Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466 (Maria João Pires)
Introduction[]
Piano concerto K.466 in d minor is completed by Mozart on February 10, 1785, and played the first performance the nect evening in Vienna. In Mozart's hands, the concerto took on his special qualities. His earliest works in the genre were arrangements of largely sonata movements and other pieces which written by famouse composers who inspired young Mozart, but soon Mozart perfected and personalized the form in his own way. K.466 is the only one of two written in a minor key, and the most overtly dark, dramatic and impassioned.
Analysis[]
In the first movement, Allegro in D minor, Mozart's themes are motivic rather than conventionally melodic; more than two centuries later it remains a miracle that the soloist never plays exactly what the orchestra sets forth in the exposition. Nor does the soloist take complete change until the coda of the finale, where Mozart bring the music into D major.
The second movement is a Romanza in B flat major. It is a five part rondo form with a coda. The beginning features a solo piano playing the charming man melody wihout accompaniment. Halfway through, the music moves on to the second episode, where the beautiful melody presents in G minor, which greatly contrasts the peaceful mood. This movement is testament to Mozart's brilliant facility with no just exiting music but also getle and melodious sounds that can really touch the audian's heart.
Mozart returns to D minor on the third movement which is marked on Allegero assai; alla breve. It is an extended sonata-rondo form with coda (ABACD). The A section melody is touched upon by the piano where the mood is still dart but strangely restless. A contrating cheerful melody in F minor then goes to D minor, A minor, G minor then the solo piano repeats the theme before a full orchestral passage develops the passage and ended in D major.
Comparison[]
Mozart's another piano concerto written in a minor key is K.491 in c minor. Up to the time that K.491 was written, Concero in D minor, K.466 is the only one in a minor mode. In many ways, K.491 projects a less dramatic, less operatic personality. It has a more reflective sound, almost intimate quality and more like the chamber music.
Observation[]
Overall, in the works of Mozart mature series, he created a unique conception of the piano concerto that attempted to solve the ongoing problem of how thematic material is dealt with by the orchestra and piano with his special personality.
Work Cited[]
“Mozart-Pinao concerto No.20 in D minor, K.466 (Maria Joao Pires)” Youtube Video. Uploaded Jul 6, 2012. Posted by “ MrPalika” Accessed March 30, 2014.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiHKJeoXdNM
Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V, Oalisca. A History of Western Music. Eighth Edition. (W.W. Norton and Campany, New York, New York). 2010
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor, K.477. Score. IMSLP. Accessed March 30, 2014. http://petrucci.mus.auth.gr/imglnks/usimg/a/a9/IMSLP26334-PMLP15389-Mozart_Pf_Concerto_20_K466.pdf
New Work, New Instrument. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204190704577023952826421774