Notes from Dr. Duane Hulbert:
"In 1795, 25-year-old Ludwig von Beethoven wrote a set of three sonatas: Opus 2, #1, Opus 2 # 2, and Opus 2 #3. The middle sonata, I think, is the most charming of these works.
I've looked at the first three movements of Op. 2, No. 2 in previous videos. ( • Mastering a Beethoven ... , • Beethoven's Sonata Op.... ,
• Beethoven's Sonata Op.... )
Today I want to focus on the fourth movement of the second sonata.
1) (0:02) The opening arpeggio creates a festive mood, accompanied by an Alberti bass. (Alberti bass is an accompaniment made up of broken chords played by the left hand on the piano, in a low - high - middle - high. (0:02)
2) The second page is full of technically challenging 16th notes in the melody line, decorated by turns, grace notes and scales. (0:35-0:54)
3) At the end of the exhibition, Beethoven embellishes the opening theme with some flashy technical with passages in the left hand. (0:1:26)
4) At (2:01-3:21) the mood shifts, with a sudden change to A minor in a section that's full of brooding staccato triplets that alternate between in the right and left hands. This is a common pattern found in the early classical period and is a perfect example of the popular themes in the minor key that show up as a contrast to the bright sections in the major key.
5) At (3:25-3:42) Beethoven ends the development section with brilliant three octave long scales that return to the recapitulation (where the opening theme is heard), this time with several flashy 32nd note passages.
6) Near the end of the movement (5:35 ) the staccato minor section returns for the last time.
7) On the last page, the bright themes from the exposition return one last time (5:58). The ending passage at (6:14) is charming and delicate and provides the listener a gentle ending to this breathtaking movement. Yet another example of Beethoven being the master of late classical music."
Dr. Hulbert received his BA and MM from The Juilliard School of Music and his DMA from The Manhattan School of Music. Hulbert received the Gold Medal at the 1980 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, and also won prizes in the 1981 Leeds Competition and 1985 Carnegie Hall International American Music Competition. He has performed as a soloist with symphonies across the United States and has given recitals at Merkin Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and Benaroya Hall in Seattle. In 2002, his recording of the piano works of late-romantic Russian composer Alexander Glazunov was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Solo Instrumental Recording. David Hurwitz of ClassicsToday.com called the CD “a production that makes the best possible case for this really excellent but sadly neglected repertoire.” Dr. Hulbert taught at the university level for over thirty years.
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