Enlightenment in Music

When I listened to a YouTube video of Mozart’s Sonata in A major, K.331, I was immediately able to recognize musical phrases. In this blog, I focus only on the first 8 measures of this sonata, which make up two phrases. The first phrase encompasses measures 1 through 4 and the second phrase encompasses measures 5 through 8. The goal of this blog is to analyze the sonata’s texture, rhythm, melody, and phrase structure. The texture of the sonata is uncomplicated and homophonic. It has a simple dominate melody that is accompanied by chords. The chords move with the same rhythm as the melody.  The rhythm is 6 beats per measure and the tempo of the song is andante grazioso. It is moderately slow, but has a graceful quality. The melody is simple and gentle, but is flowing. The first 8 measures reminded me of a lullaby, but it seemed more elegant.

  The phrase structure in this sonata is parallel interrupted period.  In order to deduce this I listened to the sonata very systematically. First, I had to see if the music could be divided into two phrases and it could. There are 2 four-measure phrases. Second, I listened to determine if the phrases had an antecedent-consequent relationship and what type of cadences they had. I concluded that these phrases did have an antecedent-consequent relationship. In the first phrase, the antecedent phrase, the melody did sound open and unresolved. This phrase ended on a half cadence (HC) and therefore the tonic to dominant progression created a sense of tension. The second phrase, the consequent phrase, resolved the tension in the first phrase and provided a satisfying closure. The ending was satisfying because it ended with a perfect authentic cadence (PAC), a musical progression from dominant to tonic. At this point, with both an antecedent-consequent relationship and a PAC ending, I knew the sonata had a period structure. Third, I listened to the sonata again to see if the music in the second phrase had a similar melody to the first phrase. The second phrase of Mozart’s sonata is musically the same as the first phrase with only a slight change at the end.  Both phrases begin with a similar melody, but end differently, so the phrase has a parallel period structure (aa’). Finally, the phrase structure is also interrupted because the first phrase ends on a HC, the harmonic structure is interrupted. At the HC I felt like the musical thought was incomplete; it wasn’t until measure 8 at the PAC did the musical thought seem complete. Therefore, the phrase structure is parallel interrupted period.

My chosen phrase exhibits traits of the Enlightenment. Enlightenment music was less complicated, more popular, pleasing, and homophonic. A homophonic texture allowed for the use of phrases, cadences, and periods to complete a musical thought. Mozart is a classical composer who was influenced by Enlightenment ideas. In this sonata, Mozart created a simple melody that is very pleasing. He employed a homophonic texture that used cadences and had clearly defined phrases, which were short and repeated. By using the phrase structure his music had a simplicity and balance that made this sonata very popular.