About the piece
It is the third movement of the Sonata in A major K 331, written around 1783. Mozart marked it Alla turca: it imitates the Ottoman Janissary bands, very fashionable in Vienna, with their drums and cymbals.
In the A major section the left hand plays very fast broken chords that sound just like a drum roll.
How to practise it
- The A minor theme (the opening bars) hands separately: the right-hand notes are fast but repetitive.
- The left-hand chords in the major section need a loose wrist, never stiff.
- Practise at 50% until the triplets and little scales are perfectly even.
- The piece is made of repeating sections: once you learn one, you already have several.
Free sheet music
First page. Complete sheet music (PDF) on the Mutopia Project (public domain, edition by Rune Zedeler and Chris Sawer); in the Piano Learning app you read it two pages side by side while you play.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free in the app?
Yes: the Turkish March is one of Piano Learning's free pieces, with sheet music and all practice features.
Is it hard?
It is intermediate. The opening theme is doable after a year of study; the parts with fast chords need more practice.