1.7 (above average)
Tune of the Day: Menuetto
The third movement from Mozart's highly popular “Little Serenade” is a minuet and trio in A–B–A form. This movement is in the tonic key of G major, and although marked “Allegretto” it is commonly played at a fairly quick tempo of about 138–144 BPM.
It contains two themes, one in the minuet and one in the trio. The movement begins with the minuet, then the trio theme enters modulating to the dominant key of D major. The minuet is finally played once more, this time omitting the repeats, so the movement ends in G major.
Mozart's entry for Eine Kleine Nachtmusik in his catalogue shows that the work originally had two minuets, for a total of five movements; the other minuet, which in the original version of the work figured as the second movement, was later removed, but nobody knows if by Mozart himself or by someone else. This mysterious missing movement has apparently been lost, although according to some musicologists Mozart may have reused it in Piano Sonata in B-flat, K498a.
Thanks to Olivia for requesting this piece!