Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Infancy Born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. Parents: Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria Pertl. Baptismal Name: Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus.

Childhood career  Age 3: Began playing violin and clavinet.  Age 5: Began composing.  Age 6: Began traveling, playing for the Bavarian Court in Munich and noble houses in Vienna.  Age 13: Lived in Italy. There he composed his first opera.  Age 14: Composed two more opera’s.  Age 16: Appointed assistant concert master.

Adult career In 1773, Mozart was appointed assistant concert master.  Composed many genres:  Sonatas  Serenades  Operas  Symphonies  String Quartets

Adult Career Continued:  Left his position as concert master.  Traveled with mother to Mannheim, Munich, and Paris.  1778: Mother dies.  Returns to Vienna and is appointed as a court organist in Salzburg.

Marriage  Constanze Weber.  Married on August 4,  Had 6 Children.  Only 2 Survived.

Later Years & Death  After marriage, fame continued to build.  Lived lavishly.  Financial problems began.  Continued composing.  Accumulated debts.  Suffered depression.  : Produces many admired works.  Health deteriorates.  Dies on December 5,  Dies broke.  Buried in unmarked grave.

Mozart’s Works Over 600 Pieces

10 Popular Works  1. The Marriage of Figaro  2. Cosi fan Tutte  3. The Magic Flute  4. Don Giovanni  5. Symphony No. 40 in G Minor  6. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik  7. Clarinet Quintet  8. Piano Concerto in C K 467  9. Requiem K 626  10. Mozart's Clarinet Concerto K62

SYMPHONY NO. 40 IN G MINOR Movement 1: Malto Allegro Movement 2: Andante

Historical Background  Composed 1788 in 2 months time.  Four movements, Molto allegro, Andante, Menuetto and Trio. Allegretto, and Allegro assai.  Average duration is 28:09.  Two versions of the G minor symphony.  First is scored for flute and pairs of oboes, horns, and strings.  Second version has added parts for two clarinets, slightly altering the oboe parts to accommodate them.

Movement I: Malto Allegro Movement II: Andante For this analysis:

Movement I: Malto Allegro  0:00 – Introduction, begins with rhythm of allegro tempo. This is introduced in minor mode. The melody is introduced as conjunct, with an orchestra of strings, which offer a smooth timbre as the instruments are played in a monophonic texture.  0:19 – Begins with wind Instruments, including the flute, clarinet, and oboe. This adds cadence to the rhythm and contrast to the melody. The instruments are played in dissonance in texture to give tension to the melody. This resolves itself into a glorious resolution. The harmony of wind instruments with the strings continues in monophonic texture as it punctuates the rhythm.

 0:48 – Begins with a pause. Wind instruments introduce the rhythm offering an andante` pace. Harmonics are consonance in texture, which is pleasing for the listener. It continues with mixed meter in the tempo back to an additional cadence with strings.  1:14 – Begins with allegro tempo and slows to andante, only to repeat the same a few times. As the tempo is alternating the melody, which follows suit in an arch contour. Ascending, and then descending.  1:35- This phrase repeats the prior phrase at 1:14.  1:51- Begins by repeating the main theme that was introduced in the introduction. At this point, the listener understands what the theme is in the symphony. The theme repeats a second time.

 2:17- Begins the resolution. The phrase crescendos the melodic line by the use of string instruments to mezzo forte. Horns enter to give power and to facilitate the tempo as it increases speed.  2:40- Begins by returning to the same melody as was introduced at 0:19 with oboes carrying the melodic line intermittently with the strings. This is played in mezzo, which ultimately crescendos to mezzo forte`.  3:10- Begins with flutes carrying the melody. The tempo is in duple simple time. The flute softens the texture before the reentrance of strings, specifically the violins which increase tempo and increases volume to mezzo forte.  3:20- Repeats 3:10 toward a climactic ending of the phrase.

 3:48- Begins by abruptly introducing a different key for the line by punctuating a few notes, and begins the same form as the introductory theme only in a different key. This offer dynamic to the piece and holds your attention by manipulating the melody using inversion-retrograde.  4:01- Begins with a key change which offers a different variation of the theme. This repeats itself in a different key, and repeats once more in an entirely different key. The tempo and rhythm remains the same so that the variation of keys still allows the listener to recognize the influence of the original theme. This keeps the listener engaged as the dissonance in the harmony begs for resolution.  4:26 – Begins with flutes and violins to soften the tone with a feeling of partial resolution. Then the melody switches back to dissonance to recreate the tension in the texture by the orchestra reintroducing the wind instruments. This elevates the timbre.  4:56- Begins the reintroduction of the theme in its original key. This gives the listener the feeling of resolution. The contour of the melody jumps up an octave. Tempo is continuous.

