Composed in 1773 and dedicated to Prince Nikolaus Esterházy, this is the fifth of the six piano sonatas (Hob. XVI/21–26) from Op. 13, and it consists of two movements.

First Movement

The first movement, in E-flat major, is marked Moderato and is in 4/4 time. It is characterized by notes of small rhythmic values throughout the movement. It begins with a melody in the right hand accompanied by a descending figure in the left hand. The exposition is rich in various musical ideas compared to the first movements of other piano sonatas. Perhaps for this reason, this piano sonata consists of only two movements. The development section (from m. 28) is less than half the length of the exposition, but it treats various elements presented in the exposition, such as passages where the left hand accompanies the right, ornamented unison passages between both hands, and parallel motion between both hands. The recapitulation (from m. 51) faithfully reproduces the third scale degree in the upper voice of the right hand, as seen at the end of the exposition, thereby concluding the movement.

Second Movement

The second movement is a Tempo di Minuetto, written in the same key of E-flat major as the first movement. It consists of a first section where the right hand leads by one measure, and a second section (from m. 15) where the left hand leads by one measure. Sections 1 and 3, except for the last three measures, and all of Section 2, employ the canonic technique where the subsequent hand faithfully imitates the preceding hand.