An analytical view on Beethoven Codas: Early piano sonatas

Coda can be described as "the part added to the end of a piece or a movement to strengthen the feeling of ending after a work or chapter" and one of the most important forms that Coda used in effectively is the sonata-allegro form. In many sources, the common belief is that Beethoven is the first composer to design Coda as "a fundamental element" of sonata-allegro. Despite many characteristic qualities that makes Beethoven Codas worth examining, there are quite few studies on Coda analysis in literature. In this study, it's aimed to deeply examine both the internal structure of a Beethoven Coda and the organic bond between the Coda and the movement it belongs to. For this purpose, a multi-dimensional analysis was carried out on the Codas belonging to the first movements of Beethoven's early piano sonatas with the help of an original Coda analysis method. The analysis consists of four dimensions: length, harmonic structure, quoting and function. Basic results of the analysis are as follows: • While the Discursive Codas occupy an area of more than 10% and the Subsidiary Codas occupy an area of less than 10% of the movement, a Discursive Coda can be considered as the equivalent of Development in terms of the lenght. • No modulation is seen in any Coda and in the Discursive Codas, there are more chords compared to the Subsidiary Codas. Similarly, the rate of use of chord degrees other than I, V and IV in the Discursive Codas is quite high compared to the Subsidiary Codas. • In his Codas, Beethoven often quotes from the ideas he used earlier in the work and gives much less space to new ideas. In addition to this, approximately 2/3 of the total of 18 quoted sections is from the Exposition materials. • Rotational implications are found in all Codas, and the functions of shaping a new dynamic curve, rotational implication and Coda to the Coda are seen in all of the Discursive Codas. Keywords: Beethoven, Coda, early piano sonatas, Coda Analysis Method, sonata-allegro