Unlike most of the nicknames given to Beethoven’s works, ‘Pathétique’ is believed to have been picked by the composer himself to convey its romantic and sometimes tragic mood.

Each movement conveys a different feeling: the first starts out dark and dramatic, the second is full of romance and longing, and the third is a tempestuous rondo. The outer movements require an advanced technique, but this intensely lyrical interlude – which takes the form of a song in several distinct sections – is the perfect piece for the intermediate-level pianist to learn.