Can anyone recommend some of Mozart's best piano pieces?

[jbmajor]

I'd like to hear if he has anything dramatic and moving.  Not into the cute sounding stuff, but rather something with more emotion-similar to Beethoven's Pathetique, or Moonlight 1st movement, along those lines.

Thanks.

[chozart]

- Adagio in B Minor, K. 540
(if you need sheet music, please contact me)

it's quite moving and emotional.. and to play it justly & beautifully requires a certain touch
not nearly as long as a sonata, but long enough (you may repeat if you want, I usually don't).. not too technically demanding (not exactly easy either.. heh.. mozart nearly always looks simple on the page), but the musicality makes up for it
I'm actually going to learn it piece soon

- as for sonatas, the K. 310 & K. 457 are excellent

- the Fantasies are really superb
I think the No.3 in D minor K. 397 is a bit overplayed lately, and I prefer No.2 in C minor K. 396 & No.4 in C minor K. 475 (<-- highly recommended)

good luck
hope you enjoy playing whatever you ultimately choose ^_^

[presto agitato]

My favorite is: 12 piano variations "Ah vous dirai-je, maman".  Beautiful stuff.

[jbmajor]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll check em out.

[anda]

also the c moll concert kv 491 (i think), very dramatic, also very difficult (not technically, but emotionally)

[faulty_damper]

Movart's A major sonata, with the Turkish march, is a very nice set of theme and variations.

If I were to play it I will have to rewrite it so that there is much more tonal atmosphere by playing more bass notes throughout.  Playing it as is sounds too confined.  And the Ronda needs much more work as the repeats are repetive: instead of playing the same theme again, play the theme in the bass.  I'll probably write my own transcription of it that I think sounds musically superior.

[chopiabin]

K 310 is definitely the most romntic sounding - he wrote it after his mother died.

[kissinfan]

Well they have listed all the strongly dramatic Mozart´s piano pieces, maybe these r out of topic but a real dark and deeply dramatic works by him are the great mass in c minor and of course the requiem

[abe]

I will have to say the A minor sonata, which I think is the K. 310 one the others were talking about. It can definately sound Beethovenesque if you want it too--it has the potential--but even more challenging is making it sound like Mozart, with the lightness of touch and pure tone. I am learning the first movement, and while the notes technically aren't too hard, getting them to sound good is really hard!

[rohansahai]

I will have to say the A minor sonata, which I think is the K. 310 one the others were talking about. It can definately sound Beethovenesque if you want it too--it has the potential--but even more challenging is making it sound like Mozart, with the lightness of touch and pure tone. I am learning the first movement, and while the notes technically aren't too hard, getting them to sound good is really hard!

I just can't understand why people think that each and everything by Mozart was intended to sound cute and light! Abe!!!!! If you think the K. 310 can be Beethovenesque, can't u just go ahead, think a little more and conclude that maybe Mozart himself wanted it that way??
I played the F major sonata (K. 533) recently at Mumbai's National Centre of Performing Arts. After the performance, a lady came up to me and said that the development in the first mvt, was too Beethovenesque! I could almost yell out that "IT WAS MEANT TO BE THAT WAY!!!" and I played it the way I thought was right IMO.
I think that a lot of Mozart is made dull by this useless practice of making EVERYTHING by him sound cute and soft and light. Even the passages containg strong emotion (like the K. 533's development) are forced to sound "cute"! I'll try and post a recording of it soon so that I can make my point a little clearer!

[rohansahai]

Just to add, consider the G major mineut by Beethoven. Would you go ahead and bang it out just because most of Beethoven is that way?? I don't think so!
Then, why don't you play the emotional passages in Mozart emotionally?? A lot of "emotional" Mozart is neglected that way. and only the extreme ones (like the requiem etc.) are given consideration!

[kissinfan]

Just to add, consider the G major mineut by Beethoven. Would you go ahead and bang it out just because most of Beethoven is that way?? I don't think so!
Then, why don't you play the emotional passages in Mozart emotionally?? A lot of "emotional" Mozart is neglected that way. and only the extreme ones (like the requiem etc.) are given consideration!

You say it ironically, but there´s ppl who do it!!! they play all composers "romantically", i think this play really sucks...

not being neglectful, theres a classical and Sturm und Drag Mozart

[alextryan]

These are all great recommendations.  My favorite sonata is G Major, K 283.  Have a listen to it, and I think you'll find catchy, moving musical ideas all throughout the piece.  I look forward to learning it (after this Beethoven sonata -- going to be a while). 

