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. 11, Sonata in G

K. 11, Sonata in G

K. 11 is the first piece that begins with an andante movement.  Why did he switch it up?  The movement starts off reflective and then the moods drops shortly after the first round of melody like an ‘oi ve’ sigh.  After the sigh, it returns to reflection, but at a slower pace with a few more sighs.  If I understand it correctly, the second movement is an allegro-minuetto.  Violin Concerto no. 5, my favorite piece (as of right now), uses two tempo marks in the third movement.  Where in his violin concerto, Mozart’s dialogue has reached full maturity.  Violin with orchestra, tempo with tempo.  At the K. 11 age, his work lacked dialogue among individual instrument, but a dialogue forms between tempos.  The allegro shouts, ‘let’s go conquer the world.’  The minuetto pulls back the reins saying, ‘slow down.  We need to think this through.’