AoS1 - Beethoven Flashcards
What is a virtuoso?
A master of their art, with amazing talent. They display considerable skill and agility in difficult music.
What is the definition of “sonata”?
A piece for solo instrument which contains three or four movements, each with a different tempo.
In which musical era was this piece written?
Classical, though there are hints of the Romantic era heard
What year was the Pathetique Sonata written?
Between 1796 and 1799
What instrument would the piece have been originally written for?
Piano, also known as the fortepiano or nowadays, pianoforte.
Why would the harpsichord not have been used?
It was getting less popular since the invention of the piano because of its capabilities
What is the difference between harpsichord and piano?
Harpsichord had plucked strings whilst the piano was hammered.
Harpsichord had no way of changing dynamics gradually so was either loud or quiet, and the piano had more dynamic range available.
Harpsichord was unable to sustain notes so had to trill to maintain notes for a long period of time, whereas the piano had a sustain pedal.
What form is the piece in?
Sonata form
What are the three sections of sonata form?
Exposition, development and recapitulation
What is the technical name for the themes heard in the exposition?
First and second subject
What happens at the end of the exposition section?
It repeats
What key is used for the first subject?
The first subject is in the tonic key (c minor)
What happens to the key in the development section?
There are many passing modulations
What happens in the recapitulation?
The subjects are both played in the tonic key, as opposed to changing the second subject.
What is a coda?
A small section used to round off and finish the piece.
What is the tonality of the piece?
C Minor
What is a modulation?
A key change
What keys does this piece modulate to?
Eb Major (relative major) F Minor (subdominant IV) E Minor (unrelated)
When the chords aren’t considered to be diatonic, they are called…?
Chromatic - using unrelated keys
What is an example of a chromatic chord?
Diminished 7th chord half way through bar 1
What type of cadences are used at the end of the movement?
Perfect (V-I) cadences
What other cadences are used and where?
An interrupted cadence is used in bar 9
What is a circle of fifths and where is it used?
Bars 244-249 there is a pattern in the chords used, where each chord progression has a space of five notes, or a circle of fifths.
What other chords are unusual in this piece?
Augmented (made bigger) 6th chords in bar 30
What is a motif?
A small theme in which the melody is based around. In this piece it is a six-note motif.
What does scalic mean and how is it used?
Virtuosic fast scalic passages are where the notes go up and down in scales very quickly
Arpeggios and broken chords are used a lot in this piece - what are they?
Where the notes of a chord are played separately instead of together
There is use of ornamentation in this piece - what types of ornamentation are featured?
Acciaccaturas, mordents and trills
What is the overall texture of the piece?
The main texture is homophonic, with the introduction being “chordal” (all moving at the same time) and then melody dominated homophony in the second subject.
There is one example of monophony.
Where is there an extended monophonic section?
Just before the recapitulation
What does “grave” mean?
Very slow
What is the time signature for the piece?
Common time, 4/4
One particular rhythm is important in this piece, especially in the introduction. What type of rhythm is it?
Dotted rhythm
What is the tempo marking when the music becomes fast?
Allegro Di molto e con brio (very fast and with vigour)
