Essay on The keyboard sonatas of Haydn and Mozart

When comparing compositions of the two composers, the two composers differ in several areas, such as form, tonality, theme, and structure. Haydn’s compositions were more relevant with the classical era. His pieces were more constructed on melody and vastly linear. Whereas Beethoven set off to use more of a dynamic contrasting sound in his compositions. First off, comparing a movement in Haydn’s symphony No. 95 in C minor and Beethoven’s symphony No. 5.

The 2nd movement of the Mozart k310 Piano Sonata resembles standard sonata form in many ways. It opens with a first theme in F (same as key signature). The theme is four bars long; two bars of antecedant, two bars of consequent. Mozart then starts the first theme again with a 32nd note run pick-up instead of the 16th note arpeggio pick-up in the the begginning of the piece so we are prepared for variation in the second statement of the first theme. He then continues the theme with variation until the consequent phrase which is completely different from the first consequent phrase. This new consequent has not only faster rythmic movement but also compressed harmonic rythym. This tension

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart lived from January 27, 1756 to December 5, 1791. Mozart was a very influential and prolific composer of more than 600 works, including symphonies, concertante, chamber, piano, opera, and choral music. Regarded as a child prodigy, Mozart composed and performed in the European courts from the age of five, and was engaged at the Salzburg court at 17. Mozart’s musical style can be classified as Classical, although he learned from many of his contemporaries throughout his musical career. In order to better understand Mozart’s genius it is best to begin looking at his earliest contributions to the musical world as a child. From there, an exploration of his

Haydn's Piano Sonata in Bb major has three clearly defined sections: the exposition, the development, and the recapitulation. In the exposition, the thematic statement from measure 1 through 10 is more or less the introduction followed by a theme in parallel period from measures 11 to beat two of 22. Up to this point we are in the key of Bb major, ending on a half cadence. Though it stays in this key, E is tonicized with a five of four in measures 11 and 16. Next is what I consider a bridge section in F major, connecting the themes in Bb to the themes in F. The reason I see it as a bridge phrase is for three reasons: ascending patterns, the augmented sixth chords to five, and the E natural in the

Composing works derived from styles already in existence, he created an extremely unique and unprecedented genre of works. Thus Mozart became a trailblazer of the classical age. Music from this period consists largely of a lighter and clearer texture than the preceding Baroque music and is less intricate. One trademark especially evident in Mozart’s contribution to the classical period is the use of homophony. Examples of the homophonic effect are displayed in his piano concerto No. 23 and sonata No 16 in C. In these, the distinct pattern of an indubitable melody can be distinctly and easily recognized above the adjunct chordal accompaniment. Although Mozart contributed primarily to the growth of the classical era, he was also influenced by the works of Handel and Bach. Both were prominent composers of the baroque era. In some of his later works, Mozart indulged more in the incorporation of the previous baroque

Composers since the early classical era have used sonata form to express through music ideas which are at once complex and unified. This form contains a variety of themes and permutations of these themes, but is brought together into a comprehensible whole when these excerpts reappear. Beethoven, in the first movement of his Piano Sonata Opus 2 Number 3 utilizes this form to its full potential, modifying the typical structure in his characteristic way.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven are two of the greatest composers ever to write music. Both men lived in the early 18th and 19th century, but their music and influences are still felt today. The men faced similar experiences, yet they both lead very different lives. All together the pieces that these men composed amounts to over 300 published, and unpublished works of art. The people of their time period often had mixed feelings about these men, some “complained that Mozart’s music presented them with too many ideas and that his melodies moved from one to the next faster than audiences could follow, yet the ideas themselves seem effortless and natural, clear and

     Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s style unlike anyone else. Mozart was a master of counterpoint, fugue, and the other traditional compositional points of his day. He is also considered the best melody writer the world has ever known. Wolfgang perfected the grand forms of symphony, opera string quartet, and concerto made the classical period. “Mozart’s music is characterized by lucid ease and distinction of style....”2 Wolfgang wrote over 600 works which consisted of 21 stage and opera works, 15 masses, over 50 symphonies, 25 piano concertos, 12 violin concertos,27 concert arias, 17 piano sonatas, 26 string quartets, and many more. His operas range from comic baubles to tragic pieces. In his Requiem it illustrates the supreme vocal sounds in any of his work.

