Perhaps Mozart’s best-known piece is the final movement of his Piano Sonata No. 11, K. 331, also known as the Turkish March.

Following the decline of the Ottoman Empire from the 1699 onwards, a new cultural exchange began between Europe and the Turks. During this period, the ‘Turkish fashion’ spread to European countries in various forms. Mozart, who was 27 years old when he composed the piece, was influenced by the Mehter band and, as a reflection of this fashion, composed the ‘Rondo alla Turca’, which he modelled like a Turkish march.

This piece, which I knew by heart even as a child, is always played at a fast tempo. However, the Italian music researcher, educator and pianist Alberto Nones has concluded, following extensive research, that this piece should actually be played at a much slower tempo. For example, Alberto Nones’ version takes 5 minutes and 10 seconds to complete, whilst the versions we are more accustomed to take less than 4 minutes, and Turkish pianist Fazıl Say’s version takes 2 minutes 41 seconds.

I don’t know which one you prefer, but I, myself, prefer the interpretation by Alberto Nones, who is also a friend of mine. Friendship doesn’t influence my opinion 🙂 I feel that Alberto’s version makes the music much more refined, rich and accessible. Although it might feel a bit slow compared to the tempo I am used to since my childhood, the music actually flows continuously, like the gentle current of a soothing stream.

Alberto Nones explains his choices as follows: ‘We must also recall that Mozart lamented a general tendency, evidently even in his time, to rush and showcase technical prowess at the expense of expressiveness. In a famous letter to his father, Mozart criticised the excessive speed of many keyboardists of his time, going so far as to label the Italians who boasted miraculous tempo indications as charlatans.’

I’m sharing these different versions of the Turkish March for you to evaluate and enjoy.

For more detailed information about this track, please see the review below:
Pizzicato: Remy Franck’s Journal About Classical Music: Reflecting Mozart

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