Mozart Sonata K.570, part 2: Adagio
July 24, 2024
Today, I post the second part of this sonata by my favorite composer, an Adagio in E-flat Major.
As expected, this lyrical and delicate Adagio invites introspection and reflection with its serene introduction. Still, the tone soon takes on the darker hues of the composer, giving us a taste of the somber themes of his genius works, such as the Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor and the famous Requiem, which he would compose shortly thereafter. It is noteworthy, however, that despite this Adagio’s optimistic nature, the times the composer faced were nothing short of troubled.
It was 1789, the year a mature Mozart wrote this sheet music, possibly one of the many compositions he was working on simultaneously, all scattered on his large dining table, which he had narrowly saved from pawn. Living through a delicate period of financial hardship, buried in debt, and struggling against the high rent and firewood prices during that year’s harsh winter, Mozart juggled between one commission and another.
I am moved to play this piece, knowing the reality he faced that year. At the time, Mozart was exchanging extensive correspondence with his friend and fellow Freemason, Johann Michael von Puchberg, from whom he frequently requested loans, as described in this excerpt from a letter written 190 years ago, on July 12, 1789:
“I am writing 6 six easy keyboard sonatas for Princess Friederika and 6 quartets for the King, [...] besides that, the 2 dedications will also bring in something; in a few months, my fate must be decided, even in the smallest detail, so you, most valued friend, risk nothing with me; now it simply depends on you, my only friend, whether you are willing or able to lend me a further 500 florins? – [I] declare myself your debtor as long as I live.”
Mozart’s letters are widely documented and available in the Digitale Mozart-Edition archive: [https://dme.mozarteum.at/](https://dme.mozarteum.at/)
Mozart letter to Michael Puchberg, Vienna, 12th Jul., 1789: https://dme.mozarteum.at/DME/objs/raradocs/transcr/pdf_eng/1105_WAM_Puchberg_1789.pdf
This recording was made in early 2024, on a Yamaha U1J piano using a Shure MV88 microphone.
Mozart was such a character...tanks for charing some of his history and bringing him closer. As it is wen hearing your playng my friend. Bealtifull interpretation.