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Topic: Mozart c minor Fantasy Analysis  (Read 10512 times)

Offline jam8086

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Mozart c minor Fantasy Analysis
on: April 30, 2006, 06:52:22 PM
I have a question about the harmonic analysis of Mozart's c minor Fantasy...

At measure 7, he is at "I" in D flat major, then in measure 8 he goes to viio7/vi, then in measure 9 he goes to ii6/4, then what does he do in measure 10? Is it just a sudden switch to B major? Or did I miss something?  Then what about the next few measures? It seems like he's just switching to a new key every measure until about measure 16.

I think the problem might be that in measure 9, since there was a viio7/vi in measure 8, it is actually in the key of B flat, and it is iv6/4, and then measure 10 is a neapolitan.

I'm very confused, and if I have confused you with what I said above, basically what I need is help analyzing measures 7-16 of Mozart's c minor Fantasy.

One more thing...from measures 17-18, is that a common tone modulation from B minor to G major?
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Offline pianistimo

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Re: Mozart c minor Fantasy Analysis
Reply #1 on: April 30, 2006, 07:56:08 PM
ok.  i'm going to take a risk and just put in my own two cents before searching the internet for a form analysis of this piece.  because it is called a 'fantasy,' the form is known already to be 'organic' and free of the normal boundaries of a 'sonata.'  and, yet, at measure 166 we know he has a sort of recapitulation - but it settles in in a backwards way (coming downwards in motion at m. 170) so it doesn't repeat exactly and is very condensed. 

as i see it...expect the unexpected.  you really pointed out the crux of the 'c minor' idea that it is in 'c minor?' when it suddenly seems to actually be comfortable in a 'neopolitan 6th mode' for much of the piece.  he has several elements at work here.  one is in a sort of 'melody' that is not definable because it keeps shifting around and having pauses here and there.  also, his ideas are chromatic (so can you really be IN a key?) and, as you pointed out, he maximizes use of common tone modulation (which is often used in modern music).  i've read that mozart's use of chromaticism is always to return to the key - and usually doesn't majorly stray away never to return.  so the chromaticism leads you back to the key instead of totally deceiving you.  yet, in this piece the sections are not going to subdominant or dominant keys - but rather chromatic steps or whole steps above or below c minor.  for instance m. 26 is in D major (whole step above the chord of c minor).

he likes to sharp the fourth note of the scale in c minor alternately, too, creating all kinds of sneaky chords and melody progressions.  isn't the augmented fourth a tri-tone? if i understand my teacher correctly - you should sort of bring out or accent slightly all the tri-tones for better effect.  if you are playing the beginning measures, all the f#'s would be brought out to the forefront.  the second measure, too (lh and then rh).  same for the e natural's in measure 3 and 4.  in measure 10 - yu have an f# in the middle of the phrase.  bring it out - as it's the tri-tone there, too.

this is an out-of context piece for the classical era and perhaps is one of mozart's truly romantic works (along with a couple of piano concertos and possibly some instrumental stuff that i'm not as familiar with and a few vocal pieces that get chromatic).   

ok. back tomeasure 7.  m 6 is truly the 'beginning' of some kind of stability.  but, it's not stable! and, as you said, in m 7 the chord is Db major - but the very next measure has an abrupt naturalization of the Ab in the chord to A-natural.  the only thing i can compare this sinisterness to is the curel ad  i remember seeing a few years back.  you know, the one that had this smooth lotioned lady and the croc that comes out in front of her.  i imagined a crocodile every time the 'sneaky' notes come in.  it's a seduction of sneaky proportions.  (ps did you know that therese von trattern was actually - if i remember correctly - the wife of the landlord of mozart.  i think either he or she had piano lessons from mozart - possibly to pay for rent sometimes?  and, i think they were fairly reckless in regards to mozarts privacy and were driving him crazy.  as i see it - he would try to compose and somebody would knock on the door.  or, he'd leave - and he would probably be paranoid they'd be looking at his stuff or copying/taking it.  it's complete paranoia - this 'fantasy.'  sure, there are some moments of great beauty and moments of tranquility - but there is always danger lurking somewhere.  the beginning reminds me of a doorknob slowly turning.  perhaps it was a seduction?  i tend to have an overactive imagination - but can't you just see mozart trying to get something done and therese knocking and laying a horrendous bill of rent down on the table.  then she sneakily negotiates for lessons for her or the mr. and though mozart doesn't have the time - he is pressured because of the money).

Offline pianistimo

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Re: Mozart c minor Fantasy Analysis
Reply #2 on: April 30, 2006, 08:17:10 PM
i've heard that mozart always 'compensated' in some way to balance the 'classical' expectations with the unexpected alterations that he did in new compositions.  for instance, if he chopped an arm off here - he'd attach it at the hip or something.  as i see the classical ideal in the fantasy - it would be in the evenly spaced notes (beginning, center, ending).  you have C e-flat f-sharp and then G right smack in the center of the phrase.  this is classical phrasing as it gently returns to C at the end of the first small phrase in the first measure).  the little tag on chords are a couple of sort of nod of approvals. 

Offline pianistimo

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Re: Mozart c minor Fantasy Analysis
Reply #3 on: April 30, 2006, 08:36:54 PM
another possible explaination is that mozart is suddenly obsessed not with the overtone series, but the idea of mathematics and the 'isoperimetric solution' where archimedes is trying to define a square to the same are of a given circle.  you have geometric (angular composition, sharped fourth) paired with circular (melodic phrasing, hints of tonality).  also, he'd been looking into bach's 'musical offerring' and finding compositional inspiration.

got this from:

www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_91-96/fid_924_lar_mozart.html

Offline pianistimo

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Re: Mozart c minor Fantasy Analysis
Reply #4 on: April 30, 2006, 09:08:18 PM
also, www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_91-96/fid_924_lar_mozart_pix.html#fig13

these are images related to the article and helpful to understanding more about what they are explaining.  can't say i understand it all -but am coming to a better understanding of the 'visual' side of the classical ideal vs the 'feelings' side of the romantic.  what is strange is that the fantasy, while seeming to go by feeling alone, may be the ultimate expression of logic (strange ehh).
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