Beethoven

by Romain Rolland

17th Sonata, Opus 31, No. 2, in D minor.

Allegro—Adagio—Allegretto.

One of the most splendid of all Beethoven's Sonatas. The opening movement is full of the most speaking of all Beethoven's sonorous and passionate recitatives. The Adagio is in full binary form. It is very expressive, entirely evolved from a three-note figure, a little Hummelian. The final Allegretto is all spun out from the little four-note germ said to have been suggested to the composer by the cantering of a horse.