Franz Xaver Mozart's Polonaises mélancoliques consistently feature a solemn minor-key section that shifts to a brighter, central Trio section, often retaining the pitch but expanding to the major key.
Composition History
The Polonaises mélancoliques, Op. 17, were published in a rearranged order for a satisfying cycle, not in their original order of composition.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Franz Xaver Mozart's keyboard writing is characterized by expressive right-hand melodies, reflecting a 19th-century style rather than a direct influence from his famous father.
Composer Biography
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, the composer of these polonaises, was the youngest of six children born to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his wife Constanze, and was born just over four months before his father's death.
Performer Biography
Robert Markham, the pianist, has conducted research into the life and works of Franz Xaver Mozart as a staff researcher at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Composer Biography
Franz Xaver Mozart's musical training included lessons with notable figures such as Georg Joseph Vogler, Albrechtsberger, Salieri, and Hummel, with the support of Haydn.
Performer Biography
Robert Markham, the pianist on this album, was a finalist at the International Tchaikovsky Competition and won the piano class of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition as a teenager.
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