Analysis Paper on Bagatelle, Op. 119, No.

7 by Beethoven

Oddly enough, the beginning of the piece sounds rather atonal for a work by Beethoven.
Upon examination, however, one can perceive the 4 measures as the establishment of the key of
C major, which clearly is the tonic according to the key signature and the stationary bass line on
C. It is remarkable, however, that F is accented on every downbeat of the first four measures.
While this may be interpreted as sus 4 in jazz, F can in fact be read as an accented upper
neighbor tone leading to E, which appears on the very last eighth note of each measure preceded
by two more notes. In a way, the three notes, F, D#, and F, serve as "triple" neighbor tones only a
half step away from E. Since this is a rare occasion, it can explain why the beginning sounds
non-classical in terms of its tonality.
Soon in m. 5, the music jumps to a G major chord (V in C major) in second inversion,
indicative of cadential 6/4 - although the voice-leading of the "soprano" line is not one of those
commonly found in Bach's chorale as it leaps down from sol (D) to ti (F#), then to do (movable
do in G major). The crux is that the cadence is a perfect authentic cadence landing on G major.
While it is most likely to read the D major chord on the second beat of m. 5 as an applied
dominant chord for a mere tonicization of G major in the key of C major, further context shows
that F#, the leading tone to G, survives until m. 8. As a result, this suggests modulation, rather
than tonicization, to G major such that the G major chord on the downbeat of m. 5 serves as a
pivot chord that allows a smooth progression.
Then what happens from m. 7 and onward, where F# becomes F natural while B natural
becomes Bb? Notably, a descending 5th sequence can be observed from G (m. 7-8), to C (m. 910), and to F (m. 11). It is not very difficult to discern the sequence since the "melody" line

consisting of first three eighth notes on the downbeat of each measure (m. 7, 9, and 11) reveals a
triad to expand the sequence. Specifically, the first three notes in the right hand in m. 7 represents
a G major triad, reinforced by F#, which is a leading tone to G. Likewise, the first three notes in
m. 9 represent a C major triad, and those in m. 11 represent an F major triad. The sequence does
not sound far-fetched, partly because of the sol-do movement from G to C on the last beat of m.
8 to the first beat of m. 9 and from C to F on the last beat of m. 10 to the first beat of m. 11. At
the same time, the fourth of each chord - in other words, F natural on the second beat of m. 9
(scale degree 4 in C major) and Bb in m. 11 (scale degree 4 in F major) - helps establish each
harmony.
This is especially true for F major starting from m. 11 since Bb survives for another
number of measures. Then it is possible to see that a modulation to F major has taken place,
revealing one of the most prominent effects of a sequence; while it is very likely that a
modulation from G to F is to be awkward since they are only a whole step away from each other,
the use of a sequence has definitely provided a smooth transition, simultaneously allowing a
registral shift down an octave as well. To stabilize the modulation and to prolong the key of F
major, upper neighbor tones (Bb and D on the second beat of m. 12, etc.) are used, suggestive of
the typical neighboring 6/4 pattern, except that the bass is not sustained in this case.
The peace of F major does not last long, however. A possible internal cadence is found on
the last beat of m. 14, where the C major chord (V in F major) resolves to F major, suggesting
another perfect authentic cadence although the chord of resolution only has its root. Rather
abruptly, the very last note of m. 14 leading to m. 15 turns out to be a G#, which is definitely not
in the key of F major. While the next chord would normally help explain the G#, the problem is
that the very first motif of the piece and its lack of clear-cut harmony are revisited. Thus, it

becomes progressively more difficult to find or sing do while listening to this part of the piece.
While this may be true, it can at least be observed that C# is the other note introduced with an
accidental on the second upbeat in the left hand in m. 15. From this, the pattern in m. 15-16 is
actually in d minor, where G# represents scale degree #4 leading to 5 as in the case of secondary
dominants and where C# is the leading tone to D. This interpretation makes sense, not only
because d minor is the relative minor of F major where essentially every chord (except the
diminished) can serve as a pivot chord for a smooth transition, but also because the flat trill
manifests a b6-5 (Bb-A) movement, very typical in any minor key.
In m. 17, a trilling pedal on C that remains fixed in the left hand until the last measure is
introduced. Not only does this carry on the trilling motif from the previous measures as well as
the beginning of the piece, it tugs the music into a new realm in order to approach the ending.
Indeed, ascending chromaticism, which expands until the ending, becomes prominent starting
from m. 20 in the "alto" line in the right hand. Though difficult to notice, triads can in fact be
found in the pattern. Specifically, F on the second beat of m. 20 is followed by A and C, which
are exactly the components of an F major triad. Then F# leads up to G, followed by Bb and D in
m. 21, revealing a g minor triad. With this pattern, the next few triads turn out to be an a minor
triad (third beat of m. 21), b diminished triad (second beat of m. 22), C major triad (first beat of
m. 23), d minor triad (second beat of m. 23), e diminished triad (third beat of m. 23), and back F
major triad in m. 24. Believe it or not, all - except the b diminished triad, which is an applied
seventh chord leading to C major, the dominant of F major - are diatonic in the key of F major if
all the chromatic notes that connect the triads are displaced. Consequently, these triads, at least
analytically, prolong F major in ascending 2nds - a sequence if you will.

After the chromatically ascending outburst in the right hand, the music reaches its
cadence on the first beat of m. 27 with a C major chord. Some twist exists, however. Since the
beginning of the music as well as the key signature indicates C major, one might read the
cadence as an imperfect authentic cadence in C major at a first glance. Nonetheless, there is no
root motion from sol to do, and it is quite a stretch to read the trilling pedal as a tonic pedal in the
last ten bars. The pedal is more likely a dominant pedal in F major. Thus, the cadence is in fact a
half cadence in the key of F major.
As a whole, this is quite interesting. The music starts in the key of C major, then moves
on to G major, a descending 5th sequence (G-C-F), F major, d minor (m. 15-16), and back to F
major before landing on its dominant in the last measure. True, a modulation to a key's dominant
(C to G in the beginning), a descending 5th sequence, and a modulation to a major key's relative
minor (F major to d minor) are all typical of the classical style. However, Beethoven certainly
provides something new and adds to the style by the frequent use of abrupt chromaticism both to
modulate and expand a single key area (e.g., raising the scale degree 2 in the first four measures,
a sudden G# to bridge F major and d minor between m. 14 and m. 15, and ascending by half
steps in the last number of measures) and ending the music on half cadence in the subdominant
(F major) of the initial key (C major). Although the piece may sound too capricious as a result,
this capriciousness sums up the bagatelle, which is characterized by its light style after all.