The slow movement of the Pathétique Sonata, Op. 13: a calm, singing melody in the middle of the texture, one of Beethoven’s best-loved tunes.
The story
Beethoven published the Pathétique in 1799, when he was 28 and already one of Vienna’s most admired pianists. The title, “Pathétique”, means full of feeling.
After the stormy first movement, the Adagio cantabile is pure song: the melody sits in the middle of the piano, with the accompaniment both above and below it.
Two things to know
- The opening melody returns three times, each time with a richer accompaniment.
- Billy Joel borrowed it for the chorus of “This Night” in 1983.
How to play it
Play the melody with the top of the right hand, legato, and keep the sixteenth notes under it as quiet as a murmur.