Although Beethoven had already composed and published the Three Elector Sonatas, WoO 47, as a result of his studies with Neefe during his Bonn period, it was not until he began studying with Haydn in Vienna in 1792 that he embarked on the creation of full-fledged sonatas with assigned opus numbers (Opus-Zahl). When Haydn departed for a concert tour to England in 1793, Beethoven likely began composing works that he had been developing since his Bonn period. This sonata is one such work, with the theme of the second movement being repurposed from the second movement of the Piano Quartet, WoO 36-3.

Comprising four movements, the sonata's structure, with all movements unified in the key of F, evokes a remnant of Baroque suites. Furthermore, the choice of F minor as the key was unusual for its time. This is because, with the tuning method likely in use during this era, known as "temperament" (different from modern equal temperament), keys with four or more accidentals produced a stronger muddiness in sound. Therefore, while such keys might be used for middle movements, they were generally not employed as the primary key for main movements. In these aspects, one can glimpse a part of Beethoven's originality.

(Movement 1) F minor, 2/2 time, Sonata Form

This is a clear Allegro sonata form, but the choice of key for the themes already foreshadows Beethoven's later experimental tendencies. It is a classical sonata form, common in sonatas by Haydn and Mozart, where both the exposition and the development + recapitulation sections are repeated.

[Exposition]

The main theme is characterized by an ascending arpeggio of the tonic chord, known as the Mannheim jump, a descending ornamental figure, and a chordal pulsation that creates a metrical displacement by placing a rest on the first beat. In contrast, the subordinate theme, which descends smoothly on the dominant, is in A-flat major. A-flat major stands in a minor third relationship to the tonic F minor, which is a relative key in terms of common closely related keys.

Following this, another subordinate theme appears in A-flat major, sharing elements of the main theme's arpeggiated chords and the subordinate theme's descending figure in the bass and soprano voices. A codetta, derived from a variation of the main theme, then concludes the section in A-flat major.

[Development + Recapitulation]

In the development section, elements of the main theme first appear in A-flat major, modulating to B-flat minor via an augmented sixth chord. The descending subordinate theme is repeated in a sequential manner, modulating from B-flat minor through C minor to A-flat major, where a musical idea not seen in the exposition is inserted transitionally.

Eventually, fragments of the main theme's ornamental figure appear on the dominant of F minor, preparing for the recapitulation.

The main theme is recapitulated, led by the ornamental figure, but here the characteristic metrical displacement presented at the beginning has been corrected. Both subordinate themes are recapitulated in the tonic key of F minor.

(Movement 2) F major, 3/4 time

An Adagio slow movement. The theme, characterized by an upbeat of a dotted eighth note plus a sixteenth note and a stepwise descending line with an obbligato in sixths (or thirds), is repeated while being varied.

The variation technique, which moves from the tonic (F major) to the relative minor (D minor) and the dominant (C major) before returning to F major, and gradually incorporates extensive ornamentation by turns and shorter note values, is reminiscent of Mozart.

(Movement 3) 3/4 time, Minuet: F minor – Trio: F major

This is a typical minuet with a trio and da capo, but the key is F minor, the same as the first movement. A somber sound based on the harmony of sixths (and thirds) is contrastingly juxtaposed with unison forte passages.

The trio modulates to the parallel key of F major, and a musical idea employing somewhat free invertible counterpoint in two and three voices is repeated.

(Movement 4) F minor, 2/2 time, Rondo-Sonata Form

The Presto finale is in rondo-sonata form (A-B-A-B-C-A-B-C-A-B), with the first half (exposition) and second half (development + recapitulation) each repeated.

[Exposition]

It begins with the main theme, where chords are articulated over arpeggiated triplets. The main theme consists of a chordal motif characterized by a contrast between p (piano) and f (forte), and a contrasting motif in three-voice texture featuring repeated notes and a fourth leap.

The subordinate theme is presented in the dominant key of C minor. In this octave-doubled, stepwise descending subordinate theme, arpeggiated triplets also form the background. The coda is formed by an inversion of the main theme's elements (the arrangement of the triplet accompaniment and the chordal motif).

[Development + Recapitulation]

The development section first presents a new theme in A-flat major. The accompaniment pattern, with chords articulated by a rest on the first beat, is similar to the main theme of the first movement. After this theme is repeated, including octave doubling, the chordal motif accompanied by triplets from the main theme appears fragmentarily, leading into the recapitulation. This bridge technique can also be seen as similar to that in the first movement.

The subordinate theme is also recapitulated in the tonic key of F minor, and the coda likewise concludes concisely in F minor.