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An Analysis of Mozart’s
Sonata for Piano No. 4 in Eb Major, K. 282
Movement I: Adagio
Katherine Caughlin
Dec. 2, 2013
Musicianship II
Professor Helvering
Mozart’s Life
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: child prodigy and musical genius. Many scholars consider
Mozart to be one of the greatest Classical period (1750-1819) composers, as well as one of the
greatest composers of all time as well. Mozart was born in 1756 and died in 1791. He was the
youngest of seven children, though only he and his older sister survived childhood. His father,
Leopold, a composer and musician himself, foresaw the education (musical and general) of
young Mozart and his sister. At three years old, he began to play the clavichord, and started to
compose at the age of four. When Mozart was five years old, he performed his musical debut at
the Salzburg University. Over the course of his life, Mozart prolifically composed operas and
works for piano, among other works. While they were still young, Mozart and his sister were
taken touring by their father, and the family became quite popular and respected socially. In
1769, Mozart was appointed Konzertmeister at the Salzburg Court. After a dispute with the
Archbishop though, Mozart left this post and settled in Vienna where he got married and took a
court job.
Munich, 1775
In early 1775, the year of Mozart’s nineteenth birthday, he spent a few months in Munich
to see the premiere of his opera La finta giordiniera. While he was in Munich, Mozart composed
five piano sonatas: Sonatas 279-283. Mozart called these five sonatas the “difficult sonatas”. As
piano was becoming more and more popular at this time, scholars believe that Mozart wanted to
write for this instrument’s dynamic contrast capabilities. Each sonata was composed in three
movements, and none except for the fifth sonata were published during his lifetime. The fourth
of these sonatas, Sonata for Piano No. 4 in Eb Major, K.282, is especially interesting because it
begins with a slow first movement (Adagio). Normally, composers would write sonatas
beginning with an Allegro movement. Mozart is known for the melodic beauty of his
compositions, and this melodic beauty shines simply in this stunning, underappreciated piano
sonata.
Form
This movement of Mozart’s piano sonata in Eb can either be described as being in
rounded binary form, or more specifically, sonata form, as sonata form is a more specific form of
rounded binary form. The first theme (Theme I) includes measures 1-8, with a transition from the
tonic, Eb, to the dominant, Bb, ending on a half cadence in Bb Major. The second theme (Theme
II) includes measures 9-15, which is in the key of Bb. Measure 15 concludes with a repeat sign
of the whole first fifteen measures. In terms of small forms, these first 15 measures can be
considered the A section. The next eleven measures can be considered the development in
respect to sonata form, although the return to the original tonic, Eb, is brought about very early
by a common chord modulation in this section. This section really plays with colours while in
Eb, which is the reason one could label this section as the “B” section. In measure 26, Mozart
brings back the half cadence that he used in measure 8 to introduce Theme II, to bring back
Theme II in the key of Eb Major, instead of the dominant Bb Major. From measures 27-33,
Mozart reiterates Theme II exactly except in the key of Eb Major. The harmony and melody are
both exactly the same only in the original tonic key. This, in small form, would be the return of
A, but it would be considered A’ because Theme I is not revisited until the Coda at the very end
of the piece. In sonata form, this section would be called the recapitulation. After A’ is played,
there are repeats to go back to the beginning of the B section, playing until the end of A’ and
finally, ending with the Coda. The overall form is quite simple to realize and even without
looking at the score, one could easily hear the different sections of the movement by just
listening to it. But, although the sections are easily segmented, the transitions between sections
are flawlessly connective and feel effortless.
