Background of Composition

In the mid-1810s, Beethoven's popularity grew not only among connoisseurs but also among the general public, thanks to a series of works related to the Napoleonic Wars. While it may seem ironic that war was involved, his programmatic work, the 'Battle Symphony' Wellington's Victory, or the Battle of Vitoria, Op. 91, which depicted the British army's victory over the French forces that had plagued Austria, was enthusiastically received. The funeral march from Symphony No. 7, premiered simultaneously with Op. 91 in 1813, also garnered a significant audience response, likely due to sentiments mourning the war dead. Furthermore, the revised version of his opera Fidelio, which took approximately ten years to stage successfully after the failure of its initial version, premiered in the spring of 1814 and achieved success.

While public support was increasing in this manner, this period also saw a relative lack of output from Beethoven in major genres such as piano sonatas and chamber music. It was under these circumstances that Piano Sonata Op. 90 was completed in the summer of 1814, marking the first piano sonata in four years since the completion of the preceding Les Adieux Sonata, Op. 81a.

The autograph manuscript of the work was initially given to Archduke Rudolf, Beethoven's pupil and patron. However, due to Beethoven's role as guarantor for debts owed by his brother Caspar Carl and his wife to the publisher Steiner, Beethoven had to hand over the new, unpublished sonata to Steiner as compensation. Consequently, the autograph manuscript temporarily left the Archduke's possession for publication preparation, and the first edition was published by Steiner in 1815. The announcement of the first edition in the newspaper included a phrase that unequivocally demonstrated Beethoven's already recognized high original talent.

Given the above circumstances, one might assume the work was dedicated to Archduke Rudolf; however, the dedicatee was Prince Moritz von Lichnowsky, who had long been a benefactor.

About the Music

The work consists of only two movements in contrasting keys, E minor and E major. The first movement is in sonata form, and the second movement is in rondo-sonata form, both typical movement types for the outer movements of a piano sonata. However, given the strong lyrical character of the entire work (which is also evident in the performance indications for each movement), some interpretations recognize the nature of a slow movement within it, thus considering the three-movement sonata form to be fulfilled.

First Movement: E minor, 3/4 time, Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck (With liveliness and with feeling and expression throughout)

Second Movement: E major, 2/4 time, Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen (Not too fast and to be played very singably)