Composed in 1809–10, Beethoven’s Sonata op. 81a expresses his very personal feelings. He titled its three movements “Das Lebewohl” (The Farewell), “Die Abwesenheit” (The Absence) and “Das Wiedersehn” (The Return) in reference to the hasty departure of his good friend and patron Archduke Rudolph of Austria who fled Vienna with the imperial family on 4 May 1809 to escape Napoleon’s approaching troops.

Beethoven referred to op. 81a as a “characteristic sonata”, not in the sense that it had an un...