Nannerl Notenbuch


The Nannerl Notenbuch, or Notenbuch für Nannerl is a book in which Leopold Mozart, from 1759 to about 1764, wrote pieces for his daughter, Maria Anna Mozart, to learn and play. His son Wolfgang also used the book, in which his earliest compositions were recorded. The book contains simple short keyboard pieces, suitable for beginners; there are many anonymous minuets, some works by Leopold, and a few works by other composers including Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and the Austrian composer Georg Christoph Wagenseil. There are also some technical exercises, a table of intervals, and some modulating figured basses. The notebook originally contained 48 bound pages of music paper, but only 36 pages remain, with some of the missing 12 pages identified in other collections.

Description of the ''''

Originally the Notenbuch was a bound volume comprising forty-eight pages of blank music paper, with eight staves on each page. Inscribed with the words Pour le clavecin, it was presented to Nannerl on the occasion of her eighth name day on 26 July 1759. Over the course of the next four years or so, the notebook was gradually filled with pieces written out by Leopold and two or three anonymous Salzburg copyists. Wolfgang is thought to have written out four pieces. Curiously none of the pieces were inscribed by Nannerl herself.
In later years, twelve individual pages were removed from the notebook for one reason or another. Of these, four are now considered lost, but the remaining eight have been identified by Alan Tyson:
The four lost pages have been tentatively reconstructed using a variety of other sources. It is believed that in its completed state the Notenbuch contained a total of 64 pieces, of which 52 are in the surviving 36 pages of the book.
Wolfgang Plath has deduced the existence of five scribes, from a study of the handwriting in the Notenbuch. In addition to Leopold and Wolfgang, three anonymous scribes from Salzburg - known as Anonymous I, Anonymous II and Anonymous III - have been identified. Numbers 58 and 61, thought to be in the four missing pages, are known only from Nissen's material; Plath assumed that these two pieces were copied out by Leopold, who was responsible for more than half the contents of the Notenbuch.
The Notenbuch provides evidence of the collaboration between the young Wolfgang and his father. For example, number 48 is an arrangement of the third movement of Leopold's D major serenade, but the trio also appears as Menuet II in Wolfgang's Sonata K. 6.
The Notenbuch is also useful in providing evidence of Leopold's approach to teaching music. The tables of intervals show that he taught music theory to his children from the start. It seems that he also taught composition from the outset, by means of a given bass line, a melody to be varied, a melody to be continued, and a structural model.
The earliest compositions by Wolfgang are written in Leopold's hand; the father's gentle suggestions for amendments came later.

Wolfgang Mozart's compositions in the book

The Notenbuch contains the following pieces by Wolfgang:

Andante in C, K. 1a

This piece of music was probably Mozart's first composition. It is an extremely short piece, consisting of just 10 measures, and was notated by the composer's father, Leopold, as Wolfgang was only five years old when he composed it.
It is normally performed on the harpsichord and is in the key of C. The piece opens with a one-bar phrase in time, which is then repeated. A second, modified phrase receives the same treatment. The time signature then changes to and in the following four measures Mozart reverts to a typically Baroque style. The piece concludes with a simple authentic cadence.

Allegro in C, K. 1b

An extremely short work, consisting of only twelve measures. It was notated by Mozart's father, Leopold, as Wolfgang was only five years old when he composed it.
It is normally performed on the harpsichord, and is in the key of C. As the tempo indicates, it is a fast and lively piece. Unlike K. 1a, this piece is not based on repeated phrases. It begins with an ascending scale in the right hand from the dominant to the mediant on the first and third beats of the bars, while the left hand adds a counterpoint on the off beats. After reaching a peak, the right hand drops down in a series of quarter notes and eighth notes, accompanied by a very simple bass part. Curiously, the final cadence takes place between the eighth and ninth measures: in the last four measures, which make up a quarter of the entire composition, Mozart rings various changes on an unadorned C major triad.

Allegro in F, K. 1c

This piece, Allegro for keyboard in F, K. 1c runs to twenty-four measures. It was composed by Wolfgang on 11 December 1761 in Salzburg. It was notated by Mozart's father, Leopold, as Wolfgang was just five years old at the time.
This piece was written for the harpsichord and is usually performed on that instrument today, though other keyboard instruments may be used. This Allegro is Mozart's earliest extant piece in F major. Like K. 1b, it is in a fast tempo. It is in rounded binary form, with repeat signs at the end of each of the sections: ||:A:||:BA:||, where A and B each consists of four bars. The music is simple and classical in style. This piece has been compared to a "jolly south German folkdance".

