Rondo, Op. 42 No. 1
Johann Baptist Wanhal's Rondo, Op. 42 No. 1, is a cheerful Classical piece in C major and 2/4, Octotune grade 4 of 8: a bright tune in eighth notes that keeps returning, with a section in F major between.
At a glance
| Composer | J. Wanhal |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Beginner: grade 4 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: no sharps or flats |
| Time | 2/4 |
| Tempo | 108 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 56 measures, about 1:02 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | E4 to C6 |
| Left hand | G2 to A♯4 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Rondo, Op. 42 No. 1 | 4 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
Johann Baptist Wanhal (Jan Křtitel Vaňhal) was a Czech composer who worked in Vienna in the time of Haydn and Mozart, and wrote a great deal of music. This rondo is tuneful, clear and in C major, in a quick 2/4.
How it is built. A rondo keeps coming back to its opening tune, with other sections between. The tune here skips down a C major chord, G E C, then G F D, in the right hand's eighth notes. The left hand supports it with held notes and short broken chords. Partway through, the key signature changes to one flat, and a section in F major follows, before the tune returns in C.
The tricky parts
- The key change. In the F major section every B is B flat. Watch for the new key signature.
- Steady eighths in 2/4: count "1 and 2 and", never rushing.
- The left hand's leaps, more than an octave in places. Look ahead.
- High notes. The tune climbs to high C above the staff, on the second ledger line.
Practice plan
- Right hand alone in Wait for me. Every note in it is one Octotune's path teaches.
- Left hand alone, then both hands at 50% speed, with Loop this measure where the hands meet trouble.
- Play along, bringing the speed up to a cheerful pace.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10, which teaches B flat for the F major section. The left hand climbs a little above the bass notes the path teaches.
Questions
Is Wanhal's Rondo, Op. 42 No. 1, easy?
It is a Beginner piece, Octotune grade 4 of 8. The right hand's notes are all ones the path teaches; the work is in steady eighth notes and in the move to F major.
Credits and license
- Music: J. Wanhal
- Typeset by Bas Wassink for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece