Beethoven himself aptly chose "Pathétique" for his Opus 13, dedicated to Prince Lichnowsky and published by Eder in Vienna during 1799, then later by Hoffmeister who announced it on 18 December the same year. Sketches for the final Rondo finale appear alongside the String Trio, Op. 9, and a fair copy of the later published Sonata Op. 49, No. 1, in Beethoven's sketchbook, while we also know that the range of the pianoforte in the latter part of the eighteenth century spanned five octaves (F to F), from the evidence of the composer's C major Concerto completed in 1798.

Unrestrained (yet completely genuine) emotions, a haunted rhythmical pulse, a sense of abandon, all contribute to the immediate appeal of the Sonata No. 8, Op. 13 'Pathéthique'. The slow introduction (the heavy opening chord ideally not bombastic but rather tragic or sorrowful) shows Beethoven a master wielder of a diverse emotional palette: there is much pain and pathos, but also nobility and hope, seamlessly interspersed with despair and crushing of said hope—all within a single page.

A quick descending run launches the movement proper, and the C minor mood immediately asserts itself. The merciless drive, the storm, the drama are all there, supported by sharply juxtaposed dynamics, a very fast tempo, and a series of special effects (e.g. the timpani tremolo imitation at the very beginning). Even the second subject—a kind of dialogue between the lower and the upper voices—doesn't contrast as much as one could expect, as both the unremitting pulse and the sharp, spiky articulation go on. The exposition thus maintains an almost unified mood, with only the closing section bringing some lightening of spirits.

The change comes later, as the introduction returns, forming a buffer between the exposition and the development—an expected effect for us, overfamiliar as we are with the music, but one that was completely novel, and probably unsettling, for the first listeners. It shows Beethoven as a master dramaturge, and he will use it to create much suspense before the end of the movement, through a series of short phrases taken from the introduction, interspersed with long silences between them, before the Allegro's final return, which closes the movement with a series of harsh, decisive chords.

The second movement feels like a refreshing drink after the dense, no-space-to-breathe intensity of the first. Its melody, beautifully natural and flowing, would not feel out of place in a Schubert Lied, and Beethoven enjoys it to the full, repeating it five times within the relatively short movement. Two episodes in minor keys come in between, the first delicate and subdued in its dynamic range, the second beginning very softly but then suddenly exploding in true Beethovenian fashion. A small masterpiece in its own right, the movement possesses an equanimity and refinement which also form a much-needed moment of respite, contrasting with the 'dangerous' outer movements.

The last movement, a rondo, though short, is nonetheless packed with musical material. The main theme (derived from the second subject of the first movement), fiery and impetuous despite the mostly soft dynamics, alternates with light-fingered, humorous, even playful episodes. This lightheartedness makes the seemingly inevitable return to the refrain and its worried, neurotic mood that much more impactful; the growing feeling of despair at the inability to escape this doom culminates in an explosive coda, crashing upon us with almost no build-up. It winds itself up into a frenzy, and then, at its most driven, halts; a series of short phrases follows, confident at first, but questioning and even imploring later; one final silence, and a hectic downward run finishes the movement and the sonata, reasserting the C minor mood at the very end.

Writers:
Bill Newman and Boris Giltburg