The second movement of Beethoven's Sonata No. 11, Op. 22, is an Adagio con molt'espressione in E-flat major. Its quiet opening places a gently moving right-hand melody above repeated left-hand chords in 9/8 time. Long notes, small turns, and increasingly elaborate runs give the melody a vocal quality, while the accompaniment maintains a steady underlying motion. The movement expands into more chromatic music before bringing back the opening theme and settling into a quiet close.

Opening theme: The accompaniment begins before the melody, filling the opening rests with repeated chords. The right hand enters softly and moves through sustained notes and curling figures. As the phrases unfold, the bass changes position and the melody rises into a stronger register. A more sparsely accompanied passage follows, with short melodic gestures, rests, and trills. These interruptions make the return of continuous movement especially noticeable.

Contrasting section: The texture becomes more layered. Short answering figures appear between the hands, and a melody is carried within right-hand intervals and chords rather than always standing alone above the texture. Repeated left-hand notes support ornamented upper phrases. Quick ascending and descending runs temporarily stretch across a wide part of the keyboard, contrasting with the slower notes that surround them. A quieter cadential passage, with notes exchanged between the hands, closes this part of the movement.

Middle section: The opening rhythmic idea returns in a darker harmonic setting. Chromatic notes and sustained tones make the repeated accompaniment sound less settled. The music grows more forceful, then breaks into shorter phrases. Both hands become more active, with flowing figures underneath and within the melodic line. The intensity gradually recedes, and a slowing passage prepares the return of the principal theme.

Return and closing page: The opening melody comes back with added decoration and changes in the bass. Familiar trills, brief answers, and layered chordal phrases lead toward the earlier contrasting material. Sweeping runs again interrupt the restrained texture. The last phrases become quieter and less continuous, with rests helping separate the final gestures. A soft, sustained harmony brings the movement to rest.

Interesting fact: In this edition, a footnote points out a passage where an inner tenor line should be heard alongside the soprano, bass, and another accompanying voice.