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ROSENFINGERMULTIMEDIAL ESSAYS - #5
PECULIARITIES AND INNOVATIVE TRENDS
OF MOZART'S SONATA K. 280.
Analytical and interpretative considerations,
© Fabio Grasso 2021
Go to the end of this page to watch the embedded videoof the performance
Mozart's Piano Sonata K. 280, belonging to the groupof the first 6 Sonatas composed in München at thebeginning of 1775, presents some particular features, from the point of view ofthe macrostructure, of the compositional techniques and of the expressivemeanings.
MACROSTRUCTURAL REMARKS
This is the only Sonata with a central slow movementin minor key (F minor, while F major is the principal tonality of the work).
It is well known that the two Sonatas in minor key, K.310 in A minor and K. 457 in C minor, have central slow movements in major key.There is only one other case of a Sonata in major key with a movement in minorkey, the Sonata K. 331 in A major; however, its Allegretto AllaTurca in A minor is not slow, not central, and afterall it ends in A major.
While the other Sonatas always propose various typesof alternation between binary / quaternary and ternary rhythms along thesuccession of their movements, only in this one all movements have a ternaryconnotation: purely ternary 3/4 and 3/8 are used for the 1st and the 3rdmovement, the compound rhythm 6/8 for the Adagio - but obviously the slower a6/8 piece is, the more its ternary component becomes prevalent in perception.
There is a relationship between the initial motivic cells of the First Themes of each movements: theyall consist of at least three repeated notes, C-C-C(-C) in the first movement,C-C-C with turning tone D flat in the second movement, F-F-F in the thirdmovement. Such subtle motivic relations betweendifferent movements can be found in various masterworks of the fully classicalage - for example in Beethoven's Sonata op. 2 n. 3.
ASPECTS OF THE THEMATIC ELABORATION
In many of his early sonata-forms Mozart does notplace a real Development between Exposition and Recapitulation, but rather afree section with materials not derived from those of the Exposition - forexample this happens in the first movements of the Sonata K. 283 and of theSymphony K. 201, just to mention two cases. This solution would be unthinkablein a fully classical sonata-form.
The first movement of the Sonata K. 280 has a quiteclassical Development, mainly consisting of a modulating progression built onthe two contrasting elements of the Second Theme (the 3 quarter octaves of theleft hand in triadic relation and the groups of sixteenths of the right hand).Mozart just takes the liberty of introducing a "new entry" at thebeginning of the Development, the dotted rhythm, of which there is no trace inthe Exposition; it will not be recalled later.
Moreover, in the Exposition and in the Recapitulationof the first movement we cen notice some remarkablecases of ideas generated by means of thematic-motivicelaboration. See the formal scheme below to read about some examples ofexpositive segments derived through development processes from previous materials,a method that anticipates the fully mature classical style.
THE SINGLE SONATA-FORMS
An opposite indication comes from the observation ofthe single structures: all three movements are sonata-forms, and none of thempresent a general Coda: the final segment of the Recapitulation acts also asconclusion of the movement.
Some interesting considerations are suggested from theanalysis of the Modulating Transitions (MT).
The MT of the Recapitulation of the first movement ischanged through an accessory variation - that means a variation which, unlikethe functional one, does not affect the global route of the MT, whose finalharmony is the same as in the Exposition, and can be connected both to theDominant key (Exposition) and to the Tonic (Recapitulation, see more detailsbelow). What is noteworthy in this change is the further pursuit of variety ina passage already characterized by some microvariationsin the series of similar but not identical figurations, determined by theslightly different steps of the chromatic progression.
While the MT of the 1st movement's Exposition pointsdirectly to the Dominant, that of the Presto's Exposition leads, moreclassically, to the Dominant of the Dominant; therefore in the Recapitulationit needs a functional variation that changes the goal (from Dominant of Dominat to Dominant) and allows the connection to theSecond Theme in the principal Tonic key.
The Adagio has no MT: the Second Theme immediatelyfollows the first one.
