Mozarts Piano Sonata No. 8 in A Minor Program Note
Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310
Mozart’s Mourning
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” – Victor Hugo
The Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310, composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is an original piece which stands out even among all of his other works. To fully appreciate this sonata however, one must understand the events in Mozart’s life preceding the writing of this piece. Written in the summer of 1778 shortly after the death of his mother, for which his own father blamed him, the Piano Sonata No. 8 expresses Mozart’s pain and anguish following the loss of his mother. (LaPhil) Offering stark contrasts throughout, whether they are between the different movements, or within the movements themselves, this piece constantly reflects the shock, confusion, and agony of losing a loved one. And it is for this reason that I believe this sonata is the manifestation of Victor Hugo’s quote. The eighth out of eighteen sonatas written my Mozart, it is the first of only two to be written in a minor key. This alone sets the sonata apart from the rest, giving it a darker undertone from the beginning.
The first movement, whose tempo marking is allegro meastoso, (fast, in a paced march-like manner) opens with a vehement melody as the first theme. The right hand is playing a very staccato rhythm, which is complimented by the left hand’s much smoother cadence. (LaPhil) This results in a dense flurry of notes, which reflects the frantic anger, and depression one could not help but feel after the loss of a mother. By giving the listener only brief pauses between these sections of dense melody, the chaos and angst of the theme is only fortified.
The second movement in and of it self proves to be a striking contrast to the first. With the tempo marking andante cantabile con espressione (steady, in a lyrical expressive manner) its 3/4 tempo offers a lighthearted ambiance when juxtaposed to the 4/4
Mozart’s Mourning
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” – Victor Hugo
The Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310, composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is an original piece which stands out even among all of his other works. To fully appreciate this sonata however, one must understand the events in Mozart’s life preceding the writing of this piece. Written in the summer of 1778 shortly after the death of his mother, for which his own father blamed him, the Piano Sonata No. 8 expresses Mozart’s pain and anguish following the loss of his mother. (LaPhil) Offering stark contrasts throughout, whether they are between the different movements, or within the movements themselves, this piece constantly reflects the shock, confusion, and agony of losing a loved one. And it is for this reason that I believe this sonata is the manifestation of Victor Hugo’s quote. The eighth out of eighteen sonatas written my Mozart, it is the first of only two to be written in a minor key. This alone sets the sonata apart from the rest, giving it a darker undertone from the beginning.
The first movement, whose tempo marking is allegro meastoso, (fast, in a paced march-like manner) opens with a vehement melody as the first theme. The right hand is playing a very staccato rhythm, which is complimented by the left hand’s much smoother cadence. (LaPhil) This results in a dense flurry of notes, which reflects the frantic anger, and depression one could not help but feel after the loss of a mother. By giving the listener only brief pauses between these sections of dense melody, the chaos and angst of the theme is only fortified.
The second movement in and of it self proves to be a striking contrast to the first. With the tempo marking andante cantabile con espressione (steady, in a lyrical expressive manner) its 3/4 tempo offers a lighthearted ambiance when juxtaposed to the 4/4
Bibliography: LA Phil. “Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310,” Last accessed March 5, 2014. http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/music/piano-sonata-no-8-minor-k-310-wolfgang-amadeus-mozart