Sonata for Two Pianos in D major (Mozart)

The Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K. 448, is a work composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1781, when he was 25. It is written in sonata-allegro form, with three movements. The sonata was composed for a performance he would give with fellow pianist Josepha Auernhammer.[1] Mozart composed this in the galant style, with interlocking melodies and simultaneous cadences. This is one of his few compositions written for two pianos.

Sonata for Two Pianos
by W. A. Mozart
Beginning of the sonata
KeyD major
CatalogueK. 448
StyleClassical period
Composed1781 (1781)
MovementsThree (Allegro con spirito, Andante, Molto allegro)

Description

The sonata is written in three movements,

  1. Allegro con spirito
  2. Andante in G major
  3. Molto allegro.

Allegro con spirito

The first movement begins in D major, and sets the tonal center with a strong introduction. The two pianos divide the main melody for the exposition, and when the theme is presented both play it simultaneously. Mozart spends little time in the development introducing a new theme unlike most sonata forms, and begins the recapitulation, repeating the first theme.

Andante

The second movement is written in ABA form.

Molto allegro

Molto allegro begins with a galloping theme. The cadences used in this movement are similar to those in Mozart's Rondo alla Turca.

Mozart effect

According to Epilepsy Action, research has suggested that Mozart's K 448 can have the "Mozart effect", in that listening to the piano sonata improved spatial reasoning skills and reduced the number of seizures in people with epilepsy. Apart from Piano Concerto No. 23, only one other piece of music has been found to have a similar effect, a song by the Greek composer Yanni, entitled "Acroyali/Standing In Motion", which is featured on his album Yanni Live at the Acropolis.[3] It was determined to have the "Mozart effect", by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine because it was similar to Mozart's K 448 in tempo, structure, melodic and harmonic consonance and predictability.[2][3]

Notes
  1. Zaslaw, Neil, The Compleat Mozart: a Guide to the Musical Works, p. 301 (New York, 1990) ISBN 0-393-02886-0
  2. Yanni; Rensin, David (2002). Yanni in Words. Miramax Books. pp. 67. ISBN 1-4013-5194-8.
  3. "The Mozart Effect". epilepsy.org. Archived from the original on 2007-07-14. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
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