Composed upon his return from a concert tour from Berlin, extending into the following year, 1797. His previous work, Piano Sonata Op. 7, was also written around the same time. With these three pieces and the subsequent "Pathétique" Sonata, Beethoven's exploration of the piano sonata genre reached a certain conclusion. One can observe his endeavor to internalize the "conventional" piano sonata, prior to embarking on a full-fledged exploration and search for his own unique musical language.

The inclination towards "large-scale works" seen in the previous sonata temporarily recedes, and this work is written in a standard size for the period. It conveys a very concise impression, characterized by clear forms, distinct sound images that do not rely heavily on harmony, and well-defined tempo settings. It can also be noted that C minor, the same key as the "Pathétique" Sonata and the "Fate" Symphony, is employed.

The experiences and observations from the concert tours undertaken around the time of its composition may have had a considerable influence. This is because, in Germany at the time, sonata form with traditional idioms was still predominant. The fact that Beethoven, who had been experimenting with four-movement sonatas, reduced one movement in both this work and Sonata No. 6 is likely a manifestation of this.

Movements

• First Movement: Allegro molto e con brio
• Second Movement: Adagio molto
• Third Movement: Finale