<<  -- 5 --  Bill Newman    SPONTANEITY AND IMMEDIACY

Sonata K279 literally bubbles over with lighthearted conviviality, Mozart cleverly structuring his ideas to form humorous phrase patterns which he decorates accordingly. Here, my old Augener score, edited by Franklin Taylor circa 1906, I accept purely for guidelines, but Tirimo's more up-to-date treatment is altogether more rewarding, in particular his emphasized 'roll' of divided chords in bars 1-4 of the opening Allegro. His applied rubato elsewhere also gives a feeling of regality. Listen also to the grace notes and turning phrases and the way he 'holds' the tempo in check while allowing for freedom in flexibility. I find this very compelling. The Andante movement resembles an amoroso aria -- probably the lady towards her suitor, but when the single repeated notes and legato phrases become harmonised chords, it is clear they have joined forces. Appropriately, the key is F major, and both sections are repeated. The final Allegro is in 2/4 with each of the two sections complementing the other. Mozart, however, increases the piquancy further by adding his own personal touches by way of dotted notes, alternating trills, and forte starts to rising figures, which he sometimes prefers to the more static sforzandi. One is aware, too of surrounding bonhommes, their multi-coloured shirts replete with quiffs swarming confidently around the perimeter of the dance floor.

The Allegro assai first movement of Sonata K280 slows the action to a stilted 3/4. Vibrant, descending semiquaver flourishes and climbing quaver triplets obviously represent a young female-male gathering, while left hand forte octave interjections stand for the older fraternity. Their 'sounder' advice comes at the expense of key changes and some slight interruptions to conversations en route, which is soon restored. The interplay of F minor and A flat major in the following Adagio completely changes the whole point of focus, and tender poignancy makes itself felt during various shifts of key. This rapidly changes to F major for the joyful Finale, albeit with further attempts to deviate into foreign paths. In the end, the pleasure of love reigns supreme.

The chosen layout of Sonata K282 is unusual: Adagio, Menuetto I & II and a concluding Allegro. Tirimo's opening Adagio is very slow, for reasons not hard to assess. From the simple, opening poignant phrases, the music's 16th and 32nd phrase patterns climb gradually -- almost in terms of a shaded discourse in two repeated sections that never quite resolves itself. The emotional state remains placid and contemplative, with markings like (in my score) poco rallentando, a tempo, più piano, acting as warning signals. Tirimo selectively leans on the middle note of a phrase -- eg in the third stave, last bar following the start, where the E flat (right hand) 'clashes' with the change from flats to naturals. Minuetto I and II are linked, with the second one more elaborately written out than the first, and the whole repeated. The dolce lilting style is an obvious foil to the preceding movement. In the Allegro Finale, sparkle is only possible by correctly balancing both hands, and during the counter subject innocence comes at a premium when Mozart neatly 'tricks' the listener by his 'attempted' modulation midway, but turns back to his main subject instead!

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