Piano Forum

Is there any way you can get access to a fortepiano to try out Mozart on it? You will instantly get an idea of how Mozart's piano music sounded at the time, completely different from what you get from our modern concert grands.  (At least listen to recordings on fortepiano. Robert Levin is an excellent Mozart player/source of knowledge.) Then see if you can produce a sound more like that on a modern piano (difficult!).

I have played a lot of Mozart. I've found these things helpful:  Practice with little to no pedal, then add it sparingly (never to 16th note runs- sparingly to arpeggios and trills). Practice with light staccato. Then make it more legato, but think "air" between the fast notes. Lighten up on left hand Alberti base, etc. It will always need to be softer than you think, lol! Remember where your phrases are going, and try not to let passages get mechanical. Remember Mozart was an opera composer, and often you can imagine a scene in your piano piece, and put that emotion in! Many of his slow movements are arias, or prayer-like. In the wonderful fast rondos, I sometimes imagine a dance (example, K332).

Mozart is very difficult because of its crystalline nature and errors stick out horribly    I often think that one of the differences between his music and early Beethoven is that even in a somewhat raucous passage, Mozart retains a certain grace. he is never bumptious. You have to impart that grace without making it sound overly precious or powdered wiggy. Worth the effort!