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Beethoven͛s 3rd mvt. is a standard minuet and trio, in rounded binary form ABA. The minuet
itself is in binary form  , with section  ending B24 and section
beginning B25 and ending
B95. The trio lasts 54 bars, then the minuet is repeated.

The mvt. begins the 
section in typical ¾ time, the music intended to be able to be danced to.
The Ebmaj tonality is immediately established with a RH tonic chord, followed by the first
theme, a diatonic arpeggio melody, played in contrary motion with the LH,
ascending&descending gently and softly (& ). The phrase is ended with a 3-note motif,
2 ascending quavers then a
larger leap down. It is
repeated four times, the
fourth time with crochets
and staccato articulation,
ending the phrase as a
whole.

The first four-bar phrase is repeated again, except this time the 3-note motif ending the phrase

is inverted. This is followed by 3 crochet rest, the long silence tense. A short
1-bar phrase at B13 modulates the key to the dominant, Bmaj, playing the
inverted 3-note motif very softly (pianissimo). 4 crochet rests follow the
modulation, again tense in wait. At B15 a 1-bar phrase repeats 3
times, the repetitiveness of the 2 chords (7th-tonic, A-B) it plays
building suspense, with a sforzando ending the phrase each time it is repeated,
also creating interest. This is resolved at B19
with a descending scalic melody in the right hand punctuated
by sforzando LH crochets, ending on a Bb chord.
Section  is repeated.

Section begins B25 in Bbmaj, with a canon-like passage. The LH begins undulating
thirds in 2-bar phrases, with the rhythm minim-crochetx4. The RH
imitates an 8ve higher a bar later, while the LH ascends
the 2-bar sequence. Tension is built as the phrases are
repeated, and a cresc builds upon it, until it is resolved
B35 with a decorated static RH phrase, and with the LH
sustaining a Gmin chord below.
 The phrase is sequenced downwards, and is followed B40 by a descending scalic
crochet passage, cadencing (perfect V-I) back into Ebmaj and the 1st theme.

The theme phrase repeats again, ending again with the inversion of the 3-note
motif. This time however, 4 crochet rests follow B54, followed by 3 repetitions of
the inverted 3-note motif, modulating into Ebmin, the tonic minor. This is
followed by a passage of interplay B58, with the LH&RH each notes of the
melody whilst sustaining chordal notes in dissonance against them, creating
tension that is enhanced by the cresc marking. It begins to decresc B46, until a


 (very soft) marking B68.

B69 we suddenly have a bar͛s worth of silence, as the tension died

away with the decrescendo. B70 a repeated Bb becomes a pedal
point as the key has modulated back into Bbmaj while the
surrounding 2 voices play the inverted 3-note motif in rhythmic
unison. The pedal point, repeated motif and gradual cresc build
tension until B80, where the descending scalic passage from section  comes in (B19), ending
back into the home key of Ebmaj. This is followed by B85, 4
bars of the RH sustaining dominant 7ths while the LH plays an
according melody, then 4 bars of vice versa (RH takes LH͛s role,
Lh takes RH͛s role), resolving B94 with a descending RH
arpeggio. Section is repeated, before moving into the trio.

The trio begins in the key of Gbmaj, pianissimo

dynamic. A Bb crochet is held briefy before the
LH&RH play triplets very smoothly (
 

in harmonic and rhythmic unison, the LH playing
a maj6th above the RH. The entire trio is played
in this manner, triplets playing broken chords punctuated with short dynamic swells and subtle
changes of harmonies providing variety. As the trio progresses, the dynamics and harmony
changes become more profound and obvious.

The melody is in the RH, the first note of every beat being heard over the rapid triplets,
determining the harmony that will be played. The theme is introduced Gb-Gb-Gb\Gb-F-Gb\Ab-
Ab-Ab\Ab-Ab-Ab, a 4-bar phrase. The first fortissimo-piano marking is heard B3, accompanied
by an upwards step in melody. The theme is repeated, and at B9 the Ab steps up to a Bb,
beginning to cresc as the LH expands the lower
range and colour by playing its parallel 6ths
harmony an 8ve lower.
B11 A sudden drop in dynamic, the  quelling the swell. The melody
begins descending, and the dynamics begin to decrescendo, until B15 when
the triplets are replaced by 3 repeated Bbmaj chords, with the RH moved down
into the LH register, creating a contrast in colour and texture.

B17 begins exactly the same as the first 8 bars, except it has been transposed a maj5th above,
into Dbmaj, the dominant. At B25 the melody begins ascending, stepwise of course, creating

tension along with a cresc. The tension is released B27, the climax,

with a  descending passage without input from the LH,

the lack of homophony focusing the interest upon the descending chords alone.
The passage resolves back into Gbmaj, onto the tonic chord B29 with a piano
dynamic. The 8-bar theme plays out again, and this time the Ab ascends upwards,
beginning an ascending 6 bars (stepwise, as always) from B37-B42,
punctuated by
 markings B38&B39, and a cresc accompanying the
building stepwise tension until the climax B43, with a fortissimo dynamic
upon a diminished Ebmaj chord sustained by the RH, a 6th above Gbmaj, the
key of the trio.

The next 8 bars completely contrast with the rest of the trio, serving as a bridge back into the
minuet. B44 While the LH still plays broken chord triplets very softly (

, the right hand

plays an undulating melody on top with long note values (relatively long ʹ crochets and minims).

The melody dimishes the 5th of Gbmaj, before resolving onto the tonic
chord. These 4 bars are repeated, and at B51 the 4-bar phrase resolves
once more onto a Gbmaj chord, with the lowest dynamics of the whole
minuet and trio ʹ pianississimo ʹ indicating that the 4 bars should be the
quietest and most calm bars of the mvt. After the Gbmaj chord is held for
2 whole bars, an Eb and Gnatural follow suit, modulating back into the
minuet͛s Ebmaj key.