Mozartâs early sonatas for piano four hands were written during the early 1770s to be performed by the composer himself and his sister Nannerl, who was considered as accomplished a performer as her brother â there is a famous portrait showing the two seated at the same piano.
After Mozart left Salzburg for Vienna his production of duo sonatas stopped, as he didnât have his sister at hand.
However, in 1786-1787 he wrote another two, K. 497 & K. 521. The tender modesty and charm of his youthful music is replaced here by a mature and brilliant elegance.
The Sonata for two pianos K. 448 was written in 1781, for a private concert Mozart gave with his pupil Josephine von Aurnhammer at her familyâs home in Vienna.
Aurnhammer also appeared with him in the Concerto for two pianos and orchestra, K. 365. Mozart wrote that she was âas fat as a peasant girlâ although âshe plays divinelyâ¦â
With the Fugue in C minor, K426, written in December 1783, Mozart was paying tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach who was at this time completely out of fashion. It contains the complete catalogue of theoretical device ranging from inversion to stretto.
Five years later Mozart arranged this music for string orchestra and prefaced it with an Adagio.
