Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, "Pathétique" Op. 13, is a masterpiece that reaches the pinnacle of Beethoven's early piano sonatas. It is also a work that is familiar to the world for its dramatic and beautiful melody. No matter in many aspects such as content, melody and structure, this piece is permeated with a rationality unique to the German nation, which is also the unique characteristic of German musicians such as Beethoven. The performance technique of this piece is not too difficult, so there are many opportunities to be played. It is also a piece that many piano beginners love to play. Among Beethoven's piano sonatas, "Pathétique" was the first to have a title written by himself. As for the term "pathos", it is still quite far away from Beethoven's touching and tragic life in the second half of his life, because this is his early work after all.
When I looked at the score of "Pathego", I found that the beginning of the score only recorded Grave - heavy plate. The music contained more heroic spirit than "pathos". When I heard the recording of this piece of music performed by Kempf, Schnabel, Backhaus, Barenboim and others, I wanted to explore even more why this majestic sonata had a musical spirit that matched its musical spirit. The name doesn't really fit. It turns out that Beethoven wrote this adjective himself. On the title page of the first edition of this piano sonata, op. 13, composed between 1798 and 1799, Beethoven wrote "Grande Sonata Pathetique" (Grande Sonata Pathetique). Among his 32 piano sonatas, only this one and op.81a "Farewell" were titled by the composer himself. Beethoven, who was 28 or 9 years old, was in the prime of his youth and his career was flourishing. Why did he write such a title? Romain Rolland answered my question in his famous "Life of Beethoven":
"...But pain is knocking at the door; once it lives in him, it will never retreat. "Between 1796 and 1800, deafness had begun its torture." In 1801, Beethoven wrote to Wegel: "I lived a miserable life for two years." Since then I have avoided all society, because I cannot talk to people: I am deaf. If I were in another profession, it might be possible, but in my profession, it is a terrible experience for my enemies. What can I say, there are quite a few of them! ...In the theater, I had to sit close to the orchestra to understand what the actors were saying...I could barely hear some of the people speaking softly, and the others speaking loudly. When I screamed, I was in unbearable pain...I often cursed my life...Plutarch taught me to learn to be patient. I am willing to challenge my fate as long as possible; but sometimes, I am the most pitiable to God. Creation...forbearance! What a sad refuge! But this is my only way out." The "Pathétique" sonata itself and this letter reveal Beethoven's heroic personality and lofty spiritual realm. The title "Sorrow" hides the hardships of life and reveals the inner pain. But the essence of music is more about the "forbearance" of unfortunate encounters, the "challenge" and resistance to fate, the transcendence and sublimation of reality, and the persistence and determination of ideals.
Beethoven's "Pathétique" Sonata can be said to be a perfect musical example - it is a reflection of the diary-like life state, and Beethoven tells us in his music that he has transcended He has escaped reality and gotten rid of the hardships of the world. He is a spiritual winner. Someone once compared this sonata with Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and pointed out that in these two works, there is the same "sense of youthful sadness". Perhaps people came to this conclusion based on the title and its correspondence with a sentiment prevalent in German society at that time. Indeed, similar emotions permeate Goethe's "The Sorrows of Young Werther" and Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor. But Beethoven has his own unique personality after all. In fact, his works are filled with vigorous vitality and a desire for infinity and ideals. He has transcended all kinds of pain, fear, tolerance, and awe in his body and life, and he has realized the sublimation of life. As E. T. A. Hoffman said: “The human heart perceives the transcendent in earthly things.
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Beethoven felt pathos in his life and realized the power of self in life. He wrote these into this sonata, using music to take us out of the body of life and lead to the infinity. The spiritual realm instills heroic ideals and personality into our souls.
“My kingdom is in the sky. ”
“I am the god of wine who brews wine for humans. It is I who give people the highest Dionysian enthusiasm. "We, who are infinite in spirit but limited in life, are born for pain and joy. It can almost be said that the best people can get joy through pain." < /p>
Beethoven cultivated pure and beautiful flowers in his own pain, dedicated them to the world, saved the world, and benefited the world. He was the hero of mankind and the Prometheus of mankind.