Marche funèbre in C minor K.453a

Description

A rare funeral march by Mozart, written in 1784. It bears the joking title Marche funèbre del Signor Maestro Contrapunto (funeral march for Mr Master Counterpoint) and is said to have been written into the notebook of his pupil Barbara Ployer. It is a private piece, written for a student during the busy years when he was producing piano concertos one after another.

It is in C minor and 2/2. Set in that weighty colour, a solemn dotted-rhythm theme recurs throughout. At about a minute and around 270 notes it is brief, yet the bass reaches down low, and the thickness of the chords carries the weight of a funeral. Whatever the jest in its title, the music itself is written in earnest.

Rated for beginners, but the low notes go beyond a 61-key keyboard, so an 88- or 76-key instrument suits it better. The first task is a steady march tempo, with dotted rhythms kept crisp rather than softened. Avoiding showy swells and holding tension within restrained dynamics fits its character. Slowing the playback to check the rhythm, and looping chord progressions with A-B, makes it easier to practise.

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