Hi. I have been playing for two and a half years now and felt I was ready to tackle a full sonata, after playing too many sonatinas and music on the level of K.545, mozart wise. I loved the Clementi and Haydn sonatinas, don't get me wrong. I think now, after being urged by my teacher to delve into them, that I have grown accustomed to the theme and development pattern of the sonata.

My questions are as follows and are posted here because finances don't permit me to see my teacher for a few more months. I hope to get feedback.

Is this sonata something I should wait longer to try and attempt? I found the first three variations easy enough to play, memorized, after a couple hours of practice. Are the last three, especially the adagio, really that much more difficult to play musically?

In my amateur's estimation, the middle movement is harder than the last, which I have learned. Am I right?

In the Turkish Rondo's coda, are the right hand A major chords (3,5,8,10), which are in the first and second measures of the coda, to be rolled? If so, do you think they should be played all in the first beat or spread out more? I find that it produces a messy sound if I attempt the roll as well as the left hand rolling.

Finally, am I a pianist now? This sonata, what I have learned, SEEMS easy to play. Do you think I am falling into a trap? Maybe I am not hearing the mess I am making of it.

Thanks for your patience.

Well, Variation IV is tough with hands crossing over, but if you've had experience with this it will be a breeze. Variation V, as typical for Mozart's slow variations, has tough counting (and there's a mistake in my Dover edition that I discovered, just to make things interesting!). Variation VI is tricksey with fingering in some spots, and really goes fast. Personally, I would not have chosen this as your first Mozart sonata. It's not the hardest, but not a great first one. I love it, though, so perhaps it will be of enough interest to keep you going. If you're not too attached, you might want to check out K. 283.

Anyways, the 2nd mvt is tough, again with hands crossing over sections, and it requires a good lyrical quality.

For the Tukish Rondo, I have indications that the A major chords are to be rolled (and each time these chords are repeated afterwards as well). This is in addition to the grace notes in the LH.

My question to you is, you say that the first 3 variations were easy to play memorized after a couple of hours. Are they up to tempo? I honestly find it hard to believe that one could tackle that a memorize it so quickly. I'm not saying it can't be done, but I just wonder at what quality of playing we're talking here. If you are paying attention to all the details and are playing them up to tempo, then by all means continue on.

Thank you, Morodiene, for your timely response. No, I am not especially attached to this sonata, beyond it being one of my favorites. I learned the rondo, first, as a stand-alone piece, as it was a friend's request. I thought that since I'm 1/3 through I should just buckle down and try.

I think I will finish the first movement and wait for guidance on the second, as you say its lyrical quality and hands-crossing could be tricky.

To answer your question, I do not think they are at anything like performance level or even something I'd try in front of a small audience. The theme is at an appropriate tempo but the rest aren't. Of the three variations I know, maybe the third is 75% there and the other two @ 50% speed and polish. The trills and the bass grace-notes are what will keep me occupied, in practice.

I will keep K. 283 in mind.

Well, if you lvoe it, that may be enought o get you through it. Sometimes it's good to take on a challenge if you love the piece. Best of luck!