Mozart's Rondo in D Major
Musical Elements
Original Key: D Major
Stepwise, syncopated opening melody: A G F E D Dominant to Tonic
Light style of piece (can be seen in opening melody)
Harmony (left hand) plays chords (tonic and third and then fifth in quavers)
Perfect Cadence Bar 4 Vc 7 - I
Balanced Phrases
Exposition: bars 1 - 59
Section A begins at bar 1 and ends at bar 15
Some use of chromaticism in bars 7 and 8 to create interest, as otherwise bars 9 to 15 would be almost a straight repeat
B(transition): bars 16 to 52
Modulation to B Minor bar 21. This is the relative minor key
Modulation to A Minor in bar 23. This is the dominant minor key of D Major
Alberti bass bar 21
Bar 36 Modulation to A Major. This is the Dominant Major of D Major
Bar 39 alberti bass in right hand and melody moves to left hand in a sequence from section A
C(codetta): bar 53
A Major ending, Tonic Pedal in the left hand
Development Section: bars 60 to 94
Modulation to A Minor (dominant minor) goes to B Minor (relative minor key)
Bar 60, reference to original motif, melody in unison in both hands
Bar 71, G Major, sub-dominant key of D Major
From bars 79 to 94 lots of modulations back to Tonic Key: G Major -- A Minor -- B Minor -- D Major
Recapitulation: bars 95 to end
A, Transition, A, Codetta, A
Transition is in the key of D Minor
Modulates to F Major in bar 112
Modulates back to D Minor in bar 120
Goes back to Section A at bar 125
Alberti pattern, with melody in left hand
Melody, left hand, exact pitch and copy of original A section
Bar 130, modulates to E minor
133, modulates to back to D Major
Interrupted Cadence, bars 135-136
Modulation to Bb Major in bars 138
Back to D Major in 144
Codetta Starts at bar 148
Section A restarts at 158. Continues through to end.
Ends with typical Mozart extended cadence (crotchet -- crotchet -- minim)
Context
Classical Style, written in Spring 1787
Response to one of Mozart's friends dying
Written for solo piano, to portray a sort of melancholy feel
Structure
Sonata-Rondo (or Rondo-Sonata)
Exposition: A B(transition) C(codetta)
A, bars 1 to 15
B, bars 16 to 52
C, bars 53 to 59
Development: bars 60 to 94
A fragments: bars 60 to 70
A: bars 71 to 94
Recapitulation: bars 95 to end
