Abrsm 2023 & 2024
Grade 8 Piano Exam
Category A 2
Song Name / Song Piece Allegro 1St Mvmnt Sonata In F K 332
Composer W A Mozart
Mozart's three piano sonatas K. 330-332 are among his most popular keyboard works. They were composed in the period 1781-3, possibly during a visit to Salzburg. In view of Mozart's flair for opera, it is not surprising that this Allegro is operatic in its sudden changes of mood, from the gently lyrical (starting at bars 1 and 41) to the stormy (bars 22 and 56).
Recommended tempo for this piece is 120 crotchet bpm and this piece has been performed to a similar tempo.
This piece is mainly to be played legato, and care is needed to play expressively, but the true skill is being able to execute the numerous slurs correctly, so as to create a light and elegant sound, in keeping with the Viennese Classical style. The main trick is to play the last note of each slur lighter, which helps to add elegance and finesse to the phrases.
Be careful not to over-use the sustain pedal in this piece - it’s very easy to fall into a habit of pedalling almost every bar in order to “romanticise it” - don’t! I had to keep reminding myself that this piece does not need to loose it’s clarity of melody and with a good legato touch it will work surprisingly well with little pedal added. Remember this is not the music of later Romantic composers such as Chopin!
There are a few bars where staccato wedges are written - bars 14, 28, 41, etc.. and these were often used in the late 18th Century by Haydn and Mozart to indicate normal staccato, as opposed to staccatissimo - however I chose to play them quite short and crisp which makes for a nice contrast.