A Lesson about Mozart

June 30, 2023 / Lani Elston

"The sonatas of Mozart are unique; they are too easy for children, and too difficult for artists." - Artur Schnabel

Wow, this quote is so true! At first glance, Mozart’s piano sonatas are approachable, fit the hand well, and seem easy. The longer I play and teach the piano, the more I realize his sonatas are definitely not easy. Let me share a little story with you. In middle school, I was so excited to start my first Mozart piano sonata, Sonata in A Major, K. 331. If you don’t recognize this by title, this is the sonata with the fabulously famous movement, “Turkish March.” I remember feeling like I had arrived as a pianist and was so excited to play this well-known piece. Over the next couple of years, I enjoyed learning more of his sonatas and by the time I was 16, I felt like I was “too good” to play his music anymore. It was “too easy” for me. Hmm, was I wrong! This was clearly a moment of “I didn’t know what I didn’t know,” haha.

An excerpt from Piano Concerto in A Major, K. 488 by Mozart — An excerpt from Piano Concerto in A Major, K. 488 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Click here for source.

To put this further into perspective, while I was studying music in college, I was given a Mozart piano concerto - specifically Concerto in A Major, K. 488 - for the President’s Concerto Competition. I was surprised, to say the least! Considering the solo and concerto repertoire I had played before my best guess was that I was going to be given a Beethoven concerto or possibly even Grieg’s. But Mozart??? I really liked the concerto, but surely I was better than a Mozart concerto! Again, another moment as a piano student when I didn’t realize what I didn’t know.

During the process of learning that piano concerto, I would talk with the other music majors as many of us were preparing for the same event. I remember one conversation with a graduate student who was earning her Ph.D. in piano performance. She asked me what I was playing for the competition and I reluctantly said I was “only” playing a Mozart concerto. To my surprise, she said I had one of the hardest pieces of the competition. She went on to give me one of the best lessons about Mozart ever. She told me that you cannot make a mistake with Mozart’s music - everyone can hear it. Not only that but to play his music beautifully, you have to articulate every single note with perfection. The scale sections must have a pearly sound and “shimmer” as you play them. There is no room for error… and no heavy pedaling to cover your mistakes either. She then asked me to list how many concert pianists focus on Mozart’s works. I couldn’t recall very many. She said “this isn’t because the music is too simple, it’s because there is no room for mistakes. Even an untrained ear can hear problems in a Mozart performance.” This was an eye-opener for me. She even gave me that quote above to prove her point in our conversation.

Image of a piano book "Mozart Sonatas & Fantasies for the Piano" — My well-loved piano book, Mozart’s Sonatas and Fantasies for the piano. Edited by Nathan Broder.

Now as a piano teacher, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching many Mozart piano sonatas and piano concertos at my studio in Oregon City. It’s been so much fun to watch my students grow and improve their technique while learning to play his music that I’ve been inspired to play Mozart once again. This past year, I even opened up my well-loved piano book and have worked on his sonatas again. And wouldn’t you know, it seems a little harder to play Mozart than it did all those years ago when I was a young piano student! Haha.

Like my story? Leave me a comment below! - Lani

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