Noctave

Free sheet music · Noctave edition

Turkish March (easy version)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756–1791 · arranged for Noctave

Easy · 3/101783A minor52 sRight hand
Portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in moonlight

Listen

The first 20 seconds, played by the piano of Noctave (the app's SoundFont).

The piece

This rondo is the last movement of the Sonata in A major, K. 331, whose first movement is a theme with variations. Mozart marked it Alla turca: it imitates the military bands of the Ottoman Janissaries, fashionable in Vienna at the time, with their cymbals and drums. Noctave's easy version takes the refrain in A minor, from the opening motif to the cadence, and simplifies the accompaniment.

Everything grows from a little turn of four eighths, B–A–G-sharp–A, which comes back twice, one step higher each time: D–C–B–C, then F–E–D-sharp–E, before running up to the high A. These groups should be even and light, with the hand close to the keys; the G-sharp and D-sharp mean aiming for black keys without breaking the flow. Soon after, the right hand reaches the high C on the second ledger line above the staff, so read those lines before you play. The left hand alternates a bass note and a two-note chord in half notes; keep it discreet, soft as the score marks it, so the eighths can sing.

What makes it hard

One hand at a time
The melody is in the right hand (110 notes); the left hand plays only 55.

Measured on the score, repeats included, at the written tempo.

Play it in Noctave

The score, free. The version that falls in light, in Noctave: the notes come down to your keyboard at your tempo, then fade to leave you the score. Noctave is coming soon to Android: leave your address to hear when it is out.

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