Beethoven - Pathetique Sonata - Analysis 1

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Structure, Analysis & Background Information

Intro: Bars 1-10 Beethoven - Analysis 1
C minor (tonic key) : Grave (very slow) Mvt 1 from Piano Sonata 8 in C Minor
‘Pathetique’
Introductions were unusual in piano sonatas. The music here is at a solemn grave tempo – very slow.
There is a distinctive six-note motif (short melodic idea) in homophonic texture at the start.

The first movement is

written in sonata form, a
complex structure used in
the first and sometimes
last movements of sonatas,
symphonies and other
works of the Classical
period.

Chromatic chords, especially

diminished sevenths
(e.g.bars 1 and 3) are a feature of the
MusicHelpGuy The time signature is common time. 4/4 harmony throughout the piece.
 The 6-note motif is used throughout the introduction There is constant dynamic contrast here and in the rest of the
in different textures and keys. Sometimes the first piece, with frequent use of fortepiano (loud, then immediately soft)
note is left out, and sometimes the second last note and sforzando (sudden loud accent on an individual note or chord).
rises to the final note instead of descending.

Dotted
rhythm is an
important
feature of
material in the
introduction.
 There is an interrupted
sforzando (sudden loud accent)
cadence in the introduction at
bar 9. Chords V - VI (G7 to Ab)
The introduction also contains rapid
The introduction is in scalic flourishes, and ends with a long
the key of C minor, descending chromatic scale.
modulating briefly
at the end to the
relative major key
of Eb.

There are some very

rapid notes, including
septuplets and
1/128th notes in bar
10.
Exposition (1st Subject) - Bars 11-50
Sonata form is comprised of 3 main
parts; Exposition, Development,
Recapitulation. It’s similar to
C minor (tonic key) : Allegro di molto e con brio (very fast & with vigour) Ternary form (ABA) but more
complex.

The main allegro di molto e con brio The exposition section contains two main subjects - the first in the tonic
(very fast with vigour) section is in and the second is usually in the dominant or another related key. A subject is a
alla breve time (or cut time) – a theme or group of themes.
fast two in the bar. 2/2.

The first subject theme in C

minor (tonic) rises mainly
scalically a distance of two
octaves - this is referred to as the
‘rocket theme’. The music is
marked with staccato – meaning
detached (separate) notes.

The left hand plays tremolo octaves, which in bars 11-15 also form a tonic pedal on C.
This type of accompaniment is also known as a murky bass.
A subsidiary theme begins The sonata features many chromatic
at bar 27 and features chords, as well as diminished 7th chords
sforzandos and Beethoven makes use of augmented 6th
descending arpeggios. chords, e.g. bars 30 and 34.
A transition based on the main theme – using sequences
begins at bar 35 and modulates towards the expected
key of E♭ major through dominant preparation.
The main key of the piece is C minor. The music modulates to a number of
related keys, including Eb major (the relative major key). It also
modulates to unrelated keys such as Eb minor for the 2nd Subject theme.
Exposition (2nd Subject - Theme 1) - Bars 51-88
Eb minor - unexpected key
The 2nd Subject theme is in the unrelated key of Eb minor (Eb major would have been expected) and features
hand crossing technique, where the right hand moves down over the left hand to play four staccato notes, before returning
and a distinctive acciaccatura ornament. The theme continues with a stepwise descending phrase featuring mordents.

