VIVA VICE FOR SONATA IN A MINOR / SONATA IN A MAJOR COMPOSED BY GIUSEPPE DOMENICO SCARLATTI

Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples on October 26th, 1685. His musical gifts developed with astounding rapidity and at the age of sixteen, under the guidance of his father, Alessandro Scarlatti, a famous Baroque composer at that time, he became a musician at the chapel royal in Naples. In 1719, he took up a position at the Portugese court in Lisbon and then moved to Seville before he finally settled in Madrid in 1733. Today, although Scarlatti wrote opera, oratorio and sacred music, he is generally known for his keyboard sonatas, mostly in binary form. The sonatas are often showy and virtuosic with wide leaps, crossing of hands and the use of rapidly repeated notes, often accompanied by audacious dissonances and far-flung modulations which sound most effective on the keyboard. This was a technique that he pioneered. Scarlatti had written 555 sonatas all belonging to the Baroque period in almost every existing key. The majority of Scarlattis 555 sonatas were envisioned in pairs with one sonata in minor key and its partner in the corresponding major key, but the pairs very often share the tonic. Beyond this tonal relationship, these sonatas existed dynamically in contrast or complement. One of Scarlattis sonatas is the Sonata in A minor K.149. This is not a typical Baroque piece, with abrupt changes in dynamics, which are contrasts I dynamics that changed without warning, for example in measure 9 when the forte of the bar is immediately brought down to a subito piano, in addition to the frequent change in dynamics for each bar in measures 6 to 8, 18 to 20 and 30 to 31. This sonata is played in allegro, hence relatively rapidly. This sonata is characterized by numerous staccatos, octave leaps and the use of ornaments like mordents and appoggiaturas in the first and second section of the piece respectively. As in all Baroque music, certain rhythmic patterns of the first section is repeated in the second, as in Baroque music, just like the repetition of the rhythm of the last few bars of the first section is reiterated at the end of the second section. Another of his sonatas is the Sonata in A major K.208. This sonata is relatively slower than Scarlattis Sonata in A minor, being played in Andante [ at a walking pace ] and the dynamic changes are less abrupt and change every few bars with crescendos and diminuendos before each dynamic change. This piece is played relatively softly, mostly in mezzo piano, piano and pianissimo. This piece is also dominated by ornaments, especially the use of trills, tremolos and rare uses of appoggiatura, in the opening measure of the sonata. It conveys a soothing and carefree atmosphere saturated with pleasant sounds. This was a famous characteristic of Baroque music, the doctrine of mood, in which a particular mood of music remains the same throughout the music.

Modulation: A major to E major F# minor to A major Prove of modulations: Ends in perfect cadence Andante e cantabile: at a waling pace and in a singing style

VIVA VOCE FOR SONATE BY WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was born is Salzburg, Austria. He was an influential and prolific musical prodigy born to a family that was deeply involved in music, hence he was naturally attracted to music. Wolfgang began composing minuets at the age of 5 and symphonies at 9. He wrote more than 700 compositions, of which some 74 music compositions were left unfinished. Nonetheless, this was an enormous output for an artist who died in his 36th year. Mozart was a versatile composer and wrote in every major genre, including symphony, opera, the solo concerto, chamber music including string quartet, and the piano sonata. His compositions were mostly written in the Classical style with three main movements written in Allegro, Andante and Allegro respectively. Mozarts Piano Sonata No.7 in C Major, K.284b [K.309], was composed in Mannheim in 1777. The Allegro movement is one that is full of excitement and spirit, it opens with a grand C major chord followed by subsequent crotchets and quavers, played in piano, which adds contrasts in dynamics to the opening statement. There is also a prominent flexibility of rhythm, where there are unexpected syncopations and frequent changes from long notes, such as minims to semiquavers or quavers. These changes in note lengths are more often sudden than gradual. This piece is homophonic, where the melody is established in the right hand. Dynamic changes are frequent between pianissimo, piano and forte. These changes are often gradual with the use of crescendo and diminuendo leading to each dynamic change. However there are very few instances within this sonata were the changes were sudden from piano to forte. Melodies of the sonata, for example those in the beginning of the piece sound balanced and symmetrical because they are frequently made up of two phrases of the same length. The second phrase in such melodies, may begin like the first, but it will end more conclusively. This piece is also written in ternary form where the main melody, that is the opening melody, is repeated throughout the entire piece with slight changes in key each time. In addition, there are changes in key signature from C major to A minor in the middle section of the piece where the minims of the right hand are accompanied by semiquavers of the left hand. The F major Andante is sentimental and the numerous contrasts between forte and piano dynamic markings create excitement in this laidback movement. A combination of rondo and variation procedures, the movement alternates the opening piece with a single episode, on the dominant [ C Major]. The main theme is ornamentally varied at each appearance, by the use of the appoggiatura and the use of demisemiquavers. The rhythm of this movement is typical of one of the Classical period where there are frequent changes in note lengths from dotted quavers to hemidemisemiquavers or semiquavers to demisemiquavers. Most of these changes are sudden, as in the first movement. There are constant

