Piano Sonata No .17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2
Composer: Ludwig Van Beethoven
Date of Publication: 1802
Nickname: "Der Sturm" or "The Tempest"
In the turn of the nineteenth century, Beethoven fell into a deep depression due to his growing deafness, sometimes even contemplating suicide, as revealed in the letter to his brothers in 1802. Consequently, it's no surprise that he opted for d minor, the generally agreed-upon saddest key in music, when composing his 17th piano sonata during the years of 1801 and 1802. The piece gains its namesake from a conversation between Beethoven and his secretary, Anton Schindler. Schindler recounts of asking Beethoven for the key to his sonatas 17 and 23 (Apassionata), to which Beethoven replied, "Read Shakespeare's 'Tempest'". Tempest lives up to its subtitle, following a standard sonata form for the first and last movements and a sonatina form for the second, where elements of a storm are clearly symbolized.
The first movement is divided into 2 distinct, alternating characters; a brief, calm largo following a rising arpeggio motif, and a thundering allegro, with a repeating cascade of eighth notes. The largo depcits the eye of the storm, brief intervals of tranquility between an abrasive and pesante storm in the allegro sections. In the second movement, the key modulates to Bb, and a lyrical passage ensues, borrowing motifs from the first movement. In this Adagio, the calm before the storm is made apparent, switching to major to dispel the tense, anxious minor key of the first movement. However, Beethoven makes it clear that the tempest has not been defeated - tossing in abrupt 32nd note passages to foreshadow the storm's return. And sure enough, as the key switches back to d minor, the tempest returns in the third movement. Here, the storm gathers, starting with a graceful melody that becomes more thunderous upon its repeat. This pattern of elegance and intensification continues on, until the piece ends with an ominous descending arpeggio, perhaps indicating that although the tempest has subsided, it will return soon enough.
"Fun" Fact: After going deaf, Beethoven almost contemplated suicide. In his Heiligenstadt Testament, he wrote, "…I would have put an end to my life – it is only my art that held me back. Ah! It seemed impossible to me to leave the world before bringing forth all I felt in me, and so have I endured this miserable life."
Movements:
I. Largo - Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegretto
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