BOOK I:

1. CAPRICCIO. Un poco agitato. Unruhig bewegt [With restless motion]. (Ternar

y form with developmental middle section). F-SHARP MINOR, 6/8 time.
First Section ( Exposition )
0:00 [m. 1]--Theme 1 (A). The opening section is a series of winding arpeggios
that retain the same contour. The left hand arrival on the second half of each
bar coincides with the entry of the right hand, which always crosses under below
. A descending set of three notes, repeated up an octave, remains constant in t
he left-hand portions. These are on the same F-sharp minor pitches for four bar
s, then move downward by half-step. After beginning sotto voce, the arpeggios b
uild gradually but powerfully, the climax coming at the arrival of the dominant ke
y of C-sharp major (which brightens from C-sharp minor).
0:24 [m. 9]--At the climax, there are four rising statements of the descending t
hree-note group, the right hand taking the last two with the left hand doubling
below. At the top, the hands descend together in a cascading arpeggio that inco
rporates the three-note group. The left hand drops out at the bottom. There fo
llow three slower descending groups from the right hand, the first note of which
is harmonized. The first of these is very dissonant. These slower figures lea
d into the second theme.
0:36 [m. 14]--Theme 2 (B). Because this second idea is actually the main theme of
the piece and because it is heard in the home key, the form of the piece is not
a sonata design. The theme itself is based on its initial four-note group, which
rises, then turns down a half-step on the fourth note. This is spun out into a
true melody with flowing descents, accompanied by descending lines that begin o
ff the beat and are initially based on the three-note descending groups. Like T
heme 1, the passage moves to C-sharp minor/major.
Second Section ( Development )--based on Theme 2 (B).
1:04 [m. 26]--Development of Theme 2 with the four opening melodic notes enterin
g off the beat with their descending accompaniment figures. The passage begins
in the home key of F-sharp minor, moving to the distant keys of A, C, and G mino
r. A large buildup in speed and volume is arrested by a suddenly slower passage
with notes twice as long. Four bar-length harmonized notes turn the first four
-note group of Theme 2 s melody upside down. This passage is in D minor/major.
1:37 [m. 42]--The inversion of Theme 2 just introduced is now incorporated in th
e original rhythm with faster notes. The inverted theme itself is heard in an i
nner voice, with the familiar three-note groups (also turned upside down and now
ascending) above them. The left hand plays descending arpeggios. Beginning in
the home key, it moves to another slowing climax that suggests the related A ma
jor before settling onto the anticipatory dominant chord in preparation for the re
turn of Theme 1 in F-sharp minor.
Third Section ( Recapitulation )
2:03 [m. 52]--Theme 1 (A). Essentially, the voicing is inverted. The right han
d plays on the first half of each bar on the original pitches, but the left hand
now responds at an even lower level and, unlike the opening, the responding por
tions not only begin below, but remain there. After three bars, the right hand
becomes decorative, abandoning the descending three-note groups. There are isol
ated high notes. The responding left hand arpeggios retain the harmony and cont
our of the right hand groups from the opening.
2:21 [m. 60]--The climax, this time of the entire piece, arrives with long held
chords in the left hand against the continuing decorations of the right. The fi
rst left hand chord is in the middle range, the second in the bass and rolled.
The climax recedes and descends quickly, slowing down for the entry of Theme 2.
2:31 [m. 64]--Theme 2 (B). The opening four notes are isolated, harmonized, and
played three times in a descending sequence. The left hand plays the familiar
three-note descents from Theme 1 in octaves, their length augmented to twice the
ir normal note values. Suggestions of the major key enhance the respite provide
d by the slower motion. After the third statement of the harmonized four-note o
pening, the chords continue in a brief bridge suggesting the continuation of The
me 2. The entire passage is quiet and smooth.
2:54 [m. 72]--The four opening notes from Theme 2 are again heard in a sequence

of three descending statements, this time played and harmonized by the left hand
in a middle voice. The right hand has arching decorations above each statement
. These begin with the descending three-note figure, twice passed up an octave,
and end with cascading arpeggios. The harmony wavers between major and minor,
but now leans toward major. The quiet, smooth motion, though faster, continues.
3:08 [m. 78]--The last statement of the preceding sequence dissolves into a gent
le coda. The right hand decorations become regular three-note descending arpegg
ios that move lower and lower down the keyboard until settling somewhat in the l
ower middle range. The left hand abandons the four-note melody and plays low ch
ords. The first two (beginning with m. 79) are rolled, and the next two have a
resolving inner voice. The major-minor mixture continues until the last three d
escending chords, which are major, not minor.
3:42--END OF PIECE [85 mm.]