モーツァルト ピアノソナタ1st mv't - Mozart Sonata in A minor, K. 310, 1st mv't

[weiwen1023]

Hey, love the energy. I'm also currently learning this piece and I'm just wondering whether is it necessary to have that much pedal for Mozart? Or specifically for this movement? Cause it sort of blur the running notes with damper pedal on. But, does the pedal adds the heavy melancholy effect of this sonata? Thx.

[mario54671]

@weiwen1023 Absolutely not. In fact, you don't need it at all. Back in those days, they never used the pedal because they only wanted pedal in their music if they needed a certain sustaining sound that could only be achieved with the pedal. If they wanted you to play legato, they had you play legato WITHOUT the pedal, because one is perfectly capable of doing so without it with the right technique. Richter used it in this sonata, but not like this. This was a bit overkill with the pedal.

[colourfulwithaU]

@mario54671

I would go as far as to say that Richter overkilled with the pedal. Personally, when I play this sonata I only use pedal on the cadences in C major and A minor at the end of the exposition and the recapitulation respectively. I do so to enrich the tone of the final chord, and to allow my hands to bounce off the piano while still sustaining the chord. I *really* hate when pedal is abused in Mozart's music, especially in slower movements.

[mario54671]

@colourfulwithaU Yes, you and I share a similar philosophy about the pedal. I don't necessarily dislike the way Richter used the pedal, but I don't completely agree with it, and I don't do it like him. In fact, I don't even use the pedal at all, not even in the codettas in the exposition and the recapitulation. Mozart himself never used the pedal, since someone did show it to him, and he thought it was neat, but he still didn't use it. If he wanted it, he would've written it. ;)

[colourfulwithaU]

@weiwen1023

NO. You can play the piece with full expression and power without sustain pedal, if you use your dynamics properly and are wise about your phrasing! This is a powerful sonata alone and does not need to be "enhanced" by sustain pedal.

[TheJules1996]

very good!