Beethoven: Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5 No. 2, for Piano with Cello Obligato

In the early summer of 1796, Beethoven composed his first two cello sonatas while visiting the Berlin court of King Friedrich Wilhelm II, an amateur cellist. Dedicated to the king, these sonatas premiered with Beethoven at the piano with celebrated cellist Jean-Louis Duport. Originally titled “two grand sonatas for piano and obbligato cello,” they reflect an 18th-century tradition where the piano typically dominated. However, Beethoven innovatively balanced the cello and piano, elevating the cello’s role beyond that of mere accompaniment. This expansion was influenced by Duport, whose technical prowess transformed cello performance and pedagogy. Both Opus 5 sonatas consist of two movements, modeled after Mozart’s Violin Sonata in C Major, K. 303.

The compositional life of Beethoven can best be understood as 3 distinctly evolving periods. The two Op. 5 sonatas are from his early period, at a time that the young Beethoven was greatly influenced by the reigning composersof the age, Mozart and Haydn. The G minor Sonata features a dramatic introduction filled with contrasting emotions, rhythmic variety, and moments of suspense leading into the Allegro. This movement is notably extensive, exceeding 500 measures yet maintaining remarkable coherence. The final movement is a bright Rondo, beginning unexpectedly in C major instead of G major. It includes three themes, which Beethoven varies throughout.