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.’

K. 9, Violin Sonata in G

K. 9, Violin Sonata in G

K. 9 as a whole remains consistent with the happy, sad, reminiscent three-movement format.  I found the Andante movement had a couple hints of darkness that I had yet to hear from his early works. 

To finish off these four violin sonatas(6-9), I’d like to comment about attention-seeking.  Leopold toured the continent seeking glory.  Glory as a great music teacher, father, and maybe even a man of superior genetics for having produced such a prodigy.  Mozart wanted attention from his father, which meant gaining recognition from his audience.  I’ll bet his father ate up Mozart’s cuddling with queens.  (I wonder how his mother felt.) 

Today, we have gobs of people trying to gain such attention.  They do this in three ways, often using facebook, youtube, blogs, etc. for catalysts.  

Quantity of attentions.  With this method, people strive to gain fame simply by doing the same things over and over again until someone notices.  Like a child at a toy store, shouting, ‘please, please, please, please, please…’  Large ad campaigns are ultimately devoted to this type of attention.  Leopold wanted as many people as possible to hear young Mozart.

Controversy of attentions.  Those of this persuasion, spill out provocative comments or actions.  History has produced numerous poignant satires, and such, that have knocked attentions into readers.  However, controversy can be a St. Bernard puppy.  You just don’t realize how much of a pain it will be until it grows up.  Today people who use this strategy are constantly trying to one up each other.  Eventually, hearers become desensitized, leading the emotionally unsure to dysfunctional means of attention mongering.  Mozart’s age alone may have been enough to stir controversy: add blindfolds, covered keys, and other challenges… Mass hullabaloo.

Quality of attentions.  Clearly, Mozart produced quality.  Unfortunately, most often, quality is not enough to gain lasting attention.  It needs the accompaniment of the other two.  Produce a quantity of quality, or a work of provocative quality. 

Have all three and who knows what could happen? (Still doesn’t guarantee any particular outcome).

In addition, quality is subjective.  I watch stuff critics think is profound, and say, ‘This is trash,’ (not that I’m an expert on quality).  The fact is, one doesn’t even need quality output to gain a broad set of attentions. (reality TV, *cough)  However, if one desires to create a lasting, difference-making fame, he or she must have all three.  If Mozart had only written Eine Kleine Nactmusick, would he be as admired as he is today?  What if his life had been ‘normal’ and his music unmoving?  Or what if he solely produced the works of his youth, never having matured his voice?

Getting attention is easy.  For example, I could drive my car through the local grocery store with a sign that declares why I want to be noticed.  Gaining the recognition I want without making myself sick from shameless self-promotion, however...

I'll end with this poem I find interesting:

Behold, our look-at-me culture

A girl fears to ask 

For the approval she seeks 

Their voices loom loud

If only one would hear

~Caveat Ties

K. 7, Violin Sonata in D

K. 7, Violin Sonata No. 2 in D

K. 7?  What shall I say?  Three movements—or four (don’t quite understand the difference between Minuet I and II.  Are they separate movements, or what?).  The first has a nice sound.  The thing about Mozart’s music is that even though some songs don’t grab me, I have yet to hear any thing that annoys me—some more modern pieces however…  Anyway, I think the Adagio movement highlights a new maturity.  To me, this movement seems to reflect the first hints of dialogue between the violin and harpsichord.  The third movement, in addition, has new elements of dramatic contrast. 

I’ve read that Johann Schobert may have influenced these early violin sonatas. And, Schobert may have been offended when Mozart told him he could play the man’s pieces with ease.  The theory may be debatable, but possible.  Schobert must have been somewhat stubborn.  He insisted certain mushrooms were not poisonous to his own demise.  And, Mozart had his own arrogant streak that could rub certain people the wrong way.

Would I be offended if someone came to greatest because of my influence, yet bragged that they easily surpassed me? I’ve heard the mark of a great teacher is when one rejoices when a student surpasses him or her.  

K. 6, Violin Sonata in C

K. 6, Violin Sonata in C

The first piece in the K. catalogue with multi-movements.  The allegro movement starts with the violin and piano dancing in unity.  It reminds me of the 1^st movement of his 40^th Symphony.  The andante exhibits that part that I believe makes Mozart’s music so unique.  It starts with a simply melody that grows in complexity with its harmonies.  The entire sonata grows in beauty, like an evening primrose waking for the night.  I think this work represents a new maturity.  How could someone develop so fast?  The third movement is similar to all his other minuets.  And the last movement finds itself staying in my head.  Not sure if that is because it was last or, because it is the most catchy.  Even though K. 6 could be played as simply a keyboard sonata, the violin adds a layer of emotion, in spite of the lack of dialogue. 

So what drove Mozart to conquer the violin?  Whereas his keyboard playing represents a child striving for a father’s attention, the mastery of the violin is a yearning to be like his father.  Leopold was an accomplished violist who had published a manual around Mozart’s birth. Unique stirrings well in a child’s soul to impress his or her father.  As playground children brag, ‘my dad can beat up your dad,’ they admire their fathers.  Even considering absent fathers, children often feel they have to make up some altruistic reason why their fathers are out of the picture.  I work with trouble youth and am surprised by the way many of the younger ones brag about the dads.  One kid bragged about all the cars his father stole and all the people he killed—whether completely true or not, staff debate.  I believe Mozart reached this stage early—stuck in it for the rest of his life. Whereas, most children eventually reach an age when everything their fathers do is moronic.  Boy, I can’t wait until my kids hit that age.