analysis by Donna McCabe
October 1992
As appears typical of brahms, I found the principle motive to be stated in the first and second bars; b-c-b. This half step plays an extremely important role in hearing the variations liquidate over the course of the first movement. Throughout the movement there are what I am calling interlocking motives. A clear example of this is in measure 3;
a-b-a
a-g-a
a-b-a
These interlocking motives are stated frequently. They are circled on the score, whether they are only a partial statement; A-B-A, or a complete tryptic of interlocking movtives. Although the intervals in m. 3 are not half steps, this motive is transposed throughout, sometimes into half steps; B-C-B and sometimes expanded to a third. This motive is varied and stated always in half steps in the form of 4 quarter notes; F-E-E-F, etc. as in m. 42.
The movement is written in sonata form; from the E region to the B region in the development, back to E in the recapitulation.
What appeared important initially was the half step of B-C-B which after harmonic analysis remained the most important motive in the work. The key regions, as noted on the enclosed 8 page analysis show how Brahms was playing around with the half step of Neapolitan relationship (built on the flatted second scale degree). There is also ambiguity as to E minor/C maj.min. After a short venture into G at m. 9, we are further putting in question the E minor, threatned by it relative major.
Also of important note is how the theme becomes immediately varied, making me feel that perhaps the first theme is much shorter than my initial argument for a 20 bar theme with variations. The theme becomes shortened to 5 measures; spanning the interval of a fifth. This is the same interval covered between m.1 and m.8 with what follows also appearing to be a variation of the first theme. If this were the case, I would strongly argue that the first variation begins in m. 9 instead of m. 21, but because the theme is so transformed too quickly, I have had trouble believing that it was really a variation and not a continuation of the first theme from m.1-m.20. I do believe that the fact that m. 9 begins on a C continuing D-E-D, is an important clue for why the restatement at 34 comes in on C, instead of E as it did in the cello and piano's first statements. Incidentally, the first five bars of the theme are adequate enought for me to recognize the theme has once again arrived.
The development section, beginning after the repeat at m.90 is started in B (the fifth of the opening E) and then immediately moved into B flat (a half step away). Since I already knew the B-C-B motive was going to be important, I started trying to figure out why he moved away into B flat. B-flat could only be explained as the flat 7 of a dominant seven chord; it would be the flat 7 of C (as stated already in the exposition). C is the Neapolitan to B. After passing through D flat (the flat seven of E, that's why not C sharp) we arrive at F (the Neapolitan to E) then to C, which I then presumed would be a key that eventually lead us back to B in the B-C-B motive stated in m.1. We travel through B then E minor back to B.
The recapitulation, started in E, moves quickly to B and back to E. The fifth is important as it is the interval spanned at the crucial restatement of the theme on C in m.34 and also the fifth between the expo,devo, and recap.