Sonata in G, Op. 49 No. 2: II. Tempo di Menuetto
The Tempo di Menuetto, the second and last movement of Beethoven's Sonata in G major, Op. 49 No. 2, is a graceful minuet-rondo in 3/4, Octotune grade 6 of 8: a dotted tune over flowing broken chords, with contrasting sections between its returns.
At a glance
| Composer | Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate: grade 6 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: 1 sharp (F♯) |
| Time | 3/4 |
| Tempo | 134 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 120 measures, about 2:41 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | B3 to E6 |
| Left hand | G2 to D5 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Sonata in G, Op. 49 No. 2: II. Tempo di Menuetto | 6 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
The second and last movement of Beethoven's Sonata in G, Op. 49 No. 2, one of his two "easy" sonatas. It is marked Tempo di Menuetto: at the pace of a minuet. Its tune is one of Beethoven's best known; he also used it in his Septet, Op. 20.
How it is built. The tune opens with a gentle dotted rhythm: G, then F sharp, held; F sharp, then G, held. The left hand plays flowing broken chords in eighth notes, G B D. The movement is a rondo: the tune returns between contrasting sections, one of them in C major, with livelier triplets and sixteenths.
The tricky parts
- The dotted rhythm. A dotted eighth, a sixteenth, then a long note. Graceful, never jerky.
- Soft broken chords. The left hand is busy; keep it under the tune.
- The episodes. Quicker notes and new keys: practice them on their own.
- Accidentals. C sharp, F naturals and others as the music changes key.
Practice plan
- The tune alone with the Melody level.
- Each section hands separately in Wait for me, then together at 50% speed with the loop.
- Play along, a light first beat in each measure.
The whole sonata: the Allegro ma non troppo comes first.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10, which teaches F sharp. The other accidentals go beyond it.
Questions
Where else did Beethoven use this minuet tune?
In his Septet, Op. 20, whose minuet movement uses the same theme.
Is the Tempo di Menuetto from Op. 49 No. 2 hard?
It is an intermediate piece, Octotune grade 6 of 8. The opening is gentle; the episodes bring triplets, sixteenths and a section in C major.
Credits and license
- Music: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
- Typeset by Stelios Samelis for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece