No. 2: Molto passionato, ma non troppo allegro (Sonata-Allegro form). G MINOR, 4/4 (12/8) time.

EXPOSITION
0:00 [m. 1]--Theme 1. Beginning on an upbeat, the texture of the theme is established. The melody itself is a firm, steady
march, but it is decorated by a constantly undulating accompaniment. This is always in the right hand, even when the melody
rises above it (as it does on the second and third beats of the first two measures), so the left hand crosses over the right to play
these notes, alternating with low bass octaves on the first and fourth beats. The entire piece is really in 12/8 (compound) meter,
as a triplet rhythm established in the accompaniment remains in force throughout. Brahms avoids a firm establishment of G
minor. The key center is constantly roving. “Leading tone motion” on the upbeats suggests first E-flat major (despite a strong
motion to G in the bass), then F major. When G is finally established in the next two measures, which slow toward the end, it is
G major, not G minor.
0:11 [m. 5]--The pattern of the first phrase is repeated a third higher, beginning with the leading tone motion in G major. In the
second measure, A major is suggested, and the last two measures move to B major. Again, the left hand crosses over the right
in the first two measures, and there is a slowing, now to a fermata, at the end of the phrase.
0:22 [m. 9]--Transition. The transition is centered on G. It is martial in character, with fully harmonized fanfare figures in the
right hand and leaping octaves in the bass. Both are still in the prevalent triplet or 12/8 motion. After the first forceful motion,
the left hand octaves break on the third part of each beat. The first two measures are in G major. The next two, which follow a
similar pattern, are (finally) in G minor, but even this is transient, leading directly into a one-measure extension that slows and
descends to a fermata on the “dominant” chord in D minor, the key where both parts of Theme 2 will be set.
0:36 [m. 14]--Theme 2, Part 1. In contrast to Theme 1, this portion has a strongly settled key center (D minor). The melody
itself again begins on an upbeat, still in the unceasing triplet rhythm. The upbeat gestures are doubled in octaves. In the first
three measures after the upbeat, the first note is held. The passionate melody is agitated, but more subdued than Theme 1 or the
transition. The left hand has wide ranging, flowing arpeggios, and the right hand has a prominent lower voice below the
melody. After the first four measures, the closing gesture is repeated, then fragmented. There is a large, rapid buildup to a
climactic high chord and descending arpeggio on the preparatory “dominant” harmony.
0:52 [m. 21]--Theme 2, Part 2. The march character takes hold again, and this time it is more inexorable and driven, firmly
anchored to D minor. It begins quietly and ominously, however. In the lower voice of the right hand, a stepwise arching
pattern is established that does not move away from its notes (A—B-flat—A). The upper voice and the bass are similarly
steady. The bass reinforces the middle voice on the first two upbeats. The upper voice is actually quite static, and really only
moves the harmony in the third and fourth measures. The bass is more active, and adds a formidable long-short rhythm in the
third measure.
1:00 [m. 25]--The previous marching pattern is stated an octave higher in both hands. After the first two measures, there is a
tremendous buildup. The cadence figure is extended by two beats, as is the long-short rhythm in the bass. Then those last two
measures are restated. The extended version of the imposing long-short bass rhythm is unchanged, but the right hand harmonies
move higher above the middle voice, which briefly loses the first notes of the stepwise arching patterns. After this, the climax
is reached. The right hand shoots up two octaves, using the arching figure without its first note, and the left hand moves up in
solid chords. At last, the tension is resolved in another huge descending arpeggio.

EXPOSITION REPEATED
1:16 [m. 1]--Theme 1. First presentation ending on G major, as at the beginning. The upbeat is before the repeat sign, and
emerges directly from the preceding arpeggio (in m. 32).
1:26 [m. 5]--Second presentation ending on B major, as at 0:11.
1:37 [m. 9]--Transition with fanfare figures in G major and G minor, as at 0:22.
1:50 [m. 14]--Theme 2, Part 1. Passionate melody in D minor, as at 0:36.
2:06 [m. 21]--Theme 2, Part 2. First presentation of ominous march, as at 0:52.
2:14 [m. 25]--Restatement an octave higher, buildup, extension, and climax, as at 1:00.

DEVELOPMENT
2:30 [m. 33]--The first part of the development is based completely on Theme 1. The bass in the upbeat moves up a half-step
instead of the original fourth, and even though the bass is on E-flat, the key is actually its “relative,” C minor. The second
measure, due to half-step motion in the bass, moves to F major. The continuation in the third and fourth measures is varied
even more. The general motion is up instead of down, and the left hand continues to cross over on all the weak beats. The bass
leaps down, then moves up by half-step again, but at the end, there is a strong arrival on B-flat major in both the bass and the
melody.
