Brahms Sonata #3

Right from the start Brahms begins to play with traditional beat hierarchy. The third beat has a stronger accent than the second and the first. The rhythmic set-up reflects that of his second Ballade which is in ternary form. The movement is full of motivic demelopment called thematic transformation. Brahms takes a motive from the last part of his opening six measures and begins developing it in a beautiful quite more charming way. As to be expected he juxtapositions this eighth-note motion with triplet fifths in the left-hand. The second page features a very Beethoven-like texture. The right-hand sustains a beautiful chorale sound and the left features a stark staccato non-melodic sound, which not surprisingly comes from the opening rythmic idea. He then takes this same theme and puts it into a more appropriate matching texture. The chorale theme fits better with a warm oscilating wave of harmonies. The development plays with the previous established three against two concept and simplifies the chordal melody. For a whole page, Brahms sustains this hypnotic eighth-note syncopation with an otherwise 'normal' bass melody. I guess Brahms is known for his unique textures. What gives the piece coherency is the use of motives and the preservation of a accessible and understandable melody despite what else might be going on. The recapitulation really develops the opening six measures. Here we see a whole page full of the main rythmic motive: dotted eight and two thirty-second notes. The chromatic bass bass progression is a definite allusision to earlier baroque compositional techniques such as ground-bass and the forms of passacalgia and chaconne. This chromatic motion which we find so often in Liszt logically creates a sense of line in this pretty complex passage.
There is something about the second movement Andante that reminds me of Beethoven's Adagio from the Pathetique sonata. The key is the same as well as some of the textures. The third measure has a very similar melodic motion which instantly made me think of the Beethoven movement. The poco piu lento is very simple soft and beautifull. Their is a wonderfully simple progression which I find amazing. Bbm, fm, gbm, dbM, dbm, cbM, FbM, etc. It just weaves around somewhat like a Schubert sonata or impromptu. This section is part of the B section in this overall ABA form. What defies the form is this innovative and expressive coda section (Andante molto). It is unusual in that the bass creates a pedal not on tonic or dominant but on supertonic. The melody suggests the melodic first movement (part with 2 against 3). The build up is perfect Ab Db Eb Gb (huge) F Eb F Db. This is just varied repetition of the melody but FF and with huge chords. The climax is signalled by these uncontrolled sixteenth notes. It ends peacefully.
The Scherzo reminds me of Ravel's la valse. The heaviness juxtaposed with fast triple meter seems to have an element of self-contradiction. The second page features this eccentric chord progression which is conservative by no stretch of the imagination: ebm, abm, EM, BM, Fm, bm, G7, CM, C#dim, G7, etc..The pattern is most unpredictable and sporadic. I guess this is a typical trait of a scherzo. The trio is ironic in that is is a perfectly conservative chorale. The contrast to the previous section obviously changes the purpose of such an appearance. One cannot avoid the context within which a section appears. To see something as it is without relating it to its surrounding is bound to yield misinterpretation.