Mozart 2 Piano Sonata

[Patricia]

ThePiano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was described by Mozart in his own thematic catalogue as "for beginners", and it is very commonly known by the nickname Sonata facile or Sonata semplice.[1] Despite this, the sonata is actually not an easy work to perform and can hardly be described as "for beginners."

Mozart added the work to his catalogue on June 26, 1788, the same date as his Symphony No. 39. The exact circumstances of the work's composition are not known. Although the piece is well known today, it was not published in Mozart's lifetime and first appeared in print in 1805. A typical performance takes about 11 minutes.

A bridge passage composed of scales follows, arriving at a cadence in G major, the key in which the second theme is then played. A codetta follows to conclude the exposition, then the exposition is repeated. The development starts in G minor and modulates through several keys. The recapitulation begins, unusually, in the subdominant key of F major. The Alberti bass that began as a C major triad at this point becomes an F major triad, followed by a left hand F major scale pattern which emulates the rhythm of the previous right hand A minor scale.

The third movement is in Rondo form and is in the tonic key, C major. The first theme is lively and sets the mood of the piece. The second theme is in G major and contains an Alberti bass in the left hand. The first theme appears again and is followed by a third theme. The third theme is in a minor key and modulates through many different keys before modulating into C major. The first theme appears again followed by a coda and finally ends in C major.

The finale was transposed to F major and combined with a solo piano arrangement of the second movement of the violin sonata in F major to form the posthumously compiled and thus spurious Piano Sonata in F major, K. 547a.

Massive number of sets! Some very interesting interpretations exist in less than complete sets, too many to keep track of, I guess, but the 2 disk "Mozart: The Vienna Years" by Immerseel on Vivarte, and the 2 disk "Mozart Sonatas" by Staier on HM are both very interesting but will probably never be a full cycle. Thanks for all the great info. Tilney, hmmm.....

Gurn 8^)

Thanks for the comment, Gurn. Among interesting-but-not-a-set, I'd also include Pletnev (Dip Your Ears No.53), but of course a very different direction than Staier & Immerseel.

Who'd have thought that the 'underrated' or even 'lesser' (Paul Johnson) Mozart Sonatas have almost as many recordings (81 as of now) as the grand Beethoven sonatas (96 as per my count). Granted, the latter's a much more daunting undertaking, at roughly 3 times the music...

Jens, Thank you so much for collecting all of these. It's a great resource, beautifully arranged, and a wonderful achievement on your part.

I'm going to look at the hyperlink in your last comment hoping to see something about the Beethoven cycles.

Keep up the great work.

Thank you for your list, my recordings of Mozart's Piano Sonatas were performed on Bosendorfer and Bechstein pianos in the years 1988-1991, and published by Sheva collection in 2011 under the Patronage of the Austrian Embassy in Rome.

Marco Albrizio

He composed his first piano sonata at the age of 18 in 1774 and this rollicking classical tune was merely a signpost as to what was to come until he wrote his last sonata in 1789. While many of the sonatas sound dainty and cheerful, they're actually pretty fiendish to play.

As well as sounding great, each sonata offers a little window into the composer's character. As many of them began their life as improvisations, it's easy to imagine the young man sitting down at the piano and tinkling the ivories to create wonderfully inventive music. He pushes the boundaries smilingly without breaking them, sticking to classical conventions while adding in an occasional hint of mischief.

Charles Ives pigeonholed Mozart's piano sonatas as 'lady finger music', and yes, the music is delicate and twinkly at points. If you're expecting the stormy emotional depths of Beethoven's music, Mozart's earlier piano sonatas might not be for you, but why not give his other instrumental sonatas a chance?

His Church Sonatas are nowhere near as well known as his piano music, and often feature a more orchestral scoring including timpani, trumpets, horns, and oboes, as well as organ and strings. They were composed between 1772 and 1780, intended for insertion within a musical Mass setting, and sound much more similar to his religious choral works - the pulsing strings and long held organ notes wouldn't be suited to the piano.

Combining the best moments of the zippy virtuosity required in his piano sonatas, and his spirited string writing, Mozart's Violin Sonatas map an interesting course through his musical development. He wrote his first set between 1762 and 1764 when he was just 6 years old. Granted, they're not his finest works, and sound a little like musical studies rather than compositions in their own right, but by the age of 22, he was composing the first of his 'mature' sonatas. He's got the hang of weaving the violin tune in with the keyboard line, and captures the spirit of each instrument with his trademark charm. He composed his last violin sonata, No. 36 in F, in 1788, before he died in 1791.

