Beethoven: Sonata 8 (Pathétique) Op. 13 in C Minor

The start of a new piano era

Beethoven’s eighth piano sonata, in c minor, is one of the few works that the composer himself named, officially calling it Grande sonate pathétique. It is one of the first sonatas where Beethoven’s unique temperament and his revolutionary approach to the piano becomes truly evident. The first, dramatic and almost aggressive movement starts with a massive, loud c minor chord that must have come as a shock to contemporary listeners. Before long, the slow introductory section gives way to a fast and explosive rising staccato motif. A third theme, which returns slightly transformed in the last movement of the sonata, has the right hand jumping back and forth from treble to bass.

The second movement in A-flat major, far more familiar to the casual listener, features a beautiful cantabile melody, one of Beethoven’s most beloved creations. This Adagio certainly makes a nice soothing contrast to the violence of the first movement.

The third movement is a rondo and returns to a faster tempo. It contains elements of the first two movements, thereby tying the entire sonata together in a way that represents a significant development in the history of the piano sonata. Although it is the second movement that most listeners will remember, the full effect of this amazing work is revealed only when it is considered as a whole. It is also interesting to note that there are several similarities between the Pathétique Sonata and Mozart’s c minor sonata K. 457. For instance, the main theme of the slow movement of the Pathétique sounds remarkably similar to a theme in the slow movement of the Mozart sonata.