Classical musicians often like to make a big distinction between the music they associate with and popular music (which they see as a somewhat “lesser” venture). But did Mozart ever write any pop tunes? I personally think he did. The Rondo Alla Turca “Turkish March” (from the end of Mozart’s Sonata in A major k. 331) was written for the common man as much as one possibly could. It’s incredibly popular – in fact, in Mozart’s time, the piece was played on special “pianolas” with added pedals, drums and Janessary cymbals for extra effect. In my opinion, this is the kind of piece that I think would most likely make it into baseball games! In Japanese baseball games, the fans sing along to the theme songs for each player. That got me thinking: could one write baseball lyrics for the Turkish March? Well, in this video, I step up to the plate and give it a swing. Take a look and let me know what you think! SteeeeRIKE or Home Run?
Pianist Sara Davis Buechner will be performing the entire cycle of Mozart Piano Sonatas at Alti Hall in Kyoto, Japan in a series of four recitals in September 2018. For more information, visit http://saradavisbuechner.com/schedule/