K. 27, Sonata in G

K. 27, Sonata in G

I’ve done some preliminary research on Princess Carolina. An interesting set of circumstances was going on during the Mozarts’ stay.  Princess Carolina had a number of family members die.  Someone, somehow, had determined at one point a woman could be a regent.  However her parents bore a son, Willem.  They were only a year apart.  Carolina’s Grandmother died in 1765, placing the young princess into the role of regent, for Willem was only 17. 

The spotlight blared on this young princess.  I could only imagine the pressure.  Was it her youth that attracted her to young Mozart?  She knew what it was to be young and in the spotlight.  Thus, had she be charitable to Mozart in such a way that he dedicated K. 26-31 to her?  Clearly.  These works were offered to her on a particularly peculiar day: Willem’s 18^th birthday, the day he became regent.  You’d think such works would have been dedicated to the new king.  Carolina must have played an important roll in Mozart’s life. And, he wanted to declare his appreciation for her leadership as she moved into 'retirement'. What exactly did she do?  I have yet to discover.  If anyone has more info, please share.   

So, on to K. 27.  This work is only two movements.  Not sure why.  Both are familiar to some of his other earlier works, but the first strums of the harpsichord in the andante poco adagio evoke the sounds of that opening violin solo in K. 219. This hint repeats.  The allegro movement rings similar to other allegros. 

K. 26, Sonata in E-flat

K. 26, Sonata in E-flat

Right now I am trying to sift through works of contention.  I am in period of Mozart’s life where various pieces ascribed to him during his Hague months.  He was sick for some time, and downtime lent itself to composing.  I was gone for the weekend, so it was hard to sort through which piece to listen to next.  Thus, I choose a work of little debate, and a work lumped in with others so I can comment further on their history in future blurbs.  I want to find out more about Princess Carolina, to whom K. 26-31 were dedicated. 

The first movement opens with an allegro molto. One hand of the harpsichord ticks like a high paced metronome.  Seems a theme through out the piece.  The first movement flutters with hopeful anticipation. The second movement is an adagio poco andante.  This combination of tempos is new to me.  I learned the poco mean ‘a little.’ What came to mind as I listened to this movement was a slow tango.  It has a dramatic attitude that is followed with a surrendering sigh.  Like when my oldest son becomes defiant in cries, when I removed the stimulus, he quickly caves in. 

The third movement is a rondo (allegro).  I’ve read that the entire work could be played with the keyboard alone, but this movement leads me to wonder how that could be.  The two instruments dialogue in such a manner that would seem dead with one instrument alone.  

K. 23, Conservati Fedele

K. 23, Conservati Fedele

Out of England, off to The Hague.  It is fitting that K. 23 is clearly a goodbye aria, solemn in its sound and lyrics.  Goodbye to what? London?  Or Nannerl?  His sister became deathly sick while in The Hague.  She received the rite of extreme unction.   Her unction and this song’s composition happened in October of 1765.  Leopold wrote in his letters that as he and his wife prayed with Nannerl struggling with life’s hard questions, little Mozart played his violin in the next room.  Leopold seems to suggest that Mozart was unaware of serious nature concerning Nannerl’s sickness.  But, sometimes that’s the power of art.  Mozart may have been either escaping or expressing the feeling he could quite convey via physical actions.  Most likely both. 

There is just something about historical artists of a certain greatest that made them unable to connect with average folks.  In addition, they also couldn’t simply bottle up their feelings in a John-Wayne-suck-it-up manner.  Examples of such artists Poe and Van Gogh come to mind.  And, thus mediums with staying power were born.  How many of these artists grew increasingly dejected because they felt as if no one heard them?  How many people with this mentality, think thusly? 

Conservati fedele may have possibly grown into an expression of goodbye for Mozart.  It was once revised for Princess Carolina.  I haven’t found out yet, but she must have played an important role in Mozart’s life.  (I will explore the Mozarts’ relationship with Princess Carolina as I delve into the next set of violin sonatas.)   I could imagine seeing woman cry as she listened to young Mozart’s revision.