G., Les Sonates pour piano de Beethoven (1782-1823) - Delagrave, Paris, 1937
• Rolland R, Beethoven- Les grandes époques créatrices : Le chant de la résurrection - Editions du Sablier, Paris 1937
• Rolland R, Beethoven- Les grandes époques créatrices : Finita Comoedia - Editions du Sablier, Paris 1945
• Solomon M, Beethoven, Fayard, 2003, 570 p. (ISBN 2-213613052)

[edit] Discographie

• Discographie répertoriant 155 enregistrements de la Sonate opus 111

• Quelques enregistrements célèbres :

Arrau, Claudio, 1985 – Philips

Backhaus, Wilhelm, 1961 – Decca

Brendel, Alfred, 1995 – Philips

Kempff, Wilhelm, 1954 – Deutsche Grammophon

Richter, Sviatoslav, 1975 – Music & Arts

Schnabel, Artur, 1932 – Emi

Cutner, Solomon, 1951 – Emi

[edit] Écouter la sonate

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[edit] Partition

La partition de la Sonate pour piano nº 32 est disponible gratuitement sur www.sheetmusicarchive.net

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Beethoven Ludwig van, sonate pour piano n° 32 Sonate pour piano n° 32 (Beethoven)en:Piano Sonata No. 32 (Beethoven)