Minuet in F, K. 1d

The minuet in F is a very short piece in extended binary form. The first section is just eight measures long and the second section twelve; both are marked with repeat signs. K. 1d was notated by Leopold Mozart; Wolfgang was five years old when he composed this piece.
It was written for the harpsichord and is usually performed on that instrument, though other keyboard instruments may be used. This dance is Mozart's earliest extant composition in minuet form. As a minuet it is, by definition, stately in feeling and written in time. Like all Mozart's compositions in the Notenbuch, the clearest influences on the style are to be found in the pieces he was studying by Leopold Mozart and Georg Christoph Wagenseil.
It comprises several phrases each beginning with chords, after which broken chords and triplets are used.

Minuet in G, K. 1e

Another short piece, of 18 measures, it was probably notated by his father, Leopold Mozart, since Wolfgang was five or six years old at the time.
It was written for the harpsichord and is hence usually performed on the harpsichord, though other keyboard instruments may be used. This minuet in G major is in Mozart's first collection of works. As a minuet, it is relatively fast in time. Unlike K. 1d, it is far less influenced by the baroque style.
It is largely constructed of phrases which are repeated: every two bars is announced by a descending fifth, after which 4 chords are played, a tune is constructed within this restraint. Each phrase is 8 bars long. In two part harmony, it consists of 3 sections: the opening, a contrasting trio, and reprise of the original.

Minuet in C, K. 1f

A short piece ; it was probably notated by his father, Leopold, since Wolfgang was only five or six years old at the time.
It was written for the harpsichord and is hence usually performed on the harpsichord, though other keyboard instruments may be used. This minuet is in Mozart's first collection of works. As a minuet it is relatively fast in time. It is, unlike K. 1d far less influenced by the baroque style.
It is largely constructed of phrases which are repeated: every two bars is announced by a descending fifth, after which 4 chords are played, a tune is constructed within this restraint. Each phrase is 8 bars long. In two part harmony, it consists of 3 sections: the opening, contrasting trio, and a reprise of the original. It was, in Köchel's first catalogue listed as K. 1 along with Minuet in G, K. 1e.

Minuet in F, K. 2

A very short work ; it was most likely notated by his father, Leopold, as Wolfgang was only five or six years old at the time. The entry for this work was composed in Salzburg in January 1762.
It was written for the harpsichord and is hence usually performed on the harpsichord, though other keyboard instruments may be used.
This piece is a single bar motif which is developed into an eight-bar exposition, which is repeated, and then modulated for another eight bars before being repeated again.

Allegro in B-flat, K. 3

A very short, yet lively piece ; it was most likely notated by his father, Leopold, as Wolfgang was six years old at the time. The entry for this work states it was composed in Salzburg on 4 March 1762.
It was written for the harpsichord and is hence usually performed on the harpsichord, though other keyboard instruments may be used.

Minuet in F, K. 4

A short minuet ; it was most likely notated by his father, Leopold, as Wolfgang was six years old at the time. The entry for this work states it was composed in Salzburg on 11 May 1762.
It was written for the harpsichord and is hence usually performed on the harpsichord, though other keyboard instruments may be used.

Minuet in F "Triolen-Menuett", K. 5

Another short minuet, featuring triplets, the last in the Notenbuch; it was most likely notated by his father, Leopold, as Wolfgang was six years old at the time. The entry for this work states it was composed in Salzburg on 5 July 1762.
It was written for the harpsichord and is hence usually performed on the harpsichord, though other keyboard instruments may be used.

Klavierstück in C, K. 5a

A longer piece ; the first piece in the book to be inscribed by the young Wolfgang. The entry date for this work states it was composed in Salzburg, sometime during 1764; the precise date is not known.
It was written for the harpsichord and is hence usually performed on the harpsichord, though other keyboard instruments may be used.

Andante in B-flat, K. 5b

The final surviving piece in the Nannerl Notenbuch, of which only a fragment is left; notated again by Leopold. Estimated to be composed in Salzburg, around 1764.
It runs for 61 measures and usually performed on the Harpsichord, though other keyboard instruments may be used.

