Rules Are Made to Be Broken, or the Menuetto of Beethoven’s Op. 2, No. 1

Poundie Burstein

doi:10.5965/2525530406032021012

Abstract

A striking gesture appears at the climax of the first phrase of the Menuetto from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata for Piano in F minor, Op. 2, No. 1. This motivic gesture, which may be understood as derived from manipulation of standard voice-leading procedures, has intriguing ramifications that deeply affect the structure and narrative of the entire movement. These features are explored with the aid of Schenkerian analytic procedures, and the analysis is then compared to an interpretation of this same movement by Heinrich Schenker.

Highlights

A striking gesture appears at the climax of the first phrase of the Menuetto from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata for Piano in F minor, Op. 2, No 1
Bold gestures that seem to deviate from the standard guidelines of their style, but which are deftly integrated within a larger compositional framework, are emblematic of the music of Ludwig van Beethoven
Certainly the interactions of the various appearances of this motive within its larger voice-leading context play a crucial role in the drama that underlies this movement

Summary

Introduction

A striking gesture appears at the climax of the first phrase of the Menuetto from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata for Piano in F minor, Op. 2, No 1. G, the leading tone of the local key of A-flat, appears as the highest note within its phrase. This gesture could be understood as derived from rather standard harmonic-contrapuntal procedures, as is suggested by comparing the voice-leading models of Exx. 6a and b.

Results

Conclusion