changes in dynamics which are mostly gradual. This piece, though similar to the first movement, is homophobic. In these movements, Mozart has taken advantage of ornaments, like trills, appoggiatura and appegiation, and dynamics to further enhance the intensity and exhilaration of the sonata.

VIVA VOCE FOR SCHUBERT IMPROMPTU OP 90 NO 2 BY FRANZ SCHUBERT

Born in Vienna, Austria, Franz Peter Schubert [31 January 1797-19 November 1828] was among the first of the Romantics, and the composer who, more than any other, brought the art song to artistic maturity. During his short but prolific career, he produced masterpieces in nearly every genre, all characterized by rich harmonies, an expansive treatment of classical forms, and a seemingly endless gift for melody. Schubert began his earliest musical training studying with his father and brothers. Having passed an audition, Schubert enrolled at the Convict school that trained young vocalists to eventually sing at the chapel of The Imperial Court. Schubert began to explore composition and wrote a song that came to the attention of the institution's director, Antonio Salieri, who along with the school's professor of harmony, hailed young Schubert as a genius. He had written more than 100 songs as well as numerous symphonic, operatic, and chamber music scores, before he reached the age of 20. In 1820, Schubert was commissioned by two opera houses, the Karthnerthor Theatre and Theatre-ander-Wein, to compose a pair of operas. In 1823, Schubert was elected to the Musikverein of Graz, as an honorary member. During the composer's last moments, he instructed his brother Ferdinand to ensure that he would be buried alongside Ludwig van Beethoven's grave. Schubert revered the legendary composer, and was grateful to him, as Beethoven had praised his work after hearing a selection of songs. Schubert also highly regarded the work of both Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Despite his short life, Schubert produced a wealth of symphonies, operas, masses, chamber music pieces, and piano sonatas, most of which are considered standard repertoire. He is known primarily for composing hundreds of songs including Gretchen am Spinnrade, and Erlkonig. He pioneered the song cycle with such works as Die Schne Mllerin, and Die Winterreise, and greatly affected the vocal writing of both Robert Schumann and Gustav Mahler.

No. 2 in E-flat major Set in E-flat major, the piece begins with a lively scale-based and often chromatic melody in triplets; it is in compound ternary form (the A section is in ternary form itself). The middle subsection of the A section is in E-flat minor and is naturally darker than the opening though still very lyrical. The section ends with two oscillating figures which act as an important bridge both here and later. The first subsection repeats but moves quickly into a codetta which reasserts Eflat minor and the darker feeling of the middle subsection. A quick ascending scale leads to the B section in B minor (which however contrasting, is based rhythmically on the implied accents in the structure of the A section

(123123123123)). This section is based on a figure alternating a widely spaced bare octave and an offbeat accented triplet. The alternation of octave and triplet becomes closer towards the end and the oscilating figures played at the end of the E-flat minor section return to lead back into the opening A section of the work. The Coda is a modified version of the B section, starting in B minor but alternating that key with E-flat minor, in which key the work ends. It is one of few pieces that begin in a major key and end in the parallel minor.