Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 03/23/2016, uploaded on 01/05/2017

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Throughout the Sonata I see and hear scenes which could be taken from Mozart's operas, quickly changing appearances of characters and moods. The architecture of the first movement Allegrois extraordinary. In the 'Exposition' alone we hear 7 short sections which are different in character and yet interwoven.

The movement starts in calm ¾ but soon - after a short intermezzo of 'horn calls' - a shift from F-major to d-minor introduces a dramatic section (which for example reminds me of Tamino's entrance 'Zu Hilfe' (Help!) in the later 'Magic Flute' KV620). Then follows the second theme which leads into a pulsing sequence of mysterious character which is resolved in a reconciling theme followed by the ending section. The second movement Adagio is a beautiful Aria – the person singing is longingly lamenting on dissonant appoggiaturas which are emphasized in the repetition by written-out ornamentation which Mozart had added for the first print. The last movement is a virtuoso Allegro assai that again displays contrasting moods.       Cornelia Herrmann

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.