Piano Forum

I didn't have any expectations when I clicked but I thought the video was great!

I would agree that most of the motivic connections are probably intentional. The composers of the time were, after all, expert craftsmen, and motivic connections or basing a big work on one basic motif were often used to create a large qauntity of varied material while keeping a sense of unity. That descending fourth being everywhere is not just a coincidence.

The only thing I think one can argue about regarding this is just details about exactly where the rising sixth and descending fourth are hidden in some instances. 

EDIT: Regarding motivic connections - Beethoven was big on those and learned it from Haydn, and Schumann would have studied and admired Beethoven's work.