The Allegro molto from Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31, Op. 110, contrasts short, strongly accented chordal phrases with a running middle section. Its quick 2/4 pulse is interrupted by held notes, syncopations, and sudden rests. The central episode sends a continuous upper line through changing registers while the left hand jumps between isolated notes. The opening material returns before a coda that leads directly into the next movement.

Opening sections: The first idea uses brief slurred chords over a moving bass. Soft phrases are answered by stronger attacks, and one passage brings the right hand across the left. The opening section repeats before tied upper chords and accented bass notes create a more unsettled rhythm. A quieter, smaller melodic figure alternates with chord responses. The music broadens into a ritardando, then returns to tempo. A two-bar silence and alternate endings make the pauses and returns especially noticeable.

Running middle episode: The right hand begins a long chain of eighth notes that repeatedly descends from a high register and turns upward again. The left hand contributes single notes separated by rests. Its entries move between low and high positions, at times crossing into the upper hand’s range. Short accents interrupt the flowing line, and some returns add a second upper note. Strong attacks are followed by quieter continuation phrases, keeping the changing dynamics closely tied to the repeated shapes.

Quiet transition and return: The running figure gradually settles into a lower register. Its last phrases become softer, and a short exchange between the hands is marked una corda. A fermata holds the final note before the chordal opening returns. The familiar material is written out with changes in its approach and pacing, including another slowing passage. Tied chords, bass accents, and the short melodic replies reappear, followed by alternate endings that direct the music toward the coda.

Coda: Broad chords alternate with full-bar rests, giving the closing section a sharply interrupted shape. The sound gradually diminishes. An upper chord remains held while the left hand rises through a sequence of notes, with a further ritardando and a fermata at the end. This quiet, suspended close connects the quick movement to the slow music that follows.

Interesting fact: The final measure is marked “attacca l’Adagio,” explicitly directing the performer to continue into the next movement without a break.