Symphony No. 26 (Mozart)

The Symphony in E flat major Köchelverzeichnis 184, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1773 in Salzburg. After the Old Mozart Edition, the symphony has the number 26

General

On the origin of the "Salzburg Symphonies " Köchelverzeichnis (KV) 162-202 see in KV 162, Symphony KV 184 is in the style of an Italian overture: it is not cast in four movements ( like a typical concert symphony ), but in three movements, as the minuet is missing. The sentences are not separately, but merge into one another, the transition from the second to the third movement takes place even without a break. Probably Mozart has it designed as an overture for the opera / theater, for which their extensive wind instrumentation speaks. In addition, the work could also be listed separately at concerts. Indeed, KV 184 was used in later years as an overture (probably with Mozart's consent ), as an introduction to the play ' Lanassa " ' by Karl Martin Plümicke, a German version of the play" La veuve du Malabar "by Antoine -Marin Lemierre. This piece was played by the since 1779 known with Mozart Boehm traveling troupe from 1785 to end of September 1790 on the occasion of the coronation in Frankfurt even before Mozart himself Böhm attacked while on Mozart's music for " Thamos, King of Egypt " KV 345 back.

It was originally thought because of an opinion expressed by Leopold Mozart at the beginning of the first movement, the symphony was completed on March 30, 1773. On the other hand, acts (Wolfgang ) Mozart's handwriting in the second and third set considerably " older " than one might assume for March 1773. Maybe the last two sentences of KV were therefore composed 184 in late summer or autumn 1773.

The symphony is characterized by the following features:

• It has the facility of an Italian overture, the sentences have no repeats;
• First Set: Rugged harmonic changes of a note in the scale to the next ( eg from E major to F minor ), steep change in the dynamics, lack of a melodic theme;
• Strong contrasts between sets: Quick, mechanical, energetic (first sentence ) - depressed, sad ( second sentence) - fast, melodic, cheerful ( third sentence );
• Baroque-style elements: uniform eighth chains in the main motif of the first set; strict separation between winds, high and low strings as based eg on chamber music trio sonatas at the beginning of the second set; in the third set behave 1st and 2nd violins " as in a concerto, trumping a soloist several times, but not " classic ", with a strong solo single, but" vorklassisch ", with passage-like double inserts ".
• Use of several motifs that took up Mozart in later works again: the opening of the first movement in the Sinfonia Concertante KV 364 and the Wind Serenade KV 375, the " tragic " sound from the Andante in the slow movements of K. 364, Piano Concerto K. 271 and the Serenade K. 320, and the beginning of the finale in the Horn Concerto K. 495

Volker Scherliess (2005 ) thinks that the symphony " experimental features " wear and that you can understand as " a study in unisons, tremoli, syncopation and chromatic melodies, that is dramatic, operatic gestures ' the work. Alfred Einstein ( 1953) writes about KV 184: " ... a definite overture, but so great for large orchestra and the first sentence concert moderately in the litter, in the Andante (...) so subtle dialogue by formed that they would be counted among the early masterpieces, if not a little too easy would weigh the final movement. "Maybe Mozart wanted by the" lighter " Final release the tension built up previously.

About the Music

Instrumentation: two flute, two oboes, two horns in Eb, two trumpets in it, two violins, viola, cello, double bass. In addition, it was common, (if in the respective band) to use to enhance the bass bassoon and basso continuo instrument as a harpsichord. KV 184 thus has a large wind instruments. It is noteworthy that timpani are not provided, as these would usually occurred in parallel with the trumpets. Perhaps this is due to the frequent change of keys in the first sentence, in which the timpani can not be used. Performance time: approximately 10 minutes.

When used herein the terms of sonata form is considered that this scheme was designed in the first half of the 19th century (see below) and therefore can be transmitted 184 only with restrictions on the Symphony KV. - Note that this description and structure of sentences is to be understood as a suggestion. Depending on your view, other accruals and interpretations are possible.

