Theory Analysis on Haydns Piano Sonata in Bb Major free essay sample

Haydn Piano Sonata in Bb Major Haydns Piano Sonata in Bb major has three clearly defined sections: the exposition, the development, and the recapitulation. In the exposition, the thematic statement from measure 1 through 10 is more or less the introduction followed by a theme in parallel period from measures 11 to beat two of 22. Up to this point we are in the key of Bb major, ending on a half cadence. Though it stays in this key, E is tonicized with a five of four in measures 11 and 16. Next is what I consider a bridge section in F major, connecting the themes in Bb to the themes in F. The reason I see it as a bridge phrase is for three reasons: ascending patterns, the augmented sixth chords to five, and the E natural in the last chord sounds like a leading tone. Between measures 23 and 26, the downbeats are ascending by step, then in measure 27, there is an augmented sixth chord. We will write a custom essay sample on Theory Analysis on Haydns Piano Sonata in Bb Major or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Then measure 28 is a five chord, measure 29 another augmented sixth chord, and lastly in measure 30 another five chord. This right here is a clear example of an extension by repetition. It seems like Haydn really put emphasis on that augmented sixth to five to give it the feeling of needing to continue on; that it is not a phrase that can stand on its own. Finally, on that last five chord, there is an E natural in the soprano voice, and with the subtle pause in the recording, it sounds and feels like a leading tone to F, which is the key of the next theme starting in measure 31. The second half of the exposition has a contrasting period followed by the closing statement. The first period is from measure 31 to the down beat of measure 48. There are quite a few secondary dominants including a five of four in 32 and 34 (yet another example of extension by repetition), and a five of five in 36 and 37. This can also be viewed as an ascension in the theme, but then it ends in measure 43 with the thematic statement from the introduction. However, there is a cadential extension from 44 to the downbeat of 48. The reason I see it as an extension is because it only consists of 5 measures, and to me it seems like it is too much out of balance in length to stand on its own as a theme. The second period has a theme similar to the first period, in that it sounds like it needs to keep going on. I see where it can sound like its pulling to a close, especially in the bass line, but to me, I hear the exposition coming to a close in measure 56 because of the pedal tone F in the bass line, followed by the thematic statement from the introduction again. It stays in F to the end of the exposition. The middle section is the development section. A lot of the same themes from the exposition are built upon by the use of several key areas, six to be exact: F, G, A, Bb, C, and D. It begins in measure 62 and ends in 101. From 62 to 71, it begins with the same thematic statement from the introduction, except it is in F major. However, in measure 72, there is a five of four leading to four, or the key of Bb. It stays in Bb up to measure 75, because in measure 76 is a five of six leading to six, where the cadence ends in D minor. Still however, measures 77 and 78 seem to tonicize the key of A minor. I believe that it did go to A because measure 76 seems to hint that it is going to D, but then deceives us by going to A very briefly before going two-six, five-four-two, one-six in C major from measures 79 to 81. The piece continues on in C major until it gets to 92, where it switches to two, five, one-six from measures 92 through 95. That is when it gets to the ending statement of the development section from measures 96 to the down beat of 101. It is still in C, but it has the same sequential movement from measure 17 in the exposition, which is an ascending line. As far as ascending and descending lines go, a lot of them are the same from the exposition, but they are just in different keys, such as 73 through 76, and 79 through the down beat of 84. The first is ascending in the key of F major as opposed to the key of Bb major in the introduction, and the second is descending in the key of C major as opposed to measures 31 through 35 in F major. This leads us to the third and final section of the sonata: the recapitulation. It begins in measure 102 and goes to the end of the piece in measure 148. The entire recapitulation is in the key of Bb major, but includes several thematic statements from both the exposition and the development. It begins with the same exact introduction from the exposition; same theme, same key (Bb). Then, it gets thrown off at 108, when it doesn’t quite follow the introduction. Basically, measures 7 through 10 are deleted from the re-statement, and instead takes us to the equivalency of the bridge section, but in Bb instead of F. That part is very crucial I feel, because when it was in F, its purpose was to sound like it needed to go on, whereas in Bb, it sounds like we’re coming to a close by returning to the original key. So in conclusion, from 110 to the end, it is exactly the same as the second part of the exposition, except instead of being in F, it is in Bb. If I may say so, this was a very catchy little tune throughout and it was sort of fun to actually figure out and understand a lot of musical concepts and forms I’ve learned in my three semesters studying music.