Pathetique- Beethoven

• Context:

  • Beethoven 1770- 1827
  • Composed in 1799
  • Style: classical with romantic features
  • Classical period: 1750- 1820
  • Romantic period- 1820-1900
  • Genre- Piano sonata (4 movements for solo instrument)
• Melody:

  • Subject- 2 contrasting main melodies- 1st subject and 2nd subject
  • Balanced phrasing- Phrases are equal lengths
  • Mordents- Ornaments used to decorate the melody with the note above or below- Pathetique uses frequent upper mordents
• Orchestration:

  
  

  • Sotto (lotto voce)- playing ‘under the voice’ or hushed
  • Piano- Replacement of harpsichord (Allowed wider range of dynamics) (Allowed greater expression (with sustain pedal))
  • Beethoven’s piano- Wooden framed, lighter and gentler tone- range of 5.5 octaves
• Texture:

  • Homophonic (no counterpoint)- Melody with accompaniment
  • Intro and reprise- Homophonic (Dense, chords, all parts moving in the same rhythm)
  • 1st subject- Melody and accompaniment, thinner texture compared to intro
  • Murky bass- Tremolo octaves in LH
  • Alberti bass- Broken chord pattern
• Harmony:

  • Diminished 7th- Diminished triad + 7th
  • Pedal notes- Held/ repeated notes (Tonic and dominant pedals in piece)
  • Secondary dominant- Dominant 7th chord that is the dominant of a diatonic chord other than the tonic
  • Cadential 6/4- Second inversion of chord I used at a cadence. Final cadence in Pathetique is perfect.
• Tonality:

  • Intro- C minor, brief modulation to E flat 
  • 1st subject (exposition)- C minor
  • 2nd subject pt1 (exposition)- E flat minor (unexpected modulation- romantic feature)
  • D flat major 
  • E flat minor
  • F minor
  • 2nd subject pt2+3- E flat major (expected key)
  • Development
  • G minor
  • E minor
  • D
  • Gm
  • F
  • Cm

  1st subject (recapitulation)

  • C minor
  • D flat
  • E flat minor
  • F minor

  2nd subject (recapitulation)- F minor, modulates to C minor during pt1

  • Remains in C minor for rest of recapitulation (including CODA)
• Rhythm:

  • Allegro di molto e con brio- Very fast and lively
  • grave- Very slow and solemn
  • Attacca subito- Begin immediately- go straight on

  Augmentation 

  • B140-141 rhythms stretched
  • Quaver tremolos in LH
  • Pause- Silent bar before coda 
  • Syncopation- Creates strong offbeat
  • Dotted rhythms- Music is pushed forward 

  Metre:

  4/4- in slow sections

  2/2- in fast sections
• Structure:

  Sonata form- A large-scale form which evolved in the classical period

  • 3 main sections (exposition, development and recapitulation)
  • 2 contrasting themes in exposition (1st and 2nd subjects)

  Exposition- First section in sonata form

  • 1st subject in tonic key
  • 2nd subject in different key, different character

  Development- Second section in sonata form, material from exposition is transferred

  • Music modulates a lot (key change)

  Recapitulation- Third and final section in sonata form, material from exposition is recapped
• Dynamics:

  • Sudden dynamic contrasts (rinforzando- suddenly louder)
  • Wide range of dynamics (p-ff)
  • Gradual changes of dynamics (crescendo, diminuendo)