Mystery of the Repeat in K 311.2
Posted: 26 Mar 2022, 19:41
Judging from the way they are squeezed into the manuscript, it appears that after finishing the second movement of his piano sonata K. 311, Mozart decided to add repeat marks around the opening theme and its little codetta, as shown below.
Apparently Mozart felt in retrospect that he had miscalculated and not made the A section long enough in relation to what follows. But the very structure of the theme with its codetta makes lengthening it almost impossible. Did he just throw up his hands, throw in a couple of repeat marks and start composing the next sonata?
What do readers think?
The New Mozart Edition thinks that this is at best awkward, but bows to the Master. The first edition was already doubtful and removed one of the two F#'s that desperately wants to resolve to G next as it did a couple of measures earlier (see the arrows in previous example):
Most pianists dutifully take this repeat, which I think mars one of Mozart's most beautiful pieces. Some sail on through, seemingly oblivious to a glaring musical non sequitur. Others try mitigate it by hesitating. Or one could suddenly break off as if interrupting oneself. But this isn't great either given the previous written-in forte interruptions. In any case, I've never heard it done well, can't do it well myself and omit the repeat without regret. Apparently Mozart felt in retrospect that he had miscalculated and not made the A section long enough in relation to what follows. But the very structure of the theme with its codetta makes lengthening it almost impossible. Did he just throw up his hands, throw in a couple of repeat marks and start composing the next sonata?
What do readers think?