Internal evidence and Beethoven’s op. 79
Posted: 24 May 2021, 16:28
The manuscript of Beethoven’s Sonatina op. 79 shows Beethoven’s handwriting at its best. Despite this, there is a note in the slow movement that has caused controversy.
Leading back to the return of the opening theme (ms. 18-22) Beethoven wrote a G in the alto in m. 20 (boxed):
Many editions, including Schenker’s, change this G to a B-flat:
It is very tempting to make this change: the sixth G-B-flat is a motive through the piece. It begins and then appears again in the opening phrase, starts the second phrase and returns to end the first section:
When it returns in m. 18 as part of the E-flat triad (encircled in the first example), this seems to be anticipating the return of the opening section. How fitting, then, that it should also appear in m. 20-21, since these measures remind one of m. 2 writ large. And as well, the B-flat would fill out the harmony better than a G.
Couldn’t Beethoven have really intended a B-flat instead of a G and simply written the note one space too low?
Despite this strong argument, the manuscript shows no signs of an error, a correction or indecision. (The left hand was changed one beat later, however.) But more importantly, the G appears on the lower staff. Elsewhere in the piece, the B-flat has always appears with the G on the upper staff, and there is no logical reason that it wouldn’t at this point. It strains credulity to believe that Beethoven not only wrote the note one space too low, something that would be unusual for him, but also one staff too low.
So why would Beethoven write a G rather than a B-flat?
When we compare m. 18 and m. 20, the parallels are obvious, but the differences are crucial. Ms. 18 through the first dotted-quarter beat of 20 are firmly in E-flat major and express the melody B-flat-A-flat-G. The second beat of m. 20 begins the return to G minor. Having reduced to one right hand voice in ms. 19 and the first beat of m. 20, he focuses our attention on the important B-flat that will eventually resolve B-flat-A to G in m. 22:
He gingerly brings in the second voice on the second beat of m. 20 with a G to avoid a strong emphasis on the E-flat triad, since we are now moving back to G minor. This also improves the voice-leading in the alto: G-C-sharp-D seems better than B-flat-C-sharp-D. And it does sounds better in general this way, as long as one starts a new phrase on the second beat of m. 20, as directed by Beethoven’s slur.
Leading back to the return of the opening theme (ms. 18-22) Beethoven wrote a G in the alto in m. 20 (boxed):
- op 79.2 MS.jpeg (131.8 KiB) Viewed 2182 times
- op 79.2 Schenker.jpeg (81.65 KiB) Viewed 2182 times
- op. 79.2 ms 1-9.jpeg (152.48 KiB) Viewed 2182 times
Couldn’t Beethoven have really intended a B-flat instead of a G and simply written the note one space too low?
Despite this strong argument, the manuscript shows no signs of an error, a correction or indecision. (The left hand was changed one beat later, however.) But more importantly, the G appears on the lower staff. Elsewhere in the piece, the B-flat has always appears with the G on the upper staff, and there is no logical reason that it wouldn’t at this point. It strains credulity to believe that Beethoven not only wrote the note one space too low, something that would be unusual for him, but also one staff too low.
So why would Beethoven write a G rather than a B-flat?
When we compare m. 18 and m. 20, the parallels are obvious, but the differences are crucial. Ms. 18 through the first dotted-quarter beat of 20 are firmly in E-flat major and express the melody B-flat-A-flat-G. The second beat of m. 20 begins the return to G minor. Having reduced to one right hand voice in ms. 19 and the first beat of m. 20, he focuses our attention on the important B-flat that will eventually resolve B-flat-A to G in m. 22:
- op 79.2 Analysis.jpeg (162.99 KiB) Viewed 2164 times