LATE BEETHOVEN LATE BEETHOVEN - Luisa Guembes-Buchanan

precursor of the much more elaborate one in the beginning
of the op. 106 fugal finale. This use of fugues in the finale
movements became an obsession during Beethoven’s last
decade.
The Allegro fugato theme, unlike the fugal themes in
neighboring works, has a humorous character. It has a rugged
edge and is laden with sforzando markings on the weak
part of the beats, producing thereby a dislocated rhythm.
There are parallels between this fugato movement and the
fugue of the Hammerklavier. Most obvious are the use of
scalar segments, inversion and augmentation of the subject.
I believe this movement provided Beethoven with the material
that he would greatly expand in the op. 106.
Reaction to the fugue was not positive. A reviewer of
these sonatas remarked in 1824 when addressing the fugue:
“This theme is too merry for such serious treatment, and
therefore makes too shrill a contrast to the other movements.
How much we would rather have heard another
movement - A Beethoven finale! - in place of this fugue.
It would be therefore desirable that Beethoven not exploit
the fugue in such a willful manner, since his great genius is
naturally lifted above every form”. 8
Mark Kaplan points out that there is relatively less
research into this area of Beethoven’s body of work and
concludes his article by observing that “the innovation and
musical genius in the chamber music with piano make it a
repertory in every way the equal of Beethoven’s other great
instrumental genres”. 9
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