Ludwig Van Beethoven, who lived between 1770 and 1827 , is well remembered for the huge steps he made during his music career. One of his most memorable compositions is the Piano Sonata Op. 10, No. 2 in F Major , which he recorded in 1797 after a long musical break. However, upon releasing it, the composition managed to capture the attention of a huge audience, and many described it as emotional. Beethoven managed to have affectionate performances with extreme attention to the rhythmic bounce and cushioned tone that was in Piano Sonata Op. 10, No. 2 in F Major . The recording piece was done a couple of years after his first public appearance in Vienna. With his performance and engagement, Beethoven managed to inspire a lot of other pianists who try to imitate the piano sonata and be innovative with the type of sound that he produced .
Ludwig Van Beethoven can be regarded as a pianist pioneer whose work , Piano Sonata Op. 10, No. 2 in F Major , is used as a basis by many other artists to lay their musical foundation. Also, he is great in how he branded himself as an artist. Piano Sonata Op. 10, No. 2 in F Major is a significant work that reveals the creativity process Beethoven used in making his piano sounds. It was his best piece of artwork because it was unique and versatile, and it laid the foundation for many young pianists who aspired to produce similar sounds. Despite having a lot of personal challenges, he never allowed them to interfere with his musical career.
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Ludwig van Beethoven was a composer of German origin during the transitional period. He was born on 17 th December 1770 in Cologne, Germany into a family of musicians. 1 His grandfather lived in Bonn and used to sing in the archbishop-elector choir. His father also was a singer in the same choir. Even though Beethoven had a smooth start in his music career because of his family’s support, material resources to support him were not easily available. His family was well up but with time, after his grandfather’s death, poverty set in the family. The situation became worse when his father turned into an alcoholic. His music education began as early as when he was between four and five years. His father, Johann van Beethoven, presented him for the first concert in 1778 when Ludwig was seven years old. 2
After the first concert, Johann felt that Ludwig was not prepared to do public performances. He, therefore, decided to have him learn more. In 1791, Ludwig quit schooling at the age of ten years and began studying music with Gottlob Neefe. At the age of twelve years, Ludwig wrote his first composition. After his father’s alcoholic problem deteriorated to the point that he could no longer take care of the family, Ludwig sought to assist the court organist, and he was given the job despite being young. While composing some of his important works towards the end of the 1790s, Ludwig was struggling with the fact that he was going deaf and in most cases tried to conceal the problem. 3 As a result of the deafness, Ludwig began to change his way of creating music in the early 1800s. Although he became completely deaf towards the end of his life, his work was still outstanding.
Between 1797 and 1803, Ludwig composed three Op. 10 sonatas which he dedicated to Anna Margarete, who was a countess. 4 Her husband was a Beethoven’s patron during the period. Ludwig also dedicated some sonatas to him and as a result of the dedication to his wife, Beethoven received a riding horse as appreciation. During this period, Beethoven was rising as a music star in Vienna. His ability and skills as a pianist contributed to his rise to fame. He was especially excellent in improvising and this acquired him many chances to perform and attracted many students to him. 5
In 1796, Ludwig began a series of concerts to places such as Berlin, and Leipzig among others which earned him more audience and a good profit. While in Berlin, he entertained the king and in return received a golden snuffbox. However, when he composed the Sonata in F major OP. 10 No. 2 in 1797, Beethoven did not do many tours as the previous year and he was quieter. It is in this year that the Op. 5 and 8 that he composed that was published together with variations. Beethoven had dedicated the Op.9 to Count Johann in the same year. 6 For the first Op. 10 sonata, Ludwig Beethoven designed the wide Adagio Molto movement at the center in an A flat major. The bright movement was framed in the C minor. 7 The second sonata of op. 10 had the F major movement assume a light Allegretto around the F minor. 8 The period between 1797 and 1798 was also marked with the completion of the op.49 sonatas. 9 This first period of Ludwig Beethoven’s musical career is characterized by a wide range of compositions in almost all the genres that existed back then. 10
Key works of the pianist during this period include the first two symphonies, the first, second and third piano concertos and the initial six quartets. 11 Also, the period is characterized by more chamber music and approximately more than 50 percent of 32 sonatas. Beethoven’s early work conspicuously used the piano and it played a major role in defining his music. This showed his ambition as both a composer and a performing artist. Beethoven is outstanding in many ways and considered one of the best pianists to have ever existed. He became the first pianist to explore and exploit various pianistic effects. 12
The effects included using pedals and registry ends in a manner that foreshadowed a lot of piano music afterward. Much of the early works of Ludwig van Beethoven including the composition of the Sonata in F major OP. 10 No. 2 used formal design related to the classical changes method. 13 This is significantly evident in his excellent ability in improvising which shows his sense of encounter with popular music. 14 Also, it mirrored his future growth in elaborating existing simple ideas in music. Throughout Beethoven’s music life, he applied variation and never lost sight for it.
