Piano Sonatas for Class

  An overview of Mozart's piano sonatas


     Most likely, Mozart's first five sonatas were written for the harpsichord, not the piano.  The first 
      one written for piano was probably No. 6


   Piano Sonata No. 6 in D major, K 284/205b   (Munich, February–March 1775)   Best of his first six

           Friedrich Gulda, piano

                  1.  Allegro (sonata form)

                  2.  Rondeau en polonaise (Rondo and Polonaise)

                  3.  Tema con variazione (Theme with variations)


Son 9

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   The Vienna Sonatas:


   Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K 330/300h  (1783)

            Friedrich Gulda, piano

                   1.  Allegro moderato  (sonata form)  (5:00)  Soft and delicate

                   2.  Andante cantabile (F major)  (sonata form)  (5:30)

                    3.  Allegretto  (? form)  (4:00) 

   Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K 331/300i  ("Turkish Rondo")   (1783)

          Points:

                 1.  The format is an unusual: slow 1st movement, medium pace 2nd movement, a fast 3rd movement.

                 2.  1st movement is a set of variations, not sonata form, 
                      the 2nd movement is the rare use of a minuet 
                      in a three movement work.


            Olga Jegunuva, piano  -  Movements 1 & 2    Arcadi Volodos, piano  - Movement 3

                   1.  Andante grazioso  (theme and variation)  (7:00) 

                        The theme is has two 8-measure sections, each repeated, 

                         a structure shared by each variation.  

                   2.  Menuetto & Trio  (3:30)

                         A rare minuet in a 3 movement piece.  Minuets are always in 3 time (close to a waltz).  
                         Notice the medium fast pace.

                   3.  Alla turca – Allegretto  (1:40)

                It imitates the sound of Turkish Janissary bands, the music of which was much in vogue at that time.  

(Seiges of Vienna 1529, 1683)

   Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, K 332/300k   (1783)

            Anke Chen, piano  -  Movement 1       Vadim Chaimovich, piano  -  Movements 2 & 3

                   1.  Allegro  (sonata form)  (5:00)

                   2.  Adagio  (sonatino)  (5:30) 

                   3.  Allegro assai  (sonata form)  (5:40)


   Piano Sonata No. 13 in B♭ major, K 333/315c   (1783–4)

            Vladimir Horowitz, piano   -  Movements 1 & 3       Anna Federova, piano  -  Movement 2

                   1.  Allegro  (sonata form)  (5:30)

                   2.  Andante cantabile  (sonata form)  (5:30)

                    3.  Allegretto grazioso  (rondo-sonata  form)  (6:00)

   Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K 545  (so-called "facile" or "semplice" sonata;  Vienna, Jun. 26, 1788)

                   1.  Allegro,  4/4  (sonata form)

                   2.  Andante, 3/4

                   3.  Rondo: Allegretto, 2/4


   Piano Sonata No. 18 in D major, K 576  (Vienna, July 1789)

            Mitsuko Uchida, piano

                   1.  Allegro  (sonata form)  (5:00)  Polyphonic counterpoint (sometimes fugattos)

                                                                                  Very brief, maybe 5 seconds, then homophony again.               

                    2.  Adagio  (5:00)

                   3.  Allegretto  (4:00)


    Next week:  The two minor key sonatas, Nos. 8 & 14