beethoven: pathetique

Question 1

The composer and piece

Answer 1

• beethoven was a virtuoso pianist
• written in 1796 and 1799
• “fortepiano” used, and sustaining pedals began to be used
• classical period

Question 2

structure

Answer 2

sonata form!

• exposition contains 2 main subjects (theme). In tonic key, and dominant key
• then development, usually through modulation
• then recapitulation, restates exposition, except both subjects in tonic

Question 3

Tonality

Answer 3

• The key of the piece is C minor.
• The music modulates to a number of related keys, including E♭ major (the relative major
  key) and the subdominant (F minor).
• It also modulates to unrelated keys such as E minor at the beginning of the development
  section.

Question 4

Harmony

Answer 4

• The music features many chromatic chords, especially diminished sevenths (e.g. half
• way through bar 1).
• There are distinctive perfect cadences at the end of the movement.
• There is an interrupted cadence in the introduction at bar 9.
• Use of Circle of fifths bars 244 - 249
• Use of augmented 6th chords, e.g. bars 30 and 34.

Question 5

Melody

Answer 5

• The music of the slow introduction is based on a short (six note) motif, first heard at the
  beginning. This is used as a basis for most of the introduction, sometimes reduced to five
  notes, and sometimes with the second last note rising instead of falling.
• There are a number of scalic passages, such as the descending chromatic scale at the
  end of the introduction. The first subject theme from bar 11 of the allegro is built on an
  ascending scale of the tonic key C minor, but with a major third (E). Notice the distinctive
  augmented second from A♭ to B♮ .
• Melodic lines also include arpeggios and broken chords (e.g. bars 29–30).
• Ornaments are an important feature of the second subject in particular. These include
  acciaccaturas at bar 53 etc., mordents shortly afterwards, and trills just before the
  recapitulation.

Question 6

Texture

Answer 6

• The slow introduction includes many passages of homophonic (chordal) writing (e.g. bar
  1).
• The right hand plays in octaves later in the introduction (e.g. bar 5).
• There is a long descending monophonic passage in the right hand leading into the
  recapitulation.
• The second subject material features melody and accompaniment style – you can also
  call this homophony (or melody-dominated homophony).
• There are examples of two-part music with broken chords in the second idea of the
  second subject (e.g. bar 93).
• There is a brief passage in thirds where the trills are (e.g. bars 181–187).

Question 7

Tempo, metre and rhythm

Answer 7

• The introduction is marked grave (very slow). The time signature is common time.
• Dotted rhythm is an important feature of the piece (e.g. bar 1).
• There are some very rapid notes, including septuplets and 1/128th notes in bar 10.
• The 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 are a distinctive feature of the accompaniment of the first subject.
• Staccato crotchets are important in the right hand of the first subject.