Beethoven was acquainted with the 18 th –century ornamentation traditions which were inherited by his generation as the piano playing was proceeding with different changes. He lived during these changes of the first echelon and in which he has been influenced by Hummel's preference is unknown. These speculations have added that he was an innovator regarding its compositional know-how; he never let tradition stand in its way of expression as a pianist. Many attempts were in his journey of inquiry trying to find answers regarding its definitive realization of ornaments.
Research efforts were key value in the hands of the pianist as was building of traditional performances; this was a relation of a teacher-pupil lineage to multiple 20th-century performers from Beethoven and famous performers in the 19th century. The principles of ornamentation are set by C.P.E. Bach and some editors have realized it to contemporary principles, these editors can never go far however it seems to offer solutions that are technically practical as others adhere to 19 th -century performance tradition. The realization of problems of an ornamentation tradition is offered, but notes of this edition are taken on differing viewpoints. In the Beethoven sonatas, there is not an answer to performance encountered in matters of ornamentation and articulation, each generation needs to address their issues in a new way.
The Sonata No.6 in F major, Op 10, No.2 is filled with humor and good spirits. Among the earliest Sonatas by Beethoven, this is the shortest of all, 15 and it is often referred to as the most important. The first theme is characterized by a rhythmic motive that is usually followed by a long lyrical line. The second theme consists of short motives stated three times with two variations. Beethoven was considered as one of the gifted composers. Sonata No.6 in F major, Op 10, No.2 is rich with masterful strokes, which makes it quite significant. The composer holds his work fondly especially because of its quirkiness and humor. This work is cast in three different movements: Allegro, Allegretto, and Presto. Beethoven excluded a slow movement, which is not unusual. Most of the movements are homophonic and the mood is of good humor and they do not withstand the use of periodic notation which gives the voice level.
The Allegro movement is set off with two emphatic chords, which are followed with a triplet feature that has a mischievous turn, a perfect invitation for the next statement. The movement is composed in the form of the Sonata Form. F major and it exists in three key groups: exposition, development, and recapitulation. The first subject in the exposition category is the F major (tonic), which comprises of twelve bars divided into three four-bar sections. This subject is lyrical yet it brings out a playful scene, 16 and it is represented in Figure 1 .
The second subject falls of the Allegro within bars 13 to 19 as shown in Figure 2 , and it is known as the connecting episode. The start of the connecting episode is characterized by two bars of the first subject, which are repeated and then modulated into a D sharp. The harmony of these subjects produces a chord of the augmented sixth. This resolves on dominant A with an unusual chord occurring just before the C major key, which falls within bars 19 to 56. The final subject within the exposition category is the Coda in bars 56 to 67 ( Figure 3 ). The Coda is a four-bar phrase that is repeated with slight elongations and variations. This second phase begins with a brash, happy melody that has a quick rise before proceeding to produce other busy ideas.
The exposition phase is repeated in the last two bars (69-79) of the Coda transition slowly into the development phase, which has an Episode between bars 79 and 97, and episodal modulation between bars 97 and 119. The development phase ends in a dominant key D, which features an unexpected triplet figure right after the opening chords 17 . The final phase of the Allegro is the recapitulation, which is grouped into four subjects of the D major (bars 120 to 132), a connecting episode (bars 133 to 148), the F major (bars 148 to 193), and the Coda (bars 194 to the end ( Figure 4 )).
Dots and wedges in the Allegro were considered due to different types of accents as he proofread the String quartet Op, 132 and Symphony No.7. He noted 'where there is a dot above note, a wedge must not be put instead and vice versa" and '….and… is not identical .' The last two bars in this segment are in B flat major and minor coupled with some episodal modulation, which makes key D the most dominant for this measure. The autograph is also unclear about these dots and wedges. Due to all these confusions, editors who usually think they can differentiate both wedge and dot end up doing some guesswork and making most of the large numbers eventually change inconsistency. These have made most of the editors to give up in making some of these differentiations and adopt one kind of marking.
