Pathetique Cheat Sheet

Structure:

1.) Sonata Form – Exposition, Development, Recapitulation

2.) Pathetique has an introduction which is unusual for sonatas of the time

3.) The piece finishes with a coda

4.) 2 main themes that are linked by transitions

Background Info:

1.) Borderline romantic era but written in the classical period

2.) Romantic Music features: Dramatic use of dynamics/ Sustain pedal / Chromatic Harmony

Instrumentation and Sonority:

1.) This piece is written for piano unlike a harpsichord, the piano can play both loud and soft

2.) Beethoven exploited both the sustain pedal and the ability to play loud and soft to create
emotion by playing both loud and soft.

3.) The piece was written for fortepiano which came before the modern pianoforte

Texture:

1.) The texture is mainly homophonic

2.) There is a section of monophonic texture leading into the recapitulation

3.) The right-hand plays octaves In the introduction

Rhythm, Tempo and Metre:

1.) Introduction is grave (very slow) and metre is 4/4

2.) Main tempo for the rest of the piece is allegro di molto e con brio (very fast with vigour)

3.) The rest of the piece is written in 2/2

4.) There are also some septuplets

Tonality:

1.) The piece is in the key of C minor

2.) First subject is C minor, second subject is Eb minor

3.) The music modulates to different keys in the development section

4.) Perfect cadences confirm changes of keys throughout

Harmony:

1.) Harmony is mainly diatonic and standard chords but there is also some use of dissonance and
complicated chords

2.) Chromatic chords and diminished 7ths

3.) Perfect cadences end sections

4.) Pedal Notes – Dominant pedals

5.) Interrupted Cadence

6.) Occasional Suspensions

Dynamics:

1.) Wide range of dynamics from very quiet (pp) to very loud (ff)

2.) Lots of crescendos and diminuendos

3.) Fortepiano (fp) / sforzando (sf)

4.) Dynamics are used expressively

Melody:

1.) Introduction / First and Second themes

2.) Lots of scalic passages including the descending chromatic sequence at the end of the
introduction

3.) Other melodic ideas include broken chords and arpeggios

4.) Lots of ornaments are used: Acciaccaturas, mordents and trills

5.) Also use of sequences.