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Rondo alla turca by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Carmen Rodríguez-Peralta The Rondo alla turca, which is the final movement of the Sonata in A Major, K 331, is one of Mozart’s most engaging pieces. Today it is played by intermediate piano students as well as by seasoned professionals, and it is enjoyed by everyone, ranging from young children to classical music connoisseurs. Part of its appeal lies in the lively and energetic themes which frequently repeat, and the fact that one of those tunes has a folkloric, march-like quality. A rondo is a musical form in which one or two themes keep repeating throughout a piece, alternated by contrasting music. This form is particularly accessible when the themes are as charming as Mozart’s, and the listener recognizes these melodies immediately when they are restated. In Mozart’s time Turkish music was very popular in Vienna, and the second of the themes which keeps coming back was inspired by the music played by the Turkish Janissary bands. These Ottoman Empire military bands played energetic marches, which were accompanied by drums and cymbals. Mozart’s theme has the vivacious music played in octaves by the right hand with the left hand providing the rhythmic percussion accompaniment. When one plays Mozart, it is imperative to remember the Western Classical Era ideals of clarity of sound and the importance of form and structure. But equally crucial in this Rondo alla turca is to consider the influence of non-western Turkish elements, which helps to make this piece one of Mozart’s most beloved works.
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