Ottoman Tales with Mozart's Rondo Alla Turca
The Best Moments
Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K. 331: III. Rondo alla turca
I'm Mozart, and what follows are the best moments of my Rondo alla Turca. You'll hear the quiet A minor tune swell into a loud, marching A major refrain, and that sudden burst of energy is why this finale has lasted so well. On this site my fellow composers and I also teach you to recognize our pieces the moment they begin, so give the Trainer a go whenever you feel ready.
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A Small Band Tiptoes In
I start in A minor with a quick, fluttering melody made of tiny fast notes, a bit like a band that's still far down the road and hurrying closer. The whole movement imitates a Turkish Janissary band, though I westernized the sound so much that a real Janissary would probably look at me politely and ask what I was doing.
The Plot Takes a Detour
In the middle I let the music wander off into F sharp minor, which gives the tune a darker, more restless color, and I'm quite proud of the change of scenery. Before long the big A major march comes stomping back in loud octaves, as if it had only stepped out for a moment and couldn't bear to miss the rest of the party.
Goodbye, Again and Again
At the end I bring the march back one last time and then add a coda, which is a closing section for people who find it hard to leave a good party. It's the final movement of my Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, but pianists love it so much that they often play it all by itself, and most people now know it as the Turkish March.
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And that is the end of our little march. I hope you enjoyed learning about the best moments of Rondo Alla Turca as much as I enjoyed telling you about them. When I think back on this little movement, I'm struck by how much it gets across in such a short time. It begins quietly in A minor, and then the big A major march arrives and makes everyone want to tap along. That mix of mystery and cheerful swagger is what keeps people coming back to it. Many pianists play it on its own, and it's easy to see why, but I'd gently remind you that it's the last movement of my Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major. If you listen to the whole sonata, you'll hear the Turkish march arrive as the final surprise, after a calmer theme with variations and a graceful minuet. There is plenty more to explore in Rondo Alla Turca. You could follow how the refrain keeps returning, listen for how the drums and cymbals of a Janissary band are suggested by a single piano, or wonder about the lost pages of my handwritten score and the ones that turned up again in Budapest in 2014. I'd also love for you to hear how different pianists shape the same notes, because a quick player and a more playful one can make it feel like two different pieces. If you'd like to keep going, please click on the links provided and explore Rondo Alla Turca a little further. I'll be glad to have you along, and I hope the march stays in your head for the rest of the day.