Piano Sonata No.8 ‘Pathetique’ Movement 1 - Ludwig van Beethoven Flashcards
What bars is the introduction comprised of?
- bars 1-10
What is the tempo and key of the introduction and what mood does it present?
- grave - very slow
- c minor - tonic - briefly modulating to Eb major (relative major)
- solemn mood
What form is the piece in and how is this piece unusual to the form?
Sonata - usually sonatas don’t have introductions
What can be heard in bar one with a homophonic texture?
- a distinct 6-note motif
What was typical of the first and last movements of sonatas, symphonies and other pieces of the time?
- complex structures
What is the time signature?
4/4
What chords can be heard in the introduction and specifically which bars?
- chromatic chords, especially diminished 7ths
- bars 1 and 3
Where in the introduction is there a brief modulation to Eb major and what is its relation to the tonic of C minor?
- bar 5
- relative major
Where in the introduction is the 6-note motif repeated?
- used throughout the introduction in different textures and keys
- bar 5
Describe the dynamics in the introduction.
- beethoven’s use of constant dynamic contrast - frequent use of forte piano and sforzando
- bars 5 and 6, ‘sfp’ on bar 9
What is an important rhythmic feature of the introduction?
- dotted rhythms
- bar 7
- rapid scalic flourishes
- introduction ends with a long descending chromatic scale in bar 10
State an example of an interrupted cadence in the introduction.
- bar 9
- chords V -> VI (G7 -> Ab)
What are the note values of the rapid notes?
- septuplets
- 1/128th notes in bar 10
What bars does the exposition (1st subject) consist of?
- bars 11-50
What key and tempo is the exposition in?
- c minor tonic
- allegro di molto e con brio - very fast and with vigour
- main allegro di molto e con brio section is in alla breve time (cut time) - a fast 2 in the bar
Describe the sonata form.
- 3 main parts
- exposition, development, recapitulation
- this piece also has an introduction
- similar to ternary (ABA) but more complex
What does the exposition contain?
- two main subjects - first in the tonic and second usually in the dominant or another related key
- SUBJECT - a theme/group of themes
What is the range of subject 1 theme of exposition and what is the subject 1 first theme commonly known as?
- range of 2 octaves
- the rocket theme
What does the left hand of the piano play in the exposition - subject 1, theme 1?
- plays tremolo octaves
- bars 11-15 - also form a tonic pedal on C -> known as the murky bass - alberti bass
What happens in bar 27?
- subsidiary theme begins + features sforzandos and descending arpeggios
What chordal features does the sonata feature?
- chromatic chords
- dim. 7th chords
- augmented chords - bars 30 + 34
When does the transition into the 2nd subject begin and what does it consist of?
- bar 35
- based on main theme, uses sequences and modulates to the relative major (Eb major) through dominant preparation
What bars is the exposition 2nd subject theme 1 in?
- bars 51-88
What key is the exposition 2nd subject theme 1 in’?
- key of Eb minor - unrelated
What are the key features in the exposition 2nd subject theme 1?
- hand-crossing technique where the right hand moves down over the left to play 4 staccato notes , e.g. bar 51
Which ornaments can you hear in the exposition 2nd subject theme 1?
- acciaccatura - bar 52 and 69/70
- stepwise descending phrase featuring mordents - bar 56-57
- upper mordents - bars 65-66 and 73-74
what key is the pedal in and which bars in the exposition 2nd subject- theme 1 ?
- dominant - Bb
- bars 51-62
compare the exposition, 2nd subject - theme 1 with the other theme/subject.
- much more lyrical
- crossed hands - creates a dialogue/antiphonal effect
- left hand accompaniment is much simpler
what is an important rhythmic feature in the exposition 2nd subject theme 1?
- hand crossing
- in right hand of second subject 1st theme
- bars 67-68
bars 67-68 - what key does the piece temporarily move to?
- Db major
which bars does the exposition 2nd subject - theme 2 consist of?
- bars 89-120
what key is the exposition 2nd subject theme 2 in and how is it related to the key of the piece in C minor?
- Eb major
- relative major
describe the texture, dynamics and rhythm and bars in the exposition subject 2 theme 2?
- new broken chord texture
- two part texture with broken chords in the second idea of the second subject is a distinctive feature - bar 96-97
- crescendo - bar 93
- rhythm - continuous quavers like the distinctive feature of the accompaniment of the first subject - bar 106
which bars does the exposition 2nd subject - theme 3/ codetta consist of?
bars 113-132
what key is the exposition 2nd subject theme 3/codetta in and how is it related to the key of the piece in C minor?
- Eb major
- relative major to C minor
describe the melody of the exposition 2nd subject theme 3/codetta.
- scalic melody - bars 117-118
what does codetta section mean?
- short rounding off section
- repeats whole exposition
which bars does reprise of intro consist of?
- bars 133-136 (four bars)
describe the tempo and key of the reprise of intro.
- grave - very slow
- g minor
- dominant of c minor -> g minor
which bars does the development consist of?
- bars 137-194
describe the tonality, tempo and melody with bars of the development.
- e minor (unrelated key)- long dominant preparation where dominant note g is played in rapid alternating octaves in bass as pedal
- allegro di molto e con brio
- introduces the main first subject theme
- fragments of main first subject theme are heard in the bass from bar 149
- brief passage in thirds (bars 181-187)
which ornaments are heard in the development and what rhythmic/melodic feature does it lead to?
- passage of trills in bars 181-187
- leads to descending, 8-bar monophonic quaver passage in the right hand (187-194) which links to the end of the development to the start of the recapitulation
what is the purpose of the development?
- follows the exposition
- develops earlier tunes, especially by modulation
describe the general texture of the development/sonata.
- predominantly melody dominated homophony
- except for short monophonic passage (187-194)
which bars does the recapitulation 1st subject consist of?
- bars 195-220
describe the tonality and tempo of the recapitulation of the 1st subject.
- c minor key (tonic)
- speed - allegro - brisk speed, fast, quickly and bright
describe how beethoven didn’t follow norms of the classical period.
- sonatas didn’t usually have intros
- recapitulation 2nd subject begins in sub-dominant, not tonic
- harmonically more adventurous, quite romantic
what is the purpose of the recapitulation?
- reinstates the exposition but with both subjects now firmly in the tonic key
- alters keys of 2nd subject material
which bars does the recapitulation 2nd subject - theme 1 consist of?
- 221-252
describe the tonality of the recapitulation subject 2 theme 1.
- starts in f minor - unexpected subdominant
- bar 233 onwards- modulation to expected C minor tonic key
- bars 244-249 - frequent modulations using circle of fifths - (G7 -> Cm), (F7 -> Bb minor), (Eb7 -> Ab)
which bars does the recapitulation end subject theme 2 consist of and describe the tonality?
- bars 253-276
- tonic key of C minor
which bars does the recapitulation end subject theme 3/codetta consist of and describe the tonality/harmony/dynamics?
- bars 277-294
- tonic key of C minor
- finishes with 2 fortissimo diminished 7th chords - bar 293-294
what is a diminished 7th?
- a four-note chord made up solely of minor third intervals - e.g. bar 294
which bars does the coda consist of and describe the tempo, tonality, and harmony?
- bars 295-309
- material from reprise of intro for first four bars - G minor - dominant of C minor
- grave (v.slow)
- allegro from bar 299-309
- key of c minor from bar 299
- ends with fortissimo perfect cadences using dominant 7th in the tonic key
