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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Piano Sonata No. 8 (Mozart)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310/300d, was written in 1778. The sonata is the first of only two Mozart piano sonatas in a minor key (the other being No. 14 in C minor,

Background#

Little is known about the precise circumstances surrounding the composition of the sonata; unlike the earlier Sonata in C major, K. 309/284b, it was little mentioned in his correspondence. The surviving manuscript was written using the same type of paper used for the Symphony No. 31 in D major, K. 297/300a, which Mozart purchased while in Paris. The sonata is a rare minor key composition in Mozart’s catalogue. Composed alongside the Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor, K. 304/300c, it has been suggested that the sudden death of Mozart’s mother may have led to the more sombre mood found in these pieces.

Structure#

The composition, which typically takes around 22 minutes to perform, is in three movements:

  • (Alte Mozart-Ausgabe version)
  • Piano Sonata in A minor, K. 310 (300d): Artaria edition (ca. 1792) at the Harvard Library
Composer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart