1- Pathetique - Beethoven

Question 1

Beethoven Context

Answer 1

Virtuosic pianist
Sonata
Written between 1796 and 1799
Pathetique - meaning moving or emotional
Classical period
Showed early signed of Romantic style

Question 2

Sonata Definition

Answer 2

is a piece for solo instruments and contains three or four movements, each with different tempo.

Question 3

Melody in Beethoven

Answer 3

Intro melody - a short six note motif (used as a basis for most of the intro) sometimes heated with 5 notes or second last note rising instead of falling.
Scalic Passages
Descending chromatic scale (end of intro)
Ascending scale (bar 11) on the tonic key of C minor with major thirds
Augmented second from A b to B
Arpeggios
Broken chords (bar 29)
Ornaments - acciaccaturas bar 53, Mordents, trills (before recapitulation)
Sequences (in development)

Question 4

Pathetique defintion

Answer 4

Moving or emotional

Question 5

Classical period

Answer 5

1750 - 1820

Question 6

Romantic Period

Answer 6

1810 - 1900

Question 7

Upper Mordents defintion

Answer 7

main note, the note above the note then main note again, played quickly.

Question 8

Sequence Definition

Answer 8

The repetition of a melodic phrase at a higher or lower pitch than the original.

Question 9

Acciaccatura definition

Answer 9

A crushed note, played as quickly as possible

Question 10

Articulation Beethoven

Answer 10

Rising tremolos bar 38
Staccato note bar 39
Upper mordent bar 73
Acciaccatura bar 53
Stacatisimo bar 207

Question 11

Dynamics Beethoven

Answer 11

Pianoforte creates all kind of dynamics
Frequent crescendos
Diminuendos
Sforzando
Staccato
Legato

Question 12

Sforzando (sf) Defintion

Answer 12

Suddenly loud accents

Question 13

Pianoforte Definition

Answer 13

Getting louder than immediately soft

Question 14

Texture Beethoven

Answer 14

Homophonic
intro - homophonic chordal
Right hand plays in octavos (bar 5)
descending monophonic (leading into recapitulation)
- second subject material features melody and accompaniment style
two-part music with broken chords (bar 93)
thirds where the trills (bar 181-187)

Question 15

Staccato Definition

Answer 15

Playing in a detached fashion

Question 16

Legato Definition

Answer 16

Playing in a smooth fashion

Question 17

Homophonic Defintion

Answer 17

Chordal or accompaniment and solo

Question 18

Structure Beethoven

Answer 18

Sonata form
Exposition. section containing the two main subjects, the first in the tonic (main home key), the second in the dominant or other related key. (then repeated)

Followed by development - modulation

Recapitulation restates the exposition but with both subjects now mainly in the tonic key.

Then Coda

Question 19

Sonata form Defintion

Answer 19

A larger scale form invented in the classical period
Exposition, development, recapitulation

Question 20

Intro Beethoven

Answer 20

bar 1-10
grave tempo
six-note motif
homophonic texture
rapid scalic flourishes
ends with a long descending chromatic scale.
key of C minor, modulating briefly to the relative major key of E♭.
constant dynamic contrast - use of fortepiano and sf

Question 21

Grave meaning

Answer 21

slow tempo

Question 22

Exposition Beethoven 1st subject

Answer 22

Bar 11-50
Allegro di molto e con brio
C minor
rises mainly scalically a distance of two octaves -– over a tonic pedal in the bass
staccato
Sf
Descending arpeggios
Sequences (bar35)
Modulated to Eb major through dominant preparation

Question 23

Allegro di molto e con brio meaning

Answer 23

very fast and with vigour

Question 24

Exposition Second subject

Answer 24

bar 51-132
beings Eb minor
Acciaccatura and hand crossing technique
Stepwise descending phase with mordents
new theme bar 89 - relative major of Eb, broken chord texture, crescendo, contrary motion
New theme - bar 113, Scalic melody, Eb major, Codetta
then whole exposition repeated

Question 25

Development Beethoven

Answer 25

bar 133- 194
4 bars of intro, dominant key of G minor
Allegro introduced the main first subject theme in unrelated key of E minor, fragmented theme continues from bar 149, Dominant note G played rapid alternating octaves in the bass as a pedal (bar 167)
Trill pages leads to descending monophonic quaver passage

Question 26

Recapitulation Beethoven

Answer 26

bar 195- 294
repeats the music of exposition but laters the key
starts on subdominant F minor (bar 221) before moving to tonic key
Finished with two fortissimo diminished seventh chords

Question 27

Coda Beethoven

Answer 27

Bar 295 to end
Four bars of intro with silence on first beat
leads to 12 bart allegro with first subject theme
Fortissimo ending perfect cadence (using dominant seventh) in the tonic key

Question 28

Harmony Beethoven

Answer 28

many chromatic chords
diminished seventh (bar 1)
perfect cadences
interrupted cadence (in intro bar 9)
Circle of fifths bars 244 - 249
augmented 6th chords, e.g. bars 30 and 34.

Question 29

Instruments Beethoven

Answer 29

fortepiano
sustained pedal

Question 30

Rhythm, tempo, metre

Answer 30

introduction is marked grave
common time - time signature 4/4
Dotted rhythm (bar 1)
septuplets and 1/128th notes in bar 10.
Main allegro di molto e con brio (very fast with vigour) section is in alla breve time (or
cut time) – a fast two in the bar.
Continuous quavers
Staccato crotchets

Question 31

Tonality Beethoven

Answer 31

C minor
Modulated a lot, Eb major, F minor
modulated to unrelated keys e.g. E minor (beginning of development section)