Audius Classical Music 's SonatasAnyone looking for a window into Mozart's soul should look no further than his vast output of sonatas. Over his short life, he composed 18 numbered piano sonatas, sonatas for four hands, 36 violin sonatas, and 17 Church Sonatas, as well as trio sonatas for chamber instruments.He composed his first piano sonata at the age of 18 in 1774 and this rollicking classical tune was merely a signpost as to what was to come until he wrote his last sonata in 1789. While many of the sonatas sound dainty and cheerful, they're actually pretty fiendish to play.Source: Classic FM -sonatas/Retailers:Mozart Tidal ://us.napster.com/artist/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/album/mozart-the-essential-collectionBest of Mozart Deezer on Spotify Album Amazon -Collection-Haydn-Light-Orchestra/dp/B015NQQFHC/Mozart Playlist =OLAK5uy_m4VsdRl4Yv4y63CU_ArM91jVaewHDk0UsAlso check out the very best in R&B & Pop Music 2020 from IndyPop Records!

The Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K. 331 is a piece of music for the piano. It was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was published in Vienna, Austria by Artaria in 1784. It is the second of a group of three piano sonatas. Mozart probably wrote the group in Salzburg in the summer of 1783. It was then that he brought his wife Constance (Weber) to his hometown to introduce her to his father Leopold. The first sonata in the group is No. 10 in C major, K. 330. The third is No. 12 in F major, K. 332. Mozart numbered this group of sonatas 1 through 3. He spent much time teaching during his early years in Vienna. It is likely that these sonatas were written for his pupils.

The A major sonata is unique among Mozart's piano sonatas. It does not include a movement in sonata form.[1] The first movement is a lilting theme in 6/8 followed by six variations in A major and A minor. The last variation is in 4/4 time. The second movement is a Menuetto in A major with a contrasting section (called a Trio) in D major. It is written in 3/4 time. The third and final movement is the famous "Alla Turca" (Turkish March or Turkish Rondo) in 2/4 time. It is considered one of the finest examples of Viennese Turkish music that was produced in the late 18th century. The rondo's rolled block bass chords suggest the drum rolls of a Turkish Janissary band. In true classical style, the rondo alternates between major and minor keys, and loud and soft dynamics. The piece is a favorite for amateur recitals.

Mozart wrote 18 piano sonatas and American pianist Orli Shaham has recorded all of them for the Canary Classics label, the final two volumes of the series being released in February this year. These sonatas have an enduring appeal, for players, both professional and amateur, and audiences alike.

The recording was made in August 2019 and August 2020, at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts. The timing was deliberate to ensure consistent humidity in the hall: the result is a wonderful clarity and evenness of sound.

The challenges are many. Mozart had a tremendous technique, so the sonatas are challenging to play because he was such a master of the keyboard and was so free to express himself in so many different ways. Internalizing what that is and getting to the place where I felt comfortable to convey as many of his intentions as possible, was certainly a wonderful challenge from the beginning.

In terms of the recording sessions of the sonatas, we had a great challenge. Our first session was in August 2019. The world looked quite different when we recorded the second session in August 2020, during the first months of the Covid pandemic, and we came up against quite a lot of challenges. This was before any of the technologies were available for remote recording and remote engineering. We had to use 27 different apps and programs to make that second recording session possible.

A particularly tough moment was when I had just finished playing the first movement of the C Minor Sonata, which is so emotional and such a moment of vulnerability for the performer. I played my heart out, and then there was radio silence from my wonderful producer Erica Brenner hundreds of miles away in Cleveland, because the internet service for the entire neighborhood had failed. Luckily, the audio was captured, and a few hours later, using a lot of workarounds, we were able to continue recording.

Mozart's piano sonatas are among the most familiar of his works and stand alongside those of Haydn and Beethoven as staples of the pianist's repertoire. In this study, John Irving looks at a wide selection of contextual situations for Mozart's sonatas, focusing on the variety of ways in which they assume identities and achieve meanings. In particular, the book seeks to establish the provisionality of the sonatas' notated texts, suggesting that the texts are not so much identifiers as possibilities and that their identity resides in the usage. Close attention is paid to reception matters, analytical approaches, organology, the role of autograph manuscripts, early editions and editors, and aspects of historical performance practice - all of which go beyond the texts in opening windows onto Mozart's sonatas. Treating the sonatas collectively as a repertoire, rather than as individual works, the book surveys broad thematic issues such as the role of historical writing about music in defining a generic space for Mozart's sonatas, their construction within pedagogical traditions, the significance of sound as opposed to sight in these works (and in particular their sound on fortepianos of the later eighteenth-century) , and the creative role of the performer in their representation beyond the frame of the text. Drawing together and synthesizing this wealth of material, Irving provides an invaluable reference source for those already familiar with this repertoire.

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