Mozart Fantasia K475

[wishful thinker]

Quick question:  bar 26 and onwards is marked piano (p) with sforzando (sf) on the third beat.  Question: is every note sforzando until the next piano (p) mark or only the note on which it is marked sf?

[pianistimo]

i think you have to take the phrasing of the rh into consideration.  probably it is more like an accent on the downbeat of 3 - and not even a literal sf.  i've heard a lot of pianists play it much louder than it needs be.  that's my opinion.  the left hand, imo, should stay pretty much the same.  only the melody really seems to need the little bits of intensity (like salt and pepper) to flavor the piece.

[pianistimo]

sfortzando means 'an especially strong accent.'  but, as compared to having just played 'piano' dynamics - if you suddenly crash on the third beat - it might sound a bit scary.  i think 'in context.'

somehow, also, i think there is a mistaken belief that there is a graded system that makes sfz the loudest of the dynamics - when really it is probably no more or less than a sudden forte and not beyond a double forte.

[wishful thinker]

Thank you.  I think that you have confirmed what I thought to be the case, that the marking is only for the note that it marks - unlike other dynamic markings that carry on until another one comes in?  I agree though that too "forced" would not be right 

[pianistimo]

i'd be interested to hear others interpretations.  some like to be more dramatic and perhaps it is not wrong either way.  as i understand it - it IS an accent and not to be overdone in the alberti bass but more as a sort of guide for a crescendo from the 'p' dynamic to a swell and then back again.  my teacher wrote a phrase marking over measures 26-27 (sixteenth rest).  i think of it as a strong violin bow - that carries intensity to the following notes - but not AS intense.

[pianowelsh]

Oh yea definately only for the note marked.  in terms of interpretation.  I believe there is more drama in this music than many pianists give it credit for.  Listen to his symphonies and string quartets and most importantly his operas and you will have a good idea of what to do with it.  It is fact that this is the most detailed score mozart turned out for the piano solo in terms of expressive detail - so he meant it all.  But looks at scores from his ochestral and vocal works to see what he meant. Never do a really jarring hard accent in Mozart. If you think it sounds shocking on a modern piano try it ona forte piano sometime the effect is truely cringeworthy. The sound should always remain full and rounded however loud or accented it becomes. The brittle slap that its possible to achieve on a modern instrument was outside the pallette imagined by Mozarts contemporaries. Phrasing in theis piece is CRUCIAL spend time working over every cadence point in minute detail.. or it WILL catch you out. Also really pay attention to balance of hands and in the chords. The piu allegro tremolo bits rally need to be exciting but that doesnt necessarily meant martellato and stick the pedal down as I have heard it by at least one distinguished pianist. Keep it light and springy and driving forward.  It is very easy to let this piece wind down like a clockwork mouse. Do plenty of metronome work and really spend time memorising your tempo relationships - like a conductor!