6] Certainly no composer
since Bach had uttered such a message. As soon as the movement begins
we are convinced that it represents the outpouring of a soul capable
of deep meditations upon life and its mysteries, and with the
eloquence at its command to impress these thoughts upon the hearer.
The number of themes and their key relationship are those of
Sonata-form, but instead of the usual development we have a new
contrasting theme of great pathos in the major mode. Observe the
poignancy of the dissonances, _e.g._,

[Music]

in the second theme of the Exposition which begins in measure 17, and
the passionate outcries in measures 35 and 37 of the middle portion.
Just before the Recapitulation, in measures 41-43, is an early example
of Beethoven's fondness for instrumental recitative--music speaking
with a more intimate appeal than words. The movement ends with an
impassioned Coda which, beginning with the main theme in the bass and
working up, more and more agitato, to a powerful climax, dies away
with mysterious fragments of the opening measures. The dissonant
element so characteristic of the whole movement is retained to the
end, _e.g._

[Music]

[Footnote 146: According to d'Indy it is more truly pathetic than the
entire so-called _Pathetic Sonata_.]

The growing importance of dissonance may be seen from a comparison of
this movement with the average slow movements of Haydn and Mozart
These, although they have serenity and grace, beauty and finish of
form, and are sincere manifestations of the genius of their creators,
are yet lacking in passion. This placid mood and amiability of style
is shown by the comparatively slight employment of dissonances. By
unthinking and uncultivated persons dissonances[147] are often
considered as something harsh, repellant--hence to be avoided. But
dissonances contain the real life and progress of music. They arouse,
even take by storm our imaginations and shake us out of our
equanimity. Consonant chords represent stability, satisfaction and,
when over-used, inertia. The genius of the composer is shown in
establishing just the _right proportion_ between these two elements;
but if there is to be any disproportion let us have _too much_ rather
than too little dissonance, for then, at any rate, the music is
_alive_. Since Beethoven the whole development of music as a human
language shows the preponderating stress laid on dissonance; to this
fact a knowledge of the works of Schuman