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Music GCSE 9-1 > Beethoven Pathetique > Flashcards

Beethoven Pathetique Flashcards

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1
Q

Which movement is it?

A

The first movement of a piano sonata

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2
Q

What period is it from?

A

Classical

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3
Q

What is a sonata?

A

Works in 3 or 4 movements, each different in mood but related in key - written for either piano alone or solo instrument and piano

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4
Q

What year was it published?

A

1799

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5
Q

What does Pathetique mean?

A

Passionate or emotional

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6
Q

How does the name reflect the music?

A

Reflects the romantic features that will be soon arriving in the 19th century

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7
Q

What is the range?

A

5 octaves (F to F)

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8
Q

How does Beethoven exploit the wide range?

A

.Long and rapid descents
.Wide leaps
.Use of different registers (both hands in the bass clef or both in the treble clef at points)

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9
Q

How does Beethoven use dynamics?

A 
.Wide dynamic range
.From pp to ff
.Sudden contrasts
.Crescendos and diminuendos
.Occasional forceful accents
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10
Q

When is the classical period?

A

1750 to 1825

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11
Q

What romantic features are in this piece

A

.Emotional outbursts
.Extreme contrasts in dynamics
.Adventurous choice of keys
.Unusual structure

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12
Q

What are the 3 mains structures of sonata form?

A

.Exposition
.Development
.Recapitulation

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13
Q

What happens in the exposition

A

Introduces the first subject in the tonic key and the second subject in the dominant or related key

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14
Q

What happens in the development

A

Ideas from the exposition are transformed and taken through keys which are more distant from the tonic

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15
Q

What happens in the recapitulation

A

The music of the exposition returns but altered to stay mainly in the tonic key

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16
Q

What is structuraly unusual in Pathetique

A

It has a slow introduction

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17
Q

What are the 3 subsections of sonata form?

A

.Transition
.Codetta
.Coda

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18
Q

What is the transition passage?

A

.A bridge passage that links the first and second subjects, it modulates to the related key in the exposition but is in the tonic for the recapitulation

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19
Q

What is the codetta?

A

.Closing section that ends the exposition by affirming the related key to which the music has modulated

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20
Q

What is the coda?

A

.Litteraly ‘tail’, it ends the movement by affirming the tonic key

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21
Q

What key is the slow introduction in?

A

C minor but it passes through Eb major in bar 5

22
Q

Which notes from the intro are important later in the piece?

A

The last 5 notes in bar 1

23
Q

What is the key of the first subject of the exposition?

A

C minor

24
Q

What happens in the transition in the exposition?

A

The key modulates to the dominant of Eb (Bb) over a rising chromatic bass

25
Q

Why is the key of the second subject of the exposition weird?

A

Expected to be Eb major but instead, it is in the minor

26
Q

What happens in the second part of the second subject of the exposition?

A

It goes to the expected key of Eb major

27
Q

What does the codetta hint at?

A

The first subject but in Eb major

28
Q

What happens after the codetta at the end of the exposition?

A

The exposition repeats

29
Q

What returns at the start of the development?

A

Material from the introduction but in G minor, before an abrupt modulation to E minor

30
Q

What happens at the end of the development?

A

Modulations through D major to G minor lead to 28 bars of dominant preparation with a dominant pedal on G followed by a cascade of descending quavers

31
Q

What happens at the start of the recapitulation?

A

Return of first subject in the tonic key (c minor) but ends on c major chord

32
Q

What key is the second subject of the recapitulation in?

A

Unexpectedly in f minor (IV of tonic key) before moving to conventional key of c minor

33
Q

What happens in the coda of the recapitulation?

A

Material from the slow introduction with its loud first beat chords removed, followed by a final reference to the first subject in tonic key, loud detached chords end the movement in a stormy perfect cadence

34
Q

Melody in the slow intro

A

.six note motif that is varied upon
.scalic
.ends with a rapid descending chromatic scale

35
Q

Melody first subject

A

Formed from an ascending c minor scale, bars are repeated an octave higher, balanced by 4 bars of long notes (2+2+4) which creates an arch shape

36
Q

Melody

A

Pair of balanced 4 bar phrases, first ends with an imperfect cadence and second with a perfect cadence

37
Q

What ornaments does Beethoven use?

A

Acciacatura, mordent, trill

38
Q

Metre and tempo of the intro

A

Simple quadruple metre (4/4 or C) with tempo marking grave (very slow)

39
Q

What does ‘Tempo I’ mean?

A

Return to the opening tempo of the music (grave)

40
Q

Metre of the main part

A

Simple duple metre (2/2 or C with a line down the middle which indicates 2 minim beats per bar)

41
Q

What is 2/2 time sometimes called?

A

Alla breve or ‘Cut-C’ time

42
Q

Tempo of the alla breve section

A

Allegro de molto e con brio which means very fast and with vigour

43
Q

Introduction rhythm

A

Dotted rhythms and very short notes

44
Q

What is a frequent rhythmical feature?

A

Syncopation

45
Q

How is an ostinato effect created?

A

Constant quaver octaves in the left hand part

46
Q

How is the music driven forward with rhythm?

A

Some passages consist of persistant quavers in both hands

47
Q

What cadences feature?

A

Second subject has imperfect and perfect
Interupted in bar 9
Ends on a perfect

48
Q

What types of chromatic chords feature?

A

Diminished sevenths and augmented 6ths

49
Q

Texture in the intro

A

Homophonic, densely chordal at the start

50
Q

Texture in the main part

A

Melody and accompaniment, texture thinner

51
Q

Where is the murky bass?

A

Left hand of the first subject

52
Q

Where are the broken chords

A

Second half of the second subject

Music GCSE 9-1 (8 decks)

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