2:39 [m. 37]--In a new, suddenly quiet continuation, the melody becomes more chromatic and even static. The half-step motion
on the upbeats circles back on itself. The middle voice continues its familiar figuration, but the bass now reiterates B-flat as a
“pedal point,” with the left hand still crossing over the right. In the fourth measure, the melody and the middle voice become
more closely integrated, with the melody moving down in an arpeggio over flowing downward arches. The arpeggio is on B-
flat, but now as a “dominant” harmony. The left hand has an upward arpeggio on the same harmony, but strikingly in the
slower “straight” rhythm (the first occurrence of such in this piece), creating a two-against-three rhythm.
2:48 [m. 41]--The upbeat is obscured as part of the previous two-against-three arpeggio. Both the bass and the melody make a
sudden and bold harmonic motion. Brahms even changes the key signature to two sharps. The pattern from 2:30 [m. 33] is
replicated on a new level, but now at the prevailing more quiet level. The first bass note is B, but the harmony suggested above
it is G-sharp minor. The second measure suggests C-sharp-major and the continuation reaches a strong arrival on F-sharp
major.
2:56 [m. 45]--The continuation in F-sharp major closely follows that at 2:39 [m. 37], with a pedal point on F-sharp. But the
melody now crosses below the middle voice with no hand crossing. Also, the half-step motion on the upbeats is subtly altered
so that instead of circling, it reaches further down. The fourth measure still uses the integrated melody and middle voice with
the arpeggio over the arches, as well as the left hand arpeggio in straight rhythm, but it is unexpectedly on B major instead of F-
sharp.
3:05 [m.49]--The previous passage is varied with the melody and middle voice (but not the bass “pedal point”) an octave
lower. The B-major arpeggio is revealed as the “subdominant” harmony in F-sharp, and the upbeat quickly re-establishes the
key. Other than the first measure, which uses a new and dark “diminished seventh harmony” and has an upbeat moving to the
next measure by whole step, the passage closely follows the previous pattern. At the end, the descending B-major arpeggio
reaches into the range of the straight-rhythm left hand arpeggio, so the latter zigzags downward at the end to avoid
entanglement. The harmony is unchanged, including the upbeat leading to F-sharp.
3:15 [m. 53]--In a clever reversal, the roles of F-sharp and B are reversed, and the former becomes the preparatory “dominant”
of the latter. The following passage is firmly in B minor (matching the two-sharp key signature). Theme 1 is abandoned in
favor of the ominous closing march of Theme 2. In a preparatory measure marked mezza voce, the stepwise arching pattern is
heard in the bass, then it is transferred to its proper place in the middle voice. The march theme itself is then heard in B minor,
seemingly transferred directly, including the distinctive long-short bass motion in the third measure. But this is diverted at the
end, and instead of the decisive cadence in the fourth measure, the third measure is shifted down a step, and there is a strong
suggestion of D major (“relative” to B minor).
3:25 [m. 58]--In another extremely effective harmonic change, D becomes the “dominant” harmony in the home key of G
minor. This arrives quite unexpectedly with another wholesale downward stepwise shift, and for half a measure it is major. The
long-short bass motion is given in doubled (“augmented”) note values, but in its original form, with strong motion toward a
cadence. The arching patterns are also briefly expanded, but maintain a focus on D and E-flat. The volume rapidly swells, then
just as rapidly recedes.
3:32 [m. 61]--The two-flat key signature returns, and the previous three-measure pattern is repeated with the right hand an
octave higher. Again, it swells and recedes. The cadence is stretched out, expanding the pattern to four measures. The
receding volume is continued in the expansion, reaching ppp.
3:41 [m. 65]--Re-transition. It is very large, and based on a combination of Theme 1 and the stepwise arching patterns from the
second part of Theme 2. The ppp volume is enhanced with the indication sotto voce. After the upbeat, the arching pattern on D
and E-flat continues from the previous passage and remains in force (with frequent inflections to E-natural) through the entire
long re-transition. The left hand crosses over the right on the second and third beats of nearly every measure. Each measure is
derived from the opening of Theme 1. In this first phrase, on the downbeats and upbeats, harmonized octaves in the low bass,
doubled above by right hand octaves enclosing the arching patterns (which here remain on D and E-flat), move up and down,
including the chromatic note G-flat, and circle back to a strong cadence on G.
3:51 [m. 69]--This phrase is similar to the last, but the octave motion in the right hand and low bass incorporates a new skip
upward, then a leap down to a new chromatic note, this time G-sharp. At the same time, the first inflection to E-natural occurs
in the arching patterns. Again, a strong cadence in G minor is reached. The arching patterns are briefly replaced by broken
octaves on D.
4:00 [m. 73]--In this third phrase, the right hand octaves and the left hand octaves (which are still harmonized) are no longer
doubled, but placed in contrary motion. While the arching patterns remain on D and E-flat, the introduction of the note B-
natural in the crossing left hand notes on the second beat of each measure, along with the note A-flat in the octaves of both
hands, strongly suggest a detour to C minor, but again, there is a strong cadence motion to G at the end.
