While it is beyond the scope of this dissertation to enter
into detail concerning these analyses, Bollinger concludes that Chopin's opus
35 is a "totally integrated composition."
He identifies the most important unifying device of the sonata as the
compositional relationship of the Funeral March to the other movements, adding
that the March "...strongly dictates the compositional outlines of the outer
three movements."
This is consistent with the fact that the March was written two years prior to
the rest of the work. Bollinger also identifies the utilisation of the major
and minor third for theme construction and harmonic development as the other
important unifying device. These conclusions are in agreement with the work of
Réti and Walker
mentioned earlier.
Dammier-Kirpal's discussion of the seven large-scale
cyclic works of Chopin contains an interesting thought regarding the connection
between Chopin's opus 35 and Beethoven's sonata opus 26. She, like Leiken (see
page 7), attests to Beethoven's influence on Chopin, pointing out the striking
similarity between the order of movements in these sonatas.
Dammier-Kirpal believes that the contrast between the Funeral March and the
Finale of Beethoven's opus 26 portrays the same impression as that of Chopin's
opus 35 - "like chatting after the march." What surprises her though, is what Beethoven,
the undisputed master of the sonata, did, Chopin did years later, only to be
rebuked, thereby causing the appearance of scores of analyses attempting to
explain what was perceived as a problematic relationship between the movements.
Further evidence regarding Beethoven's influence on Chopin is the fact that
Beethoven's opus 26 was one of Chopin's favourite sonatas in that he played,
taught, and analysed its structure for his students more often than he did any
other of Beethoven's sonatas.
In his 1985 article "Chopin und die Sonate," Joachim
Kaiser raises an interesting and valid point with reference to Schumann's
reservation that the four movements of opus 35 cannot collectively be termed a
"sonata." He observes that if the Scherzo of opus
