Annotating the Development
Beethoven - Development Analysis.webmLesson Objectives:
To understand what happens in a development section in sonata form
To look at how Beethoven develops music from the introduction in the development
To look at how Beethoven develops music from the 1st and 2nd subjects and transition
To understand how Beethoven joins motifs from different parts of the exposition together
To understand how Beethoven prepares for the recapitulation and the return to the tonic
Development
The development section is where music that was introduced in the exposition is now transformed and developed (hence the name!)
Beethoven begins the development with 4 bars of music from the opening slow introduction!!!
It begins in G minor and the first 2 bars are the same as the opening. In the 3rd and 4th bar it moves to the distant and unrelated key of E minor for the return to the fast section
He begins by developing the semitone melody from the transition with the octave bass playing a tonic pedal of E (remember we are in E minor)
Beethoven then, again, does something very unexpected. He begins transforming the ‘bits’ or motifs from the beginning of the introduction.
Beethoven then, again, does something very unexpected. He begins transforming the ‘bits’ or motifs from the beginning of the introduction.
Here is the motif transformed in the development now augmented and in E minor
As you can see, the notes are now longer—augmented and in E minor.
The left hand plays the same kind of chordal accompaniment as the 2nd subject (remember!)
You can see here how the genius of Beethoven is joining up two ideas from the exposition and developing them at the same time……AMAZING!!
Development: Dominant Preparation
Beethoven needs to be in the C minor for the recapitulation. Having visited other keys in the development, he now needs to return ‘home’ to the tonic. This requires a little preparation!
For 20 bars the left hand plays a repeated G, first as quavers and then as crotchets. This dominant pedal preparation is needed to take us back to the tonic.
The 1st subject ‘rocket’ melody is heard, gradually getting louder before sudden pp (very quiet) chromatic broken chords—all against the dominant pedal G.
The last 8 bars of the development changes to a monophonic texture (one musical line) for a 2 bar descending sequence, which ends with a C minor scale to take us into the recapitulation in C minor.
Development Summary
∙ Begins unusually with 4 bars from the slow introduction
∙ Moves onto develop music from the 1st and 2nd subjects, the transition and surprisingly the introduction
∙ It explores unrelated keys, including E minor
∙ It continues to use a wide range of dynamics and accents
∙ It ends with a long dominant preparation on G for a return to the tonic, C minor for the recapitulation (recap)
Review Questions:
1) Name two features of a development section
2) What is unusual about the beginning of the development?
3) What key does the fast section of the development begin in?
4) Name two melodies from the exposition are explored in the development?
5) How does Beethoven transform a motif from the introduction?
6) How does Beethoven prepare for the recapitulation and return to the tonic?