Essay Example on Mozart's Piano Sonata No.11 K331: Analysis

Introduction

In particular, the principal focus of this paper is the compositional analysis of one major classical piece titled Piano Sonata No.11 3rd Movement K331composed by Mozart A. Wolfgang, who is mostly considered as a professional musician and a prominent artist within the history of European music (Mozart 1783). The Piano Sonata No.11 3rd Movement K331 is essentially a piano sonata consisting of three fundamental movements in its structure, namely Andante Grazioso, which is the very first or the opening movement representing the theme and variations (Mozart 1783). Menuetto is the second movement, which is a combination of a trio and minuet (Mozart 1783). The trio is a term that is significantly used to state the different melody of the double statements in the initial minuet tune. Lastly, is the Alla Turca-Allegretto, in which Mozart produced music in a Turkish style that was a popular trend across Vienna at that time (Mozart 1783). Musically, a sonata literary implies a composition piece that is played with a solo instrument as compared to a cantana, which is a vocal bit played effectively with a necessary complement whereby in various movements, it involves a choir (Steptoe 2008,117). A piano, on the other hand, is primarily described as a keyboard musical tool with integrated wired strings that sounds when stuck. A piano sonata is, therefore, a sonata composed explicitly for a solo piano. Typically, an illustrative performance of this whole Sonata takes approximately twenty minutes. Mozart wrote this piece in 1783 while in Vienna, which is often listened to in transcriptions for various instruments instead of the piano (117). The Sonata was published during the classical period in 1784 by Artaria & Co., which was a famous music publishing firm in the nineteenth century (117). Moreover, Steptoe (2008), states that during this era, Mozart wrote about twenty solo piano sonatas throughout the summer of 1789 and in the middle of the entire sequence is the Piano Sonata in A, K 331, wherein "K" effectively denotes the renowned Austrian musicologist, Ludwig, who entirely compiled most of the Mozart's work.

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Mozart Biography

Notably, a considerable number of contemporary composers and critics have significantly revered Mozart Wolfgang as the greatest of all Austrian composer, who is enormously regarded as one of the most influential and exceptional musicians throughout the history of Western classical music. Born in January 27, 1756, in the city of Salzburg in Austria and died on December 5 in 1791 in Vienna, unlike any other composers during his musical history, Mozart compiled every kind of musical genre and outshined in every piece (Steptoe 2008,118). As such, his command of form, his extensive range of expression as well as his taste has efficiently made him be considered as the universal composers (Neumann 1993, 430). However, some of his music was primarily written to satisfy particular tastes of specific audiences (Steptoe 2008,117). In essence, Mozart wrote about six hundred different musical pieces that characterized the classical era, which included operas, sonatas, symphonies, and concertos. His father, Leopold Mozart as also a fruitful composer and a violinist of the well-known violin playing manual that was published in the same year Mozart was born (Steptoe 2008, 118). Besides, he was also described as a child prodigy since he composed his initial composition piece at the age of five years (118). At the age of seventeen, he was affianced as a famous instrumentalist at the Salzburg court and later became agitated and explored looking for a better and excellent position in the music industry. Besides, Mozart compositions comprised all the renowned genres during his era, and he frequently excelled in all. He also composed a few successful operas, for example, The Magic Flute (1791), and The Marriage of Figaro (1786) (118). The most significant contribution of Mozart to Western music was, however, that he was not an innovative musician. Still, he became skilled at and perfected on the present musical forms, and as a result, he transformed the sonatas, opera, and symphony into new heights. Later on, his significant compositions explicitly depicted his skill and adaptability as a classical musician. Also, they effectively highlighted his capability to convey emotions via music. Beethoven V. Ludwig, who was the instantaneous successor of Mozart, continued and expanded with his major work, but unlike Mozart, his successor constantly experimented with various musical forms.

Composer's Compositional Style

Notably, Mozart compiled nineteen music pieces titled Sonata for the fortepiano works at the age of eighteen years. Even though they are less regularly performed as compared to the late piano concertos, they primarily encompass a remarkable category of compositions. Concerning the compositional style, the Mozart's sonatas are more homogeneous than those of Haydn, who was also a musician of his time and even less radically structured in contrast to those of his successor Beethoven (Korevaar 2002, 197). However, the A Major Piano Sonata No.11 3rd Movement K331 has always been on the most treasured pieces by Mozart. After listening to it several, the composition typically starts with an intimate and stylish theme as well as variations movement that is significantly marked ass Andante grazioso. This Sonata, therefore, varies explicitly from other normal sonatas primarily because it is not a single movement in Sonata, but instead, it is more of a divertimento form (Mozart 1783). The three movements are bound together with a strong melodic and a formal affinity (197). At the very end of a variation theme, it is repetitive note by note at the end of the minuet such that the crossing of hands in the minuet trio is anticipated in variation IV. Also, the key of the finale or the A minor is expected in the third variation.