The Music itself
Mozart does very many interesting things to make this specific movement extremely
beautiful. Mozart’s understanding of melody, and the way he flourishes his melodies seems
effortless. His melodies work together with the underlying harmonic framework to produce a
beautifully captivating feeling of tension and release. A prime example of this tension and
release is on measure 8. This suspension on the third and fourth beats of the V chord resolving to
the half cadence really emphasizes this tension. The embellishment of the V chord at the
beginning of the measure sets up this cadential V764-853, so that when it does indeed resolve,
the listener is put at ease. The first theme provides a delicate and simple melody that the ear
picks up immediately as a theme. Mozart also uses embellishments such as trills and non-chord
tones to make the melody more interesting. Mozart clearly separates melody from the
accompaniment by giving the melody to the right hand, and the harmonic structure to the left
hand. The harmonic motion is quite rapid, occurring almost every beat of each measure in the
first stanza. This motion changes significantly in the second part of the first theme, as harmonic
changes occur only once or twice a measure. The harmony also changes pace by the arpeggiation
of the chords in the left hand. By the beginning of the second theme, the harmonic rhythm speeds
up just a bit, with a different chord falling every two beats. The left hand first uses the
accompaniment pattern of playing a “boom-chick-chick-chick” pattern, making the music feel
graceful and light. Mozart’s use of the driving eighth notes in the left hand in measures 13 and
14 really drive the music along for those measures leading to the end of the second theme and
into the development section. Harmonically speaking, the developmental section really slows
down until the transition back to Eb. He does this is many ways, and one of those ways was to
re-introduce the Ab into the melody. Mozart does this in measure 17 by repeating the Ab three
times, so the listener has absolutely no doubt that he is returning to Eb Major. When Mozart
transitions back to Eb, the beginning key of the movement, the melody starts to pick up while
harmonically, Mozart is just elaborating on a V chord to transition back to Eb from its dominant
Bb. Mozart really drives it home that the music is going back to Eb when he uses the Italian
augmented six chord right before the dominant chord in measure 20. When the left hand finally
reaches I in Eb major, the listener may remember hearing this before, and they would be correct.
Mozart takes then idea from the second part of the first theme and places it here before the
recapitalization. The material is then almost identical until the Coda at the end of the piece. The
Coda brings back the beginning of the first theme until embellishing it up to the final perfect
authentic cadence, which is really just an elongated I chord in Eb, bringing the listener right to
where the piece began.
Reactions
This movement, Adagio, of Mozart’s Sonata for Piano in Eb Major is beautifully written,
with specific attention to the melody’s arches along with support from and interesting harmonic
structure. One of the most significant aspects of this movement is Mozart’s use of repetition. One
motif is used at the beginning of two sections and the Coda, making the whole movement one
coherent work of art. He also directly used sections again later in the piece, to bring the whole
piece together. The use of dynamics is also extremely important in this piece. Because the piano,
unlike the harpsichord, could exhibit a wide range of dynamics instead of the usual “soft” and
“loud” terraced dynamics, Mozart could show even more expression through the use of gradual
dynamics. One other interesting concept about this particular movement is its speed. This is the
only sonata Mozart composed that began with an Adagio movement. Most all sonatas begin with
an Allegro movement to draw the audience’s attention. But because of the beautiful, seamless
melody that Mozart begins this movement with, and the undulating harmonic texture underneath,
the fact that it is so slow really makes this movement extremely interesting and unique. This
piece is not seen as one of Mozart’s most important pieces, but truly, this piece shows Mozart’s
sensitivity to melody and harmonic language, and should be more widely appreciated and
praised.
Works Cited
Cummings, Robert. (2008). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). All Music Guide. Classical
Archives LLC—The Ultimate Classical Music Destination (1994-2013). Retrieved from
http://www.classicalarchives.com/composer/3052.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about
Eisen, Cliff. "Mozart." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press.
Web. 30 Nov. 2013.
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/40258pg3
Krumhansl, Carol L. (Spring 1996). A Perceptual Analysis of Mozart’s Piano Sonata K. 282:
Segmentation, Tension, and Musical Ideas. Musical Perception: An Interdisciplinary
Journal, vol. 13, No. 3, Analysis of the First Movement of Mozart’s Piano Sonata K. 282
(Spring, 1996), pp. 401-432. Retrieved from
http://music.psych.cornell.edu/articles/tonality/PerceptualAnalysisMozart.pdf
Ucbasaran, Zeynep. (2007) W. A. Mozart. CD booklet. Retrieved from
http://www.eroica.com/ucbasaran/notes.pdf