Mozart's Rondo in D Major

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

This is one of the pieces of my Musical Links Investigation! :)