Traditionally, composers wrote the first theme of a piece in the key of the piece, firmly establishing that key as the tonic, or home, key of the piece. The opening theme of Op. 36 starts in the tonic (G major), but already by the third measure has modulated to the unrelated key of E-flat major. As the theme develops, it ranges through various keys before coming back to the tonic G major. This "harmonic audacity", as Swafford describes it, opened the way for bolder experiments to come.
Traditionally, composers wrote the first theme of a piece in the key of the piece, firmly establishing that key as the tonic or home, key of the piece. The opening theme of Op. 36 starts in the tonic (G major) but already ,by the third measure has modulated to the unrelated key of .E-flat major As the theme develops, it ranges through various keys before coming back to the tonic G major. This "harmonic audacity", a,s Swafford describes it, opened the way for bolder experiments to come.