V.A. Mozart "Turkish march": history, video, interesting facts, content

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "Turkish March"

Great Mozart. Scientists for more than two centuries are trying to unravel the phenomenon of this brilliant composer. Why is his truly divine music so beneficially influencing human health and energy? Why does it clarify the mind and increase intelligence? There are many questions and maybe people will ever be able to find the answer to them. In the meantime, mankind is very grateful to the maestro for leaving to descendants such a precious artistic heritage, including more than six hundred priceless masterpieces, in a variety of musical genres. The popularity of the works of Mozart is very great, but among them there is one elegant creation that has won a special love of the people all over the world. The composer called this work "Rondo alla turca", although it is customary to call it "Turkish Rondo" or "Turkish march".

The history of "Turkish march" Mozart, the content of the work and many interesting facts read on our page.

History of creation

Despite the fact that the Ottoman Empire, which had fought with Austria for more than two centuries, was its worst enemy, the inhabitants of Vienna in the 18th century were very curious about everything Turkish. They were interested in the culture, life and customs of this exotic country. Comfortable clothing of the Ottomans came into fashion, and Turkish coffee became the favorite beverage of the Viennese. Among the curiosities that cause particular attention of Europeans, was the music of Turkish janissaries. The fact is that all the military actions of the Ottomans were accompanied by music performed by a strange, unusual for the Austrians orchestra, consisting of special percussion and wind instruments. Their specific, unusual sound was perceived by Europeans as something barbaric, growling and thundering. Nevertheless, the interest with unusual instruments was so great that they began to come into fashion.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, following the general craze for everything eastern, also did not stand aside. In 1779, the composer had the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities in the Singspiel on the Turkish theme, and this was commissioned by the emperor himself, however, this work remained unfinished. However, in 1782, he still wrote the opera, using in it the Turkish story. This comic musical performance, dubbed "Abduction from the seral" entered the history of culture, as the first opera in German.

A year later, in July 1783, the twenty-seven-year-old Mozart, after the birth of his first child, together with his wife Constance, went to Salzburg to make peace with his father, who even after the wedding resisted their union. Despite all the efforts of the young couple, Leopold never changed his opinion on this matter. By coincidence some circumstances in Salzburg, the young Mozart family remained until October, and there are suggestions that it was at this time that the composer, among other works, wrote the piano sonata at number eleven, the third part of which he called "Rondo alla turca".

It is important to note that Mozart by that time, despite the fact that he was already the author of numerous works, was better known in Vienna not as a composer, but as a virtuoso pianist. Therefore, in the first years of his life in the Austrian capital, he mainly earned his living by teaching. And while working on his beautiful creation, Wolfgang primarily took into account the performance capabilities of his students.

Sonata No. 11 in A major was first published by the Vienna music publishing company "Artaria & Co" together with other composer's piano sonatas in 1784.

Interesting Facts

• There are several versions of Mozart’s composing time for Sonata No. 11, one of the parts of which is the famous Turkish Rondo. For example, Austrian musicologist Ludwig von Köhel assumes that the composer wrote this work in Paris in 1778.
• Mozart composed his first sonata for piano in 1775, and last in the summer of 1789. In total, 18 piano sonatas were released from the composer’s pen.
• Besides opera "Abduction from Seralya" and "Rondo alla turca" from A Major Sonata, Mozart voiced the oriental theme in the Violin Concerto No. 5, also referred to as the "Turkish Concerto".
• Until 2014, it was believed that from Mozart's A major sonata only the last page was preserved, which was located in the Salzburg Museum. However, in the same year, Balash Mikusi, the head of the musical archive of the National Library named after the town of Budapest, found four more manuscript pages of the Turkish Rondo in the storerooms. Experts confirmed that it was Mozart’s own handwriting, but now they are trying to answer the question, how did the work get to Hungary? There is an assumption that the manuscript was torn, and each of its pages was presented by the composer to his rich patrons as a souvenir.

