Yes...it does! :-)
This scherzo movement, marked “allegro molto” in 3/4 time and A minor, is quirky, demonic and irresistible. It’s in five parts (A-B-A-B-A), not three, as had been Lou’s custom up to this time. A two-note grupetto with an ostinato beat dominates the movement, and it’s a forerunner of John Williams’ “Jaws” theme, but in triple time. It’s the most radical thing Beethoven had written yet.
It’s also the most controversial, having launched 200 years of arguments over how those two notes are to be played. The argument is whether the curved lines linking the two notes are ties or slurs. A tie is used to show a single note that is held across a bar line, although it can be used for other purposes within a bar. A slur is indicates that both notes are to be sounded, but with different characteristics. (The vocal equivalent I use for this is “Uh-huh.”) On the piano, Beethoven puts a change of finger for the second note, and the argument is that the finger change makes no sense if the second note is simply to be held as a tie; that is, the changed finger keeps the key depressed and doesn’t strike it again. I’ve heard this movement played as ties and slurs, and I accept the argument that it’s a slur; that is, both notes should be sounded on both piano and cello with the second note having a different character than the first. It took me forever, but I found a video where it’s played as a slur.
The sneaky ending always prompts giggles from the audience. It’s a good example of Lou’s sense of humor.