[tbpt35] – W. A. Mozart – Divertimento (for Strings) in B flat major KV 137 – piano transcription

original piano transcription of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Divertimento for Strings in B flat major KV 137

composition date: 1772

transcription date: 2009 (30 November – 06 December)

complete piano transcription (piano solo arrangement) of all 3 movements:

1. Andante
2. Allegro di molto
3. Allegro assai

Score

IMSLP.org work page (download mp3 / pdf score)

Recordings

IMSLP.org work page (download mp3 / pdf score)

YouTube channel (embedded links below)

(The youtube video contains the complete divertimento)

Comment

I had been curious about this one ever since finding out there actually was another divertimento between the well-known KV 136 and 138. Why is it always excluded from selections? Why is it so unknown compared to the others?
It was one of my “youtube discoveries” of the time since I first found and listened to a recording as a youtube video.
I discovered that it was in no way inferior to the others, in fact it could be called the best of the three, the forgotten jewel. For sure it became my new favorite.

I think this Divertimento could be twice as popular if Mozart had put the second movement as first, but doing so would have ruined the spirit of the composition. So this is a tip: don’t stop at the first few bars, B flat major is round the corner… and don’t stop at the first movement, wait for the second to jump on stage. Note: the “attacca” indication at the end of the first movement is my addition/interpretation. Enjoy!

See also

Mozart piano transcriptions

[tbpt87] – F. Schubert – “Erinnerungen” (lieder in B flat major) D 98 – piano transcription

original piano transcription of Franz Schubert’s Lieder “Erinnerungen” in B flat major D.98

composition date: 1814 (September)

transcription date: 2012 (25 May)

complete piano transcription (piano solo arrangement) of the single movement

Score

IMSLP.org composition page (download mp3 / pdf score)

Recordings

IMSLP.org composition page (download mp3 / pdf score)

YouTube channel (embedded links below)

Comment

This one was chosen together with “Andenken” D.99 to cover up project numbers tbpt87 and tbpt88. Other number candidates included Mozart Cassation KV 99 and Mozart Serenade KV 388, which I’d still like to transcribe someday.

Not like tbpt52, this time I made sure to listen to the original versions (found them on youtube) before transcribing.

Like tbpt52, I learned what the titles meant but not the lyrics.

See also

Schubert piano transcriptions

[tbpt17] – W. A. Mozart – Church Sonata No.2 in B flat major KV 68 – piano transcription

original piano transcription of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Church Sonata (Sonata da Chiesa) No.2 in B flat major KV 68

composition date: 1767

transcription date: 2009 (28, 29 July 2009)

complete piano transcription / arrangement (single movement composition)

Score

IMSLP.org composition page (download mp3 / pdf score)

Recordings

IMSLP.org composition page (download mp3 / pdf score)

YouTube channel (embedded links below)

Comment

(…)

See also

Mozart piano transcriptions

[tbpt15] – W. A. Mozart – Church Sonata No.6 in B flat major KV 212 – piano transcription

original piano transcription of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Church Sonata (Sonata da Chiesa) No.6 in B flat major KV 212

composition date: 1775

transcription date: 2009 (25 July 2009)

complete piano transcription / arrangement (single movement composition)

Score

IMSLP.org composition page (download mp3 / pdf score)

Recordings

IMSLP.org composition page (download mp3 / pdf score)

YouTube channel (embedded links below)

Comment

(…)

See also

Mozart piano transcriptions

[tbpt114] – W. A. Mozart – Duo for Violin and Viola in B flat major KV 424 – piano transcription

original piano transcription of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Duo for Violin and Viola in B flat major KV.424

composition date: 1783

transcription date: 2013 (29, 30 April 2013)

complete piano transcription / arrangement of all 3 movements:

1. Adagio – Allegro
2. Andante cantabile
3. Tema con Variazioni (Andante grazioso)

Score

IMSLP.org composition page (download mp3 / pdf score)

Recordings

IMSLP.org composition page (download mp3 / pdf score)

YouTube channel (embedded links below)

Comment

I always find the slow, expressive movements to be the harder to transcribe. In this case it was the Adagio introduction to the first movement, rather than the central one. It would give me a headache just by looking at it, so I kept putting it off (with the result of stalling the whole project) until a day when I finally decided to tackle it and bring it down: that was on 1 September 2012. I remember I just reluctantly but painstakingly wrote down the notes of the first page in MIDI until it was done, but it felt so much like a tiresome and unwanted task I didn’t even bother to listen once to what I wrote on that day, just leaving it to the next time… which came half a year later during Easter break. Funny how it had to turn out… the music on that page is as beautiful as the others, but all those short notes and ornamentos and thingummies really put me off.
The rest of the transcription proceeded smoothly as expected, the only true hande was the introduction.
I sped up the tempo of the last movement, bringing it to an “Allegretto” for the same old reason behind most of the liberties I take: because it sounded better to me 🙂

See also

Mozart piano transcriptions