The motive of the introduction, shown in Figure XLVII, is a deeply expressive bit of melody which at once establishes the mood to which the sonata owes its name of "Pathetic." How incisive and seizing is this very first measure! What a different world it takes us into—a romantic world of personal feeling—from the classic realms of Haydn and Mozart! The emotion thus suggested at the outset becomes deeper, too, as we proceed, first with the higher utterance of the same motive in the second measure, and then with the fragments of it in the third and fourth, urging us on to a climax on the high A-flat. Finally, in the fifth and succeeding measures, the pulsating rhythm of the accompaniment adds a still greater agitation, while the melody climbs ever higher and higher until it reaches the F of measure 9, after which it dies away in preparation for the main theme. The intensity of Beethoven's expression, by which his claim to the title of "romantic" is most surely indicated, could hardly be better shown than by this brief introduction of ten measures.
(a) Motive of the Introduction, Path?ique Sonata.
![[PNG]](#5102994518728001825_pag168_score1.png.id-8666377658399072592.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
(b) Treatment of this motive in the Development.
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FIGURE XLVII.
The body of the movement begins energetically, yet sombrely, with the first theme, in minor key and strongly pronounced rhythm. This merges quickly in the transition (27-50), which is neither a bit of empty passage-work as often with Haydn, nor a new melody as with Mozart, but contains constant references to the main theme (35-37, 39-41, 43-45). The second theme is both more lyrical in character and more extended than the first. It is not in the traditional key of the relative major (see Chapters II and III), but oscillates between E-flat minor and D-flat, coming into E-flat major (the relative of C-minor) only as it closes and debouches into the first conclusion theme (89-112). The closing section or codetta is, however, almost entirely in E-flat, and is moreover fairly long and important. It consists of two independent themes and of a reminiscence of the first theme at measures 121-135. A fine instance of melodic germination is found in the first conclusion theme, where the gradually rising melody twice builds itself up into a long phrase of eight measures (93-100, and 105-112) with splendidly sustained effect. The great variety of rhythm embodied in the codetta should be especially noticed.