Symphony No. 34 (Mozart)

The Symphony in C major Köchelverzeichnis 338, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1780 in Salzburg. After the Old Mozart Edition, the symphony has the number 34

General

The autograph is dated August 29, 1780th About the circumstances of composition and their determination is not known. The symphony Köchelverzeichnis (KV) 338 is the last of the written in Salzburg symphonies: After his break with the archbishop Mozart left the city and moved to Vienna, where he arrived on March 16, 1781. There KV 338 was probably listed on 3 April 1781 an academy of " Musicians - Societät ". It was Mozart's first public appearance in Vienna since his "Wunderkind time ".

Characteristic for the work of the pompous, somewhat baroque character with its block-like ( in the outer movements ) Switch from Forte and Piano or minor and major (from "Light and Shadow ") and the structure of often only one or two-measure motives, together and saved as building blocks are combined. Michael Kontarsky (2007) writes, for example, to the first set. "We experience a kaleidoscope of different themes that are - literally - stand in the way, but together create a stunning musical dynamics " Musicologist Alfred Einstein ( 1953) expressed similarly, also for the first sentence: " As Mozart colors already in the exposure of the brightnesses of C major and g major by all sorts of broken lights: F major, F minor, g minor, D major, e minor: the way of Tonica to dominant is not flat and is full of exciting events. "

In Autograph begins after the first sentence a minuet, but crossed out the beginning and the continuation was apparently cut out. The reason for this is unknown. This is not identical to the Minuet K. 409, that 1782/83 was in Vienna. Alfred Einstein (1953 ) believes that Mozart KV 409 have nachkomponiert for 338 KV to create from the three-movement Italian type a four-movement symphony by the Viennese style. Although, the minuet flutes, which are absent in 338 KV, Einstein, however, thinks that Mozart had the flutes grudge later in outer movements of K. 338. In contrast, other authors consider the flutes a strong argument that KV 409 was not designed for 338 KV. Probably Mozart KV 409 has meant as self aufzuführendes piece, for example, for the organized his own musical academies early 1780s.

In some performances KV 409 but 338 included as a third set of KV (eg in the recording of the Berliner Philharmoniker Karl Böhm ). This seems to be at least possible, since in the former performance practice the movements of a symphony were not necessarily a single unit, but at concerts / Academies by other works ( arias, piano pieces ) were interrupted (see eg K. 385 ).

About the Music

Instrumentation: two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, two violins, two violas, cello, double bass. A harpsichord to reinforce the bass voice used - probably also was - if present in the orchestra. In Minuet KV 409 plus two flutes.

Performance time: approximately 22 minutes (without KV 409)

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 338 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: Allegro vivace

C major, 4/4-time, 264 cycles

The first theme (bars 1-16) consists of Fanfarenmotivik with march -like - dotted rhythm (which is characteristic for the whole set ), block-like alternation of forte and piano, as well as major and minor, trills, repeated notes and tremolo. It is almost always held in unison. The character resembles thus - as well as the whole sentence structure that does not require repetition - a baroque overture. This begins with an upbeat triplet motif in the strings in measure 3/4 is reminiscent of the beginning of the Symphony in C major, K. 96

The following reconciliation section ( from bar 17) is dominated by a two-bar motif of the 1st violin with auftaktiger semiquaver figure and final Zweiundreißigstel - phrase. This is initially accompanied by brass fanfares and varies between C major, G major, G minor and D major. A Synkopenpassage ( bar 31 ff ) then changes again from G minor to D major, that now with two virtuoso ascending Oktavläufen in the violins and oboes ( clock 38-340 ) is strengthened and as dominant to the next occurrence of the second theme acts in G major.

The second theme (bars 40-64 ) is achttaktig and is introduced via a descending chromatic line in the strings. It is characterized by its contrasting movement in Sekundschritten with voting leading first violin and oboe accompaniment is repeated and a further spin -drying, which merges into a new motif from bar 59.

The further course of the exposition consists of several juxtaposed motif passages:

• On the second issue first followed by a crescendo to aufschraubender - section in which the violins in parallel and alternately two two-measure motives play with gradual use of instruments ( bass drum or sustained chords of the wind instruments ), clock 65-74;
• Design with accentuated proposal and remote quaver movement ( similar to this cycle of 15 from the end of the first theme ), clock 74-82;
• Six-bar design with repeated notes and trills phrase is repeated from bar 88 l and then spun out, clock 82-100;
• Cadence in the Piano: oboe echo of the previous G Major - triad ( low to high) and " response " in the first violin ( descending ) clock 100-103;
• Final group in Forte with Akkordmelodik, brass fanfares and drum bass, harmony exchange between G and D major, clock 104-111.

