WELCOME
GREETINGS and thanks for visiting my web site. My name
is Brian Ecton a future music educator. This web site is intended
to be an educational tool for music teachers. This web site can be
used by teaching 18th century musical ideas through the instruction of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27 in B Flat Major,
K595 (First Movement).
It may be helpful to start the class talking about the background
of Mozart and the Piano Concerto No. 27 in B Flat, so here is some
helpful information about him and his piece.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg.
He was educated by his father Leopold Mozart. Leopold mozart was
the Concertmaster of the court orchestra of the Archbishop. By age
six Wolfgang was already an accomplished performer on the violin, clavier,
and organ. Wolfgang and his father spent a lot of time traveling
through Europe giving performances and showing of amazing child prodigy.
In 1769, Wolfgang was appointed the Concertmaster to the Archbishop.
Mozart spent his life as a uncommisioned and unappreciated
composer for the time period. Mozart died at age 35 on December 5,
1791 suspected typhoid fever. Although Mozart was considered
and unsuccessful composer of the time period, he still ranks as one of
the greatest geniuses and most influential |
composers of Western Civilization. Mozart wrote more than 600
pieces and shows that even as a child he possessed a thorough command of
musical components as well a very creative imagination. His works
include symphonies, divertimentos, sonata's, chamber music, concertos,
church music, and operas. Mozart's creative method was extraordinary,
for his manuscripts show that , except for an occasional difficult passage.
Mozart had the ability to create an entire work in his head re committing
it to paper. His music combines the clear and graceful melody of
Italian music with a German taste of Contrapuntal ingenuity. and epitomizes
the classical style of the 18th century.
Piano Concerto No. 27 in B Flat,
K. 595
Mozart wrote this piano concerto in January
of 1791 and came just nine months before his death. Mozart wrote
twenty-seven piano concertos, this one being the last of that genre.
It should be know that this concerto was written strictly for himself and
not for the Viennese public. Mozart's purpose for this last concerto was
to win back the success that he had attained after the Coronation Concerto
in D, K.537. The Piano Concerto in B Flat, is by far his
most mature and heartfelt piano concerto. It was with this piece
that Mozart gave his farewell as a pianist. A private concert was
organized by his close friend Joseph Bahr on March 4, 1791. To properly
enjoy this web site and it's teaching purpose it will help to purchase
this CD.
To listen to the first movement from this concerto click play.cvd
and to stop the CD click
pause.vcd
Harmony
The harmonic structure of
this work is very characteristic of 18th century compositions. Mozart
stress the tonic to dominant chord relationship by using the I
to V progression and by moving to the dominant key during
the development. Mozart was one of the early composers to incorporate
the less related keys. Mozart explores the related keys by first
moving to the key of C minor (the supertonic in the key of Bb), then moves
to Eb major (the sub- dominant of Bb major), next the key of F major (the
dominant of Bb), and finally back to tonic at the start of the solo exposition.
During the development of the solo exposition Mozart uses those related
keys as well as going to Bb minor for a period of time, C major,
and also when the primary theme reappears in the development it is now
in the key of B major. Mozart definitely was trying to set a new
standard for harmonic development, which would then be embellished even
more by Ludwig von Beethoven.
Expression
It was Mozart
intent to have this be his best and most expressive piano concerto.
Mozart a lot of dynamic contrast through out this movement. Mozart
likes to use the dotted eighth sixteenth rhythm in the big tutti sections
for a big affect and then the all of a sudden it's soft again. When
Mozart goes into the call and answer material, he does the call at forte
and the answer at piano. Mozart does something very different at
the end of this piece, by having the forte tutti sections and then all
of a sudden down to a few voices for a very soft ending to this masterful
concerto.
Form
I'm not going to go into great
detail on the form because the piece is over twelve minutes long and would
become very hard for the students to pay attention for that time frame.
I will go over the basic form of this piece. Mozart uses a lot of
reoccurring ideas which you will very easily pick up. In the first
exposition, the primary section starts with a four bar phrase followed
by a two bar answer. It then repeats with a little different melody,
but the same answer. Then in the transition, the same type of call
and answer continues, but varies a little bit. It also appears to
have modulated to C minor. The secondary theme is similar to the
primary, except that the answer is only three eighth notes. Then
when you think that secondary theme is over it takes off with some new
material, which is the coda (sixteenth note passage). Then it cadences
in Bb and the closing material begins. It is one loud measure followed
by a soft measure. Then after the dramatic climax with a chanced
in Bb. Then everyone drop out except a very light violin which is
joined with oboe, second violin, viola, and then everyone with a very soft
cadence in Bb.
Then the piano takes over
with the solo exposition. It is identical to the primary theme except
embellished on with the answer coming from the violins and violas.
The solo transition is full of sixteenth note scale and arpeggiated
figures accompanied by the orchestra. The remainder of the solo exposition
was intended to show off his piano ability.
The development starts with
an augmented version of the primary theme answered by a huge scale of sixteenth
note runs on the piano. The remainder of the development is spent
modulating to related keys and embellishing on the primary theme.
the recapitulation starts
the same way as the exposition. The primary theme is identical to
the primary them of the exposition. The transition is quoted from
the transition of the solo exposition. The section contains a lot
of alternating tutti and solo. Then the secondary theme is also the
same as the first exposition. Then in place of the closing material
Mozart uses the beginning of the development. It then climaxes to
a cadenza, which goes right into the closing material, which then ends
with a very soft ending like the end of the first exposition.
Mozart basically uses three different themes and he changes them around
by augmenting or diminishing the rhythms. He also uses the same themes
but uses them in different keys from the original and even changes slightly
so that he is able to modulate.
Rhythm
The rhythm and melody I have
saved till last, so that more attention could be put on this aspect of
the piece. The rhythm is the driving force behind this concerto.
The rhythms used are very characteristic of 18th century music. Mozart
uses the dotted eighth sixteenth rhythms to bring out the melody as well
as a dramatic tool in the tutti sections. He also uses the dotted
quarter rhythm very frequently in the melody. To study the rhythm
more closely divide the class into two parts and have group clap the top
line and the other clap the bottom. This will help students hear
how Mozart uses a call and answer between the two parts and to pass one
statement from one part continuously to another part.
Click here to see the rhythm exercise for you students exercise.html
Melody
For students to really appreciate
this part of the lesson it would be very helpful to have access to music
technology instruments such as midi keyboards and synthesizers. If
not it may help to use melody bells as the tools for performance.
Mozart uses very chromatic passages in his melodies. Mozart uses
a lot of chromatic half steps as passing tones and a way to feel a stronger
cadence at the end of various melodic lines. Mozart also uses a lot
of embellishment on the melody through ornaments by the soloist, fast arppegiated
patterns and scales. Like we saw with the rhythm, Mozart does a lot
of call and answer motives. Mozart also will start a melodic line
with one voice and another voice will take over and back and forth.
Below is an arrangement of the first exposition, which I broke down to
three parts for the students to perform. I have simplified the parts
so that a student would be able to accomplish easily. I would suggest
to have your students switch, so that they are not reading the same part
the whole time. It may also be helpful to go over each part with
the students and have them play it with the CD.
To view the arrangement click bflatpiano
To listen to this arrangement click mozart.midi
QUIZ TIME
Here is a short quiz that will be very helpful in evaluating your students.
It cove information and Mozart and his life as well as about this piano
concerto. To view and take the quiz click here mozartquiz
Thank you for visiting my web page I hope that it was very helpful
and enjoyable for
you students. To learn more about me the Designer of this
page please click below.
About the designer