Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 7 in C major, K.309 [Uchida]

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I. Allegro con spirito (0:00)
II. Andante un poco Adagio (5:35)
III. Rondo. Allegretto grazioso (10:24)

Piano: Mitsuko Uchida

Mvt 1: Allegro con spirito [Sonata-Form]
EXPOSITION
(0:00) Primary Theme (P1), stated twice. The inicial arpeggio ia M1 and the dotted figure is M2.
(0:19) Brief transition to P2 using M2.
(0:23) Counter-Theme 1 (P2), alternating subdominant and tonic. At (0:27), M2 sneaks in as an ornamentation.
(0:32) Transition Section, modulation to V/V. M2 is interrupted by ascending scales three times. At (0:41), M1 appears, insisting on the secondary dominant.
(0:50) Secondary Theme (S1).
(1:05) Counter-Theme 2 (S2). Notice how a shortened version of S1 appears at (1:07).
(1:21) Codetta.
DEVELOPMENT
(2:57) Episode 1: P1 in Gm. M2 leads us to a Developmental Theme (D1) also in Gm.
(3:11) Episode 2: P1 in Dm. D1 reappears.
(3:20) Episode 3: Development of P1 across various minor tonalities (Am, Gm, Fm).
(3:29) A dim7 descending pattern brings a strong cadence to the relative minor (Am).
(3:34) The Cadential material comes back and it triggers a
(3:40) False Recapitulation in Am. Recalling the beginning of the Development, M2 tries to lead us somewhere else. The second attempt to start the Recapitulation is also frustrated, because P1 appears in the dominant (G).
RECAPITULATION
(3:54) Finally, P1 in the tonic.
(4:05) Unexpected statement of P1 in the parallel minor (a remnant of the Development, perhaps).
(4:19) P2
(4:28) Transition Section.
(4:44) S1 in the tonic. At first, both hands swap roles, but they soon correct themselves.
(4:59) S2
(5:16) Coda
(5:22) P1 appears one last time, getting in the way of the final cadence.

Mvt 2: Andante un Poco Adagio [Rounded-Binary form]
*Combination of Ternary Form (AABA'BA') and Theme & Variations.
SECTION A
(5:35) 8-bar Theme A in F, stated twice: the first phrase (A1) has a characteristic dotted rhythm and the second (A2) recalls M2 from mvt 1.
(6:03) The second occurrence of A is already its first Variation.
SECTION A
Two more occurrences of A (as if "strain 1" was being repeated), actually corresponding to a new pair of Variations.
(6:31) Variation 2: A1 plays with appoggiaturas; A2 (6:45) expands that final semidemiquaver-fragment of the Theme (at 5:55).
(7:00) Variation 3: A1 replaces the dotted rhythms with a semidemiquaver-figure; A2 (7:12) plays with triplets.
SECTION B
(7:29) A contrasting Theme B in the dominant indicates that we already are in "Strain 2". The first phrase (B1) is very lyrical, developing a motivic ascending triad.
(7:53) The second phrase (B2) modulates back to the tonic.
SECTION A'
(8:12) Variation 4: A1 displaces the initial dotted rhythms, producing a funny, clumsy version of the theme; (8:23) A2, in octaves and dotted figures. The transitional descending bass rememorates Var. 4.
SECTION B
(8:41) Theme B returns, with a lot of ornamentation: B1 becomes a continuous stream of notes, while B2 incorporates Var. 3's triplets.
SECTION A'
(9:21) Variation 5: A1 resembles B1's rapid notes; (9:34) A2 explores dynamic contrasts, octaves and repeated notes.
(9:48) Variation 6: A1 plays with octave tremolos and triplets.
(10:01) When we expected to hear the final variation of A2, the record breaks and the tail of A1 is repeated twice, until a nice cadence finally brings the movement to an end.

Mvt 3: Allegretto grazioso. [Sonata-Rondo form]
SECTION A
(10:24) Theme A (A1) in C, stated twice.
(10:46) Brief Transition using A1's inicial figure.
(10:50) Counter-Theme 1 (A2), stated twice.
(11:13) Modulatory Transition.
SECTION B
(11:18) Theme B (B1) in the dominant.
(11:30) Transition using B1's descending triplets. At 11:34, a unstable bass seems to reinforce the secondary dominant.
(11:42) Counter-Theme 2 (B2), with octave tremolos and a funny bass. The second time, it begins in Gm but effortlessly slides back to the relative major.
(12:08) Counter-Theme 3 (B3).
(12:19) Modulatory Transition resembling very much A2.
SECTION A
(12:30) A1.
(12:51) A variation of that familiar transition to A2 begins, but
(12:56) A return of B2 surprises us! Now, it actually is being used as a transition: notice the emphasis on Cmaj7, that leads us to
SECTION C
(13:02) Theme C in F. It is repeated an octave below.
(13:22) Transition based on dim7 chords. It soon turns into a familiar transition (at 11:30).
SECTION B
(13:39) B1+B2 in the tonic. We are, after all, in Sonata-Rondo form.
(14:26) More transitional material based on B1.
SECTION A
(14:41) A1.
(15:01) Now we see a lot of themes being recapitulated and revisited for the last time. The first one is that transition based on B1.
(15:10) B3 in the tonic.
(15:25) B2 in the tonic.
(15:34) Fragmented B1.
(15:41) A2.
(15:50) Codetta resembling B1.
(15:56) Unexpectedly, almost like a "post scriptum" (and here I can see why Leopold thought this sonata was unusual), Theme A returns, groggily searching for the tonic cadence. Notice how this happens at the end of mvt 1 too.