Mozart, Piano Sonata

Main features of Piano Sonata

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Melody

  • Different melodic ideas in 1 subject
  • Periodic phrasing
  • Opening phrases are 4 bars and 6 bars, thus avoiding predictability of periodic phrasing
  • Diatonic, with chromatic inflections
  • Conjunct, with rare leaps like a minor 7th in 43
  • Appoggiaturas and passing notes feature in the opening bars
  • Scalic passages
  • Ornamental in nature,even if there isn't a sign
  • Broken chord figures
  • Ornaments like trills and turns
  • Melodies are extended by sequence
  • Appoggiaturas feature, both diatonic and chromatic
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Harmony

  • Functional harmony, with chords mostly in root position and 1st inversion
  • Dominant 7th chord at 3
  • Double appoggiatura at 4
  • Frequent cadences
  • Perfect cadence at 10
  • Imperfect cadence at 22
  • Diatonic and chromatic appoggiaturas
  • Short circle of 5ths progression at 47
  • Cadential 6/4 progression, 1c-V7-1
  • Accented dissonance at the cadence, with a double appoggiatura
  • Diminished 7th chords at opening of development
  • 2nd inversion chord at 75
  • Augmented 6th at 80
  • Dominant preparation begins at 87
  • Longer circle of 5ths in the recapitulation at 143
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Rhythm and Metre

  • Common time - simple quadruple
  • Some syncopation throughout
  • More semiquavers in the recapitulation
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Texture

  • Broken chords at opening
  • Monophony in scalic passages
  • 2 part textures
  • Melody dominated homophony mostly
  • 3 part textures
  • Fuller chords at beginning and end of sections
  • Alberti Bass accompaniments
  • Melodies in 6ths and octaves
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Structure

  • Sonata form
  • Exposition
    1st subject 1-10
    Transition 10-22
    2nd subject, 1st idea 23-38
    2nd subject, 2nd idea 39-49
    Codetta, 1st idea 50-58
    Codetta, 2nd idea 59-63
  • Development
  • Recapitulation - as in exposition
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Tonality

  • Begins in Bb major and modulates to related keys
  • Modulates to F major (dominant in the exposition)
  • Dominant pedals at 57 reinforce tonality
  • G minor at 67
  • F minor at 71
  • C minor at 75
  • G minor at 80
  • Dominant preparation at 87
  • Bb major at 93 and remains in that key until the end
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