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Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13, Pathetique Mov.1 – Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) was a German composer and pianist. A crucial
figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in classical music, he remains
one of the most recognized and influential of all composers. His known compositions include
9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, a mass,
the Missa solemnis, and an opera, Fidelio.

One of Beethoven's most famous and often performed works “The Pathetique Sonata”
composed in 1799. The title came from the Greek word “Pathos” means "a quality that causes
feelings of pity or compassion."

The term sonata means a sounded piece of music played on an instrument. Sonata was
synonymous with instrumental music during the Renaissance. Instrumental music became a
dominate feature in the beginning of the 17th Century.

Classical Sonata form referred to as Sonata-Allegro, is a compositional process evolved

from binary dance form to accommodate at least two contrasting principle themes in a
movement. The principle themes are the primary subjects within the form.

Presently, sonatas are written for instrumental works such as solo instrument, chamber
ensembles, or symphonies in multiple movements. The tempo markings of each movements are
generally fast-slow-fast. Grand Sonatas have four movements. One or more of the movements
within an instrumental sonata may be in Sonata-Allegro.

Sonata-Allegro form presents as well as develops multiple principle themes in four

different sections within one movement. The four parts are modeled as AABA’ (prime) and
Coda, and they are referred as exposition (repeated), development, recapitulation, and coda. It
features rhythmic continuity, uniting the four parts.

The Pathetique Sonata consists of three movements:

I. Grave (Introduction) – Allegro di molto e con brio

II. Adagio cantabile
III. Rondo: Allegro

The structural outline of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata First movement:

Introduction: mm.1 – mm.10

Exposition: mm.11 – mm.132

Theme I: mm.11 – mm.26

Transition I: mm.27 – mm.50

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Theme II: mm.51 – mm.88

Transition II: mm.89 – mm.112

Closing theme: mm.113 – mm.132

Development: mm.133 – mm.194

Recapitulation: mm.195 – mm.276

Theme I: mm.195 – mm.218

Transition I: mm.219 – mm.220

Theme II: mm.221 – mm.252

Transition II: mm.253 – mm.276

Coda: mm.277 – mm.310

Exposition (mm.11 – mm.132)

The first movement is in sonata form. It begins with a slow introductory theme in tonic
key, marked Grave features the French Overture rhythm. Beethoven employs silence for several
purposes in his introduction. He emphasizes the contrast of sound and silence for example in
the fourth beat of mm.1-3.

The introduction of first movement

Using the diminished 7th chords as one of this way to portray strong emotions, part and
parcel of Sturm und Drang.
In the fourth beat of mm.4 has ended with dominant chord and go through with brief
cadenza before mm.5 with new key.
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The fourth beat of mm.4

In the mm.5 started in relative key by key of E-flat major. It was accompanied with
steady moving chords in the left hand.

mm.5

In the mm.9 – mm.10 or closing cadenza has quasi recitative style with an ending in
French Overture rhythm before entrance to the exposition.

Closing cadenza in mm.9 – mm.10 with French Overture style

The first theme of exposition was started in tonic key feature intense right hand chordal
melodies with rigorous and steady left hand accompaniment with tonic pedal point.

Exposition in mm.11

The transition, in mm.27 started with the dominant chord and repeated twice times
before the left hand plays the G pedal point in mm.35.
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mm.27

In mm.35 which apparent dominant in the transition with pedal point, the passage in
the exposition occured in mm.35 – mm.37 in key of G major, mm.38 – mm.41 in key of A-flat
minor, and mm.42 – mm.45 in key of B-flat major.

mm.35 with octave tremolo as pedal point

The second theme in mm.51, first subordinate was started in E-flat minor key. They
show contrasting characteristics among their similarities. In mm.63 started by A-flat dominant
seventh chord, in another word was Beethoven used this chord as secondary dominant function
to modulate to D-flat major key. As well as, they can occur in another phrase in the second
theme. The modulation finished with the B-flat major chord as the dominant of E-flat major key
in mm.88 before the beginning of second subordinate.

The second theme started from mm.51

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The second subordinate of transition in mm.89 started in E-flat major key that came
from the dominant chord in mm.88 and it was continuing to closing theme in mm.113 – mm.132.
In mm.121 Beethoven used material from the first theme and second theme to the end of
exposition with the secondary dominant seventh (D major chord).

The second subordinate in mm.89

In mm.113 which material from the second theme and in mm.121 which material from the first theme

Development (mm.133 – mm.194)

In development section, Beethoven inserts a short passage in mm.133 – mm.136 with

thematic material from the introduction.
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Short passage from the introduction in mm.133 – mm.136

The following shows Beethoven's use harmony and chords within his development.

mm.137 – mm.142: E Minor

mm.143 – mm.148: D Major

mm.149 – mm.166: Bb Minor

mm.167 – mm.194: G Major, serving as dominant

The development was started with the chord of E minor before modulating to D major,
the secondary dominant of the home key, and going through a series of diminished 7th chords.

The development section, mm.137 – mm.139 in E minor with a new dramatic crescendo.

In the mm.149, the left hand does a variation of the first theme, this time reduced
to couplets that fall in semitones, a typical device to denote weeping or suffering. The right
hand takes over the tremolo figure that until now has been delivered by the left. As is typical of
a development section, this passage is harmonically unstable and involves a lot of chromatic
movement. In mm.167 – mm.194, a dominant pedal on G is given which lasts in effect 28 bars.
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mm.149

In mm.167 as the re-transition was started with the G octave tremolo in the left hand
and broken chord in the right hand with broken chord. Beethoven stays in this dominant chord
before resolving it to the home key in the recapitulation.

The octave tremolo with G as dominant pedal was presented re-transition before the recapitulation

Recapitulation (mm.195 – mm.276)

The principal theme is back in the key of C minor. This time there is no response by the
subsidiary theme from before. Instead, the block descending chords of the principal theme are
extended and propel the music through different keys: a sequence upwards through D-flat major
in mm.207 – mm.210, E-flat minor in mm.208 – mm.214, then finally to F minor in mm.215 –
mm.220.

The becoming of home key in the recapitulation in mm.195

The second theme material is now in the more related subdominant key compared to
the E flat minor of before.

The second theme in mm.221

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The second subordinate of second theme, the expanding contrary motion from before,
this time starting in the home key of C minor rather than E-flat major. Before it was reassuring
in tone, but now it seems to threaten, building up for the final coda.

Home key in mm.253

The coda, dramatic pause in bar 295, Beethoven inserts a short passage again with
thematic material from the introduction that same as the passage in development section. After
that, the first theme returns defiantly, and the battle is wound up with abrupt hammer chords
and a decisive perfect cadence.

Coda with passage from the introduction in mm.295 and becoming of the first to the end of this movement
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References

Chord, T. (2019). Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor “Pathetique” Analysis. [online]
Tonic Chord. Available at: https://tonic-chord.com/beethoven-piano-sonata-no-8-in-c-
minor-pathetique-analysis/ [Accessed 17 May 2018].

Jonathan, J. (2016). Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata. Music Teacher, 1-10.

Sesso, E. A. (2012). Conventional and progressive approaches to the use of sonata-allegro:

Comparison of the first movements of the piano sonatas in C minor by Beethoven,
Chopin, and Prokofiev.