Description
A fugue in three voices, marked by counterpoint written with Bach's style firmly in mind. Like K.154 and K.401 in G minor, it comes from the period when Mozart was intensively studying Baroque counterpoint in Vienna, but unlike those two minor-key pieces it has the sound of a major key.
In E-flat major and 4/4, the voices interweave carefully within a settled sound, and glimpses of Mozart's graceful melodic line appear within the strictness. The upper, middle and lower voices each draw an independent line while taking up the same subject in turn.
It is rated intermediate, lasting about two and a half minutes with 1,021 notes. It calls for the technique to separate the voices clearly, and giving each of the three its own way of singing makes the interest of the counterpoint come across more strongly. The range is C2 to E♭6, fitting on a 61-key keyboard. Since the middle voice may pass between the hands from passage to passage, check the division of work with the hand colours, and slow the playback to follow each voice one at a time.
Contrapuntal works influenced by Bach, where each composer's individuality shines through a strict formal structure.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, and achieved fame as a child prodigy before establishing his career in Vienna. In a life of only 35 years, he produced masterpieces across symphonies, operas, chamber music, and keyboard works. His style combines clarity and formal balance with rich emotional depth. This site includes movements of the Sonatas K. 545 and K. 331, the Fantasia in D minor, K. 397, and several fugues.
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