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the first movements on their own if he so desires.
Finally, another possible reason for Schubert
not finishing the work and therefore not publishing,
it might be the boldness, sometimes quite
unimaginable in his time, of his harmonic writing
(he had been criticised already quite a lot for his
“extravagant harmonies”). Already in the exposition
of the first movement something quite unexpected
happens: the opening theme develops
in a symphonic way, to such an extent that after a
delicate beginning we progress to a full orchestral
outburst. At this point, the rules would require a
modulation to the dominant key. But instead of
this, the theme returns in the tonic on the dominant
ninth chord of G, which we had expected in
fact 15 minutes earlier, in the recapitulation. Was
Schubert led astray? This dominant ninth chord
should resolve onto C minor (or major), thus
not in the “proper” key that one would expect
in normal sonata-form. But just at that moment,
Schubert invents an enharmonic sequence of genius,
so unique of its kind that we must quote it
here as a musical example.
A. expected modulation
B. actual modulation
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The “miracle” of this modulation consists of
its retrospective revelation: its goal was not C
minor, but B minor. Of course the antinomy B
major-C major is also completely unexpected.
But given the relationship between B minor
and the expected dominant G major, Schubert
could easily have ended the exposition in G.
However, the arrival of B minor is so daring
that a fracture, a rupture in the homogeneity
was a danger. Schubert solved this problem in
the simplest way: the relationship between the
second theme and the main theme is certainly
strange and unknown, but on the other hand
their rhythmic relationship is very close! This
second theme thus appears as part of a unity
at a higher level, with extreme tonal contrast,
but with a rhythmic analogy. The syncopated
motif in the accompaniment had already been
heard with the main theme. However, with its
even rhythm, one essential difference remains:
whereas the first theme was constructed in
dialogue, the second is given to a single voice,
continuous and lyrical. But it is impossible to
describe in words a Sonata of such genius. Let
us remember finally the “Mozartian phrase” in
the second movement: the doleful chord in the
sixth bar (a dramatic passage in the inner voice)
which had appeared before Schubert’s time only
on one occasion: at the beginning of Pamina’s
aria full of tragedy and a desire for death – “Ach
ich fuhl’s, es ist entschwunden, ewig hin der Liebe
Gluck” (Ah, i feel it, it is gone, lost for ever, the
happiness of love). ∆