Classical Music | Violin Music

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Violin Sonata No. 22 in A major, K. 305 Play Play

Emma Steele	Violin
Shirley Trissell	Piano

Recorded on 12/22/2010, uploaded on 05/17/2011

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Having resigned his post in Salzburg, Mozart, accompanied by his mother, set out in search of new employment. His journey, which started in September 1777 and lasted until January 1789, took him to Mannheim, Paris and Munich. During this time, he composed six sonatas for piano and violin that were later published in Paris in 1778. The set was likely inspired by a set of six sonatas for harpsichord and violin by the Dresden Kapellmeister Joseph Schuster that Mozart performed while in Mannheim. He described them as "not bad" and sent a copy of them home to his father and sister, as well as describing his intention to compose his own set of six sonatas in a similar style.

The next to last sonata of the set, the Violin Sonata in A major, K. 305, begins with one of the most outright jovial movements in all of Mozart's music for the instrument. A jaunty sonata form in compound meter, it opens with a theme based almost entirely on the notes of the tonic triad. The following secondary theme in E major is more lyrical and at times takes on a dance-like character. Turning the opening theme's descending triadic motion into an ascending surge, the development section moves abruptly into the key of E minor. Though the development passes through a few minor tonalities, it is not possible to say that it casts any dim shadows over the brilliant outer sections of the movement in A major.

The finale is unique in being the only movement of the set of six sonatas to utilize variation form. The tempo slackens to an Andante tempo and nearly the entire movement passes by at an unhurried, graceful pace. The ten-measure melody, divided into two sections, is followed by six variations. The first variation, exceptionally, is given to the piano alone. The penultimate variation, Variation V, moves to the key of the tonic minor—a trait quite typical of the Classical theme with variations. The last variation returns to the major key and resumes the cheerful character and meter of the first movement. Joseph DuBose

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Violin Sonata in A major, K. 305 Wolfgang. Amadeus Mozart

This sonata was composed by Mozart in 1778 during a trip to Mannheim. The first of the two movements is spirited and brisk, and, as in the other Mannheim sonatas, direct and uncomplicated. The relationship between the two instruments is fairly even although leaning a bit more towards the piano. The second movement is a gentle melody followed by a set of six variations. Here, by comparison, the two instruments are not treated equally, the piano being much favored over the violin. In fact, the theme is for piano with the violin accompanying, and the entire first variation is a piano solo. It is only in the second variation that the violin finally sings above the piano for the first time. The fifth variation is in a minor mode, giving a short moment of darkness, but with humor. In the sixth and last variation, the two instruments quickly take off, bringing this short, joyful sonata to a close. Emma Steele