The third movement of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 14, Op. 27, No. 2, is a large Presto agitato in C-sharp minor. Rapid rising broken chords, sharp chordal accents, and persistent sixteenth-note motion give it a restless character. The passagework moves between the hands, and quieter melodic ideas appear above accompaniments that continue at speed. An extended closing section adds wide arpeggios, trills, and a short free passage before the final forceful chords.

Opening and first group of themes: The movement begins quietly with rising broken chords over detached bass notes. Each ascent leads toward accented chords, so the opening repeatedly changes from thin running notes to sudden full attacks. The same pattern moves through different harmonies and registers. A more sustained upper melody then appears over quick left-hand figures. Dotted rhythms, short slurs, and repeated notes distinguish this material from the opening’s continuous climb.

Closing material and repeat: Repeated chords and forceful accents become more prominent as the first large section approaches its end. Other passages place held upper notes over a moving left-hand accompaniment. A quiet descending idea leads toward the repeat, and first and second endings provide different routes: one returns to the opening, while the other continues into the middle section.

Middle section: Fragments of the rising arpeggios move through changing harmonies. The hands exchange functions, and the flowing accompaniment sometimes shifts into the right hand while a more sustained line appears below. Contrasts between quiet, tranquil passages and stronger accented figures interrupt the momentum without removing the rapid underlying motion. A restrained transition prepares the return of the opening material.

Return and extended close: The opening arpeggios return, followed by the other principal ideas in changed harmonic settings. The marked coda extends the movement well beyond a simple restatement. Wide broken chords spread across the keyboard, trills sit above moving figures, and pauses separate more freely paced gestures. Near the end, a rising arpeggio reaches a trill and a descending run. A brief Adagio interruption leads into a quieter recollection of the slower-moving melodic idea over running notes. The final ascending and descending figures restore the urgent character, ending in emphatic chords.

Interesting fact: The finale contains a brief Adagio marking on its last page, placing a moment of stillness inside a movement otherwise headed Presto agitato.