| Sonata-Allegro form in the minor key presents a little different problem than for
the major key. In the Major key the second key is usually the Dominant (V).
In the Minor mode it is usually the Relative Major (III). In Sonata-Allegro
forms in the Minor Key the rhyme of the second key is usually the minor key of the
exposition. A most wonderful example of all the elements of such a case is within the
scant 200 measures of Mozart"s Sonata in A Minor K 310, first movement ( K. 310 i).
Here the second key is C Major and the trick is to wrench the false transition in the
recapitulation to modulate to A-Minor using the same textural elements.
This is always the challenge of this form to maintain the rhetoric of the material
while accomplishing the challenges of the form. Mozart does everything that is required
so effortlessly in this movement. It is about as concise and perfect an example of the
form as one can find and yet there is still room for the astonishment in the inventiveness.
In the development the top voices follow in a kind of loose canon in the right
hand while the bass does a fairly standard circle of fifths bass line, below.
| |
