FIRST MOVEMENT FROM SONATA K310 IN A MINOR

Key A minor Tempo Allegro maestoso Style Classical Will improve your Passagework Trills Sudden dynamic contrasts

Gripping from the outset, this thrilling Allegro movement will need rhythmic precision and some seriously first-class articulation, says Mozart composed only two piano sonatas in a minor key.

This Sonata is the first of the two, and it is particularly significant for that reason. Almost symphonic in its composition, it is a work (which may have been influenced by the death of his mother) that is both tragic and noble. It is also one of his most challenging works for solo piano, both technically and musically.

Although we are only looking

at the first movement here, I would highly recommend learning the whole Sonata. The almost breathless Finale is preceded by a glorious slow movement that sits firmly at the heart of this work.

The opening movement is marked Allegro maestoso and the maestoso element is key here.

Grand and mighty in mood, it must never sound heavy, or lack in energy. It is a flourish and must grab the listener’s attention from the first chord. Pedalling is a challenging subject, and demonstration by a teacher is vital – but as a rule very little pedal is needed over the semiquavers, and there must always be absolute clarity at the end of all the semiquaver passages (i.e. no pedal).

Starting with the exposition, it will help to study the LH alone.

Those pulsing chords need to be firmly held onto at all times as all the notes must sound. However, it is important that the chords don’t

overshadow the RH, so balance is key. I suggest practising these chords alternately without the thumb and then without the fifth finger. Think about keeping very close to the key, always playing without leaving the top of the key and within the escapement of the key. They need energy and are non legato in touch.

As for the RH appoggiaturas (bars 1, 2 and 4), that is always an ongoing topic for

discussion! Most pianists play the appoggiaturas in bars 2 and 4 as even quavers, but not the opening. Feel the dissonance of the descending D# to the E at the start.

Keep the strong, warm tone right up until the end of the

phrase at bar 5. The LH finishes the phrase and must remain strong. Then, halfway through that bar, with a subito piano, the RH needs to sound like it’s imitating two woodwind instruments. Listen intensely here and aim to create a different sound from the beginning. The LH slurs are crucial. Be sure to lean into the first slur, and when you release the next note, make sure it is matched exactly in terms of weight and sound. It is also important to observe the rests in these bars. Keep the tone piano so that the main theme returns (bar 9) with all its initial impact and strength – subito forte. Bar 13 brings a combination of slurs and staccatos – all of which must be precise. Be sure to try and observe both of them exactly, before you ebb away (calando) into bar 15.

LEARNING TIP

Practise in different rhythms – and possibly even with the metronome – to ensure smooth and even passagework.

At bar 16, semiquavers appear for the first time in the LH.

Aim to keep a constant rotation in your LH wrist (to keep it free) and give a small ‘pointing’ to the fifth finger (G) to give it bite. The subito piano in bar 18 needs to sound like an echo. Keep the tempo and the drama strong until halfway through bar 22.

From bar 22, a different, lighter

touch is required. The RH notes should sound light and as if they are being plucked. Rather than aim for a conventional legato, lower your wrist and your finger tips to pluck each note. Again, the LH in these bars needs to stay very close to the keys in order not to sound heavy.

In the following bars the RH contains lots of passagework.

Try to get this as even and fluent as possible. This might be difficult to achieve, and I suggest practising in different rhythms and possibly even with the metronome.

Voice the LH in bar 28 and aim to make it as legato and cantabile

as possible. You will notice that the RH is also under a long phrase marking here. This indicates a more legato touch in the RH, too, so veer away from the non legato touch of the preceding bars.

Notice the LH quavers at the

end of bar 35. These are taken over by the RH a few bars later (bar 40) and imitated. In bar 36 you may also want to drop the dynamic to something quieter. Crescendo through bar 38 and use your LH chords for full support.

The trills in bar 42 are difficult.

I would aim to not make them any more than six notes in the first instance. This is also because you want to make sure that the turn is fully incorporated. The trick with trills, generally, is to try and not dig into the keyboard too much. Try to find a lighter touch and keep the forearm free.

I suggest isolating the last two beats of bar 43 onto the first

beat of bar 44. That’s because it’s quite a tricky corner and takes some separate practice. Allow yourself a little bit of space between these two bars – not a ritardando, as such, but a very slight pulling back of tempo. Imagine you are a conductor steering the orchestra into the next bar with great authority.

I suggest briefly dropping the

dynamic at bar 45. This means you have four full bars to make a long and significant crescendo to the end of the exposition. The final A minor chords need to be strong and in exact tempo – almost like a fanfare.

The development brings a key change into C major.

And with it a brief moment of optimism. Darkness is never far away, however, and by the time you reach bar 58 the feeling of optimism is immediately replaced. The LH is a crucial support in bar 58. Above it sits a very tight, almost martial dotted rhythm which must never be allowed to slack. It is helpful to pay particular attention to the semiquavers in this passage as they are often overlooked in favour of the downbeat dotted quaver. But in themselves they contain a lot of vital energy.

Bars 59 to 71 are technically

challenging in the RH. It is important to make the two RH voices – both descending and ascending – as legato as possible, in contrast to the bars that contain the crotchets (which feature in 58, 62 and 66). A good practice technique here is to play these RH bars with both hands, and listen keenly to what each voice is doing. When you revert back to RH alone, you’ll be more aware of the part-playing. Throughout these development bars the LH can offer support by ‘pulsing’ with the fifth finger.

Inject some bite into it and rotate between the thumb and second finger. You can try practising this figure in different keys in order to attain better fluency and avoid becoming stuck or gummed up.

We finally come out of this

passage in bar 70. I suggest using a six-note turn (and in the LH when it comes in subsequent bars) in the RH, instead of a full trill. A chromatic scale leads us back into the recapitulation at bar 80.

A brief semiquaver coda

passage begins at bar 129. It drives through to the end of the movement. Reduce the dynamic range to around mp, so that you can make a full crescendo to the final three chords in bar 133. These final chords must be strong, mighty and dry, with no ritardando. Pedal each chord separately for a final flourish. ■