FORMAL SCHEME
with chronometric references based on the video at theend of this page
FIRST MOVEMENT - ALLEGRO ASSAI
EXPOSITION
- E1 bar 1 00:00 1st Thematic Group - 1st Idea = 1TG_1= FIRST THEME
- E2 b5 00;06 1st Thematic Group - 2nd Idea = 1TG_2,secondary element, with double varied enunciation of the 3 last bars.
- E3 b13 00;15 MT, rhythmically characterized by thetriplets. As said above, this is the most simple type of MT that has theDominant harmony as target (here in contrast with the complex harmonic route ofthe passage). So, in the Exposition this Dominant harmony immediately becomesTonic harmony for the Second Theme, in the Recapitulation it comes back to theprincipal Tonic, through the connection V - I.
With this method the MT of the Recapitulation couldalso remain unchanged. However, composers very often make accessory variations,in order to obtain a different passage with the same arrival point as in theExposition.
- E4 b27 00:34 Second Thematic Group - First Idea =2TG_1 = SECOND THEME (C major)
- E5 b35 00;44 Second Thematic Group - Second Idea =2TG_2, secondary element derived from MT, both rhythmically (triplets) andharmonically (chromatic progression, here ascending, while in MT it isdescending). It is not so usual to find, in the Exposition of an early sonota-form, some elements so clearly derived frompreviously heard materials. This will become normal in late Mozart andBeethoven.
- E6 b43 00;56 Second Thematic Group - Third Idea =2TG_3, with double varied enunciation
- E7 b54 01:11 Second Thematic Group - Fourth Idea =2TG_4, conclusive element of the Exposition.
DEVELOPMENT
- D1 b57 02'31 Relatively free opening of theDevelopment, with triplets from MT, and dotted rhythms as new material.
- D2 b67 02:47 Main section of the Development:modulating progression on 2TG_1, with alternance ofits two elemtns - the second (figuration ofsixteenths) is shortened. This cutting technique is extremely frequent in theDevelopments of the classical sonata-forms.
D3 b75-82, in three segments
- D3a b75 02:59 The previous progression is broken bya 3-insertion that cuts the sixteenths and keeps the 3-quarter rhythms, turningchromatically around the Dominant of D minor.
- D3b b78 03:04 Dominant Pedal of D minor, withreference to the triplets of MT
- D3c b80 03:07 Modulation to F major (Dominant),recalling the main melodic fragment of 1TG_2, here in a new metric position -it is shifted to the second quarter of the measure.
RECAPITULATION
- R1 b83 03:12 1TG_1
- R2 b87 03:18 1TG_2
- R3 b95 03:29 Varied MT
- R4 b109 03:48 2TG_1 (F major)
- R5 b117 03:58 Insertion of an element not present inthe Exposition: the two components of the Second Theme are superimposed andused to create a progression, with a virtuoso character. This is the most clearexample of development techniques out of Development.
- R6 b123 04:06 2TG_2
- R7 b131 04:17 2TG_3
- R8 b142 04:32 2TG_4
SECOND MOVEMENT - ADAGIO
EXPOSITION
- E1 b1 04:41 FIRST THEME, F minor
- E2 b9 05:20 SECOND THEME, A flat major
1st segment b9-12, 2nd segment b13-16, 3rd segmentwith the characterizing couple of repeated notes b17-21
- E3 b21 06:08 Short Coda of the Exposition
DEVELOPMENT
- D1 b25 08:17 Line of the First Theme on different harmonicsupport (Diminished Seventh and interrogativeDominant of B flat minor)
- D2 b29 08:36 Free chromatic progression
- D3 b33 08:52 Sort of "FalseRecapitulation", First Theme in C minor
RECAPITULATION
- R1 b37 09:12 First Theme shortened (cutting of arepeated fragment). See also the interpretative suggestions below.
- R2 b43 09:43 Second Theme, F minor, with variationsof the melodic profile or of the left hand accompaniment in all segments.- thelast of them is extended.