In contrast, the ritornello of this particular Turkish march climax is adequately indicated to the allegro variation (Korevaar 2002, 199). The early fortepiano associated with a drumming stop is the most vital instrument for the explanation of this Sonata. In 1782, Mozart purchased a piano by Walter Anton, on which most of the notable keyboards he used were composed and performed (Irving 2016, 105). Thus, a Walter piano is primarily considered today by many forte pianists to be the ideal instrument of playing Mozart's keyboard compositions (Irving 2016, 106).

Contrary to the modern grand piano, it was integrated with a light touch that effectively enabled great swiftness during the scale work without necessarily having to do the artificial finger clipped playing (106). The hammer striking points, all wooden construction as well as the active soundboard producing the best and clear sound of the piano are what significantly clarifies the textures in the Mozart's compositions (Irving 2016, 107). Besides, the Alla Turca style was implemented in the solo keyboard while concluding this Sonata in A Major, K. 331, that was fundamentally aimed for private enjoyment (Mirka 2014). The performer would, however, emulate the lively, militarist character of the janissary music by applying the Turkish pedal that initiated the drumsticks striking the soundboard of the piano. The Sonata was also a chamber music ensemble consisting of a piano trio of cello, piano, and violin. Besides, the violin in Piano Sonata A Major K, 331, significantly depicts the components of the Turkish style (Beck 2013, 228). This composition, therefore, called for different chamber instruments, for example, the violin duet, guitar, and flute, all who were primarily used for performance by the small chamber ensembles or the soloists (Keefe 2007). Concerning the atmosphere and the mood of the music, Keefe (2007) explains that the listener gets struck first by the local oriental color that is accomplished through the incorporation of Janissary music (228). Mozart, however, selected this whole concept from the famous Gluck's La Rencontre. Still, there is a new specific feature that primarily maintains the Turkish style in check and also identifies the fundamental character of the entire overture (Mirka 2014). This is, however, makes the fantastical and secretive whispering together with a fairy-tale atmosphere, which expansively emphasizes the primary theme on the pure triadic intervals.

Compositional Analysis

Notably, among the 18 piano sonatas written by Mozart, the Sonata in A major, K. 331, the third movement is the most famous and regularly performed. The Piano Sonata No.11 3rd Movement K331 is a music example of a Minor comprising of rapidly moving notes. The principle aim of this section is to critically discuss the character of harmony at a chord-by chord or bar by bar level, intervals, and triads of Mozart's Piano Sonata K33, third movement. The melodic details, musical groups, technical aspects, tonality, as well as the texture of the music, will be addressed.

Analysis of the third movement

Referred to as Rondo Alla Turca-Allegretto, it takes the structure of (A-B-C-B-A-B-coda), based primarily on B with a combination of two keys A major or minor with each section repeated except for the condo section (Mozart 1783). This is, however, the last movement of this Sonata that is commonly referred to as the Turkish March or Turkish Rondo and often played and listened on its own and highly considered as the best piano pieces of Mozart (Mozart 1783). Explaining further on the structure or the rondo form, the A section contains two-part themes, with every phrase being repetitive. Also, in this section, there is a progressive spinning melody in the sixteenth note. In the following section B, we have marchlike themes represented in octaves in two repeated parts.

Also, there are rolled chords that much emphasize the beats present in A major. The C section of the structure is, however, an episode of F-sharp minor with two parts each repeated. There is also a distinction in the A theme but with a similar accompaniment and motion (Korevaar 2002, 198). In the next B section, the marchlike chorus is repeated. At the same time, in the second A, the two opening phrases a and b are repeated in A minor, and lastly, in the third B section of the structure, there is a march in A major while the divided chords in the right side are repeated(198). In the coda section, there is a forte theme comprising mainly of chords and octaves. In the middle of the coda, there is also a concise restatement of the theme. The third movement finishes with irregular A and C octaves and two A major chord follows.

First Section

Bars 1-8: In the opening of this piece, the theme comprises of intensifying turn-figures, which highlight a minor harmony....