Sonata No.11 Op.22, Fourth Movement

The Sonata Op.22 No.11 in B flat major was written in 1800 and dedicated to Count von Browne. It is the last early Sonata in which Beethoven followed the “traditional sonata form.” This Sonata could also the best early Sonata by using a standard Sonata form because he avoided using a standard Sonata form on purpose in the next Sonata he composed, Sonata No.12 Op. 26, and marked a first step toward the new Sonata world. Beethoven felt sure people would have a positive reaction to his work. About Op. 22 Beethoven told his publisher “this sonata is a terrific piece,” and when he talks this way we have to pay attention. In craftsmanship and smoothness of finish, Op. 22 is on a pinnacle.

As I researched, Beethoven was greeted so warmly in the aristocratic society and kept getting respect and affection because of his distinguished performing technique and compositional skill when he arrived in Vienna. However, he had never been employed by the aristocrats. Therefore, Beethoven had to negotiate with publishers to publish his own work freely. Through this, he gained more compositional freedom. He could compose whatever he wanted. This was good because the aristocrats wanted Beethoven to publish more freely anyways. Beethoven also composed the First Symphony in 1800. On 2 April 1800 Beethoven gave his first concert for his own benefit, in the Burgtheater. The music included, besides a Mozart symphony and numbers from Haydn’s Creation, two new works by Beethoven, the Septer (Op.20) and the First Symphony. The former soon became one of his most popular works. His piano playing was on display in an improvisation. Beethoven may have spent part of the summer of 1800 with the Brunsvik family in Hungary. The second half of 1800 was seemingly uneventful for Beethoven. It is important to know what happened to and influenced Beethoven around the time that he composed the Sonata Op.22 No.11 because it helps me to think how and why Beethoven wrote this Sonata.

I chose this Sonata...