nelson wuCoda with a Final Twist: the Vivace Codetta in the First Movement of Brahms's Cello sonata in F major In his article on Johannes Brahms's sonata-form codas, Mark Delaere (1999) assigned the concluding sections to one of three affective types: climax (intensification), ralentissement (dissolution) and juste milieu (the same). His method of categorisation is primarily based on whether or not there is a change of tempo, expressive marking or texture at the beginning of a coda. 1 While one can cite examples such as the coda of the first movement of the String Quartet in A minor, Op. 51 No. 2, for intensification (più animato sempre), the majority of Brahms's endings are of the ralentissement type. In his dissertation on Brahms's codas, Matthias Rohn (1986) pointed out that it is unlikely that the composer orientated himself to Beethoven, because the elaboration of compositional details in Brahms's endings serves largely to reduce tension; increases in tension at this point are rare. Indeed, he frequently used expressions such as tranquillo, calando, meno allegro, sostenuto, largamente, espressivo, dolce and sotto voce to mark the beginning of a coda. 2 Of course there are also other possibilities -for example, codas that begin with one affect but end with another. In the opening movement of the String Quartet in C minor, Op. 51 No. 1, the coda commences with a change from 3/2 to duple metre alla breve and a modulation to the subdominant minor, and is further marked by the performance direction p crescendo ed agitato. Although listeners are led to believe that the persistent intensification will draw the Allegro to a climactic end, this coda, in fact, concludes with diminuendo, rhythmic deceleration and a dynamic swell on the final tonic major chord, which is played piano and with a fermata. Thus, rather than restoring the opening affect, one might infer that this discharge anticipates the ensuing Romanze -poco adagio. 3 A reversal of the intensification-dissolution model can be found in the coda of the opening movement of the Piano Trio in B major, Op. 8, in its revised form. It begins tranquillo, and the dissolution process involves not only attenuation in dynamic intensity (diminuendo and pp perdendo), but kinetic deceleration (poco ritardando) as well. Yet this discharge is followed by a determined intensification halfway through the coda. Starting from in tempo ma sempre sostenuto, there is a gradual but persistent build-up in dynamic intensity and surface rhythm. It is, therefore, not surprising that the Allegro con brio ends with a spirited perfect cadence. 4 Although it may be true that Brahms's penchant is to conclude a sonata-form movement with an introspective ending, there are a number of instances in which he provides a final twist at the very end. The coda in the first movement of the