- R3 b57 10:40 Slightly varied Coda of theRecapitulation
THIRD MOVEMENT - PRESTO
EXPOSITION
- E1 b1 11:06 1TG_1 = FIRST THEME, with component A(b1-4) and B (b5-8). The second varied enunciation presents A one octave belowand B' completely changed.
- E2 b17 11:15 1TG_2
- E3 b25 11:20 MT ending on the Dominant of C major
- E4 b38 11:29 2TG_1 = SECOND THEME (C major):introductory segment (b38-41), main line (b42-49). In the second enunciationboth elements are varied - more evidently the main line.
- E5 b59 11:42 2TG_2
- E6 b66 11:47 2TG_3 Short Coda of the Exposition
DEVELOPMENT
- D1 b78 12:43 Unfinished 2-members progression basedon the introductory dotted figure of the Second Theme (member 1) and on apassage of broken octaves (member 2). The alternation is stopped after thesuccession 1-2-1.
- D2 b90 12:52 The progression continues only with thebroken octaves in a different distribution between the hands.
- D3 b98 12:57 Conclusive phrase, whose sextupletsbeginning with rests are derived from the similar ones of E6.
RECAPITULATION
- R1 b107/108 13:04 1TG_1 = FIRST THEME
- R2 b124 13:13 1TG_2
- R3 b132 13:18 MT with functional variation, that isthe modulation to F major at b136
- R4 b149 13:29 2TG_1 = SECOND THEME (F major)
- R5 b170 13:44 2TG_2
- R6 b177 13:48 2TG_3 Slightly extended Coda
INTERPRETATION AND PRACTICE: FIVE SUGGESTIONS
1. In this Sonata various kinds of short sounds areoften required to be played forte. In general in the classical piano works, andin particular in Mozart, no type of staccato should never be too dry. The armaction must be very soft while playing these sounds, never to be stoppedsuddenly. For example, the rendering of the left hand octaves of the 2ndThematic Group of the first movement should be obtained by taking inspirationfrom dhe sonority of the orchestral cellos, much morethan through a merely percussive approach. In some cases very light pedals canbe helpful in getting the appropriate effect.
2. Clearly understanding the construction mechanismsof MTs is important for memorization. Firstmovement's MT needs a solid memorization of the harmonic flow; practicing thetriplets as trichords can be useful.
3. In R5 section of the first movement the virtuosoextension of the Second Theme is the most difficult passage of this Sonata.Here's a possible helpfule fingering: bars 118 and120, pass the lower note of the first right hand octave to the left hand,finger 1. For the first three sixteenths of the left hand use 3-4-1.
4. Recurring ideas and Ritornelliof the Expositions create a relevant amount of repetitions. Slightlydiversifying some repeated phrases (mainly as concerns dynamics and pedals) isa source of expressive enrichment. Listen to the performance for severalexamples.
5. The advise n. 4 is particularly important for theAdagio. Its First Theme presents a clear analogy with the initial theme of thesecond movement of the Piano Concerto K. 488; it is fascinating to think thatthe nineteen-year-old composer had a premonition of that masterpiece in F sharpminor, composed eleven years later, that is, as for meditative depth, one ofthe most astonishing culminating points of his production.
In the Adagio of the Sonata K. 280, besides theintrinsic significance of the doleful melodies of both themes (in theRecapitulation the Second Theme in minor key, with its beginning on eighthsseparated by rests almost seems to foreshadow the painful breath of the last Adagioof Beethoven's Sonata op. 110), just one detail of a varied repetition cansuffice to reveal the depth of inspiration: the First Theme of theRecapitulation is shortened by two bars, and this intervention gives it anineffable sense of resignation, which differentiates it from its more extendedequivalent of the Exposition.
Therefore it would seem appropriate to interpret thislast apparition of the theme by slightly accentuating the diminuendo, with analmost imperceptible nuance of rallentando, in orderto highlight one of the most moving intuitions conceived by the young genius inthis so precious and precocious gem.
© Fabio Grasso 2021
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