Pathetique....wow I only heard it for the first time yesterday

[Spatula]

Well whadda know?  Everyone on this forum (exaggeration) seems to have said something about the Pathetique (what a weird name for a song....the pathetic song lol ) but anyways...

Yesterday was my first time hearing that ... and I recognized the 2nd movement ... but the 3rd seemed kinda like the tempest I suppose...

I want to do this piece for grade 10 but its probably overplayed and overkilled like the Fur Elise...is it? 

[fnork]

It's not that overplayed, I think. Moonlight first movement is far more overplayed...
You can give the second movement a try. This is a tricky sonata though - although none of beethovens most difficult. But as my teacher says, playing beethoven is always difficult....

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

Well whadda know?  Everyone on this forum (exaggeration) seems to have said something about the Pathetique (what a weird name for a song....the pathetic song lol ) but anyways...
Yesterday was my first time hearing that ... and I recognized the 2nd movement ... but the 3rd seemed kinda like the tempest I suppose...

I want to do this piece for grade 10 but its probably overplayed and overkilled like the Fur Elise...is it? 

Wow! I didn't know that Beethoven wrote a song called the Pathetique too! 

But... It's a wonderful piece! I don't think it's overplayed, it's just really well-known. I think every pianist should learn it at some point.

[donjuan]

Well whadda know?  Everyone on this forum (exaggeration) seems to have said something about the Pathetique (what a weird name for a song....the pathetic song lol ) but anyways...
Yesterday was my first time hearing that ... and I recognized the 2nd movement ... but the 3rd seemed kinda like the tempest I suppose...

I want to do this piece for grade 10 but its probably overplayed and overkilled like the Fur Elise...is it? 

Wow! I didn't know that Beethoven wrote a song called the Pathetique too! 

haha - ZING!!!!

I like the Pathetique- very powerful..very difficult for the LH.  The 2nd movement of this sonata was the first piece of classical music that drew me away from pop and rock and towards classical.  Now I look down on pop with comtempt and snobbery as I believe it is what closed my eyes all those years.

donjuan

[waldstein]

The first movement has 2 tricky sections

1. Right hand going up in chromatics and left going down - (second half of third page and again in second half of 7th page, (assuming you are using sheetmusicarchive.net ) immediately after the hand crossing sections. Here the "middle notes" need to be kept as soft as possible. Also if you notice the top and bottom notes at the start of each bar are staccato, while the rest isnt. This would take you a while to master
2. The middle section ( I think it A Minor, could be C major - somebody let me know) has a few bars with trills while the left hand speed suddenly dropping to half of the orignial.

Second mvt  - Straight forward - Requires some practise though

The third is really tough. Am struggling with it even after a two months.

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

The third is really tough. Am struggling with it even after a two months.

Wow, really? I found that to be the easiest of all! 

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

[Spatula]

Yeah thought so, looks like I one poor sucker who didn't get the joys of pathetique until much later.

Now I have sheet music AND a recording score!!!

[DarkWind]

Actually guys, Pathetique means "Grand."

[steinwaymodeld]

Actually guys, Pathetique means "Grand."

seriously? I have always thought it means 'sad'

as that's what they translated to in Chinese.

[DarkWind]

Yes, I'm pretty sure it means Grand in French, maybe not specifally grand, but along the lines of the word great and the like.

[xvimbi]

Yes, I'm pretty sure it means Grand in French, maybe not specifally grand, but along the lines of the word great and the like.

pathétique means moving, pitiful, lamentable, pathetic (adjective to pathos).

A second, different meaning of pathetic is insufficient and miserable, but this is not the meaning in this case

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

Yes, I'm pretty sure it means Grand in French, maybe not specifally grand, but along the lines of the word great and the like.

pathétique means moving, pitiful, lamentable, pathetic (adjective to pathos).

A second, different meaning of pathetic is insufficient and miserable, but this is not the meaning in this case

Yes, Xvimbi is correct. Pathetique does not mean "grand". Nor does it mean "miserable, wimpering, tearful". It is pathetic in the old sense, meaning, "affecting the emotions".

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

[maxy]

Nope...

Pathétique does not mean "grand" in french.

Pathétique =  Pathetic in english.

[Spatula]

Nope...

Pathétique does not mean "grand" in french.

Pathétique =  Pathetic in english.

What a pathetique piece.   

Hmmmmmmmmmm   

[Daniel_piano]

Yes, the word pathetique originated from the greek "pathos" meaning "drammatic power" or "expressively tragical" so there's a note of sadness in the way the word pathetique is used
If you have something emotional but super happy pathetique wouldn't be the right word to use
Something as "Wow, what an emotion, today is Thanksgiving and we all make a great party" wouldn't be pathetique
So, pathetique is not just "emotional" or "affecting the emotions" its true meaning is: touching/moving with melancholy or sadness

Daniel