Whose Symphony No. 6 is nicknamed Pathetique?

Whose Symphony No. 6 is nicknamed Pathetique?

• A. Brahms
• B. Chopin
• C. Vermeer
• D. Tchaikovsky

Answer: (D)

Pathetique describes the deep emotional weight of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74. This work is famous for its intense, sorrowful character, especially the slow, mournful finale marked Adagio lamentoso, which gives the symphony its pathos-filled nickname. The label Pathétique (Pathetique) is closely tied to this final, intensely personal symphony by Tchaikovsky, distinguishing it from other composers’ works. The other names are not associated with this nickname—Brahms didn’t compose a Sixth Symphony called Pathetique, Chopin was a pianist-composer who wrote no symphonies, and Vermeer is a painter, not a composer.

Pathetique describes the deep emotional weight of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74. This work is famous for its intense, sorrowful character, especially the slow, mournful finale marked Adagio lamentoso, which gives the symphony its pathos-filled nickname. The label Pathétique (Pathetique) is closely tied to this final, intensely personal symphony by Tchaikovsky, distinguishing it from other composers’ works. The other names are not associated with this nickname—Brahms didn’t compose a Sixth Symphony called Pathetique, Chopin was a pianist-composer who wrote no symphonies, and Vermeer is a painter, not a composer.