Beethoven’s first piano sonata was written between 1793-1795. It was dedicated to Joseph Haydn. It was first published, along with the second and third sonatas, in 1796 in Vienna by Artaria (this edition can be found here).
It contains four movements.
Movement I, Allegro:
Many have rightly compared the first movement of this sonata to the finale of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40. Much ink has also been spilled pointing out that the opening, ascending, arpeggiated figure shares its nature with what was known as the “Mannheim Rocket.” Both true, but was it primarily Mozart or Mannheim on the composer’s mind? It’s hard to know for sure. The discussion goes back at least to 1910-11 when Donald Francis Tovey, writing for the Encyclopaedia Brittanica points out that the famous critic Sir Hubert Parry, “aptly compared the opening…with that of the finale of Mozart’s G minor symphony to show how much closer Beethoven’s texture is.” The quote goes on to criticize Beethoven’s sonata for trying to imitate Mozart in the second movement, to the detriment of his own unique tone, as well as failing to imitate Mozart in the central part of the final movement.
Check your edition! Editions might differ in measures 140 and 142. Some editions add a grace note to beat three of measure 140, use a four-note chord in beat four of that same measure, and add another grace note to the third beat of measure 142. (For example, the von Bülow-edited Schirmer edition adds the grace notes and an early Moscheles edition has the four-note chord in measure 140.) These alterations are meant to parallel measures 41 and 43. But this is not consistent with the earliest sources! Historically accurate editions omit grace notes in mm. 140 and 142 and have a three-note chord in measure 140.