It consists of five movements. Although the second and fourth movements were completed before the others, the entire work was composed in Düsseldorf, where Schumann resided, from the autumn to winter of 1853. However, Brahms was not satisfied and continued to revise it, making significant changes, especially to the final movement.

It is grander in scale than Sonatas Op. 1 and Op. 2, and Brahms seems to have considered this work, Op. 5, as the culmination of his piano sonatas. The entire work is unified by the basic motto of the first movement.

First Movement: Allegro maestoso, F minor, 3/4 time. Sonata form.

The initial progression of the first theme already shows the nascent form of Brahms's motto F-A-F (based on the initials of 'Frei aber froh' – 'Free but joyful'), which is often seen in his later works. This motto was conceived from Joachim's motto F-A-E ('Frei aber einsam' – 'Free but lonely').

Second Movement: Andante espressivo, in ternary form. A-flat major, 2/4 time.

Brahms placed a line from the poet Sternau's poem 'Young Love' as the epigraph at the beginning of this second movement. The gist is as follows:

• 'The twilight draws near, the moon shines brightly'
• 'There two hearts, bound by love'
• 'Lean close to each other, embrace.'

This movement was sometimes performed independently.

It is said that the flowing melody of the Andante molto's concluding section was later appropriated by Wagner for Hans Sachs's song in 'Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'.

Third Movement: Allegro energico, Scherzo. F minor.

The second and fourth movements are paired in various ways, and the first movement is closely related to the fifth movement, so the entire work forms a contrasting structure centered around this third movement.

Fourth Movement: Andante molto, B-flat minor, 2/4 time.

This movement is marked 'Intermezzo'. Brahms also gave it the subtitle 'Rückblick' (Retrospect), which is the title of Sternau's poem. There is a theory that this piece contains memories of a certain girl Brahms met during his travels in the Rhine region.

It leads seamlessly into the next movement.

Fifth Movement: Allegro moderato ma rubato, F minor, 6/8 time.

In rondo form, it takes the structure A-B-A-C-A-Coda. Its theme is closely related to that of the third movement, and the first subordinate theme in F major is based on Joachim's motto. The final coda builds to a magnificent climax using a canon.