This theme by
contrast is much
more lyrical. The
crossed hands
creates a dialogue or
antiphonal effect.
Notice the Bb dominant pedal in bars 51-62.
The left hand
accompaniment
is much simpler.
 Ornaments are an important feature
Staccato crotchets are important of the second subject in particular.
rhythmic feature in the right hand of the These include mordents bars 65/66
first subject. and bars 73/74 etc and acciaccaturas
at bars 69/70.
Exposition (2nd Subject - Theme 2)- Bars 89-120
Eb major - relative major

A new theme begins in bar 89 in the relative

major key of Eb. It has a new broken chord
texture. There is a crescendo while the hands
move in contrary motion.
Two-part texture with broken chords in the second idea of the second
subject is a distinctive feature.
Continuous quavers are a distinctive rhythmic
feature of the accompaniment of the first subject.
Exposition
(2nd Subject - Theme 3/Codetta) - Bars 113 -132
Eb major - relative major

Finally, a third theme begins at bar 113. This

makes much use of scalic melody. It
reinforces the new Eb major key. This final
section can also be called a codetta (short
rounding-off section).
The whole exposition is then repeated.
 Reprise of Intro (4 Bars) : 133 - 136
Grave (very slow)
G minor modulating to E minor
The main key of the piece is C minor. The music
modulates to a number of related keys, including
Before the development begins there is a 4 bar reprise of G minor (the dominant minor key). It also
of the introduction material, now in the dominant key modulates to unrelated keys such as E minor for
of G minor. This is a very unusual structural feature. the beginning of the development section.
Development - Bars The development section follows the
exposition. Here the earlier tunes are altered,
137-194 especially by modulating to different keys.
Starts in E minor : Allegro di molto e con brio
The allegro then introduces the main first subject theme in the unrelated key of E minor.
Fragments of the main first subject theme are heard in the bass from bar 149.
Long dominant preparation begins at bar 167 where the dominant note G
is played in rapid alternating octaves in the bass as a pedal.

dominant pedal
There is a brief passage in thirds where the trills are (e.g. bars 181–187).
A passage of trills leads to a descending monophonic quaver passage in the right hand.

The texture of the sonata is predominantly melody -dominated homophony (or melody and
accompaniment) except for the short monophonic passage (above) that links the end of the development
to the start of the recapitulation.
Recapitulaiton (1st Subject) - Bars 195-220
C minor (tonic key) : Allegro
Usually in sonata form after the development section the recapitulation section
restates the exposition but with both subjects now firmly in the tonic key. Again
Beethoven goes against convention as the recap of the 2nd subject theme (bar
221) starts in the sub-dominant before moving to the tonic.
Recapitulaiton (2nd Subject - Theme 1) -
Bars 221-252 Starting in F minor - unexpected subdominant key
The recapitulation repeats the music of the exposition but alters the keys of
the second subject material. This time the second subject starts in the
subdominant – F minor – (bar 221) before moving to the expected tonic
key.
Modulation to the expected tonic key of C minor.
Use of Circle of fifths bars 244 - 249 : [ G7 - Cm] , [F7 - Bbm], [Eb7 - Ab]
Recapitulation (2nd Subject - Theme 2)- Bars 253-276
C minor - tonic
Recapitulation
2nd Subject - Theme 3/Codetta) - Bars 277 -294
C minor - tonic

All three main musical ideas of the second subject are heard in the recapitulation. and the
recapitulation finishes with two fortissimo diminished seventh chords.
The recapitulation finishes with two fortissimo diminished seventh chords.
Diminished seventh - a four-note chord made up solely of minor-third intervals e.g
bar 294. (F#, A, C, Eb)
CODA (Material from Reprise of Intro) -
Bars 295 - 298
Grave (very slow)
Four bars of the introduction, with silence on the first beat (a very unusual idea), leads to 12 bars of allegro
with the first subject theme.
CODA The music ends with
fortissimo perfect

(material from 1st subject theme) - cadences (using

dominant seventh)
Bars 299 -309 in the tonic key.
C minor - tonic
 The Piano Replaces the Harpsichord Bach’s Harpsichord (Baroque Period 1600-1750)

When Beethoven wrote this piece at the end of the 18th century (1799), the piano
had almost completely replaced the harpsichord .

One of the main differences between the harpsichord and the piano was the
ability for the piano the have variable dynamics, hence the name pianoforte.
(soft/loud)

The piano started to undergo development to strengthen its structure and

increase the range of notes (compass) during Beethoven’s lifetime to cope with
the increased musical demands that romantic composers made in their music.

There were frequent new developments in the instrument’s power, tone quality
and sustaining ability. It was now possible to play using all kinds of dynamic levels
just by altering the pressure of the fingers on the keys.

Beethoven was one of the first to make extensive use of all kinds of dynamic
possibilities. This sonata has frequent crescendos, diminuendos and numerous
other performance markings. (e.g Sfz, fp, staccato etc)

The sustaining pedal was coming into use at the time and although there were no
pedal markings in the original score, Beethoven would almost certainly have used
some kind of sustaining system in his own performances. Beethoven’s Pianoforte (Classical Period 1750 - 1820)
 Classical Music Characteristics

Music was expected to be immediately appealing, pleasing, natural-sounding, and tasteful. There was an
emphasis on elegance and balance.

Melodies are tuneful and easily remembered after one or two hearings. Clear-cut question and answer
phrases were the norm. Classical Period melodies usually fit a balanced 8-bar phrase structure unlike
the ‘spun-out’ melodies of the Baroque.

Ornamentation is still employed but nowhere near as much as in the Baroque Period – melodies tend to be
developed in other ways such as sequences.

Common texture is Homophonic (chordal writing) or melody dominated homophony and therefore
compared to the polyphonic music of the late-Baroque was generally less complex.

Frequent use of fast quaver or semiquaver passages to show off the virtuosity of the pianist.

Scalic runs and broken chord (arpeggio) figures (e.g Alberti bass) are very common.

Classical music features fluctuations of mood within a movement and first movement of Classical Roger Kamien - Music An Appreciation page 185
Period pieces are often in Sonata Form. Composers usually adhered to set structures and the ‘rules’.

Diatonic harmony with modulation to related keys through the use of perfect cadences was employed.

The piano replaced the harpsichord, and the modern orchestra with strings, double wind (including
clarinet), 2 horns and trumpets and timpani was established.
 Romantic Music Characteristics

Romantic music (later Beethoven) sounds more intense and emotional than Classical music
(Haydn,Mozart), which generally sounds more structured and predictable .

Romantic music seems to quickly shift back and forth from very intense to very calm.

There was great dramatic contrasts of dynamics and pitch. Extremely wide dynamic ranges, from very
soft to very loud, add considerably to emotional excitement and intensity.

The harmony of romantic music became increasingly more complex with greater use of chromaticism
and dissonance. Modulation to unrelated keys wasn’t abnormal anymore.

Dissonance is used more freely; resolutions are often delayed to create feelings of yearning, tension, and
mystery.

Melodies are often long, complex, and highly expressive. Recurring melodies and thematic
transformation unify longer works.

Rhythm is extremely diverse. Tempos are flexible and may change frequently. Tempo rubato permitted
greater expressivity and freedom in performance.

The idea of the individual’s rebellion against established social rules and conventions, led to the virtuoso
heroic soloist and indeed the piano compositions of Liszt or the violin compositions of Paganni require
great technical skill and virtuosity. The nineteenth-century musical public was captivated by virtuoso Roger Kamien - Music An Appreciation page 255
performers.

Forms are rooted in the classical tradition, but now are more expansive and treated freely. Romantic
composers didn’t feel constrained by form and and genres were developed, such as the symphonic poem.
Personal suffering could be reflected in music.

The orchestra expanded significantly especially the woodwind, brass and percussion sections. The
addition of new instruments and the increased size of the orchestra led to new and varied timbres.
 Beethoven Bridged
the Classical & Romantic Eras
Beethoven was called a Classic-Romantic composer as he spanned two stylistic periods. In many ways he was a
revolutionary, taking music in new directions and establishing the more independent social status that composers
who followed him would enjoy.

