This masterpiece’s famous nickname “Appassionata” (the passionate) does not stem from Beethoven, but was assigned to the sonata by posterity. However, it could hardly be more appropriate! Beethoven’s friend Ferdinand Ries tells of a walk during which Beethoven “had the whole way been humming to himself or sometimes howling” without actually singing specific notes. To his friend’s enquiry he answered “here I have come upon a theme for the final Allegro of the sonata”.

This graphic description ...