The first movement of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 20, Op. 49, No. 2, is an Allegro ma non troppo in G major. A strong opening chord leads into a lighter melody, and triplet figures give the music much of its motion. Short trills, scale passages, and a smoother contrasting theme vary the texture. After the exposition repeat and a compact development, the main material returns and the movement closes with two firm chords.

Opening and contrasting theme: The opening chord supports a rising right-hand triplet arpeggio. A quieter phrase follows, with longer upper notes above short lower chords and repeated eighth notes. Brief trills and descending triplet scales decorate the melody. The music then combines upper triplet figures with ordinary left-hand eighth notes, creating different groupings between the hands. The contrasting theme uses a smoother upper line over repeated and broken lower notes. Later phrases add right-hand intervals and chords.

Episode and exposition repeat: Triplet scales pass between the hands. When the left hand runs, the upper part often holds a chord or repeats a single note; when the right hand takes the scale, the lower part becomes simpler. These exchanges lead to broader chords and a closing theme with left-hand eighth notes beneath upper triplet figures. The exposition then repeats.

Development, return, and ending: The central section changes the harmony of the opening gesture and places repeated upper intervals above moving lower notes. A rising left-hand scale and a descending right-hand run lead back to the main theme. The triplet episode returns before the smoother contrasting melody. Further exchanges between the hands lead into the final page, where the closing theme gradually becomes quieter. Two stronger chords and a final rest with a fermata complete the movement.

Interesting fact: A footnote in this edition instructs the pianist to place the short appoggiaturas on the beat, together with the accompaniment note, rather than before it.