Whose Symphony No. 6 is nicknamed Pathetique?

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

Answer: (D)

Pathetique is the nickname for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74. The term, often rendered as Pathétique, signals a deep sense of emotion and pathos, which perfectly suits the work’s intense, mournful character and dramatic arc—from a somber, march-like opening to a final movement that ends in quiet, unresolved sadness. This emotional depth is what people hear when they encounter the symphony and why the label sticks. The other names listed are not tied to a symphony with this subtitle, making the Tchaikovsky work the clear match.