Beethoven Sonata Pathetique Flashcards
What are the main themes in the piece?
The main themes are the first and second themes, plus the six-note rising idea from the introduction.
Describe the first theme.
The first theme is a rising, scalic theme.
Describe the second theme.
The second theme features a theme that rises then falls, including the use of ornaments.
What melodic ideas are present in the piece?
Melodic ideas include scalic passages, arpeggios, and broken chords.
What ornaments are used in the melody?
Ornaments include acciaccaturas and mordents in theme 2, and trills just before the recapitulation.
What is the tonality of the piece?
The piece is in the key of C minor.
How does the music modulate in the development section?
The music modulates to different keys, including distant keys such as E minor.
What key does the second subject start in?
The second subject starts in the unexpected key of Eb minor, then moves to Eb major.
What is the harmony of the piece primarily based on?
The harmony is mainly diatonic and uses standard chords of the time.
What type of cadences are used in the piece?
Perfect cadences confirm changes of key throughout.
What kind of pedal notes are used?
There are pedal notes, like the dominant pedal at the end of the development section.
What instruments is the piece written for?
This piece is written for the piano.
What dynamic capabilities does the piano have compared to the harpsichord?
Unlike a harpsichord, the piano can play both loud and soft.
What texture is primarily used in the piece?
The texture is mainly homophonic.
What is the structure of the piece?
The piece is in sonata form, consisting of an introduction, exposition, development, and recapitulation.
What is the tempo of the introduction?
The introduction is grave (very slow) and in 4/4 time.
What dynamics are used in the piece?
The piece has a wide range of dynamics, from very quiet (pp) to very loud (f).
What is the historical context of the piece?
This is a piece of music from the classical era, composed between 1796 and 1799.
What distinguishes Beethoven’s style?
Beethoven was a forward-thinking composer, showing signs of the romantic era.
What is the first subject theme in C minor characterized by?
The first subject theme rises mainly scalically a distance of two octaves over a tonic pedal in the bass.
What techniques are featured in the second subject?
The second subject features a distinctive acciaccatura ornament and hand-crossing technique.
