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Chopin's Piano Sonata in B Flat Minor Opus 35 - The early analyses - Leichtentritt and Reti

CHAPTER 1

both themes follow the same pattern, as shown in Example 20. Furthermore, the ensuing parts exhibit characteristics of motif II, as illustrated in Example 21:[149]

Example 20: Similarity between the first subject of the first movement and the

first four bars of the Finale[150]

Similarity between first subject of first movement and first four bars of Finale

Example 21: Motif II as it appears in bars 5 and 7 in the Finale[151]

Motif II as it appears in bars 5 and 7 in Finale

Réti even manages to find hints of a true cantilena as the second theme in a movement characterised by fast, continuous triplet quavers. The idea of such a melodious theme is evident in the second section of the Finale (bars 23-30), exactly when it is due, through figurations shown in Example 22:[152]

[149] This is questionable. Earlier, R�ti refers to motif II as the stepwise decent of four notes. Bar 5, however, contains four descending tones which are not in stepwise motion.

[150] ibid., p. 306.

[151] ibid., p. 306.

[152] ibid., p. 307. Finding a melodious figure such as this in a movement with over 800 continuous quavers is statistically likely.

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