4:09 [m. 77]--In the harmonically unstable fourth phrase, the inflection of the arching pattern to E-natural is in force the entire
time, and the note B-natural also becomes constant in the now-static right hand octaves. The left hand octaves, no longer
harmonized, move downward by half-step. There is an extremely strong buildup in the second measure (which has the left hand
cross over on the fourth beat and not the third), and at the beginning of the third measure, which is marked fortissimo, an
unexpected chord based on E-natural (already suggested in the second phrase) is revealed as the “dominant” of A major. The
volume quickly recedes, and the phrase is extended by two measures, continuing to emphasize this “dominant” harmony on
E. The right hand octaves drop out here.
4:22 [m. 83]--The final three measures of the re-transition attempt to re-establish G minor, but the continued presence of E-
natural in the middle voice actually creates a highly unstable “diminished” harmony. After the upbeat, the arching figures
become a slow trill, with steady alternation of D and E-natural. This is passed to the left hand as the right hand shoots upward
in a G-minor arpeggio. It then descends in a zigzag pattern, creating the impression of a 6/4 (as opposed to 12/8) meter. At the
same time, the volume recedes more and there is a slowing to a long fermata in preparation for the reprise.
RECAPITULATION
4:33 [m. 86]--Theme 1. The arrival of the reprise after the huge re-transition is a relief, despite the harmonic instability of
Theme 1. Perhaps to emphasize this, Brahms makes the upbeat a full D-major chord (it had only been an open fifth before) to
strengthen the bass motion to G. After this, however, the first phrase of the theme precedes as it had at the beginning and at
1:16, ending on G major.
4:42 [m. 90]--Second phrase ending on B major, as at 0:11 and 1:26 [m. 5].
4:53 [m. 94]--Transition with fanfare figures in G major and G minor, as at 0:22 and 1:37 [m. 9]. The only change is at the
very end, in the one-measure extension, and it is subtle but crucial. The downward motion is narrower, and the closing fermata
is on the “dominant” chord in the home key of G minor rather than D minor. This allows all of Theme 2 to be set in G minor.
5:07 [m. 99]--Theme 2, Part 1, analogous to 0:36 and 1:50 [m. 14]. The passionate melody with the wide left hand arpeggios is
stated in G minor. It follows the exposition pattern closely, including the buildup and descending arpeggio.
5:22 [m. 106]--Theme 2, Part 2, analogous to 0:52 and 2:06 [m. 21]. The ominous march is stated in G minor, with the arching
patterns on D and E-flat, where they were in the long re-transition. While the right hand is lower than in the exposition, the left
hand is raised to a higher octave. This is out of necessity due to the scope of the keyboard. This brings the hands closer
together. Because of this, the bass must often leave out the upper note of its octaves. The buildup already begins at the end of
the phrase.
5:30 [m. 110]--The restatement, extension, and climax analogous to 1:00 and 2:14 [m. 25] are significantly altered and
intensified. The passage already begins at a louder level and continues to build. Although everything moves up to the higher
octave as expected, the arching patterns are moved to B-flat and C, creating a fuller, richer harmony. In addition, the harmonies
above them are thirds that suggest E-flat major, making a hint at the opening of the piece. Finally, the bass octaves already add
the forceful rising long-short rhythm in the first two measures, where it has not been present before. After these first two
measures, the continuation and extension follow the pattern more closely, but the two measures at the climax, including the
upward reach and plunging arpeggio, are cut off by the onset of the coda.

CODA
5:43 [m. 116]--The arrival is fortissimo, but the volume quickly recedes. The arching patterns on D and E-flat become a trill-
like alternation, as they did at the end of the re-transition before the reprise. The left hand plays a wide ascending arpeggio,
then descends in a zigzag pattern that suggests a 6/4 type of meter. Everything is quite similar to the passage at the end of the
re-transition. The descent continues through two and a half measures with the right hand holding the G-minor chord and the
inner slow trill.
5:49 [m. 118, second half]--At this point, Brahms begins one of the most elegant examples of his frequent technique of
“notated ritardando,” using longer note values to create the effect of a slowing. Here, he even marks it “quasi rit.” Both the
slow trill and the zigzag descent continue, but they are notated in straight rhythm (which has only been briefly seen) instead of
the prevailing triplets. The notes are still placed groups of six, however, so the effect is of slowing rather than a change of
metric subdivision. In actuality, two of these six-note groups are spread over a measure and a half instead of a single measure.
5:52 [m. 120]--The zigzag descent finally comes to a resting point in the low bass. The trill-like alternation slows to six
quarter-notes in triplet notation for one measure, then four straight quarter notes for the next one. This continues the slowing
effect without an actual change in speed. Finally, the trill comes to a stopping point in the following measure. It has also faded
to almost nothing. Suddenly, on the upbeat of this penultimate measure, both hands play a forceful fortissimo “dominant”
chord. The hands leap inward to the last clinching G-minor chord, which is doubled two octaves apart between them.
6:19 (runoff after 6:02)--END OF PIECE [123 mm.]