Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K.331 [Uchida]

I. Tema con variazioni. Andante grazioso (0:00)
Var. 1 (1:50)
Var. 2 (3:25)
Var. 3 (4:57)
Var. 4 (6:37)
Var. 5 (8:23)
Var. 6 (12:29)
II. Menuetto (13:50)
III. Rondo Alla Turca. Allegretto (20:29)

Piano: Mitsuko Uchida

Mvt 1: Andante grazioso [Theme and Variations]
*Mozart defies tradition by constructing a sonata without a movement in Sonata-Form, almost entirely built up from small Rounded-Binary cells (AABA'BA') — if you think about it, the Theme, its Variations, the Menuetto, the Trio and the main themes of the rondo are all in small binaries. The form of this piece actually reminds me of Beethoven's Sonata No. 12 Op. 26, also due to the lack of tonal development (all movement have the same tonal center).
(0:00) Very simple theme in A major, based on iambic rhythmic cells (which fits naturally in 6/8 time).
(1:50) Var. 1: Maintaining the harmonic structure, the melodic line becomes more chromatic and funky.
(3:25) Var. 2: The melody is transformed into trills and triplets.
(4:57) Var. 3: A gloomier stream of notes in A minor, in the middle of the movement.
(6:37) Var. 4: Broken chords with a lot of hand-crossing; placid and smooth.
(8:23) Var. 5: Adagio in an impromptu style, privileging scales, ornaments and lyric gestures.
(12:29) Var. 6: Joyful and faster, contrasting eighth and sixteenth notes.
(13:32) Coda, derived from Var. 6.

Mvt 2: Menuetto [Compounded Ternary form]
(13:50) The main Theme reminds a lot the Primary Theme of Sonata No. 7 in C major, just a bit rhythmically different.
(16:23) The Trio Section, in the dominant key, reminds of Var. 4 from mvt 1: broken chords with hand-crossing.
(19:07) Return of the Menuetto, senza repetizione.

Mvt 3: Allegretto [Rondo form]
(20:29) Theme A in A minor. The round sixteenth-note pattern is Motive 1 (M1).
(21:12) Theme B in A major, a loud march that resembles a lot Turkish military music: notice the heavy arpeggiated bass imitating Turkish bass drums.
(21:28) Theme C in F# minor, developing the inversion of M1.
(22:11) Return of the march (B).
(22:26) Return of Theme A.
(23:10) Last ocurrence of the march, with a slight modification.
(23:25) Coda. Actually, a synthesis between Themes A and B: arpeggios in the bass, extended development of M1, repeated ornaments and march-like rhythms.

This video is dedicated to Karthik.

[GoofyVirginian]

It's pretty sad that most people only care about the 3rd movement when the 1st and 2nd are just as beautiful

[recorderson]

Thank you. Wonderful sound and performance; all perfect 👏👏👏 I have always loved this interpretation of the wonderful K 331 ❤ Great Uchida

[vodkat]

Just came here after listening to the previous 10 sonatas. What an odd sonata, the first movement is a theme and variations. And I didn't know rondo alla turca came from this sonata!

[FelipeFerreira]

thanks for do this video, I've never seen other video of this sonata in this quality, thank you

[VangeliusG]

Fantastic Sonata as always! 4:57 my favorite and great performance!

[Fabio-cbod]

It's great, keep making these videos pls!

[jameswyatt]

definitely skipping some of teh dynamics

[HyPrivetOk]

Я бы конечно лучше ссыграла, но это тоже не плохо

[jonos]

Tenho essa sonata salva já tem uma semana e só vim descobrir agora que a marcha turca é daqui. Foi uma surpresa muito boa, já que eu só tava procurando por alguma sonata de mozart em lá maior