No. 2: Introduction, Variations, and Finale for the Right Hand

Largamente—Andante—Allegro Moderato, D major, 4/4 time

From the 19th to the 20th century, many composers such as Th. Döhler, A. Fumagalli, J. Brahms, and M. Ravel wrote works for the left hand, but piano pieces for the right hand are not as numerous. This No. 2 is one of the earliest examples of a large-scale piano work written exclusively for the right hand. The entire piece consists of an introduction, a theme with four variations, and a finale. Comparing the number of measures in each section, the introduction has 50 measures, the theme and variations have 105 measures (repetitions not considered), and the finale has 63 measures (including the coda). This means the introduction and finale alone are comparable in length to the theme and variations section. The introduction is long because it contains repetitions and developments of the introductory theme within itself. While the main key of the introduction is D major, the theme and variations are in the dominant key of A major, and the finale is in D major. Although frequent modulations occur in each section, the overall tonal framework adopts a classical three-part structure.

1. Introduction

• IntroductionThe introduction repeats an A-B-A + transition structure, with changes in key. It begins with an 8-measure theme of a chorale-like character. Here, arpeggios spanning two to three octaves are continuous, with the melody placed in the uppermost voice.This introductory theme is interrupted without being punctuated by a cadenza, as a gigantic arpeggio spanning four octaves sounds a B minor dominant chord at ff intensity. This is followed by a mysterious B section. Beginning p, B is a transitional section starting in D minor. An octave melody is placed in the middle register, while chords spanning four octaves are struck in between.A returns again, but this time it is transposed to F major. This A1 is interrupted after 7 measures, leading to the development of the introductory theme.This development (A2), which signals the beginning of the latter half of the introduction, starts in the tonic key (D major), with the melody placed in the uppermost voice accompanied by undulating arpeggios below. In measure 28, it modulates to F-sharp minor, and a gigantic arpeggio sounds the dominant chord, leading to B1. B1 now begins in A minor, sounding the E minor dominant seventh with brilliant arpeggios. This dominant seventh resolves to the E major tonic chord, leading to A3. In A3, the introductory theme does not appear in its complete form; instead, a transformed descending figure of the theme is placed in the bass and heard for only 4 measures amidst repeated chords. In measure 44, the E major tonic chord sounds as a large arpeggio, and the following 4-measure transition becomes an A minor dominant seventh, introducing the "Andante" theme. The approximate performance time up to this point is 5 minutes.

2. Theme

The Mozartian variation theme, "Andante," is written in 6/8 time with a melody sung "dolcemente" (sweetly) and an accompaniment of broken chords. Unlike playing with both hands, it is not easy to play the upper voice legato and expressively.The theme is divided into a first half in the tonic key and a second half in the dominant key, with the latter half repeated. The first half is an unusual length of 10 measures, which is due to the intentional insertion of measures 57 and 58, marked "espressivo" (expressively).The second half of the theme, also consisting of 10 measures, also features an ingenious device. It proceeds smoothly until E major shifts to its relative minor, C-sharp minor (measure 64), but in measure 65, it modulates to C-sharp major, and a false theme return begins. This "theme return" lasts only 2 measures, returning to A major in measure 67. The insertion of this "false theme return" makes the second half the same 10 measures as the first half. In this way, the composer unifies both halves to 10 measures each while introducing interesting variations in the phrase structure.

3. Variations

• Variation 1: Piano e LeggieroStaccato chords constantly leap, with the chords in the upper voice carrying the melody and the chords in the bass articulated separately. The modulation transitions are the same as in the theme.
• Variation 2: MarcatissimoIn F major. The first half assumes a fugato character, but shifts to free writing after the answer is followed by the subject's introduction. However, the number of measures is maintained at 10. The fourth voice (in C major) is presented with an octave bass, and the second half begins when the theme reappears in A minor.The second half (in C major) is a standard variation, with a lyrical melody reappearing, but the accompaniment is carried by 32nd-note runs. Playing this kind of texture with only the right hand requires complete finger independence. The "false theme return" appears in A major, a major third above the theme's original key.
• Variation 3In C major. Sharp 64th-note scale fragments appear alternately in the high and low registers (Example 18). Such figures are characteristic of violin writing (e.g., as seen in Paganini's 24 Caprices, No. 9, shown in Example 22).Measures 117 and 118, which constitute the "surplus" 2 measures, are in D minor, and the 64th-note motif transforms into inverted arch-shaped arpeggios. The second half modulates to G major, but the writing changes to sextuplets of arpeggios including chords. This change in writing effectively functions to create a contrast with the "false theme return."In the "false theme return," the same violin figure as at the beginning of Variation 3 reappears, and here too, the key is E major, a major third above. This variation closes in C major with arpeggios, octave broken chords, and broken chords including chords.
• Variation 4: Più Lento AssaiThe final variation begins with an arpeggiated figure marked "aggraevolmente" (pleasantly). Although written in the same key as Variation 1, A major, the beginning uses the subdominant chord of the parallel minor (IV degree of A minor), making the tonic sound ambiguous.From measures 135 to 138, the writing changes to a combination of tremolo and melody, with motifs responding to each other in different registers. The second half is based on a similar writing style to the theme, but the runs in the lower voice become double notes, further increasing the difficulty.The "false theme recapitulation" occurs in C-sharp major, sung amidst whispers of quiet arpeggios with the damper and una corda pedals depressed. The last four measures change the arpeggio writing. In the final measure, the right hand sounds the tonic chord in a six-octave (!) arpeggio at ff. Around 1840, the typical maximum range of Érard and Pleyel pianos was six and a half octaves, indicating that the full width of the piano is utilized.In measure 151, the key signature shifts to the tonic key of D major, and after a 4-measure transition, the finale is introduced.

4. Finale

In the finale, marked "superbamente" (magnificently), the introductory theme is majestically sung in octave chords in the high register, while the hand quickly leaps between the melodic notes to the middle register, low register, and bass, creating a magnificent sound that rises like the facade of a grand cathedral.The finale begins with the introductory theme, but here for the first time, the introductory theme comes to a perfect cadence in B minor and is framed (measure 160). The following 8 measures transition while modulating the beginning of the introductory theme, and at measure 174, signaled by a dominant tremolo struck like timpani, the variation theme appears with a heroic character, transformed into quarter-note sextuplets and half notes.Here, the variation theme is placed in the upper voice, and the introductory theme in the middle register, integrating both. The timpani-like tremolo in the bass creates a symphonic texture. The theme comes to a half cadence in the fourth measure, but from measure 180, it deviates from the theme, passing through a chromatic descent (measures 181-184), and then trills with chords heighten the expectation of a cadenza. The resolution to the tonic chord is achieved in measure 193, but before the coda, a stretto-like episode in 2/4 time (Doppio movimento) is inserted. Here, the motif of the variation theme is diminished, rapidly shifting from D major to F major, then A-flat major, leading to the dominant chord of D major. In the coda, the piece returns to 4/4 time, building to a climax over 12 measures at fff, and concludes with cascading arpeggios.