Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 12/12/2008, uploaded on 03/12/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

The lesser of its two companions, the Sonatas in C and A major (K. 330 and 331), the Piano Sonata in F major is nevertheless a superb piece in its own right. It was originally thought that all three sonatas were composed in the late 1770s, but now it is generally believed that they date from 1783. They were published the following year by Artaria.

An interesting feature of the three movements of the F major Sonata is Mozart's ability to create unity across all three movements by the use of parallel minor keys. The outer movements, both regularly constructed sonata forms, follow a nearly similar plan. After the principle theme, the dominant key (as is expected to follow) is found by way of the key of D minor, the relative minor of F. However, the second theme, instead of beginning in the key of C major as it should, begins in its parallel minor. In the first movement, the minor key portion of the second theme is more or less prefatory. Following the initial statement of the second theme, the key of C minor then returns in a sequential pattern bridging its two sections. In the finale, however, the C minor section is given much more thematic prominence. Furthermore, once the key of C major is established, the major key is significantly colored with its minor counterpart.

The middle Adagio, also more or less, follows this plan. Written in a sonatina form, the first phrase of the principal theme in B-flat major is immediately repeated in the tonic minor. Following the close of the exposition, the recapitulation begins immediately. In the earlier editions of the sonata, the recapitulation is brilliantly ornamented. These embellishments were added by the publisher under Mozart's supervision, providing interesting insight into how the composer himself expected his sonatas to be performed.        Joseph DuBose