 5:18 - Begins by repeating melody with variations, keeping the tempo lively. This keeps your attention as the tempo in duple meters is continuous. The string instruments keep this rhythm at an equal pace as the melodic line changes giving the line interesting texture. This keeps the listener engaged.  5:40 - Strings continue keeping the rhythm consistent. While the wind instrument including the horns offer texture. The rhythm slows, which gives the listener a break from the tension. This is pleasing for a listener.  6:04 – Begins with a pause. Strings and wind instrument counterpoint each other to ultimately combine to a homophonic texture. The rhythm slows which offers the listener a break from the tension and is pleasing to the ear.  6:27 – Begins with strings in a quicker tempo. This ultimately combines with the wind instruments in the melody to create dissonance. The melody then changes to consonance and resolves.

 6:51 – Begins with the deeper sounds of cello to change the mood of the melody. This is the beginning of the end of this movement and sets up the conclusion. The cadences of the instruments are distinct with trill between the pitches. The mood is tense causing the listener to anticipate the conclusion.  7:12 - Begins with flutes to soften the mood. The strings enter in homophonic texture as the instruments play in unison. The tempo pauses and cadence ends the piece.  7:39 – Coda.

Movement II: Andante  0:00 – Introduces the theme with the tempo in Andante. The melody is in conjunct form. Strings play the melody. Horns and wind instruments set the tempo. It is obvious to the listener the second movement has a much slower pace which changes the entire mood of the song.  0:30 – Repeats the introduction with a slight variation to the theme. The form is smooth as variations in the notes keep within a pentatonic scale. The contour is in arch formation as the melody ascends and descends.  1:00 – Begins with a resolution of the previous phrase. A bridge is played to begin the next phrase.  1:14 – A cadence of one note is played by violin. This interrupts the melody. A violin enters as a solo. Then a flute takes the solo line. Then a violin takes the solo back. This keeps the melody interesting. With the same notes being played, having a solo offers a different timbre and keeps your attention.

 1:45 – Begins with the melody played by the flutes. Violin plays a contrasting melody. Each instrument repeats it’s melodic line in imitation texture.  2:00 – Strings and flute combine to take over the melody in monophonic form. The tempo and rhythm continue in andante, keeping true to the movement of thispiece. The unison form combines with the rythem offer dynamics in the overall texture to the sound.  2:30 – Begins with imitation texture between strings and wind instruments. The melody is in dissonant form until it resolves to a consonance harmony.  3:00 – Begins with strings taking over the melodic line while the wind instruments act as the accompaniment. This brings a feeling of an overall pleasing texture.  3:20 - Begins by introducing a different, quicker tempo and a lower pitch. This darkens the mood. Although the tempo is quicker, it still maintains its simple division with the tempo more pronounced. The melody ascends several pitches.

 3:50 – Begins with a continuation of an ascending melody which is reaching its peak. This completes the phrase.  4:01 – Begins with a sudden decrease in volume. The rhythm maintains it tempo continually. The melody descends back down to the lower notes to bridge itself back to the beginning notes from the phrase beginning at 3:20.  4:31 – Returns to the introduction giving resolution to the climactic portion that was just played. Melody is played by the strings.  5:01 – Begins second melodic phrase. This melodic line is interwoven with the original theme, using slight variations. This keeps the phrase familiar, yet unique.  5:30 – Begins with a single note in mezzo forte. Volume drops to piano playing the melody softly as the rhythm is still kept quietly in the background.

 6:00 – Begins with flute playing the melodic line, the strings accompany the melody offering a pleasing harmonic. The volume crescendos as violin enter to take over the melody. Tempo still maintains simple meter.  6:30 – Begins with crescendo of orchestra with a very pronounced tempo, punctuating the beat. The melody reached a peak and climaxes.  6:35 – Begins with cadence of orchestra. Melody returns to original theme from the introduction and crescendos. This all occurs in preparation of the conclusion of this masterful piece.  7:03 – The orchestra trills to a lower pitch, darkening the mood of the melody. This creates a dissonant texture. This prepares the listener for the ending.  7:18 – Begins to resolve the dissonance texture to consonance. The melody decrescendos and the entire orchestra in monophonic harmony reach the finality of the piece. This leaves this movement completed.  7:39 – Coda.

Works Cited  1-Wolfgang Mozart. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:22, Feb 21, 2013, from  2-Gillian Buchanen.(2013).Bella Online. Retrieved 08:12, Feb 21, 2013, from  3-Brian Robins, (2013) All Music, Retrieved 10;10, Feb 21, 2013 from mc mc  4- Mozart for the Brain, SWR Symphony, Symphony 40 in G minor, k. 550, movement 1: Allegro Molto and Movement 2: Andante. Retrieved from Rhapsody, tognetti/album/beethoven-concerto-for-violin-and-orchestra-op-61-mozart- s/track/symphony-no-40-in-g-minor-kv550-i-molto-allegro-i-molto-allehttp:// tognetti/album/beethoven-concerto-for-violin-and-orchestra-op-61-mozart- s/track/symphony-no-40-in-g-minor-kv550-i-molto-allegro-i-molto-alle