THE SCHENKERIAN ANALYIS OF W.A. MOZART’S PIANO SONATA K.284 FIRST MOVEMENT

Abstract

This article presents a musical analysis of the first movement of W.A. Mozart's Piano Sonata K.284, following the Schenkerian analysis approach. Viennese theorist and analyst Heinrich Schenker developed his own method of analysis, bearing his name, to delve deeper into understanding music and uncover its structural features. This analytical method is based on the fundamental structure and tonality of the music. According to Schenker's understanding, every musical composition has a foundational structure represented by the tonic chord at its lowest layer. This foundational structure evolves into a more complex one, incorporating embellishments and harmonic enrichments, to form the composition. Therefore, Schenkerian analysis elucidates the structures of music and their interrelationships. The Schenkerian analysis method is utilized to analyze music from the Baroque period onward, making it applicable to classical and romantic era compositions. The sonata form, due to its structural characteristics, provides a solid foundation for the application of Schenkerian analysis. In this study, the composition subjected to Schenkerian analysis is the first movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata K.284 in D Major, which has been selected from Mozart's piano sonatas.

Keywords: Schenkerian Analysis, Tonality, Sonata Form, W.A. Mozart.

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