This movement, marked Presto in 6/8 time and a minor key, creates a dashing atmosphere. The theme at the beginning of the movement, after four measures of a uniform impression where it is homophonic, the piano carries the melody, and the harmony remains on the tonic A, then sees the violin take on a counter-melody, followed by eight polyphonic measures with rapid harmonic changes. And then, it shifts to parallel motion between the piano and violin... Thanks to these textural changes, the first half of the exposition has clear formal divisions. From the secondary theme onwards, the two instruments become more equally intertwined, and it contrasts with the main theme in its frequent use of imitative writing. However, the key does not clearly shift to the usual relative major or parallel major, but largely remains in the minor key, maintaining tension. The strong impact of the short major-key section appearing at the beginning of the development section is likely due in part to the tonal structure from the secondary theme onwards.

Although the development section is largely constructed by juxtaposing previously presented musical ideas, what is noteworthy is its scale, approximately 90 measures long. Furthermore, a fermata on the dominant appears midway, suggesting the arrival of the recapitulation. When it becomes clear that the recapitulation does not follow immediately, the development section feels even longer, potentially creating a sense of impatience. The octave expansion of the theme's range both upwards and downwards in the recapitulation, and its emphasis with fortissimo, also appear as a gesture of emphasizing by delaying.

One more point to add regarding the form is the repetition of the section from the development onwards. At least Beethoven also indicated the repetition of the section from the development onwards in the first movements of his minor-key sonata-form works, such as String Quartets Op. 18 and Op. 59.