Violin Sonatas, KV 6-9 (Mozart)
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
's first four sonatas for keyboard and violin, K
. 6-9 are among his earliest works. These were composed by a budding Mozart between 1762 and 1764. They encompass several of Mozart's firsts as a composer: for example, his first works incorporating the violin
, his first works with more than a single instrument, his first works in more than one movement and his first works in sonata form
. In fact, previous to this, all his works had been short solo-pieces for the harpsichord
.
Mozart would have been between 6 and 8 years of age when he composed these works; hence it is believed by many that it was written down for the boy by his father, Leopold
: all four of these early sonatas are preserved in Leopold's handwriting.
All of Mozart's early violin sonatas are really keyboard sonatas with violin accompaniment, a fact which is made clear from the original title of the four sonatas K. 6-9: Sonates pour le clavecin qui peuvent se jouer avec l'accompagnement de violon (“Sonatas for the keyboard, which may be played with violin accompaniment”). It is quite legitimate, therefore, to perform these works on a keyboard alone.
In composing these early sonatas, Mozart may have been influenced by the German keyboard player and composer Johann Schobert
, who was living and working in Paris when the Mozarts arrived there in November 1763. Schobert, in fact, had already published a number of keyboard sonatas with violin accompaniment, which possibly served as models for the young Mozart.
, the boy's home town, in 1762 or 1763; others suggest that it was written in Paris
in 1763 or 1764, during Mozart's first visit to that city. It was published in Paris in February 1764, along with another violin sonata, K. 7, as Mozart's “Opus 1”.
K6 has 4 movements, the third being a pair of menuets:
The keyboard and violin interact in various ways throughout the piece: the violin echoing the tune of the keyboard, the two moving in synchronicity. The violin sometimes doubles the tune while the keyboard provides the bass. It is quite a lively and light-hearted work. Mozart successfully employs Alberti bass
in this sonata.
The Notenbuch für Nannerl
contains versions for solo piano of the first three movements of this sonata. It is thought that the first and second of these movements and the Menuet I from the third movement were inscribed in the Notenbuch by Leopold in Brussels
in 1763. A version for solo piano of Menuet II (together with a piano version of the third movement of Leopold's Serenade in D) can also be found in Leopold's hand in the Notenbuch with the comment, di Wolfgango Mozart d. 16ten Julÿ 1762 ("by Wolfgang Mozart on 16 July 1762); Mozart was in Salzburg
on that date.
in Paris
in January 1764. Along with the K. 6 sonata, Mozart's father Leopold
published them as Wolfgang's Opus 1 and had them dedicated to Princess Victoire of France. A later set of sonatas, in 1777-8, was also published as Opus 1.
The sonata is in of D major
and is set in three movements
:
as "Allegro in B flat".
Mozart reused a melody from minuet in the slow movement of the unnumbered Symphony in D, K. 95/73n.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
's first four sonatas for keyboard and violin, K
Köchel-Verzeichnis
The Köchel-Verzeichnis is a complete, chronological catalogue of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart which was originally created by Ludwig von Köchel. It is abbreviated K or KV. For example, Mozart's Requiem in D minor was, according to Köchel's counting, the 626th piece Mozart composed....
. 6-9 are among his earliest works. These were composed by a budding Mozart between 1762 and 1764. They encompass several of Mozart's firsts as a composer: for example, his first works incorporating the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, his first works with more than a single instrument, his first works in more than one movement and his first works in sonata form
Sonata form
Sonata form is a large-scale musical structure used widely since the middle of the 18th century . While it is typically used in the first movement of multi-movement pieces, it is sometimes used in subsequent movements as well—particularly the final movement...
. In fact, previous to this, all his works had been short solo-pieces for the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
.
Mozart would have been between 6 and 8 years of age when he composed these works; hence it is believed by many that it was written down for the boy by his father, Leopold
Leopold Mozart
Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was a German composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist. Mozart is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule.-Childhood and student years:He was born in Augsburg, son of...
: all four of these early sonatas are preserved in Leopold's handwriting.
All of Mozart's early violin sonatas are really keyboard sonatas with violin accompaniment, a fact which is made clear from the original title of the four sonatas K. 6-9: Sonates pour le clavecin qui peuvent se jouer avec l'accompagnement de violon (“Sonatas for the keyboard, which may be played with violin accompaniment”). It is quite legitimate, therefore, to perform these works on a keyboard alone.
