Pathétique, Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor (Ludwig Van Beethoven)

Question 1

Era

Answer 1

Classical-Romantic

Showed adventurous harmony and extended structures

Question 2

Romantic era features

Answer 2

Powerful emotions - Pathétique is suffering

Minor keys, dramatic chords, accented notes, strong melodies, romantic harmony, diminished sevenths

Question 3

Piano

Answer 3

Was undergoing development - larger range

Question 4

Fundamental ideas

Answer 4

Repetition ( repeats intro) and contrast (subjects in devlopment)

Question 5

Structure

Answer 5

Developed sonata form - intro (unusually slow) - exposition - intro - development - recapitulation - intro - coda

Question 6

Key

Answer 6

C minor

Question 7

Time signature

Answer 7

4/4 - 2/2 - 4/4

Question 8

Intro

Answer 8

Homophonic, right hand (florid melody), left hand (chord accompaniment), heavy, dramatic chords (diminished 7th - chromatic + unstable - romantic)
Grave - unusually slow
Extreme dynamic contrast - romantic
Diatonic - functional harmony

Question 9

Exposition - first subject

Answer 9

Fast tempo, 2/2
(C minor)
scalic, ascending,
murky bass, diatonic (PC),
chromatic bassline (classical to romantic),
Bflat pedal (dominant of Eflat minor - preparation)

Question 10

Exposition - second subject

Answer 10

Eflat minor - weird since normally relative major
hand crossing, acciacatura, mordent
New theme 1 - Eflat major, contrary motion (right goes up/left goes down), continuous quavers, Alberti bass
New theme 2 - scalic descending melody, stepwise, high tessitura
Repeat - classical - 2nd dominant to dominant will then go to tonic (Cminor)

Question 11

2nd intro

Answer 11

Same as 1st
Unrelated G minor
Eflat written as Dsharp - enharmonic equivalent

Question 12

Development

Answer 12

Unrelated E minor
develops 1st + 2nd subject (distant keys)
Rhythmically augmented version of intro
Modulates to G minor - dominant pedal in C minor - dominant preparation to C minor

Question 13

Recapitulation

Answer 13

1st subject (C minor) - tonic pedal, perfect cadence, functional 
2nd subject (F minor - subdominant) - hand crossing, high tessitura, scalic + descending, four bars from intro - same
Coda - based on 1st subject

Question 14

STAR WARS

Write me a paragraph about the melody in Star Wars.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Answer 14

The main A theme can be broken down as follows: Bar 1 contains a rising perfect 5th
(tonic to dominant) which creates a heroic feel. Bars 2 and 3 are identical, including a
leap of a minor 7th. Bar 4 uses an auxiliary note (not in the main chord) to reach
the note C, preparing for the repeat of the 4 bar phrase.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Question 15

STAR WARS

Write me a paragraph about the Tonality in Star Wars.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Answer 15

As the planets are revealed the piece switches to C major (with
an added Ab) for a short while.
When the spaceships appear the music is more based around
the note C, which is heard as a bass pedal.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Question 16

STAR WARS

Write me a paragraph about the Texture in Star Wars.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Answer 16

The piece uses pedal textures, such as the inverted tonic pedal
(repeated Bb note played by the violins) during the introduction and A theme, and the dominant pedal (repeated 5th note
played by the brass) in the B section.
At the end of the rebel blockade runner, when the action

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Question 17

STAR WARS

Write me a paragraph about the Instruments/sonority in Star Wars.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Answer 17

The instruments used are a full string section, plus:
Wind: flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet,
bassoon
Brass: Horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba
Percussion: Timpani, triangle, tam tam (gong),
vibraphone, glockenspiel, cymbals.
Plus a piano, celeste and harp
The orchestra is used in the style of a traditional
romantic-era orchestra, with much doubling of
parts an octave or more apart.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Question 18

STAR WARS

Write me a paragraph about the Harmony in Star Wars.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Answer 18

The theme does use some chords not in the key of Bb major, such as the Ab major at
the end of the first A theme (before the imperfect cadence). The B section also uses a
Db major, which is not in the key of Bb major.
In the intro and A theme there is an inverted tonic pedal played tremolo in the violins.
In the B theme there is a dominant pedal played by the brass instruments.
During the “star filled sky” section, the harmonies mix unrelated chords together (like
Db major and C major) to create strange, unstable effects.
When we see the two planets, the strings and the brass are playing in two different
keys.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Question 19

STAR WARS

Write me a paragraph about the Rhythm, Tempo and Metre in Star Wars.

STAR WARS

STAR WARS

Answer 19

Both themes use an anacrusis.
The main theme (A) is accompanied by syncopated block
chords which create excitement.
When the large spaceship appears, the time signature
changes to 3/4
The tempo changes during the “rebel blockade runner”
section of the piece to emphasize the action on screen.
The “Mars” like chords when the large spaceship appears are
homorhythmic (all playing the same rhythm).

STAR WARS

STAR WARS