The implementation ( clock 112-157 ) has over circuit -like character, since it hardly draws on material of the exposition. It is mostly used for piano and can be divided into three sections:

• Clock 112-125: After the trill phrase is a two-bar motif in the strings in unison that is based on a continuous downward, broken triad and then merges into a short pendulum figure. The half note at the beginning motif is underlined in each case. About G major Mozart modulates to C minor and E-flat, and thus builds a bridge to the A flat major in measure 126 ff
• Clock 126-134: " restrained, spatial sampling " of the A flat major - triad in remote districts in the first violin, accompanied inter alia by passing triplets of the second violin and the viola. The motif is repeated trill ornament.
• Clock 134-157: Change of a "static" pendant motif in flute / bassoon and a changing response of the strings, organ to point-like sustained notes of the trumpet. The pendulum figure in secondary intervals can be derived from the second theme. From bar 152 the musical events is reduced more and more, and finally ebbed as a derivative action figure and general pause.

The recapitulation (bars 158 ff ) enters with the first theme as a variant ( modulation of the subject of clock 3-4, now only in the bass ), the exposure but is otherwise similar in structure. Mozart decides the sentence as a coda, which again brings the fanfare-like material of the first theme and then this pompous continues to spin until the end of the block.

Second movement: Andante molto di più allegretto tosto

F Major, 2/4-cycle, 174 cycles, just strings and bassoon

The first theme has a singable melody that is played by two violins with initially spiked use. The theme has three parts, to yield bridge between the parts the violas with a legato figure. For the first two parts (such as question and answer, or antecedent and consequent ) is the ascending movement with double strike for the third part of the accented derivative (cycle 12) and characteristic of importance for the further course of the movement. From bar 15, the theme is repeated as a variant with votes against like, descending motion in first violin and second viola.

The subsequent passage to the second theme consists of the sequence of each three repeated motifs:

• Scene 1 (cycle 30-34 ): stereotyped -like, one-bar figure;
• Motif 2 (cycle 35-38 ): descending and ascending motion in staccato;

The second theme (bars 44-60 ) is like the first theme characterized by a singable melody, where now only the first violin vocal leader. Characteristic diee downgoing motion of four quavers is in staccato. The eight-bar theme is repeated.

It is followed by a further section, consisting of several repeated motifs:

• Scene 4 (cycle 62-72 ): Contrasting movement in offset insert with half note as a point of rest, short after the repetition Fort spin drying,
• Scene 5 (cycle 73-76 ): downgoing movement with prominent derivative, derived from the passage clock 12/13,
• Scene 6 (cycle 77-84, finishing group): cadential, ascending sixteenth-note motion chromatic Endfloskel, only first violin. From bar 81 the ascending motion is taken up with double strike from the beginning of the sentence, the "open" on the C Major - ends seventh chord.

The second part begins in measure 85 and largely corresponds to the first (smaller deviations relate, for example, motif 1, which occurs in measure 114 as a variant ).

Third movement: Allegro vivace

C major, 6/8-measure, 304 cycles

The whole set is kept in stormy character and by his almost continuous quaver movement - often in unison - gekennzeichnet.Volker Scherliess (2005 ) suggests an influence of the finale of Haydn's 56th Symphony in C major, and also Michael Kontarsky (2007) sees the set a " clear homage to Joseph Haydn. "

The first topic is achttaktig and consists of two four-bar blocks, both on C Major - Akkordmelodik based: the first in Forte Unison ( first chord, then the chord broken in ascending eighth notes ), the second in the piano ( 1st violin vocal leader, passing movement by dotted quarter interrupted). The theme is then repeated in full.

The transition to the second theme (bars 17-42 ) is again characterized by Akkordmelodik: change from tonic ( C major ) and dominant ( G major ) in broken chord runs that are performed partly in unison.

The second theme (bar 43-59 ) in G Major - Piano begins on a "carpet" of repetitions of the second violin and the viola and consists of an up- and-down movement of the vocal leading 1st violin with change of staccato and legato. The second issue is how the first achttaktig and is repeated - now with oboe accompaniment.

The passage to the end of the exposure (as with the other sets ) by the sequence of motifs based on Akkordmelodik marked. They can be divided into the following sections:

• Section 1 (cycle 59-79 ): Forte - Unisonofigur, motif corresponding to clock 26 ff, oboes two-bar motif. 72-79 Repeat 64-71 clock cycle;
• Section 2 ( clock 80-102 ): motif with vocal line first in the bass, with repetition (separated by oboe motif) in the violins;
• Section 3 ( clock 103-115 ): two-bar motif, in the places the instruments tune ( " composed crescendo" ).
• Section 4 / final group ( clock 115-134 ): broken G Major - chords and unison runs

The implementation ( clock 135-179 ) has, as in the first set rather reconciliation -like character since the beginning only the (first) oboe motif occurs from exposure. From bar 149 is dominated by a new, four-bar motif from energetic tone repetition interval and then down, run offset between violins and violas / bass. An introduction to the recapitulation (bars 161 ff ) via a chromatically falling line and offset between oboes and bassoons played suspensions.

The recapitulation (bars 180 ff ) is largely similar to the exposure structured, but partially reduced ( in the reconciliation and the final group ) or before the final group extended by a piano cadenza. Exposure and development and recapitulation are repeated.

References, notes

Web links, notes

• Symphony in C major KV 338: Score and critical report in the New Mozart Edition Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia in re, K. 338 PR 645, Ricordi -Verlag, Milan ( pocket score ).
• 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 338 for piano two hands )