SONATAALLEGROFORMINMOZARTSSYMPHONYNO.41(K551)Sonata-allegro form, also known as single-movement sonata form, is a very common

form in music that was made popular by the classical period composers. Numerous

composers, such as Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart all used and perfected this form in

their piano sonatas and symphonies. Sonata-allegro form is characterized by three

distinct sections: exposition, development, and recapitulation. An introduction is

possible to establish the key. The exposition usually contains three main themes called

the main theme, secondary theme, and closing theme. The main theme is in the tonic key

and modulates to the dominant key, and the following two themes remain in the dominant

key. This section is then repeated. The development is distinguished by its fragmented

structure; it often takes excerpts from one of the themes and develops it with sequences,

chromaticism, and counterpoint. The recapitulation restates the themes from the

exposition, but they are all in the tonic key. A coda is possible at the conclusion of

sonata-allegro form. In classical symphonic music, the first movement is typically in

sonata-allegro form. Mozarts Symphony No. 41 (K 551), also known as the Jupiter

Symphony, is an ideal example of sonata-allegro form.

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The first movement of Mozarts Jupiter Symphony is a good model of the sonata-

allegro form. Unlike some of Mozarts music, this movement follows the rules of the

form as far as tonality and use of thematic material. The exposition and the recapitulation

are about the same in length (around 120 measures); the development is about 50 bars

shorter than those sections, but it is fragmented and made up of piece of the themes

introduced in the exposition as it should. Symphony No. 41 was the last of the

symphonies that Mozart wrote and was possibly never performed in his lifetime, but it

has withstood the test of time and can remain a standard in orchestral repertoire as well as

serve as an example of this classic sonata-allegro form. Exposition (1 120)

Main Theme (1 55) C major to G major

Motive a i.e. mm. 1 2

Motive b i.e. mm. 3 4

Second Theme (56 100) G major

Motive b mm. 66 67, 75 76, 89 - 96

Closing Theme (101 120) G major

Development (121 188) inconsistent tonality

False entry of Recapitulation m. 161

Recapitulation (189 313)

Main Theme (189 243) C major

Second Theme (244 288) C major

Motive b mm. 259 260, 263 264, 277 284 ClosingTheme(289313)Cmajor