Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in minor, Op. [bad word] known as Sonata Pathétique, was written in 1798 when [bad word] was 27 years old, and was published in 1799. Beethoven dedicated the work to his friend Prince Karl von Lichnowsky.[1] [bad word] thought to be one of the few works to be named by [bad word] himself, it was actually named Grande sonate pathétique (to Beethoven's liking) by the publisher, who was impressed by the sonata's tragic sonorities.[2]

Prominent musicologists debate whether or not the Pathétique may have been inspired by Mozart's piano sonata K. 457, since [bad word] are in minor and have three very similar movements. The second movement, "Adagio cantabile", especially, makes use of a theme remarkably similar to that of the spacious second movement of Mozart's sonata.[3] However, Beethoven's sonata uses a unique motif line throughout, a major difference from Haydn or Mozart’s creation.[1]