• The musical material of the Turkish Rondo, found in 2014 in Hungary, is different from the notes printed in 1784. In the author's edition the work was first performed in Budapest on September 26, 2014.
• The crowns first saw and heard the military orchestra of the Janissaries in 1699: at that time Karlovitsky peace was concluded. The interest in the outlandish musical group was so great that he had to make several public speeches that brought together a large number of curious publics.
• In fact, the Turkish military systems never went to music. The sounds of the orchestra inspired them before the fight and supported them during battles. At the parades, the Janissaries never marched, but walked in ordinary and even dancing steps, while they shouted exclamations glorifying Allah. This is probably why their military music is very different from our bravura marches.
• In the Turkish Republic at the present time, Mozart is one of the most beloved classical composers. In Istanbul, every year a music festival is held, which bears the name of the great maestro. In the schools of the city, the melody of "Turkish Rondo" sounds like a training bell, and the popular Turkish rapper Jez came up with the words to the music of this work and made a funny video.
• At the present time, the music of the work of Mozart "Rondo alla turca" is the hallmark of Turkey and therefore always sounds on the government receptions of this country.

• Over time, Turkish Rondo gained such love and popularity that its music is nowadays often used in the soundtracks of many films. There are so many of them that it is simply impossible to list, for example, it sounds in the biometric musical film "Rocketman", released in 2019, directed by Dexter Fletcher, which tells about the life, formation and work of the musician Elton John.
• In the animation, the music of the "Turkish March" can be heard in such beloved cartoons as "Rio 2" and "Family Guy", and besides it sounds in the popular computer game Civilization (1991), where it represents the German civilization.

Content of the Turkish Rondo

As mentioned above, "Rondo alla turca" is the finale of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's A Major Major Sonatas. However, due to the increased popularity, this part of the composer’s piano composition began to exist as an independent piece.

The very name of the work itself says that the author intended to conclude it in the rondo form, that is, it should have a main theme - the refrain, which constantly alternates with episodes differing from each other in musical material. In addition, it should be noted that "Rondo alla turca" can also be represented as a work written in a complex three-part form with a code. Nevertheless, the whole structure of the composition as a result fits into the following scheme:

|: A: ||: B - A ': ||: C: ||: D: ||: E - D': ||: C: ||: A: ||: B - A ': || : C ': | F.

The "Turkish march", as popularly called this wonderful creation by Mozart, is a piece whose music is characterized by cheerfulness, cheerfulness, solemnity and at the same time extraordinary tenderness. It is suitable for fun dance, and it’s not at all clear how you can march on the parade ground under it.

The main theme (a-moll), in the scheme designated by the letter “A”, is very elegant, festive and perky, and also completely unlike the march. It begins with the rising melody of the sixteenth notes, and then changes to a mischievous motif adorned with forchlags. In the next section - “B” (C-dur), which is called the middle part of the refrain, the character of the music becomes more confident, bright and playful. Further, after the repetition of the main theme, the mood of the thematic material of the work changes to enthusiastically joyful and jubilant. This indicates the beginning of the second part of the work or the first episode of the rondo form: in the diagram, it is marked with the letter "C". The solemn melody (A-dur) here is accompanied by a clear, drum-like, energetic accompaniment. Then the resolute and festive mood of the composition is again transformed. A light and gentle melodic line consisting of streaming sounds in continuous motion replaces the solemn one. In the diagram, this contrast section includes the letters "D" and "E". Following this, according to the above plan, there is a repetition of previously sounding fragments. The composition ends with a joyful and energetic coda.

"Turkish march"- this is a classic hit piano piece Mozart and today everything also attracts both listeners and musicians with its grace, brilliance, cheerfulness. His popularity reached such a height that the arrangements and arrangements of the brilliant masterpiece can be heard in the performance of a variety of instruments, rock ensembles, choral and symphonic groups.