Pieces › Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K. 331

III. Alla Turca

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart · c. 1783 · A minor · 137 bars · 128 chords analysed

Famous for its finale, the “Rondo alla Turca”, which imitates the sound of Turkish military bands. Unusually, it begins with a set of variations.

Mozart's 18 piano sonatas span his career, from Munich in 1775 to Vienna in 1789. Most have three movements — fast, slow, fast — and the first movement is usually in sonata form: two contrasting themes, a development that travels through other keys, and a return home.

Keys visited: A minor, E minor, A major, F♯ minor, C♯ minor.