Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, op. 13, commonly known as Pathetique, was published in 1799. Beethoven dedicated the work to Prince Karl von Lichnowsky. Although thought to be named by the composer himself, it was named by the publisher, impressed by the sonata's tragic sonorities. Perhaps the earliest of Beethoven's compositions to achieve widespread and enduring popularity, it remains one of his most popular sonatas even 200 years after its composition.