In composing these early sonatas, Mozart may have been influenced by the German keyboard player and composer Johann Schobert
Johann Schobert
Johann Schobert was a composer and harpsichordist. His date and place of birth are disputed. Some sources say he was born in 1735 in Schlesien, Austria; others have him from Silesia, as suggested by Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm, or from Nuremberg, as claimed by Christian Schubart in his...
, who was living and working in Paris when the Mozarts arrived there in November 1763. Schobert, in fact, had already published a number of keyboard sonatas with violin accompaniment, which possibly served as models for the young Mozart.
Sonata in C for Keyboard and Violin, K. 6
The precise date and location of composition is disputed: some suggest that it was written in SalzburgSalzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, the boy's home town, in 1762 or 1763; others suggest that it was written in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1763 or 1764, during Mozart's first visit to that city. It was published in Paris in February 1764, along with another violin sonata, K. 7, as Mozart's “Opus 1”.
K6 has 4 movements, the third being a pair of menuets:
- Allegro
- Andante
- MenuetMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
I & II - Allegro molto
The keyboard and violin interact in various ways throughout the piece: the violin echoing the tune of the keyboard, the two moving in synchronicity. The violin sometimes doubles the tune while the keyboard provides the bass. It is quite a lively and light-hearted work. Mozart successfully employs Alberti bass
Alberti bass
Alberti bass is a particular kind of accompaniment in music, often used in the Classical era, and sometimes the Romantic era. It was named after Domenico Alberti , who used it extensively, although he was not the first to use it....
in this sonata.
The Notenbuch für Nannerl
Nannerl Notenbuch
The Nannerl Notenbuch, or Notenbuch für Nannerl is a book in which Leopold Mozart, from 1759 to about 1764, wrote pieces for his daughter, Maria Anna Mozart , to learn and play. His son Wolfgang also used the book, in which his earliest compositions were recorded...
contains versions for solo piano of the first three movements of this sonata. It is thought that the first and second of these movements and the Menuet I from the third movement were inscribed in the Notenbuch by Leopold in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1763. A version for solo piano of Menuet II (together with a piano version of the third movement of Leopold's Serenade in D) can also be found in Leopold's hand in the Notenbuch with the comment, di Wolfgango Mozart d. 16ten Julÿ 1762 ("by Wolfgang Mozart on 16 July 1762); Mozart was in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
on that date.
Sonata in D for Keyboard and Violin, K. 7
The work was published during the Mozart family's Grand Tour of EuropeMozart family grand tour
The Mozart family grand tour was a journey through western Europe, undertaken by Leopold Mozart, his wife Anna Maria, and their musically gifted children Maria Anna and Wolfgang Amadeus from 1763 to 1766. At the start of the tour the children were aged eleven and seven respectively...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in January 1764. Along with the K. 6 sonata, Mozart's father Leopold
Leopold Mozart
Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was a German composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist. Mozart is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule.-Childhood and student years:He was born in Augsburg, son of...
published them as Wolfgang's Opus 1 and had them dedicated to Princess Victoire of France. A later set of sonatas, in 1777-8, was also published as Opus 1.
The sonata is in of D major
D major
D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature consists of two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor....
and is set in three movements
Movement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
:
- Allegro molto
- Adagio
- MenuetMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
I and II
Sonata in B flat for Keyboard and Violin, K. 8
Composed in late 1763 and published in 1764 in Paris as Op. 2, No. 1. A solo-keyboard version of the first movement appears in Nannerl NotenbuchNannerl Notenbuch
The Nannerl Notenbuch, or Notenbuch für Nannerl is a book in which Leopold Mozart, from 1759 to about 1764, wrote pieces for his daughter, Maria Anna Mozart , to learn and play. His son Wolfgang also used the book, in which his earliest compositions were recorded...
as "Allegro in B flat".
- Allegro
- Andante grazioso
- MenuetMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
I and II
Sonata in G for Keyboard and Violin, K. 9
Composed and published in 1764 in Paris as Op. 2, No. 2.- Allegro spiritoso
- Andante
- MenuetMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
I and II
Mozart reused a melody from minuet in the slow movement of the unnumbered Symphony in D, K. 95/73n.
External links
- MozartForum notes on early Mozart compositions