This is a very broad subject you could devote at least an entire semester to. Books have been written on the subject! The point of this article is not to suggest that one composer is better than the other, but rather to compare the differences in their music.
One important fact is that Beethoven came after Mozart. This means that the foundation of his music was built upon the music of Mozart and composers before him.
Both composers used the Sonata Allegro form which was widely employed during the Classical period. I have a separate video that explains the Sonata form if you are interested in a more in-depth explanation.
In the video, I use the Mozart Sonata K330 in C-major and the Beethoven Sonata Opus 14 Number 2 in G major. I’m picking an earlier work of Beethoven to highlight the differences between the two composers. Although Beethoven’s later work strayed even further from Mozart. Still, this earlier work is a great choice to highlight both the similarities and the differences.
You will notice right away that even though these composers were working within the same sonata form, the music is very different. They each have their own distinct personalities and this comes through very prominently in their music.
The first thing that comes to mind with the K330 is the roundness of the phrasing and the perfection of the structure. If you changed even one note the piece would sound completely off.
Beethoven has a much more fiery personality. Whereas Mozart’s music is clean and precise, Beethoven employs many surprises in his music. Many times he will build up the music as if it’s leading to something only to suddenly get soft – his trademark use of subito piano. This is a common theme in his music and keeps the listener engaged in the music.
In Beethoven’s later sonatas, he developed the form further as the technology of the piano improved. The development sections are massive and even in his earlier sonatas, they would go much further than in a Mozart sonata. This is just one of many differences between these two iconic composers.
We will be bringing you another part in this series very soon where we will discuss more similarities and differences between Beethoven and Mozart.
If you have any questions or observations please send them to me Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729 Thank you!