Table of contents

The following table summarizes the contents of the Notenbuch.
No.PieceCopyistComposerK.Added commentsNotes
1Menuett in CAnonymous IAnonymous---
2Menuett in FAnonymous IAnonymous---
3Menuett in CAnonymous IAnonymous---
4Menuett in GAnonymous IAnonymous---
5Menuett in FAnonymous IAnonymous---
6Menuett in FAnonymous IAnonymous---
7Menuett in DAnonymous IAnonymous---
8Menuett in FAnonymous IAnonymous-Diese vorgehenden 8 Menuetten hat d. Wolfgangerl im 4ten Jahr gelernet
-
9Menuett in ALeopoldAnonymous---
10Menuett in DLeopoldAnonymous---
11Menuett in FAnonymous IAnonymous-Disen Menuet und Trio hat dr Wolfgangerl den 26ten Januarij 1761 einen Tag vor seinem 5ten Jahr um halbe 10 Uhr in einer halben Stund gelernet
-
12Menuett in ALeopoldAnonymous---
13Menuett in ALeopoldAnonymous---
14Menuett in FLeopoldAnonymous---
15Menuett in ELeopoldAnonymous---
16Menuett in CAnonymous IAnonymous---
17Menuett in FLeopoldLeopold---
18Menuett in B-flatLeopoldAnonymous---
19Menuett in FAnonymous IAnonymousDiesen Menuet hat d. Wolfgangerl auch im vierten jahr seines alters gelernet
K. 32, No. 14, is an orchestral version of this piece
20Allegro in CWolfgangWolfgangK. 5a-Probably added in 1764
21Menuett in CAnonymous IIAnonymous---
22Marsch in F Anonymous IAnonymous-den 4ten feb. 1761 vom Wolfgangerl gelernet
Learned by Wolfgang on the 4 February 1761		-
23Marsch in F LeopoldAnonymous---
24Allegro in B-flatLeopoldWolfgangK. 8di Wolfgang Mozart à Paris le 21 Novb. 1763
by Wolfgang Mozart in Paris on 21 November 1763		A piano version of the first movement of Violin Sonata No. 3 in B-flat, K. 8
25Andante in FLeopoldWolfgangK. 6-A piano version of the second movement of Violin Sonata No. 1 in C, K. 6
Probably written in Brussels in October 1763
26Menuett in CLeopoldWolfgangK. 6-A piano version of Menuet I from the third movement of Violin Sonata No. 1 in C, K. 6
Probably written in Brussels in October 1763
27Allegro in CAnonymous IAnonymous---
28Allegro in FAnonymous IAnonymous---
29Klavierstück in FAnonymous IAnonymous---
30Allegro in CAnonymous IAnonymous---
31Scherzo in CAnonymous IWagenseil-del Sgr. Wagenseil
-
32Scherzo in FAnonymous IAnonymous---
33Allegro in FLeopoldAnonymous---
34Allegro in CLeopoldAnonymous---
35Tempo di menuetto in FAnonymous IIAnonymous---
36Allegro moderato in FAnonymous IAnonymous---
37Andante in B-flatLeopoldAnonymous---
38Andante in CLeopoldAnonymous---
39Arietta con Variazioni in A---
40Allegro in CLeopoldAnonymous---
41Allegro in GLeopoldAnonymous---
42Allegro in G minorLeopoldAnonymous---
43Presto in AAnonymous III---
44Polonaise in FLeopoldAnonymous---
45Allegro in E minorLeopoldAgrell---
46Allegro in CLeopoldWolfgangK. 6di Wolfgango Mozart d. 14 octob.
A piano version of the first movement of Violin Sonata No. 1, K. 6
Probably composed in Brussels in 1763
47Menuett in DLeopoldWolfgangK. 7di Wolfgango Mozart d. 30ten Novbr. 1763 à Paris
A piano version of Menuet I from Violin Sonata No. 2 in D, K. 7
48Menuett in FLeopoldWolfgangK. 6di Wolfgango Mozart d. 16ten Julÿ 1762
A piano version of the third movement of Leopold's Serenade in D and Menuet II from the third movement of Wolfgang's Violin Sonata No. 1 in C
Composed in Salzburg
49Menuett in FLeopoldWolfgangK. 4di Wolfgango Mozart d. 11ten Maÿ 1762
Minuet in F, K. 4
Composed in Salzburg
50Klavierstück in GLeopoldAnonymous--Fragment
51Konzertsatz in GLeopoldAnonymous---
52Fünf technische ÜbungenLeopoldAnonymous--Exercise: Five technical exercises
53Andante in CLeopoldWolfgangK. 1a--
54Allegro in CLeopoldWolfgangK. 1b--
55Allegro in FLeopoldWolfgangK. 1c--
56Minuet in FLeopoldWolfgangK. 1dMenuetto del Sgr. Wolfgango Mozart 16to Decembris 1761
-
57IntervalltabelleLeopoldAnonymous--Exercise: a table of musical intervals
58Menuett in FLeopold?WolfgangK. 2-Minuet in F, K. 2
59Allegro in B-flatLeopoldWolfgangK. 3del Sgr. Wolfgango Mozart 1762. d. 4ten Martij
Allegro in B-flat, K. 3
Composed in Salzburg
60Drei modulierende GeneralbaßübungenLeopoldAnonymous--Exercise: 3 modulating general basses
61Menuett in FLeopold?WolfgangK. 55. Juli 1762
5 July 1762		Minuet in F, K. 5
Composed in Salzburg
62Menuett in GWolfgangWolfgangK. 1e-Minuet in G, K. 1e
Probably added in 1764
63Menuett in CWolfgangWolfgangK. 1f-Minuet in C, K. 1f
Probably added in 1764
64Andante in B-flatWolfgangWolfgangK. 5b-Fragment of an Andante in B-flat, K. 5b
Probably added in 1764