Franz Joseph Haydn is one of the most recognizable names and characters of the Classical era. He is recognizes as the inventor of the string quartet, and tutored many other easily-recognizable musicians such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart. Haydn’s first experience with music was when he was eight, and he was recruited to sing as a choirboy at St. Stephen’s choir in Vienna. He eventually came to love the keyboard and violin, and supported himself in his early years by teaching and playing violin. His most famous pieces include: the "Rider" quartet and the Surprise, Military, Drumroll and London symphonies. The listening example: Symphony no. 94 is known as the Surprise Symphony, and is the second of the twelve London Symphonies.

Ludwig Van Beethoven was one of the most influential composers of his time. The decades around the 1800’s were years of many changes and Beethoven’s new approach to music was something that reflected that. “His symphonies, concertos, string quartets and piano sonatas are central to the repertory of classical music.” This essay will focus on the historical and theoretical aspects of the third movement of Sonata Op. 28 No. 15.

The early piano sonatas of Beethoven deserve special mention. Although his first published examples of concertos and trios and the first two symphonies are beneath the masterpieces of Mozart and Haydn, the piano sonatas bear an unmistakably Beethovian stamp: grandiose in scope and length, and innovative in their range of expression. The sonatas were able to move expression from terrible rage to peals of laughter to deep depression so suddenly. Capturing this unpredictable style in his music, a new freedom of expression which broke the bounds of Classical ideals, was to position Beethoven as a disturbed man in the minds of some of his contemporaries. Furthermore, he was to be seen as the father of Romanticism and the single most important innovator of music in the minds of those after him. (Bookspan 27).

Even though the two pieces were composed in different centuries – Mozart’s piece in the 18th century and Strauss’ piece in the 20th century – some of the musical elements that they share transcend both time periods. The characteristics of music in the classical period had to do with the new view of human psychology. Mozart was one to introduce contrasting moods within movements or even within a theme. He was able to infuse strong contrasts of moods within the style of his music (Burkholder, Grout, & Palisca 475). In Figaro, Mozart includes an overture which is a piece in sonata form despite its lack of a development section. In Act I cavatina, “Se vuol ballare”, Mozart whimsically makes changes to the character of his music so as to correspond to Figaro’s machinations (Hambrik n.p). By doing so, he musically

Joseph Haydn was born in a small Austrian town named Rohrau. His mother was Maria Koller a cook, and his father was Mathias Haydn who was a step under the village mayor in Rohrau. His Parents were hard working people his father would be the one who did have interests similar to his Mathias enjoyed performing folk music. Haydn would also discuss memories of his family singing and being very musically inclined with one another. He was very shart and extremely talented in the Musical Arts and his parents would notice and knew he needed a change of scenery to help him attain a better career in the art. Haydn's parents would send him with

The pieces Sonata in A Major, H. 186, Wq. 55/4, keyboard sonata, excerpt: Second movement (1765) by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Sonata in D Major, K. 119, keyboard sonata (ca. 1740s) by Domenico Scarlatti are both very unique pieces. Both Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Domenico Scarlatti were keyboard composers during their time in the 1700’s. Both of their pieces have more similarities then they do differences. One similarity that stands out the most in these two pieces is that they are both keyboard played sonatas. Both pieces are in major key and have a very unique melody. Even thought Domenico Scarlatti’s piece is a little more disjointed or harsh sounding, it still has a soothing melody in the majority of its course. Both Carl Philipp

The first movement of the third sonata is the most experimental, the one which deviates most from Classical form and harmonies. The exposition, in particular, is more like a fantasy than a sonata. The sonata opens quite promisingly. A descending broken chord followed by ascending march-like chords creates the primary theme (mm. 1 – 4).