The second movement of Beethoven's Sonata No. 7 is marked Largo e mesto. Its slow D-minor opening places a restrained melody above sustained chords, but the music grows into dense, sharply accented passages before withdrawing again. Small ornamental figures, chromatic notes, and long stretches of repeated accompaniment give the movement a restless character even when the underlying pulse is slow. The ending becomes quiet and sparse.

Measures 1-5 establish the main melodic idea over long bass and chord tones. The opening has space between its gestures, with the two hands often sustaining different parts of the texture. Around measures 10-20, short runs and ornamental turns interrupt the longer notes. Sudden changes of loudness and accented chords make these phrases more unsettled than the opening.

Around measures 25-35, the right-hand line continues over moving accompaniment, and the writing becomes increasingly active. Repeated notes and closely packed chords lead toward stronger accents. The rising and falling figures occupy more of the keyboard, while the melody remains connected to the movement's slower pulse.

Around measures 40-50, descending runs and brief silences break up the flow. Quiet chordal writing alternates with stronger responses, and the opening kind of melodic texture becomes recognizable again. Later phrases add more decoration and heavier supporting chords, rather than simply repeating the first page unchanged.

Around measures 65-75, repeated small notes continue above low sustained tones and a moving inner line. The texture gradually intensifies, then breaks into runs and more widely spaced gestures. On the final page, the activity subsides. The last phrases return to softer dynamics, with pauses and short answers leading to the quiet final chord.

Interesting fact: Although the sonata is in D major, this movement opens with the one-flat key signature of D minor.