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Piano Sonata No. 4
by Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven in 1796; designed by G. Stainhauser; engraving by Johann Josef Neidl, executed for the publisher Artaria
Key	E-flat major
Opus	7
Style	Classical period
Form	Piano sonata
Composed	1796 (1796)
Dedication	Babette, Countess of Keglević
Published	1796, Vienna
Publisher	Artaria
Duration	28 minutes
Movements	4

Audio samples
I. Allegro molto con brio (7:30) file help
II. Largo con gran espressione (9:34) file help
III. Allegro (4:55) file help
IV. Rondo (Poco allegretto e grazioso) (6:11) Performed by Artur Schnabel in 1932 file help

Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 4, in E♭ major, Op. 7, sometimes nicknamed the Grand Sonata, was written in November 1796 and dedicated to his student Babette, the Countess Keglević.^[1]^[2] The sonata was composed during Beethoven's visit to the Keglevich Palace.^[3] Beethoven named it Great Sonata, because it was published alone, which was unusual for the time.^{[citation needed]}

Along with the Hammerklavier Sonata, it is one of the longest piano sonatas that Beethoven composed.^[4]^[1] A typical performance lasts about 28 minutes.

Structure

The sonata is laid out in four movements:

Allegro molto e con brio, ⁶
₈ (E-flat major)
Largo, con gran espressione, ³
₄ (C major)
Allegro, ³
₄ (E-flat major - Trio in E-flat minor)
Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso, ²
₄ (E-flat major)

I. Allegro molto e con brio

The first movement is in sonata form.^[5]

II. Largo con gran espressione

The second movement is in ternary form.^[5]

III. Allegro

The third movement is in scherzo and trio form.^[5]

IV. Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso

The fourth movement is in rondo form.^[5] This movement of the sonata in particular was featured in the documentary Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037

References

External links

Piano sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven

Piano sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven
Early sonatas	No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1 No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2 No. 3 in C major, Op. 2/3 No. 4 in E♭ major, Op. 7 (Grand Sonata) No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10/1 No. 6 in F major, Op. 10/2 No. 7 in D major, Op. 10/3 No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 (Pathétique) No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1 No. 10 in G major, Op. 14/2 No. 11 in B♭ major, Op. 22 No. 12 in A♭ major, Op. 26 No. 13 in E♭ major, Op. 27/1 No. 14 in C♯ minor, Op. 27/2 (Moonlight) No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 (Pastoral) No. 19 in G minor and No. 20 in G major, Op. 49
Middle sonatas	No. 16 in G major, Op. 31/1 No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31/2 (The Tempest) No. 18 in E♭ major, Op. 31/3 (The Hunt) No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 (Waldstein) No. 22 in F major, Op. 54 No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata) No. 24 in F♯ major, Op. 78 (À Thérèse) No. 25 in G major, Op. 79 No. 26 in E♭ major, Op. 81a (Les adieux) No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90
Late sonatas	No. 28 in A major, Op. 101 No. 29 in B♭ major, Op. 106 (Hammerklavier) No. 30 in E major, Op. 109 No. 31 in A♭ major, Op. 110 No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
Duo	Sonata in D major for piano four-hands, Op. 6
Unnumbered (WoO)	Three Piano Sonatas, WoO 47 Piano Sonata in C major, WoO 51 (fragmentary)
Doubtful (Anh.)	Sonatina in G major, Anh. 5/1 Sonatina in F major, Anh. 5/2

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