Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), Piano Sonata in F Major, K. 332, mvt. 1 (Allegro)

In his book Classic Music: Expression, Form, and Style, Leonard Ratner introduces the concept of “topics,” a term designating the succession of recognizable musical types embedded within a single movement or piece. Topics can be exported to some non-native context: for example, a waltz can be the genre or title of a piece, but it can also be a style that is evoked in a non-waltz composition. The first movement of Mozart’s Sonata K. 332 features a rapid succession of topics (and is sometimes referred to as the “Topics Sonata”).