Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major

Composed in the mid 1790s and dedicated to Joseph Haydn, the Third Sonata is undoubtedly amongst the boldest of Beethoven’s early works. Not only is its large-scale opening “Allegro con brio” movement packed full of technical challenges for the pianist, but also Beethoven’s musical argument covers an astonishingly wide range of moods—moments of quiet mystery are frequently followed by brazenly powerful episodes that seem to emulate the sound of a full orchestra. The rest of the Sonata features equally unpredictable passages. For example, Beethoven suddenly interrupts the aura of tranquillity near the end of the second movement “Adagio” with a dramatic fortissimo statement of the opening idea. No less surprising is the closing passage of the ensuing “Scherzo” that appears to fade away into the distance. In the capricious and spirited finale (“Allegro assai”), Beethoven once again plays with our expectations, especially near the end when the main rondo theme reappears rather enigmatically in the wrong key—a ploy which is brusquely corrected with a furious burst of musical activity that brings the Sonata to a defiant close.