This is Op. 14, No. 1, not Op. 14, No. 2 as you have in your description above. Otherwise, this is an excellent analysis. Thank you for such quality work! One thing a tonal composer sometimes does is to introduce a non I or IV or V harmony so that he can later modulate to this as a key. So, in the 2nd measure he gives us a C Major chord. Then the later modulation to C Major as a key is really just part of this piece's universe. Another thing: voice leading is commonly used to ease the modulation. Also interesting is the downward moving chromatic in m66 and its inverse in m70 -- both leading to an e. It is this constant emphasis on the note e that helps put the key of C Major on solid footing as a valid key to contrast with E Major.
Boy is this great content! If only an audio-visual presentation this clear and concise had been available to me 20 years ago, when my mediocre piano skills were holding back my progress in harmony! I am going to binge-watch this channel
Thanks for this info! Yes, this is the first of two early sonatas in Op. 14. Apparently, Beethoven was particularly pleased with sonata No. 9, as he created a string quartet arrangement from it. You can find this arrangement in IMSLP.
9:10 - Wouldn’t the standard reading of the chord in mm. 99 be a B Major dominant chord with an 11th and 13th that both resolve downwards in the next measure? Obviously, it spells out an E minor chord that anticipates the return to the global tonic key, but it wouldn’t make sense that the key of E returns before the structural downbeat of mm. 101. Note there’s a similar ambiguity in the preceding two measures as to whether we’re looking at two chords- C Major and A minor- or one chord- a C major chord with a passing tone as the G ascends to B.
Thanks for your insightful comment. The chord in m. 99 is typically called a cadential 64 chord. This works along with the clear V chord in m. 100 in a dominant function, the upper notes of the V chord being delayed until m. 100. The two notes you describe that resolve down are called 6 4 here rather than 13 11.Most pedagogical theory textbooks I've encountered label the cadential 64 as i64 (Piston, Kostka/Payne, Harder/Steinke, etc.), and some label it as V64 as a nod to its dominant function (Aldwell/Schachter). Beginning an overlapping analysis in the key of e minor in m. 98 is helpful in explaining the pivot chord, although I would agree that we don't actually hear the pivot chord in the new key except, perhaps as an afterthought. I would argue, however, that the dominant in the new key, with its introduction of the strong dominant pitch (m. 99) and the leading tone by m. 100 is a strong announcement pointing our ears back to e minor.
Thanks for your endorsement! I agree, the videos (and books) by Alan Belkin are excellent. Here is the first in his series on modulation: th-cam.com/video/XUb_s5XsxLM/w-d-xo.html
Wow, I wasn't super familiar with this piece down to the details even though I had heard it many times.... but with all you said about the ambiguous relationship between Em and C, how incredible is it to end on a series of E octaves?! This is what Beethoven's genius looks like.
Mr. Kehlenbach, At 05:35 where the tonic begins with E major, is it possible to replace the iiv dim 7th with V9 chord (9th diminished chord where the bass is B) ? Sorry for asking but would you mind explaining how the 9th chord works in functional harmony analysis? I would very much appreciate it and thank you in advance.
This is a good question. It may be possible to analyze it that way. But because of the relatively weak position of the B pitch in that measure - on the 2nd eighth of the 2nd beat - as well as its passing tone figuration, I can't really hear the B as the root, and therefore, I give the analysis of the viio7 chord with the tonic pedal tone. A more clear example of a dominant 9th chord in Beethoven can be found in Piano Sonata #15, Op. 28, 2nd movement, about 11 measures from the end - imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No.15%2C_Op.28_(Beethoven%2C_Ludwig_van) Here the chord is A C# E G Bb in the key of d minor (very clear 9 measures from the end). We would analyze it V7b9. Here's a video that explains: th-cam.com/video/Ri06tJI81II/w-d-xo.html
@@bkehlenb it is very considerate of you giving me time to explain my question and I am very appreciative of that. I also have been thinking for several times and totally agree with your analysis of replacing viio7 rather than 9th chord because it does not make sense if the pedal tone does not go with the chord, and you are right the B pitch is unheard in that section, therefore replacing viio7 is the best solution for that. One more question that I would like to ask, does it count as dominant 9th if the bass is not in the root position? Or is the root erased from the chord?
Yes, you can find good examples of dominant 9 chords in inversion. The César Franck Violin Sonata alternates between a root position and a 2nd inversion 9th chord in the first few measures. Debussy is a great place to look for examples. See the dominant 9 in first inversion in his Passapied, m. 124, beat 3 and 4.@@carolintjoa2487
Any reason why you didn't analyze the opening 16 measures as mm. 1-4 an antecedent phrase and mm. 5-8 a consequent phrase forming a contrasting period and as a whole mm. 1-16 as a parallel double period?
Thanks for the comment, Jason. Yes, I can see analyzing the phrase structure that way, as a double period. Although I analyzed the way I did because that is the way I hear this music. To my ears, Beethoven seems to be writing these phrases in a way that emphasizes their 8-measure structure. He seems to pull me through the 8-measure unit in a rather quick tempo without much sense of cessation in the middle. I sense this in the way he uses those descending diminished 7 chords in mm. 3-4 instead of a V chord, as well as that descending bass line all the way from m. 1 to m. 6. Also in the way the melodic eighth-note rhythm that keeps the motion flowing forward in m. 4 and the harmonic rhythm that picks up in m. 5.
14:21 label here should say Dominant Preparation Pivot "Chord" Modulation. Sorry about that!
This is Op. 14, No. 1, not Op. 14, No. 2 as you have in your description above. Otherwise, this is an excellent analysis. Thank you for such quality work! One thing a tonal composer sometimes does is to introduce a non I or IV or V harmony so that he can later modulate to this as a key. So, in the 2nd measure he gives us a C Major chord. Then the later modulation to C Major as a key is really just part of this piece's universe. Another thing: voice leading is commonly used to ease the modulation. Also interesting is the downward moving chromatic in m66 and its inverse in m70 -- both leading to an e. It is this constant emphasis on the note e that helps put the key of C Major on solid footing as a valid key to contrast with E Major.
Thanks for your interesting analytical comment and also for noticing the mistake in the description! It should read correctly now.
Boy is this great content! If only an audio-visual presentation this clear and concise had been available to me 20 years ago, when my mediocre piano skills were holding back my progress in harmony! I am going to binge-watch this channel
Thanks for your comment! I am glad that you are getting good use of the videos.
For anyone searching for a recording of the sonata, know that piano sonatas no. 9 and 10 have the same opus number 14. This one is piano sonata no. 9.
Thanks for this info! Yes, this is the first of two early sonatas in Op. 14. Apparently, Beethoven was particularly pleased with sonata No. 9, as he created a string quartet arrangement from it. You can find this arrangement in IMSLP.
Super well explained! Thank you!
I appreciate your comment. Thanks for watching!
9:10 - Wouldn’t the standard reading of the chord in mm. 99 be a B Major dominant chord with an 11th and 13th that both resolve downwards in the next measure? Obviously, it spells out an E minor chord that anticipates the return to the global tonic key, but it wouldn’t make sense that the key of E returns before the structural downbeat of mm. 101. Note there’s a similar ambiguity in the preceding two measures as to whether we’re looking at two chords- C Major and A minor- or one chord- a C major chord with a passing tone as the G ascends to B.
Thanks for your insightful comment. The chord in m. 99 is typically called a cadential 64 chord. This works along with the clear V chord in m. 100 in a dominant function, the upper notes of the V chord being delayed until m. 100. The two notes you describe that resolve down are called 6 4 here rather than 13 11.Most pedagogical theory textbooks I've encountered label the cadential 64 as i64 (Piston, Kostka/Payne, Harder/Steinke, etc.), and some label it as V64 as a nod to its dominant function (Aldwell/Schachter). Beginning an overlapping analysis in the key of e minor in m. 98 is helpful in explaining the pivot chord, although I would agree that we don't actually hear the pivot chord in the new key except, perhaps as an afterthought. I would argue, however, that the dominant in the new key, with its introduction of the strong dominant pitch (m. 99) and the leading tone by m. 100 is a strong announcement pointing our ears back to e minor.
I like the manual notations, simply using the fountain pen for remarks on the music sheet. kudos!
Thanks for watching and appreciating the ink!
