And Wolfgang Amadeus MozartSymphony No. 40 in G Minor

General Characteristics ofClassical MusicIt is meant to be easy on the ear.Direct reaction to the complexity of Baroque

music.Balance, clarity, accessibility.Melody with accompaniment (homophony).Melodies are tuneful and catchy (2-4 measure

phrases).Harmony is simple, logical and clear (few

dissonances).No basso continuo (walking or Alberti Bass).

Main QualitiesMelody dominated texture (Melody

is most important part).

Simple, functional harmony, based on chords I, IV, V, II, VI.

Light accompaniment.Balanced, regular and graceful

melodiesClear structure with regular

cadences.Contrast, in terms of key,

melodies and varied dynamics.

The Classical OrchestraOrchestra has grown from the small

Baroque orchestraNow includes a standard brass and

woodwind sectionHarpsichord eventually is made

redundant as woodwind have taken over it’s role.

The clarinet is invented and joins the orchestra by the end of the 18th century.

The Classical Orchestra

SymphonyMost important and popular large-scale

instrumental genre invented during this period.Word is derived for the Italian for ‘sounding

together’ (4 families of musical Early examples can be traced back to the

Italian, 3-section Sinfonias for strings and continuo (fast-slow-fast)

The SymphonyEventually expanded sinfonia to four

movementsMvt 1 – Fast and serious (sonata form)

Mvt 2 – Slow and lyrical (binary form)

Mvt 3 – Graceful and moderate (dance form)

Mvt 4 – Fast and lively (Rondo form)

The First Movement- Sonata FormExposition – state the two themes (first in tonic, second

in dominant).Development – develop the themes by changing keys, etc.Recapitulation – replay the two themes, both in the tonic

key.Coda – optional endingUsed for the most serious musical ideas.

Sonata FormSonata comes from the Latin ‘Sonare’,

meaning ‘to sound.Refers to instrumental music, rather than

vocal musicIs used to structure a single movement of a

work, rather than a complete work i.e. symphony/quartet/concerto/solo sonata.

Fundamental ideas = repartition and contrastProvides pleasing symmetry, an arch shape.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart1756-1791

Leopold MozartMozart’s father was a

performer, court composer, author and music theorist.

Wrote one of the most important contributions to music theory.

Sacrificed his own career to further his son’s.

Domineering personality who took Mozart on tour at a young age.

The Child ProdigyBorn in Salzburg, AustriaAge 4 – Learned to play

harpsichord and violin.Age 6 – wrote his first

compositions and started touring (10yrs).

Age 10 – First SymphonyAge 14 – First OperaAge 17 – Hired by Archbishop of

SalzburgEventually moved to Vienna where

he remained until his death at 35.

Mozart’s FamilyMother died while

he was very young.Sister, Nanerl, also

was musically gifted.

1782 Married Constanze Weber

Mozart’s Music21 Piano Concertos, 5 Violin Concertos, 4

Horn Concertos, Concertos for various woodwind, including clarinet.

41 SymphoniesMany Quartets and quintets.Many operas17 MassesDied with his last mass, a Requiem, was

incomplete. (Completed after his death by his pupil, Franz Sussmayr).

Mozart’s CharacteristicsAccessible and highly refined.Instilled a sense of drama in all of his music.Master of melody, tuneful and catchy.Mastered all Classical genres.Wrote more than 800 compositions in 35

years.

Background to Symphony No. 40 in G Minor

Melancholy mood to first movement, though others have a lighter mood.

Mozart originally scored the piece without the recently invented clarinets, but later wrote a newer version with 2 clarinets (which we will study).

Uses modest instrumentation for the time (only 7 woodwind) and only 2 horns.

No trumpets of timpani – very unusual!