Piano Sonata No. 2 in A Major

Beethoven’s Op. 2 Piano Sonatas were composed in 1795, after the composer had left his native Bonn for Vienna, where he was steadily establishing his fledgling career. While the first of these three sonatas immediately establishes the kind of intense drama we associate with the young firebrand composer, the second, in A major, is more of a lyrical comedy. The way it combines mischief and amusement is reminiscent of Haydn, to whom the sonatas are dedicated. Yet, from the pithy opening motif—two notes followed by a downward scale—Beethoven’s individuality is evident, not least in the lyrical second theme which slides through a daring range of keys. In common with most of Beethoven’s early sonatas, but unlike those by Haydn and Mozart, there are four movements. The soulful, almost hymn-like solemnity of the “Largo appassionato” is highly characteristic of the young Beethoven. A playful “Scherzo” follows, sparkling with grace and offset by a minor-key trio section, while the spacious “Rondo” finale radiates Viennese elegance and Mozartian charm.