This is the year of the famous "Pathetique" Piano Sonata (Op.13). It has been widely agreed that it was Beethoven who contributed most significantly to the sonata, not only in regards to the classical era but to all sonata history. In fact, his piano sonatas span 40 years of his life, from his 12th to his 52nd year, and reflect his styles and forms throughout his creative periods. His piano sonatas have been ranked among his most important works.
In fact, Beethoven considered the piano sonata exclusively as the best medium for artistic expression, and thus never hesitated to experiment with the full range of resources available on the keyboard.
In this medium, he succeeded in bringing forth a richness of colors and a technical range never attained before. This made it possible for him to pour some of his most noble thoughts into his piano compositions, thus enabling him to reveal his most daring attitudes.
The "Pathetique" stands as the first modern sonata, in its idiomatic writing for the keyboard. It is also noteworthy for its special use of its principal motive, as an interlock between the different movements.
