The Piano Sonata: Origins to Mozart

In this course, you’ll be introduced to sonata form; how it works, where it came from, and how sonatas are put together as multi-movement compositions. We will analyze the early history of the piano sonata and discover the important early masters of this style (Scarlatti, CPE Bach, Haydn, and Mozart). You’ll then investigate the relationship between the keyboard instruments of the time and the musical style, and be able to differentiate between Baroque, Galant, and Classical styles. This course was filmed at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, among other locations, to showcase the depth of the sonata repertoire and the instruments that contributed to its history.

• Setting the Stage
• In the first week, you'll be introduced to the course structure and to the fundamentals surrounding sonata form and the history of the genre.
• Week 2: Dawn of the Sonata
• In this week, we'll learn more about the dawn of the solo keyboard sonata: its origins, influences, and some of the early composers. You'll also be introduced to various keyboard instruments of the period that influenced compositional style, including the harpsichord, clavichord, and some early pianos.
• Viennese Classics: Haydn and Mozart
• This week discusses Haydn and Mozart, emphasizing their social-cultural context, patterns in their output of keyboard sonatas, and comparing and contrasting their styles. It also introduces the Viennese and English pianos that were popular in this period.
• Conclusion and Optional Honors Project
• For more advanced learners, an Honors Formal Analysis is available in this final week (not required for completion of the course).