First movement: Molto Presto

E-flat major, 4/4-time, 135 units

The first theme consists of two contrasting motives: (1 ) signal -like E-flat major triad in Forte and unison of the whole orchestra, nine-fold repetition with dotted rhythm, (2) broken E-flat major triad down to break through translator eighth notes of the violins, piano. After skidding of the topic to F minor eighth runs are followed in unison, sixteenth tremolo, syncope and rugged harmonic shifts (eg E flat minor, F major, B- flat major ). From bar 29, a longer piano section with shouldered, falling quaver figure in the violins endorses, who commutes between the dominant B flat major and the double dominant F major.

Abruptly, it goes into the development section from bar 43. This basically consists of a repeat of the exposition with altered harmonies: main theme in B- flat major and C minor; Section with runs and syncopations, including G major, C major, A major, D major and G minor are achieved.

The recapitulation at measure 68 then represents the third pass of the material of the exposition is now back in the harmonies as the beginning of the sentence. The main theme of 112 is a fourth appearance from clock: first in E flat major, then in F minor (ie as in the exposition ), and finally in G major ( sequencing down).

From bar 124 the rate with change of C minor and G major sounds in a quiet neighborhood movement with syncope. The end of the block consists of the threefold repetition of a G major chord is played pianissimo and a general rest with fermata in the last bar. G major acts as dominant to the C minor of the following theorem.

Second movement: Andante

C minor, 2/4-cycle, 70 cycles

The set is composed of a main subject (kick-off of three sixteenths interval step in eighths ) that first dialogue in the two violins occurs in the tonic C minor, highlighted border quaver movement in viola, cello and double bass. The winds accompany with splashes of color. From bar 11 the main subject in the Tonikaparallele E flat major appears, now the dialogue between the first violin on the one hand and flutes and horns on the other hand out. The whole orchestra is involved, chords and tremolo. After a contrasting string passage with chromaticism which opens into dissonant chords (bars 24/25 ), finished the final group with a variant of the main subject exposure.

Without repeating now begins in measure 32 implementation, in which the main subject is dialogical out in the strings through different keys. The recapitulation at measure 40 is similar to the exposure structured. The final group passes over without a break and with a crescendo to the third movement; here the crescendo but withdrawn again to the piano.

Third movement: Allegro

E-flat major, 3/8-time, 236 cycles

The only record of this Symphony, Allegro has two melodic, dance-like themes. The first theme with characteristic tone repetition in its first half is first presented piano by the strings ( without bass ), then repeated an octave higher in the Forte of the entire orchestra. The section from bar 16 engages the Schlussfloksel of three notes of the first theme ( from clock 15, " three- note motif " ) in the winds (down) and the violas (up) to below tremolo accompaniment of violins. In bar 28, then the double dominant F major is reached, which leads dominant table to the second theme in B- flat major. In the second theme with a lilting dance-like character of the first half is first presented by the strings ( with a staggered application ), then repeated with flute accompaniment, before the second half follows with tremolo in the second violin; the second half is repeated with full brass accompaniment. From bar 60 the final phrase of the second half gradually slopes down with their trills.

Without turning point it goes into clock 68 forte and dissonances in the implementation about which processes the material of the section with the three- note motif / Tremolo by modulations and staggered use of motifs. In the violins a motif with a large interval jump (up two octaves) down to, which is derived from the first theme - addition occurs - also displaced. The large interval jumps of the subject then become independent on a pendulum movement between D major and G minor, which eventually reaches B flat major and runs here. With a fully formulated, walking down seventh chord on B, the recapitulation is reached in measure 124, which is initially structured similarly exposure. The second theme leads back to the section with the three- note motif / Tremolo before in clock 203, the first theme surprisingly occurs for the third time. The set closes with the material of the three- note motif / tremolo and seven bars long vigorously repeated chords on it.

References, notes

Web links, notes

• Symphony in E flat major KV 184: Score and critical report in the New Mozart Edition
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony in 184 KV Barenreiter study scores Band 72; Barenreiter -Verlag, Kassel, 1986, 22 pp. ( New Mozart Edition ).
• W. Meves: Symphonies de W. A. Mozart. Collection Litolff No. 168 Henry Litolff 's Verlag, Braunschweig undated ( output of about 1890, including a version of the symphony KV 184 for piano 2 hands )