[rohansahai]

You say it ironically, but there´s ppl who do it!!! they play all composers "romantically", i think this play really sucks...

not being neglectful, theres a classical and Sturm und Drag Mozart

If someone does it because he feels that way MUSICALLY, then I can't impose anything on him! But if someone does it simply because by NOT doing it, the menuet may start sounding like *Mozart, I can tear my hair off!!!
*So often people have told me that my Mozart often sounds like Beethoven. I'd really love them to play this G major menuet and then yell out ,"Sir! That sounded like Mozart. You are not bringing out the Beethoven touch there!" 

[abe]

on the topic of how to play Mozart, perhaps I should clearify.

I like Beethoven's music. I like Mozart's music. Beethoven is perhaps generally a bit more romantic than Mozart (or maybe not?), and often heavier (i.e. appasionata vs. Mozart's sonata in F k. 332). This sonata in A-minor was written by Mozart, and I personally find that playing Mozart CAN be dry, but it shouldn't. IMO, To find and express the genius in his music (or at least this sonata) requires not a heavy banging tone, nor an emotionally detached "light" tone; it requires, well, a "mozartian" tone? lol, that doesn't make too much sense, but what I was trying to say earlier is that a piece can be played in innumerably different styles, and some work more than others. I find that in the case of this sonata, playing with a Beethoven or Chopin style does not do complete justice to the peice. Of course the A minor is laden with emotion, and I do my best to express this; but my teacher pointed out that this peice is more playful (though not very happy) than greivous or lamenting, and I agree.

Of course this is all very subjective, so why even debate?

[rohansahai]

Abe: I agree that its very hard to find a Mozart piece with the features of the appasionata or any beethoven work. But!!!!! You do tend to find lots of passages in which the emotion is there but is often neglected in the midst of the other "mozartian" ones. That is my prime concern!! You shouldn' miss out on emotional Mozart passages because of this prejudice that you won't find any! That's it, simple!

[abe]

I understand, yes these prejudices for composers (espec. Mozart and Bach) do get on my nerves, and I try to avoid them. Good points, all. 

[kissinfan]

You say it ironically, but there´s ppl who do it!!! they play all composers "romantically", i think this play really sucks...

not being neglectful, theres a classical and Sturm und Drag Mozart

If someone does it because he feels that way MUSICALLY, then I can't impose anything on him! But if someone does it simply because by NOT doing it, the menuet may start sounding like *Mozart, I can tear my hair off!!!
*So often people have told me that my Mozart often sounds like Beethoven. I'd really love them to play this G major menuet and then yell out ,"Sir! That sounded like Mozart. You are not bringing out the Beethoven touch there!" 

despite the Mozartian influence on Beethoven, their piano languaje is quite different...
i do believe are (in both composers case) stylistic ways to feel MUSICALLY their works, because the way of feel the music is what gives a good taste in performing, so if someone feels all in romantic way he/she should study background and treatises of classical and early romantic performance

btw agreed: Beethoven had a mozartian touch in some works but Mozart a beethovenian touch? i don´t think so 

[chelsey]

Keep in mind that Mozart and Beethoven generally composed for very different instruments:

Mozart composed for the pianoforte, an instrument with much lighter action and a very different sound. This so called Mozartian tone is derived from Mozart's intentions for the pianoforte. Beethoven was the first composer to compse for the modern piano, this instrument had heavier action (though it was a lot lighter than it is today) and more depth in sound and range in dynamics.

My favourite Mozart piece that I've studied is the Fantasy in C minor... It is a wonderful piece full of unexpected modulations (he did some very interesting things for his time) and wonderful motives. It also provides a great area for growth in musical maturity. It is a great educational piece in experimenting with different aspects of technical tone production.

[tocca]

I like the F-Major Sonata, K334. I saw Hans Leygraf playing this one at a concert in Stockholm, i was 12 or 13 years old then.
I of course started practising on it straight away after the concert, but it was a bit over my head back then. I played it myself at a concert (one of the yearly concert my teacher arranged) when i was 17.

It might be that it's the nice memory i have from the concert, but it's special to me. Fun to play too!

[kissinfan]

Keep in mind that Mozart and Beethoven generally composed for very different instruments:

Mozart composed for the pianoforte, an instrument with much lighter action and a very different sound. This so called Mozartian tone is derived from Mozart's intentions for the pianoforte. Beethoven was the first composer to compse for the modern piano, this instrument had heavier action (though it was a lot lighter than it is today) and more depth in sound and range in dynamics.

Sorry but i have to disagree a little bit:

Both composed for pianoforte (Broadwood house constructed and design some pianofortes for him (Beethoven) isnt? maybe even for Mozart; right, Beethoven was one of firsts in demanding piano changes and qualities to build the piano as we know it today, but the very first in demanding a bigger sonority and range was Franz Joseph Haydn then Mozart and after Beethoven... anyway both Mozart and Beethoven and most of all Haydn constributed to the evolution and development of the piano