beethoven's violin sonata op. 23: freedom of interpretation in
TRANSCRIPT
Beethoven’s Violin Sonata Op. 23: Freedom of Interpretation
in Passages of Formal Anomaly
Arielle E. Cady, BMUS Violin PerformanceAdvisors: Ms. T. !ompson, Ms. C. Trynchuk
Abstract
L. van Beethoven’s Violin and Piano Sonata Op. 23 in A minor (18001801) is a multi movement
sonata that has three unexpected formal events: two occurring in the Presto (movement one) and one in
the Allegro Molto (movement three). These formal anomalies, discovered through the creation of form
diagrams, present potentially challenging moments of interpretation for performers.
The question this research project addresses is whether or not the three areas of formal anomaly
allow performers more freedom in personal interpretation than normal formative events. In order to
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I created inscore analysis of each performance in which every detail was recorded. As part of my
#.#$52)23'4',(0#.)6!+'&1!'7"!'(!8,(+).02').&,'!)&1!('&1!';8$#22)8#$<',(';(,-#.&)8<'/!(*,(-#.8!'&(#+)&),.23'
9#2!+',.'&1!'%2!',*'(%9#&,'#.+'+5.#-)82:'=,('!#2!',*'8,-/#()2,.'-5'7.+).02'>!(!'/%&').&,'#'	$!'
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anomaly. While the analysis of the data is still ongoing, my initial discovery does show that in the third
movement, Allegro Molto3'2,-!'/!(*,(-!(2'+,'"#(5'*(,-'&1!',()0).#$'28,(!'>)&1'+5.#-)82'>1!.'&1!';@<'
theme from the Development returns unexpectedly in the Recapitulation.
Methodology
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a Violin Performance major, part of my training includes researching other performances to in turn make
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will allow my own performance to grow.
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Exposition DevelopmentAm || a transition B codetta A" C RT
a “Folk Dance”
a
m. 1-20 M.20-24 M.25-42 m.43-53 m.54-74 m.74-94 m.95-113 m.114-177 m.178-203i v# V i i i VI V
RecapitulationA “Tarantella” T* “Folk Dance”* RT A" Codettam.204-223 m.224-247 m.247-267 m.268-293 m.284-303 m.304-323 m.324-332i i m.276 C
from Dev. re-turns
m.294 on Vfrom RT in Development
i i ||
T transition
RT Retransition
________________________
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Formal Anomaly 1A1!'7(2&',*'&1!2!'%.!N/!8&!+',88%((!.8!2')2'*,%.+').'&1!'Presto movement. In &1!'+!"!$,/-!.&3'&1!(!')2'#'/(,/!('(!&(#.2)&),.').'/(!/#(#&),.'*,('&1!'(!&%(.',*'&1!'7(2&'&1!-!'*(,-'&1!'!N/,2)&),.'O-!#2%(!2'PDQJPRST:''U!!&1,"!.'(!&%(.2'&,'&1!'8,((!8&'?!5'9%&'%2!2'&1!'>(,.0'&1!-!3'8(!#&).0'a false recapitulation.
Formal Anomaly 2The second unexpected occurrence is also found in the Presto3'9%&'+%().0'&1!'8,+#:''U!!&1,"!.'&#?!2'-,&)")8')+!#2'*(,-'&1!'7(2&'&1!-!'*,(',.$5',.!'-!#2%(!'O-:'DDET'#.+'8,.&).%!2'>)&1'thematic material from the false reprise that occurred in the development (223243). This is unusual
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Formal Anomaly 3The third area is found in the third movement, the Allegro Molto. During the
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Step 2J@(!#&!').J28,(!'#.#$52!2',*'>1#&'!#81',*'&1!'7"!'81,2!.'/!(*,(-#.8!2'+,'+%().0'&1!'*,(-#$'#.,-#$5:''W5'28,(!'#.#$52!2'!2/!8)#$$5'*,8%2',.'&1!'%2!',*'(%9#&,'#.+'+5.#-)82:''4'8,$$#&!+'-5'7.+).02').'	$!2'&,'#$$,>'*,('!#2!',*'8,-/#()2,.:''A1)2'2&!/'#$2,').8$%+!2')+!.&)*5).0'&1!'/!(*,(-#.8!'#2'!)&1!('
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Excerpt from Allegro Molto; Mutter
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in personal interpretation.
