Sonata
Theme (C-minor)
Second Key Area (E-flat major)
Counter Motive (E-flat major)
Theme (C-major) - Recapitualtion
Notes
With the finale, Haydn continues his trend in Op. 76 of mixing major and minor modes for dramatic effect, building extraordinarily dark tension before resolving into the light of C-major. This movement is written in the key of C-minor (rather than major) and, like sonatas in a minor key, moves to its relative major (E-flat) for a contrasting secondary key. C-minor is boldly announced with three chords at the beginning. Terse and definitive, they dispell any notion of a mere introduction: the movement is most definitely in the minor key. The second key area uses the first theme recast in a major mode, making this one of Haydn's many monothematic sonatas. Once in the major key, the 1st violin takes flight, utterly liberated in its new context. The second key area introduces a counter motive in triplets, new material that serves a prominant role in the development.
The recapitulation returns to C-minor but it is imcomplete: like many "false" reprises, it veers off again into further development, moving in and out of the minor mode, triplets running against a series of chords until it runs head long into a pregnant pause. The key signature changes, and the quartet restores the original key of C-major which completes the recapitulation, finishing entire " Emperor" quartet with a long awaited, nearly giddy release of tension.