uneral March,"
which takes the place of a slow movement, opens with an air and
variations. These were for a long time the most played of anything in
the entire collection of sonatas. Lately, under the influence of the
greater variations of Schumann and Brahms, they are becoming relegated
to the more remote seats in the musical synagogue. They are,
nevertheless, very interesting variations, quite in the "character"
line, each variation being a new picture, a new mood. Opposed to this
kind of variations is the "formal" variation, where, although the theme
is varied in its figuration and rhythm, the harmony remains unchanged,
and the esthetic character of the successive variations remains
practically unchanged. The "Funeral March Upon the Death of a Hero" is
one of the famous pieces. It no longer presents material difficulties
to the student. The scherzo must not be played too rapidly; the finale
is to go about as fast as possible, and with the greatest possible
lightness and delicacy.

The great Sonata in C minor, opus 111, is the last which Beethoven
composed, having been written after the Ninth Symphony, about a year or
two before his death. It is very difficult, technically; very serious
in its spirit, and has the curious peculiarity of consisting of two
movements only, excepting a short but very profound and serious
introduction. The first movement is very impassioned, and the entire
movement is developed from one or two short germs, thematically, quite
in the manner which Schumann took up and accomplished so much with.
The spirit of the allegro is almost like that of the "Sonate
Pathetique," but naturally much more mature. The slow movement, again,
consists of an arietta of two eight-measure strains--the first in C
major, the second in A minor. These two strains alternate throughout
the variations, which are of the formal order; but here Beethoven
manages to attain a very considerable development of interest, and
rises to an imposing climax without ever quite forsaking the peace of
the opening measures of the arietta. The variations are quite
difficult to play, and the ending is very troublesome to treat in any
manner to make it sound as one thinks an ending should. The whole,
while perhaps but little more characteristic of Beethoven than the
"Sonata Appassionata" or the great sonata for "Hammerklavier," opus
106, is nevertheless a very beautiful illustration of Beethoven's
tone-poetry for pianoforte.