Test Study 3
Allegro Molto3'%2!',*'&1!'@'&1!-!'*(,-'&1!'X!"!$,/-!.&'+%().0'&1!'G!8#/)&%$#&),.3'-:'DRYJEQPO!2/!8)#$$5'*,8%2).0',.'DRY'>)&1'&1!'@'&1!-!'(!&%(.).0T
Performer Initial Tempo During Formal Anomaly
Use of Rubato* Use of Dynamics Other than spe-ci!cally noted
Performance Style
Grumiaux/Haskil 70 70 Yes, 274 Exaggerated pp/ cresc and dim.
Classical
Perlman/Ashkenazy
84 84 Yes, accl. in Tar-entella section, last two measures
No Classical
Zukerman/Neikrug
78 78 Yes, just before the C theme re-turns
No Classical
Mutter/Orkis 80 80 Yes, 268-275 stretches tempo signi$cantly, as well as phrase endings
pp for the C theme, huge cresc. to A theme
Romantic
Stern/Istomin 84 84 Yes, 268 and phrase endings
Exaggerated subi-to pp in 268
Romantic
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Findings
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Molto'#.+'1#"!'%2!+')&'&,'8,-/#(!'&,'&1!'&1)(+'=,(-#$'I.,-#$5:'A1)2'Z8,.&(,$'0(,%/[',88%(2'>1!.'&1!'
.!>'&1!-!3'@3').'&1!'+!"!$,/-!.&'#//!#(2:''A1)2')2'8,.2)+!(!+'2%81'9!8#%2!'&1!'+!"!$,/-!.&')2'!N/!8&!+'
&,'1#"!'#'.!>'&1!-!').'#'^,.#&#JG,.+,'*,(-:''_1!.'&1!'@'&1!-!'(!&%(.2'#0#).').'&1!'(!8#/)&%$#&),.3'
it is unexpected. Some performers, such as Mutter and Zukerman, chose to play the occurrence in the
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unexpected formal events, performers do in fact choose to vary from what the composer wrote giving
them freedom in their interpretation.
Bibliography
Beethoven and History
Nettl, Paul. Beethoven Encyclopedia. `!>'a,(?b'H1)$,2,/1)8#$'M)9(#(53'PKcR:
^81-)+&Jde(03'F,2!/13'#.+'V#.2'^81-)+&:3'!+2:'Ludwig van Beethoven. `!>'a,(?b'H(#!0!('H%9$)21!(23'
PKfQ:
Sonata Form
X#(853'_#((!.3'#.+'F#-!2'V!/,?,2?):''Elements of Sonata Theory. New York: Oxford University Press,
2006.
Newman, William S. The Sonata in the Classical Era.'`!>'a,(?b'_:_:'`,(&,.'g'@,-/#.53'4.8:3'PKYE:
Performance Practices
Kroll, Mark, and Lewis Lockwood, eds. The Beethoven Violin Sonatas: History, Criticism, Performance.
h(9#.#b'h.)"!(2)&5',*'4$$).,)2'H(!223'DQQS:
M!"53'F#.!&'W:';A1!'H,>!(',*'&1!'H!(*,(-!(b'4.&!(/(!&).0'U!!&1,"!.:<'The Journal of Musicology: A
Quarterly Review of Music History, Criticism, Analysis, and Performance Practice PY'ODQQPTb'EPJcc:
^&,>!$$3'G,9).3'!+:'Performing Beethoven.'@#-9()+0!b'h.)"!(2)&5'H(!223'PKKS:
^6)0!&)3'F,2!/1: The Ten Violin Sonatas.'h(9#.#b'I-!()8#.'^&().0'A!#81!(2'I22,8)#&),.3'PKRc:
Score
Beethoven, Ludwig van. Sonatas for Piano and Violin, Volume 1:''W%.)81b'd:'V!.$!'i!($#03'' PKfS:
Sound Recordings
Grumiaux, Arthur. Beethoven The Violin Sonatas'95'M%+>)0'"#.'U!!&1,"!.:'j/)8:'MH:'PKcRJ' PKcf:
Mutter, AnneSophie. Beethoven The Complete Violin Sonatas'95'M%+>)0'"#.'U!!&1,"!.:'^81,&&:'@X:''
PKKY:
Stern, Isaac. Beethoven The Violin Sonatas'95'M%+>)0'"#.'U!!&1,"!.:''^,.5'@$#22)8#$:''@X:'' PKKR:
Perlman, Itzhak. Beethoven: The Violin Sonatas'95'M%+>)0'"#.'U!!&1,"!.:''X!88#:''@X:'PKYY:
Zukerman, Pinchas. Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin'95'M%+>)0'"#.'U!!&1,"!.:'UW@'@$#22)82:''
@X:'PKKD: