Sonata

Instrumental work, usually in several movements

The sonata is a cyclically planned instrumental composition, usually in several movements, for a solo instrument or a small ensemble. The word comes from Italian “sonare” (“to sound”). Each movement usually has its own marking of tempo or character; more on that on the page for the movement.

Several movements, one movement, a part of one

In the archive you can see all three cases. Mozart’s “Sonata facile” is stored as three separate files: a quick “Allegro” in four-four time (C), an “Andante” in 3/4 with one sharp in the key signature, a rondo in 2/4. Of Mozart’s Sonata in A major only the second movement is there, a minuet with trio. And Scarlatti’s Sonata in G major is a single movement, four pages long. That a sonata only “usually” has several movements is shown by the archive.

Sonata in one movement

• Sonate G-Dur Domenico Scarlatti, K. 455, for harpsichord or piano · 4 pages

  “Allegro”, time signature ¢, one sharp. A repeat sign closes bar 47, its counterpart opens bar 48, and the last one closes bar 108; in the bass the piece ends on G. In the archive it is a single movement with no continuation.

Sonata in three movements

• Sonata facile, 1. Satz: Allegro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545 · piano · 4 pages

  “Allegro”, time signature C, no key signature, mp at the beginning and fingering numbers. The title names the first movement; movements 2 and 3 are available as files of their own.

• Sonata facile, 2. Satz: Andante Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545 · piano · 4 pages

  “Andante”, time signature 3/4, one sharp in the key signature. A repeat sign closes the first part.

• Sonata facile, 3. Satz: Rondo Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545 · piano · 3 pages

  At the left is written “Rondo – Allegretto grazioso”, time signature 2/4, no key signature, an upbeat of two eighth-note chords with p.

A movement from another sonata

• Sonate Nr. 11 A-Dur, 2. Satz: Menuetto Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, K. 331 · piano · 3 pages

  “MENUETTO.” above the first bar, time signature 3/4, three sharps. The trio begins at bar 49, and “Menuetto D.C.” is written at the end.

Sonata and sonatina

The sonatina is the smaller and easier sister of the sonata, often meant for teaching. The names are not strictly kept apart in the archive: Mozart’s “Sonata facile” is called a sonata and, like Clementi’s sonatina, has three movements. So rely on what is in the notation: number of movements, time signatures, repeat signs.

Common mistakes

• Equating the sonata with a “movement”: The sonata is the whole work, the movement only a part of it. With Scarlatti the work is in the archive as a single movement.
• Inferring the key of every movement from the title: The second movement of Mozart’s Sonata in C major has one sharp in the key signature.
• Ignoring repeat signs: In Scarlatti each of the two halves is to be repeated.