Page 5 - NW-UM0017-Fantasia-Sonata-unv12

The large, over 1162 bars comprising torso now known as Fantasia Sonata in D major Unv 12 from 1793, cannot be called
a sketch anymore, although Beethoven has not really completed the work and used many ideas in other, later works.
Especially the first movement is almost completely finished by the composer. The work can be found in the Kafka
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Sketchbook. This work is called composition in D major/minor for piano in the sketchbook. An article about the first
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movement of this Fantasia Sonata was published in 1961. It is not known why Beethoven has not completed this piece,
especially since the first movement is almost ready. Only some harmonies, particularly in the left hand, are missing. And
sometimes Beethoven writes both a right and a left hand, while middle voices are lacking. Later the composer used many
ideas and material from this extensive, partly fragmentary, work.

For convenience 'Beethoven's handwriting' is in further text abbreviated as ꞌB.ꞌ and ꞌin the Reconstructionꞌ as ꞌR.ꞌ.

First movement: Allegro

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The work begins with a motif that Beethoven later used in the Presto of the Seventh Symphony Opus 92 . He left the key
intact. There are also similarities with the Minuet from the Piano Sonata No.14 Opus 27 No.2, both rhythmically and
melodically. In terms of atmosphere, this movement is closer to the Piano Sonata No.15 Opus 28 in D major. This sonata
was later given a nickname that is not given by Beethoven, but by a publisher. It was called Sonata Pastorale because the
atmosphere is very rural and pastoral, with similarities to the eponymous Symphony No.6 in F major Opus 68.
The composer deletes a few bars, B.76/79, and then continues with a new theme in D minor. This theme seems without
function because it will not return in the first movement. Only in the third movement it turns out to be of great significance
because it reappears as a main theme. This theme is a fantastic find with a great dramatic expressiveness. This form occurs
in no other work of Beethoven. Many works contain so called germ cells, as in the concertos for piano, the Violin Concerto
in D major Opus 61, the Fifth Symphony in C minor Opus 67 and the Tenth String Quartet in E flat major Opus 74 , but
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in this composition, there is a large monumental theme that finally returns after 43 bars to the first theme but now
elaborated more freely and finally, through a transition phrase, ends in the second theme. Incidentally Beethoven wrote a
number of bars, B.95-99, that I did not use because they disrupt the theme in minor and because the composer almost
exclusively used rests here. Thus the minor theme runs better, B.100/R.96. The rests, B.124-125/R.117-118, are respected
because they indicate a beautiful stillness after some stormy bars in minor. Beethoven has almost completely written the
second theme in A major. Remarkably, the first theme appears in the bass and alternately in the upper voice, B.149-
159/R.142-152. The variant, B.169a-175a, is not used by me, because the composer himself has deleted these bars. At
bar B.182/R.179, I used the upper voice, Beethoven gives two possibilities here, because this connects more logical to the
next bar. I also used bars B.181 -184 twice because here there is a harmonious conclusion. The bars B.196-216 I have not
used, partly because the harmonic relationship is unclear and because the composer probably had a different intention,
why reconstruction of these bars is difficult if not impossible. Moreover, bar B.217/R.192 very clearly marks the beginning
of the development. Beethoven writes no repetition of the exposition. The bars B.229-231 I omitted, because the composer
has deleted these bars too. The trill in the right hand in bar R.203 is intended for all bars to R.225/B.232-254 of course.
The variant of the bars B.257a-268a I have also not used, because the harmonic relationship is unclear. Beethoven gives
a better alternative that connects excellent to bar B.258/R.229. From bar B.263/R.234 I had to add a number of bars,
because Beethoven begins the recapitulation very early here. This is a weak moment dramatically and I'm pretty sure that
the composer had great intentions with regard to developing it further. I have added material based on the first theme. In
bar B.263/R.254 Beethoven takes up the thread with a turn that clearly announces the recapitulation, which the composer
did not write. It is unclear whether the composer was planning to enter this recapitulation, but it seemed important to do
so. This way there is a clear form that meets the classic main or sonata form. I add the whole beginning from bar 1 to bar
34 and then I continue at bar B.271/R.297. In bar B.309/R.334 the second theme appears, but now in D major. From this
bar I follow the manuscript of the master completely.

11 Kafka Sketchbook pp. f. 90 r-f. 95 r fragments fr. 95 v.
12 First Allegro TR in J. Schmidt-Gorg , ꞌein unbekanntes Klavierstück von Beethovenꞌ, Festschrift Hermann J. ABS Cologne 1961,
pp. 153-163
13 Assai meno allegro, bars 149-409

14 As an example I mention Piano Concertos No.3 in C minor Opus 37, No.4 in G major Opus 58, Violin Concerto in D major Opus 61
(also version for Piano Concerto in D major Opus 61a), Symphony No.5 in C minor Opus 67, String Quartet No.10 in E flat major
Opus 74

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