Thank you very much ! Perfect example for all these types of modulation. Thanks to you we can see and hear ! Greetings from France.
Thanks for your comment! As a teacher, I always appreciated this movement for its clear modulation types.
Delightful analysis and playing!
Thanks for watching and for your comment!
I found your TH-cam channel today and couldn’t be happier for that! Thanks for the great analysis!
Thanks for the comment! I'm glad that you are happy with the video.
Brilliant, Brian, thank you for this upload
Great lesson! Finally some adequate harmony analysis on youtube (besides Belkin). Subscribed.
Thanks for your endorsement! I agree, the videos (and books) by Alan Belkin are excellent. Here is the first in his series on modulation: th-cam.com/video/XUb_s5XsxLM/w-d-xo.html
Wow, I wasn't super familiar with this piece down to the details even though I had heard it many times.... but with all you said about the ambiguous relationship between Em and C, how incredible is it to end on a series of E octaves?! This is what Beethoven's genius looks like.
Yes, it's fascinating the way Beethoven presents a musical issue right at the onset and then how this guides the trajectory of the piece.
Mr. Kehlenbach,
At 05:35 where the tonic begins with E major, is it possible to replace the iiv dim 7th with V9 chord (9th diminished chord where the bass is B) ? Sorry for asking but would you mind explaining how the 9th chord works in functional harmony analysis? I would very much appreciate it and thank you in advance.
This is a good question. It may be possible to analyze it that way. But because of the relatively weak position of the B pitch in that measure - on the 2nd eighth of the 2nd beat - as well as its passing tone figuration, I can't really hear the B as the root, and therefore, I give the analysis of the viio7 chord with the tonic pedal tone. A more clear example of a dominant 9th chord in Beethoven can be found in Piano Sonata #15, Op. 28, 2nd movement, about 11 measures from the end - imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No.15%2C_Op.28_(Beethoven%2C_Ludwig_van) Here the chord is A C# E G Bb in the key of d minor (very clear 9 measures from the end). We would analyze it V7b9. Here's a video that explains: th-cam.com/video/Ri06tJI81II/w-d-xo.html
@@bkehlenb it is very considerate of you giving me time to explain my question and I am very appreciative of that. I also have been thinking for several times and totally agree with your analysis of replacing viio7 rather than 9th chord because it does not make sense if the pedal tone does not go with the chord, and you are right the B pitch is unheard in that section, therefore replacing viio7 is the best solution for that.
One more question that I would like to ask, does it count as dominant 9th if the bass is not in the root position? Or is the root erased from the chord?
Yes, you can find good examples of dominant 9 chords in inversion. The César Franck Violin Sonata alternates between a root position and a 2nd inversion 9th chord in the first few measures. Debussy is a great place to look for examples. See the dominant 9 in first inversion in his Passapied, m. 124, beat 3 and 4.@@carolintjoa2487
Great analysis, thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for the comment.
I love your videos please keep going ! You deserve more attention
Thanks for your support Radial Lines!
Any reason why you didn't analyze the opening 16 measures as mm. 1-4 an antecedent phrase and mm. 5-8 a consequent phrase forming a contrasting period and as a whole mm. 1-16 as a parallel double period?
Thanks for the comment, Jason. Yes, I can see analyzing the phrase structure that way, as a double period. Although I analyzed the way I did because that is the way I hear this music. To my ears, Beethoven seems to be writing these phrases in a way that emphasizes their 8-measure structure. He seems to pull me through the 8-measure unit in a rather quick tempo without much sense of cessation in the middle. I sense this in the way he uses those descending diminished 7 chords in mm. 3-4 instead of a V chord, as well as that descending bass line all the way from m. 1 to m. 6. Also in the way the melodic eighth-note rhythm that keeps the motion flowing forward in m. 4 and the harmonic rhythm that picks up in m. 5.
Great analysis
Thanks for your comment!
@@bkehlenb I’ve just purchased your 3 books on TH-cam and looking forward to them arriving.
Thanks again! I hope you find them useful. @@mattwallis1893
the tempo you play is too fast.
The video isn’t even about tempo
Czerny says Beethoven played it more or less at 69 bpm for a dotted half note, so it's not too fast.