The second movement is cast in a minute, but with a lower first chord. They are written to allow the addition of composer’s figural variations in a designated movement Allegretto, which exists in the Ternary Form. F minor. Although Beethoven did not make it so, this second movement is a scherzo, which starts with emphatic chords with an ominous upward tread from the lower ranges. The first part of this movement exists in bars 1 to 40, and it is divided into four parts: the F minor (tonic) that ends in A flat major, sequential passage, an original key that ends in F minor (tonic), and the Coda. Upon reaching the higher register, the mood of the sonata hits a higher plateau. The theme of the allegretto movement is repeated immediately before it shows up two octaves higher, which has a lighter texture but deeper feeling. This second part of the Allegretto occurs in the bars 41 to 127, which are divided into six groups (the first group is represented in Figure 6 ). The brief trio section that follows is both comforting and jovial, and this perfectly contrasts with the more serious tone set by the allegro. This part occurs in bars 128 to the end 17 .
This difference in piano resulted in a different harmony in the Sonata, and this will be well illustrated in two representations. They both fall within the second movement (Menuetto. Allegretto). This movement best brings out the Ternary Form. F Major for the first time in measures 1-4 ( Figure 5 ), which is altered in such a manner that it ends in F minor (tonic). F Major then occurs in measures 1-9 of the third movement (Presto) ( Figure 7 ). This is the first subject that brings out F Major (tonic) in this measure. The first subject of four bars takes the lead in the bass in a frugal style, and it is answered in the treble in measure 5.
The most attractive bit of this work is undoubtedly the finale, which begins with a frantic humorous and memorable theme, which is so characteristic of Beethoven. The melody builds upward, making several unexpected shifts along the way. All these chords are aligned in a manner that leaves a mischievous and playful feel. As the finale comes to an end, the bass register chords are registered, a sign that a new idea is about to happen. This is followed by a short but brilliant coda that brings the work to a close. With this excellently brought together performance and engagement, Beethoven managed to inspire a lot of other pianists who try to imitate the piano sonata and be innovative with the type of sound that he produced . This third movement is known as Presto, and it occurs in the Sonata Form. F major and it is represented in Figure 7 . Just like the Allegro, the Presto movement exists in three subjects: the exposition, development, and recapitulation.
Most of the sonatas of the 19 th century, the ones are known best were those offer metronome marking as of Ignaz Moscheles and Czerny(1794-1870) 18 . The marks which came later were fast as from many of the musician's opinions; many pianists also feel that though Schnabel’s markings proceeded well, copying basic tempi and tempo fluctuation in performance preparation is a process should be undertaken by each individual. Thinking regarding selecting tempi has become sophisticated and suggests that tempo may be influenced by the number of variables including the sound, the sensibility of performer and acoustics. The alteration of tempo to music flow depends on many factors, not the least of which is the performer's ability to project point of view.
About the music, Beethoven ‘autograph of sonatus’ (1894-1902) 19 is most often regarded as the one linked to the freedom of Romanticism and the emotional intensity between the balance and clarity of Classicism. He experimented with the content and structure of the 32 piano sonatas, the work span for Beethoven was almost for 30 years of his active life. He tried the innovations in sonatas workshop, he also contrasted with serious intent long works, lighter work and latter often become jovial and humorous. Sets of sonatas Op 10 contained both types which represented the composer's likings for writing light, short sonatas while the other set was usually longer with profound nature. For measures 102-106, (see Figure 8 ), these figures and placement undoubtedly approve the thesis statement of this paper on the significance of Piano Sonata Op. 10, No. 2 in F Major in revealing the creative process that Beethoven used in making his piano sounds. Without a doubt, this was his best piece of artwork that showed uniqueness and versatility.
Beethoven composed a lot of pieces, many of which he drew inspiration from different sources, but others followed his unique style of writing and composition. During his era, several economic and political events occurred, which affected how Beethoven composed his music. Beethoven’s music was purely composed of the public, something that won him the title of a music composition hero. In conclusion, Piano Sonata Op. 10, No. 2 in F Major is a reflection of several historical and environmental aspects that formed a part of Beethoven’s life in the 18 th century. It shows the resilience that this artist had, and his unyielding nature regardless of the challenges that he experienced, for instance, the loss of hearing ability. 20 This piece, “ Piano Sonata Op. 10, No. 2 in F Major ” is a significant work for Beethoven which represents his unique and versatile nature when it comes to music.
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