BEETHOVEN'S PIANO CONCERTO #1

BEETHOVEN'S PIANO CONCERTO #1 (C MAJOR)

Exposition (Bars 1-256). An orchestral unison in the strings announces the principal motive (not really a theme), figure 1, which is extended lyrically (ms. 9-16) to the full tutti repeat of the opening at measure 16. A progression to the subdominant at bar 24 leads to a developmental transition utilizing the scale figure from the opening and in secondary dominant on D (ms. 36-37) to cadence on G at bar 46.

An unprepared shift to g minor eventually leads to the second theme in E-flat major at measure 49, using G and B-flat as common tones. This theme, figure 2, provides much of the developmental material used throughout the movement, especially the descending scale first heard at measure 50. A 3-bar modulating phrase is used sequentially until an imitative transition is built from fragments of the second theme and the principal motive (ms. 65-85), and with a modulation back to C major, the closing theme, figure 3, is introduced.

The little "whirlwind" accompaniment figure first heard in measure 88 (Violins I) shortly dominates this theme and leads to a cadential treatment of the opening motive at bar 99.

The soloist enters with an anacrusis at measure 106, introducing a lyrical, increasingly figured melody built of two 2-bar phrases followed by two 4-bar phrases that lead to the restatement of the opening tutti at measure 118, this time with cascading appogiatura figuration in the piano. A variant of the r

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me at measure 15. A cadence on the tonic at bar 18 reintroduces the soloist, and proceeds to a highly ornamented version of ms. 5-8 that cadences on the dominant of E-flat in measure 23. Then a 2-bar connecting phrase in the piano cadences again on the B-flat dominant chord, where a new orchestral motive is heard, vaguely reminiscent of the repeated-notes in the first movement. With measure 30, another variant of the principal melody is encountered that makes use of the arpeggio figure from measure 2, ultimately evolving into the filigree-like triplets of ms. 32-33. At bar 38, an inversion of the figuration in ms. 20 is heard in a slightly altered rhythm, leading to a delicate chromatic passage that reintroduces the chordal phrases in ms. 41-42. A shift to A-flat minor in bar 44 produces a 2-bar phrase that is immediately followed by its variation in triplets, leading to extensive figuration of the E-flat dominant 7th in ms. 47-52. Measure 52 then effects a return to the principal melody by the same chromatic descent used at bar 14, but beginning this time on the flatted-ninth of the dominant. Measure 53 begins the second section of the broad two-part form with an ornamented but closely allied version of the principal m

Category: Arts - B