Event List for Piano Sonata No. 8, III, p. 263, Burkhart, 5th edition
Measure Event
1 - A (rondo theme), m. 1, C minor (4+4+4+4; a b b c; 1 5 9 12) emphatic PAC
18 - transition .
25 - B (first episode), Eb Major -
a (8 bars) - m. 25 (elision?). Motives are derived from mm. 12-13.
(An elision occurs when the end of one phrase coincides with
the beginning of the next. Elisions blur cadences creating a
sense of uninterrupted movement.
b (4+7 bars) - m. 33 (elision?), Eb minor for two bars
(descending figure at m. 36 and 43 used later in
dominant prolongation figure mm. 58-61)
c (8 bars) - m. 44 new material, chordal
b (4+4+4 bars) - m. 51 (elisions) derived from b material at m. 37
leading to dominant prolongation figure m. 58-61
Some of the above elisions could also be seen as stretched up
beats or atypical rhythmic movtives. There is an element of
purposeful ambiguity here.
62 - A (rondo theme), C minor(4+4+4+4; a b b c; 62 66 70 74) emphatic PAC
79 - C (second episode), Ab major
A four-bar phrase repeats 6 times, each a mini variation. mm. 95-98
is an exception.
Closing section at m. 107 in c minor. Recurring arpeggiated V-i mm.
107-112. V is prolonged at 113 and serves as an extended upbeat to
the dominant prolongation figure at mm. 117-120
121 - A (rondo theme), C minor (a b b 121 125 129) "c" is omitted.
The second "b" provides a segue into the following B. Unlike other A section,
closure is soft causing A to merge smoothly into B without the previous
clear articulation. No separate transition to B as before.
134 - B (first episode), C ma (134-157).
a (10 bars) - m. 134, elision?
b (5+7 bars) - m. 143 elisions? at 143 and 147
c (4+13 bars) (m. 154) second phrase (158, c mi) extended into
quasi transition. The dominant prolongation figure was
eliminated here. A is restated without fanfare.
171 - A (rondo theme), C minor. 4+4+4; a b b variant; 171 175 179) "c" is omitted.
mm 178-183 a varied repeated terminal phrase. A PAC at 183 which lacks
rhythmic closure.
183 - Closing section
a a (4 + 8 bars) V/iv c mi - m. 183 derived from m. 51,
emphatic cadence in c minor at 186. Repeat of "a" serves as an
extended upbeat to m. 193.
b (6 bars) - m. 193, new material, recurring V-i in c minor, leads to
dominant prolongation figure, in this case the V of Ab! (V of VI) at
m. 199(4 bars)
203 - coda (8 bars) at m. 203, fragments of rondo theme beginning on VI and
ending on a PAC in C minor with a figure like the dominant
prolongation at the end.
Because of the way A and B close, A B A is a ternary. Elisions
in B blur the start and end of phrases. C is the longest
section (42 bars). Although shorter than ABA combined, it is
long enough to create a separate and equal middle section. The theme and
variations treatment gives this section a developmental quality. The B
after C remains in the home key. This confirms the form is a
sonata rondo. The closing section at 183 is longer than A,
giving it special weight. There is deceptive harmonic focus at
m. 199-206 (focus on VI instead of i).
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