Piano sonata No.8 in C minor

Question 1

describe the pianoforte and how Beethoven exploited it

Answer 1

1. different dynamic levels could be achieved by altering the pressure of the finger on the keys
2. Beethoven made extensive use of these dynamic possibilities and had frequent diminuendo and crescendo markings
3. the sustaining pedal was also introduced

Question 2

describe the structure of the piece and the starting keys of each section

Answer 2

introduction - C minor
exposition
1st subject - C minor
2nd subject - Eb minor
link - G minor
development - E minor
recapitulation
1st subject - C minor
2nd subject - F minor briefly then C minor

Question 3

what is an exposition section and what are its main characteristics in the piece?

Answer 3

1. it is the section where the main subjects are first introduced
2. it is always in the home key

In this piece:
1. it is fast paced
2. it is in C minor
3. It is in 2/2 time
4. it features two subjects

Question 4

what is a development section and what are its main characteristics in the piece?

Answer 4

1. it is the section where the subjects are combined and developed usually in dramatic ways

In this piece:
1. it unusually starts with the music of the introduction
2. it develops music from 2 subjects and explores distant keys
3. it uses a wide range of dynamics
4. it ends with a long dominant preparation on G for 30 bars

Question 5

what is a recapitulation section and what are its main characteristics?

Answer 5

1. it is the section where the first subject is played in the home key and then the second subject will also now be in the home key

In this piece:
1. the second subject, unusually, starts with the subdominant rather than the tonic key
2. it ends with a coda

Question 6

describe the tonality of the piece

Answer 6

1. the key of the piece is C minor
2. the piece modulates to related keys such as Eb major (relative major) and F minor (subdominant)
3. it also modulates to unrelated keys such as E minor at the start of the development section

Question 7

describe the harmony in the piece

Answer 7

1. features many chromatic chords, especially diminished sevenths (eg bar 2 crotchet 1)
2. there are distinctive perfect cadences at the end of the movement
3. there are interrupted cadences
4. circle of fifths in bar 244

Question 8

describe the melody in the piece

Answer 8

1. introduction is based on the short (6 note) motif
2. there are frequent scalic passages (eg end of intro)
3. the first subject theme is built on an ascending scale in the tonic key of C minor
4. melodies are also built on arpeggios and broken chords
5. ornaments are an important feature of the second subject in particular (eg acciaccaturas, mordents and trills)

Question 9

describe the texture of the piece

Answer 9

1. the slow introduction includes many homophonic passages
2. the right hand plays in octaves later in the introduction
3. there is a long descending monophonic passage leading into the recapitulation
4. the second subject features melody-dominated homophony
5. there is an example of two-part music with broken chords in the second part of the 2nd subject
6. there is a brief passage in thirds in the development section

Question 10

describe the tempo, metre and rhythm of the piece

Answer 10

1. The introduction is marked grave and is in common time
2. dotted rhythm is an important feature of the piece (eg in bar 1)
3. there are some very rapid notes, including sextuplets in bar 10
4. the 1st subject is very fast and is in alla breve time
5. continuous quavers are a distinctive feature of the first subject accompaniment
6. staccato crotchets are an important feature of the melody in the 1st subject

Question 11

What does the title mean and how is it conveyed in the music?

Answer 11

1. the title means suffering

It is expressed through:
1. minor keys
2. dramatic chords
3. accented notes
4. strong melodies
5. romantic harmony
6. diminished seventh chords