Mozart’s K 333 Sonata in B-flat Major was composed in November 1783. It was written in Vienna while Mozart was there for a period. He wrote this in his “early phase” while he was in Vienna. This sonata was not really written into a group of sonatas, but could be grouped with the other nine sonatas that were written in this early phase in Vienna. All of these ten sonatas were written and published between 1783 and 1785 in Vienna. However, these sonatas were not written as a group (Kirby 101). This paper covers the analysis of the first movement of Mozart’s K 333.
Mozart’s K 333 Sonata in B-flat Major is a fairly standard piece. The first movement is very difficult and incredibly fast. The exposition section is developed into the standard primary, transitional, secondary, and closing pieces. The exposition’s P section begins at measure 1 and ends at measure 9, beat 2. This is further divided into measures 1 through 5 being Pa, and measures 6 through 9, beat 2 being Pb. The Pa section is comprised of mostly descending scale patterns and a cool, easy-going feel. The Pb section is comprised of very fast 16th and 8th note runs. At measure 9, beat 2, the strong transition begins. This transition brings us from B-flat Major to the key of F Major.The strong transition chords are found at measure 12 (V chord), measure 17 (V7/V), and measure 19 (V chord). It ends at measure 23, beat 2. It can be divided into Ta at measures 9, beat 2 to measure 14, beat 3. The Tb section can be found at measure 14, beat 4 and goes until measure 18. The Tc section of the transition is found between measures 19 to 23, beat 2. Next, the secondary, or “S” section begins. It begins at measure 23, beat 2, and goes until measure 49. This is probably the most interesting section in the exposition, as it is longer and has little pieces of prior themes thrown in. The S section can be further subdivided into Sa (measure 23, beat 2 to measure 30), Sb (measure 31 to measure 34), Sc (measure 31 to measure 38), and Sd (measure 39 to measure 49). As you can see, there are several different themes in this S section. The closing, or K section is found from measure 50 to the end of the exposition, measure 63. This section only has two different themes. The Ka theme is from measure 50 to measure 56. The Kb theme is from measure 57 to measure 63.
The development section of this sonata is mainly new material. This is odd, as a development usually develops for at least a portion of the segment. The development runs all the way from measure 64 to measure 93, beat 3. Really, the only section that could be described as an actual development of anything would be measures 64 to 67. This section could be described as a development of Pa. There are small hints of Pa throughout this section, but none of these hints are close enough or long enough to be called developments of the primary theme. The new material starts at measure 68 and goes until measure 93, beat 3. The development starts out in the V key of F Major. At measure 71, it establishes a new tonic in F minor. It holds this key for a few measures, then changes to G minor at measure 73. Again, it holds this tonic for another few measures, then changes to A minor at measure 75. This pattern involved moving the key up one whole step every 2 measures. The running 16th note patterns in the bass helped establish these keys. After another 2 measures, the tonic changes back to F minor, breaking the pattern. A clear key is not really established, as it bounces from key to key and never holds a tonic for long enough for the ear to hear until measure 85. Then, the key goes into a very clear D Major. At measure 92, it seems to go to A-flat Major for just over a measure until the end of the development.
As the recapitulation section starts, the key modulates back to B-flat Major. To save time, the recapitulation measures and themes were divided exactly the same as the measures in the exposition. The P, T, S, and K sections sounded the same and lasted fairly close to the same length as the original. However, the exposition section lasted only 63 measures compared to the recapitulation’s 71 measures. These 8 new measures come in two different places. First, the recapitulation adds on 8 new measures found at measures 105-112. These measures are found in the transition, which means that they were used to make the piece a little more interesting. You may think that these new measures are the only ones, since we have now found the extra measures. However, measures 147-151 are also missing in the exposition. These were in the secondary section and were also used to make the piece more interesting. However, now the measures are again uneven. The 5 measures that are unaccounted for are in the exposition. The 5 measures from measures 12-16 in the exposition do not come back in the recapitulation, which accounts for all 8 extra measures. There is also no pedal point in this particular sonata, which is a little odd. In the recapitulation, the melody will be transposed either up a P4 or down a P5. Mozart, in this piece, did both. Beginning at measure 113, he transpose down a perfect 5th. Then, at measure 126, he changes it to up a 4th. Then, at measure 135, he changes back to going down a 5th. At measure 140, he goes back to up a 4th. At measure 152, he goes back to down a 5th until measure 155. There, he changes to up a 4th. At measure 158, he goes down a 5th until measure 160 when he changes to up a 4th. He seems to change the interval of transposition every time there is a small theme change. Finally, the recapitulation ends with a repeat sign that goes all the way back to the beginning of the development section.
Finally, this is a great sonata. Mozart’s K 333 is interesting, and follows all the steps of a normal sonata. He used good patterns of keys and good rhythms. It was an interesting sonata to analyze.
Kirby, F.E. Music for Piano: A Short History. Portland: Amadeus Press, 1995.
