PRELUDE AND FUGUE 9 in E MAJOR Bach 113

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114 PART TWO — Baroque Compositions

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PIANO SONATA No. 8 in C MINOR, Op. 13 Beethoven 233

PIANO SONATA No. 8 in C MINOR (“SONATE PATHÉTIQUE”)Op. 13 (1797–1798)

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

The adjective “Pathétique” in the title of this work seems to have come from Beethoven, or atleast to have been approved by him, unlike “Moonlight” Sonata, which was a publisher’s concoction. Atany rate, the word is appropriate. It means full of pathos, or moving the feelings, particularly the feelingof sympathy for suffering. The quality of such feeling is noble, possibly tragic, not merely sentimental.

The first movement, both in its emotional depth and in its structure, far exceeds anythingBeethoven had so far written. What is unusual about its form? And what is the form of the second andthird movements?12

12 Advanced analytic comment on the first movement is in Ernst Oster’s article, “Register and the Large-Scale Connection” (Journal ofMusic Theory, April 1961, pp. 67–71).

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234 PART THREE — Classical Compositions

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PIANO SONATA No. 8 in C MINOR, Op. 13 Beethoven 235

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236 PART THREE — Classical Compositions

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PIANO SONATA No. 8 in C MINOR, Op. 13 Beethoven 237

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238 PART THREE — Classical Compositions

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PIANO SONATA No. 8 in C MINOR, Op. 13 Beethoven 239

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