Sonata Form in Mozarts Piano Sonata in B (movement 1)

Sonata form is:

Exposition

In this section, the composer exposes or presents his musical material.

The main ideas are called subjects. There are two subjects though
each of these may consist of a group of ideas, rather than a single
melody. The two subjects are contrasted in key, and usually also in mood
and character. The exposition in this piece is from Bars 1-63.

1st subject

The first theme (or

Bars 1-10 (beat 3). The first

group of themes) in a

subject consists of 5 x 2 bar

sonata form piece,

phrases.

appearing first in the

The tonic key is B flat major.

exposition in the tonic

key.

Transition

A second section of

Bars 10 (beat 4) 23. Notice

music, found between

how the number of E naturals

the first and second

gradually increases during these

subjects in a sonata

bars. The transition ends on

form piece, which

chord V of the new key, F major

dislodges the tonic key

the dominant.

of the first subject and

modulates to the key of
the second subject
(usually the dominant or
the relative
major/minor).

2nd subject

The second theme (or

The second subject group

group of themes) in a

appears in bars 23-49. There

sonata form piece. The

are two themes: theme 1 (bars

second subject or

23-38) and theme 2 (bars 39-

subject group is usually

49). The first theme of this

in a contrasting key to

second subject highlights

the first subject, such

balanced phrasing.

as the dominant.

Codetta

A little coda. The final

Bars 50-63 (beat 3). The F

section or part of a

major key of the second

movement. Its purpose

subject is confirmed through 3

is to assert the key of

perfect cadences (actually 3

the second subject

cadential 6/4 points) bars 53-

through the use of pedal

54, 57-59 and 62 beat 3 32

points and perfect

beat 1.

cadences.
Development

The central section in sonata form in which motifs from the first and
second subjects are developed and a wider range of keys are used.
The development section in this piece is from bars 63 (beat 4) to 93
(beat 3). The music travels through several keys, including F minor, C
minor and G minor before arriving at:

Dominant

A section of music,

Bars 87-93 beat 3. This section

Preparatio

found at the end of the

features chord V7 of B flat.

development, that
emphasises the dominant
chord (often by the use
of a dominant pedal) in
preparation to the
return of the tonic key
at the beginning of the
recapitulation.

Recapitulation

The final section in sonata form, in which the first and second subjects
are heard again in the tonic key. In this piece, the recapitulation is from
bars 93 beat 4 to the end. The first and second subjects appear in the
tonic key of B flat major.

Coda

The final section of a

Bar 152 to the end. The coda

movement that confirms

confirms the tonic key of B flat

the tonic key of the

major.

piece.