159 W. A. Mozart (1756-1791) Sonata No. 9 in D Major, K. 311 - Allegro con spirito - Andante con espressione - Rondo. Allegro Mozart composed the Piano Sonata in D major K. 311 in Mannheim in November 1777, when he was 21 years old, while he was with his mother on a long journey which led them the following spring to Paris. The piece contains various hints of the unique “polite” [musical style that characterized the city of Mannheim and its inhabitants. Mozart’s extraordinary expressive abilities as a young developing composer are already evident, as are many of Haydn’s ideas, especially in the use of the ‘sonata form’ in the first two movements. The Sonata is full of understated lyricism along with humor and expression, and it demands and displays brilliant virtuosity. There are three movements. The first movement, the opening Allegro has a theme full of life and is orchestral in nature. Next, there is a passage of fast scale sections that ends with four chords, after which the second theme appears immediately. The development section is of a minor nature and is followed by another development characterized by scales. The movement comes to an end with the appearance of the second theme, this time in a minor scale and another mention of the opening of the movement ending with a short coda. The second movement is a slow and calm rondo, pastoral in nature, which begins with a slow melody emphasized over the accompaniment in the left hand and continues with a second theme that is charming in its beauty and simplicity. Mozart does not include a development section in this movement, but repeats the themes with slight changes and in different keys. The movement is full of expression and harmonic richness. The third movement is a light and playful rondo and is the most technically demanding of the movements. It opens with a bold and confident first theme featuring ornaments and fast notes. A second theme, more lyrical in nature, develops later into fast scales. A minor third theme appears next, played once in the right hand and once in the left hand. Mozart writes a cadenza in the middle of the movement, after which the first and second themes repeat until the end of the piece. The episode is full of energy and surprises and provides many contrasts and changing moods with sudden changes in dynamics. Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) Polonaise op. 44 in F sharp Minor Chopin left his homeland, Poland, when he was twenty years old. He settled in Paris and although he never returned to Poland, he was always identified as a Polish composer. In Paris he met, among others, Liszt, Rossini and Berlioz, and his romantic relationships with the French writer George Sand influenced his life. He wrote most of his works for the piano, and many pieces (the waltzes, nocturnes, preludes, mazurkas and polonaises) were intended for performance in intimate house concerts. These works have become popular over time and are performed in concert halls all over the world. The origin of the Polonaise dates back to the end of the sixteenth century as a magnificent dance in a triple rhythm that was used by the aristocracy, from where it was rolled out to France and A Tribute Recital
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