The third movement of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 15, Op. 28, is a compact Scherzo in D major with a contrasting Trio in B minor. Long isolated notes, sudden rests, short chordal answers, and register changes give the Scherzo a playful, interrupted character. The Trio replaces those interruptions with a more continuous left-hand figure beneath a simple upper melody. A Scherzo da capo instruction then sends the player back to the opening.

Opening Scherzo: A held upper note is answered in the lower register before the hands join in short, detached gestures. The melody often begins with a pair of quicker notes and ends with a rest. Similar phrases move to different heights on the keyboard. Stronger chords and brief dynamic changes interrupt the quiet opening manner, while the score’s hand indications show places where the same register is approached by different hands.

Repeated second section: The next section begins very softly with repeated upper chords over long bass notes. Crescendos and a change in harmony lead toward a pause, followed by another sequence of isolated notes and compact chordal replies. Near the close, the writing becomes more forceful, and the register exchanges become especially clear. The printed repeat extends this second section before the music moves to the Trio.

Trio and return: The Trio carries a slightly slower tempo instruction. A short right-hand phrase repeats over running left-hand eighth notes. Its opening strain is repeated; the longer second strain changes the bass pattern and harmony while retaining the recognizable upper motif. The accompaniment becomes broader and more active before settling into the closing phrase. The instruction Scherzo da capo restores the earlier music and its sharply separated gestures.

Interesting fact: The Trio explicitly says La seconda parte una volta, directing that its second part be played once. This distinguishes its route from the repeated second section of the Scherzo.