Tchaikovsky’s penultimate and most famous symphony is commonly known as Symphonie Pathétique. This nickname may sound amusing to English speakers due to the word “pathetic”, but it actually comes from a French term meaning “evoking pity”. The name originates from the Russian word Pateticheskaya, chosen by Tchaikovsky to convey the passion he poured into the symphony. Following his death, it was translated into French as pathétique, which, while similar, carries a different meaning. Similarly, Beethoven’s eighth piano sonata is often called Sonata Pathétique, a name chosen by his publisher with Beethoven’s approval, who was moved by the piece’s “tragic sonorities”.