Beethoven's’ works can be divided into 3 periods. His early works were classical in style and the middle period
works were Romantic and heroic. The final period when he was profoundly deaf Beethoven wrote string quartets
that were unlike anything that had been heard before. The Pathétique sonata was composed at a midpoint in
Beethoven’s career and looks both backwards to the Classical Period as well as forward to the Romantic Period

The Pathetique is classical in the sense that it has clear, catchy melodies and homophonic textures . As a former
pupil of Haydn and a fan of Mozart, Beethoven would have know the sonatas of these 2 composers. His own works
in this form were on a larger scale and full of passion and intensity that became typical of the Romantic style.

Music of the Romantic era often expressed powerful emotions. In the Pathétique sonata Beethoven does this
through more dramatic use of dynamics (e.g the opening introduction), use of the sustain pedal on the piano,
more complex, chromatic harmony, and more complex, altered structures (like how Beethoven alters sonata
form in this piece by having a sections of the introduction repeat).

The title Pathétique does not mean weak of pitiful, but refers to suffering as in the notion of the lone artist against
the world. It was a popular theme in the Romantic era, and Beethoven would have had to deal with his own
suffering as when composing the sonata he was already starting to go deaf.

Beethoven was known as a composer who pioneered the Romantic style through his use of adventurous harmony
and extended structures and this is evident in the Pathétique sonata through the use of minor keys, dramatic
chords, accented notes, strong melodies, Romantic harmony and chords such as the diminished seventh.
 Sonata Form Overview
Beethoven composed 32 piano sonatas. His eighth ‘Pathétique ‘ was written in
1799 and some believe that the work might have been inspired by Mozart’s
Piano Sonata K.457 as it is also in C minor.

A piano sonata is a piece for solo piano. It has 3 movements (fast-slow-fast).

The first movement is written in sonata form, a complex structure used in the
first and sometimes last movements of sonatas, symphonies and other works
of the Classical period.

Sonata form consists of three sections – exposition, development and

recapitulation. Unusually, Beethoven opens to the piece with the ten-bar
slow introduction. He also uses 4 bars from the introduction at the start of
the development section and at the start of the coda.

The two fundamental ideas expressed in sonata form and repetition and
contrast.

In the exposition two themes are introduced. In the development the themes
are altered by changing key lots. The recapitulation is the same as the
exposition, but with the two themes now in the same key.

The piece finishes with a coda.

 Beethoven the ‘rule-breaker’
Beethoven was a forward thinking composer, and this piece shows signs
of the romantic era.

Beethoven uses some techniques which are unusual for sonata form:

The second theme starts in Eb minor instead of the expected Eb major.

It moves to Eb major at bar 89.

The development begins with 4 bars from the introduction—this is very

unusual! When the development returns to the allegro tempo it is in the
unrelated key of E minor.

In the recapitulation the second theme starts in the key of F minor

instead of the expected C minor. It then moves to C minor.

The coda starts with 4 bars of the introduction again.

 Mvt 1 from Piano Sonata 8 in C Minor ‘Pathetique’
Final Notes
Features of the introduction include heavy, accented chords and right hand florid melody
with left-hand chordal accompaniment. The texture is homophonic, the use of dramatic
chords such as the diminished seventh.

The exposition includes the following features; (i) fast tempo, (ii) in 2/2 time with (iii) two
contrasting themes in the keys of C minor (first subject) and Eb minor (second subject).

The development includes the following feature: (i) It starts with 4 bars based on the
introduction.(ii) Beethoven develops the first and second subjects, exploring different keys.
(iii) It ends with 30 bars of dominant preparation, leading to the recapitulation.

The recapitulation includes the following features; (i) It is a reprise of the first and second
subjects.(ii) This would usually be all in the tonic key of C minor, but unusually Beethoven
chooses F minor as the key to start the second subject. (iii) The start of the coda features 4
bars from the introduction. (iv) The movement ends with the first subject ‘rocket theme’ in
the tonic key of C minor.
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