Piano Sonata No. 11 (Mozart)

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K. 331 is a sonata in three movements:

1. Andante grazioso - a theme with six variations
2. Menuetto - a minuet and trio
3. Rondo Alla Turca: Allegretto (sometimes called Mozart's Romance)

It is not known for certain exactly where and when Mozart composed the sonata - in Vienna or Salzburg in around 1783 is currently thought to be most likely, though Paris and dates as far back as 1778 have also been suggested.

The last movement, Alla Turca or popularly known as the Turkish Rondo is often heard on its own, and is one of the most well known of all Mozart's works. It imitates the sound of Turkish Janissary bands, the music of which was much in vogue at that time. Various other works of the time imitate this music, including Mozart's own opera The Abduction from the Seraglio. For more on Turkish music influences, see Turkish music (style).

[edit] Relationships to later compositions

• The theme of the first movement was used by Max Reger in one of his best known works, the Variations and Fugue on a theme of Mozart (1914) for orchestra.

• Jazz musician Dave Brubeck named his own famous Turkish-influenced work with a nearly parallel title, "Blue Rondo à la Turk" on Time Out (1959).

• Arcadi Volodos recorded his own virtuoso piano adaptation of the Turkish March on his 1997 debut album Piano Transcriptions.

• The Rondo Alla Turca is quoted on electric guitar in the introduction of the song Play With Me by Extreme

• MC Plus+ used the Turkish March in his song Computer Science for Life.

[edit] Media

[edit] Scores

• Free scores of the Piano Sonata No. 11 at Mutopia Project

Piano Sonatas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
C Major K. 279 | C Major K. 280 | B flat Major K. 281 | E flat Major K. 282 | G Major K. 283 | D Major K. 284 | C Major K. 309 | A Minor K. 310 | D Major K. 311 | C Major K. 330 | A Major K. 331 | F Major K. 332 | B flat Major K. 333 | C Minor K. 457 | F Major K. 533/494 | C Major K. 545 | F Major K. 547a | B flat Major K. 570 | D Major K. 576