Analysis
Contents
For the benefit of all pianists learning this work, we present to you a concise and easy to use analysis of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.14 in C# Minor, “Moonlight”
First Movement (Adagio Sostenuto)
Form: Sonata Form. C# minor.
EXPOSITION:
Bars 1-5: Bars 1-5 form an introduction to the first subject.
Bars 5-9: First Subject begins in C sharp minor (tonic), ends in E major. Both subjects being and end in different keys.
Bars 10-15: Connecting Episode. Bars 9-15 form a passage which fulfills the duty of a connecting episode, although in some respects it may be considered as a continuation of the first subject. It begins in E minor and ends in B minor.
Bars 15-23: Second Subject begins in B major, ends in F sharp minor.
DEVELOPMENT:
Bars 23-42: The development is very short. It only contains one slight reference to the first subject, and twelve bars upon a dominant pedal point closing in tonic key.
RECAPITULATION:
Bars 42-46: First Subject in original keys.
Bars 46-51: Connecting episode. The connecting episode differs from that already referred to. It begins in E major and ends in C sharp minor.
Bars 51-60: Second Subject begin in C sharp (tonic) major, ends in C sharp minor. The second subject re-appears considerably altered after the first four bars.
Bars 60-End: Coda. The Coda refers to the first subject in the part next the bass, Bars 60-65.
Second Movement (Allegretto)
Form: Ternary Form. Db Major.
It is unusual for both the First and Second Parts to be in the same key.
FIRST PART:
The First Part is in Simple Binary form
Bars 1-9: First Subject in A flat and D flat major (tonic). The first subject (Part I) begins in the key of the dominant. See also “Scherzo,” Op. 26.
Bars 9-17: Repeated (varied). The repetition takes the place of the usual double bar and repeat.
Bars 18-26: Episode.
Bars 26-End of Part I: First Subject (varied and extended) in original keys.
Double bar and repeat from Bar 18.
SECOND PART:
The Second Part is in Simple Binary form.
Bars 1-9: First Subject in D flat major.
Double bar and repeat.
Bars 10-18: Episode.
Bars 18-End of Part II: Reminiscence of First Subject in original key. There is no regular return of the first subject.
Double bar and repeat from Bar 10.
THIRD PART:
First part da capo.
Third Movement (Presto Agitato)
Form: Sonata Form. C# Minor.
It is a curious fact there is no modulation to the relative major in this movement.
EXPOSITION:
Bars 1-14: First Subject in C sharp minor (tonic). The first subject begins with arpeggio passages in two bar rhythm, Bars 1-6 (condensed to one-bar rhythm, Bars 7-8), followed by a dominant pedal point, Bars 9-14, upon which it ends.
Bars 15-21: Connecting Episode. The connecting episode is built upon the first subject. It begins in C sharp minor (tonic), and ends in G sharp minor.
Bars 21-63: Second Subject in G sharp minor. The second subject (instead of being in the relative major) is in G sharp minor; it is divided into two parts, both beginning and ending in G sharp minor: first part, Bars 21-43; second part, Bars 43-63. The second part may be again sub-divided into two portions – Bars 43-57 and 57-63.
Bars 63-64: Bars 63-64 simply modulate into C sharp minor for the repeat, and into C sharp major for the development.
Double bar and repeat form Bar 2.
DEVELOPMENT:
Bars 66-102: The development begins with a reference to the first subject. At Bar 72 a portion of the second subject occurs in F sharp minor – the melody of which is transposed to the bass, Bar 76. Bars 88-100 are constructed upon dominant pedal point.
RECAPITULATION:
Bars 103-116: First Subject in original key. The first subject remains unaltered.
The connecting episode is omitted.
Bars 117-158: Second Subject in C sharp minor (tonic). The second subject is transposed into the tonic key, one bar (39) being omitted, Compare Bars 37-40 with Bars 133-135.
Bars 158-End: Coda. The Coda begins with a reminiscence of the first subject, followed by a passage of diminished sevenths, Bars 164-167. At bars 168-177 there is a recurrence of part of the second subject, and after some arpeggios (note the chord of the Neapolitan sixth, Bars 180-181) the movement ends with a reference to the end of the subject, upon tonic pedal point (Bar 191).
