| In our analysis of the first movement of Beethoven's opus 2 no. 1, we showed that the bass line (and, therefore, the cadential structure) is thematically related to the melodic motives. The same is true in this movement. The opening rocket from c-natural to e-flat (measures 1 to 3) is reflected in the bass motion in measures 1 to 9. (See example 241b.6.) The b-natural to f-natural motion of the second rocket (measures 5 to 7) is mirrored in the downward bass motion from f-natural to b-natural in measures 14 to 16. The c-natural/e-flat relationship is further emphasized by the lingering emphasis on e-flat in measures 9 through 14 and the return to c-natural in measure 18, so that the b-natural/f-natural tritone is heard as an embellishment of the c-natural/e-flat minor third. This tonic/mediant/leading-tone/subdominant idea returns in the second theme (first in e-flat major, measures 56 through 63, then in f major, measures 215 through 222, and finally in c minor, measures 233 through 240, as shown in example 241b.7(c)), as well as in the peculiar voice-leading of measures 150 through 158 near the end of the development section (as shown in example 241b.7(d)). At the end of that passage, the melodic line repeats the descending scale pattern from f-natural to b-natural first heard in the bass line in measures 14 through 16 (example 241b.7(e)). |
