First Movement: B-flat major, 3/4 time, Sonata Form

The main theme begins in unison at the outset with an arpeggiated figure featuring a half-note + quarter-note rhythm. This motive, which exhibits little developmental potential melodically or rhythmically, in fact forms the core of the entire movement. Within a long transition section spanning 29 measures, a transition theme appears in the subdominant (m. 23–). The subordinate theme in the dominant is introduced by the opening idea of the main theme and consists of repeated notes and a stepwise descending figure (m. 41–). This theme also has a weak melodic character, making the transition theme the only cantabile idea in this movement.

The second half (m. 80–) begins with this transition theme. It passes through D-flat major, B-flat minor, F minor, and C minor, eventually reaching G minor. Upon cadencing on the dominant chord, the subordinate theme then appears in G major. However, the G major tonic chord is immediately reinterpreted as the dominant chord of C minor, and by inverting the upper and lower voices, it modulates to C minor and F minor, returning to the tonic B-flat major via B-flat minor.

After the recapitulation of the main theme (m. 133–) and the subordinate theme in the tonic (m. 171–), the movement concludes with a coda similar to that of the exposition (m. 199–).