12th Symphony (Mozart)

The symphony in G major Köchelverzeichnis 110 (75b) was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Salzburg in 1771. According to the Old Mozart Edition, the symphony bears the number 12.

General

Painting by Mozart by Saverio dalla Rosa, January 1770

Mozart composed the symphony Köchelverzeichnis (KV) 110 in July 1771 in Salzburg in the period between the first and second trip to Italy. The autograph bears the inscription: “Sinfonia del Sgr. Cavaliere Amadeo Wolfg. Mozart in Salisburgo nel Luglio 1771. "

In comparison with the earlier symphonies, KV 110 shows a "development boost" in Mozart's symphonic work:

• It is a “full-blown” concert symphony with a minuet movement, repetition of both parts in the corner movements and a relatively long opening movement of 157 bars (the opening movements of earlier symphonies were usually much shorter); similarly with the symphonies KV 112 and KV 114, which were written shortly thereafter .
• Appearance of counterpoint in all movements, especially in the minuet. It is possible that this was influenced by Padre Martini, with whom Mozart was taught counterpoint during his first trip to Italy.
• The first movement already largely corresponds to what would later become known as the typical sonata form , but the schema of the sonata form can only be applied to a limited extent to a work from 1771 (see below).

To the music

Instrumentation: two oboes , two flutes (this only in the second movement), two horns in G, two violins , viola , cello , double bass . In the second set two are also bassoons listed separately, which according to the then usual performance practice likely (if the orchestra available) as well as the harpsichord with the other sets to reinforce the bass voice (or harpsichord as a basso were -instrument) used .

Performance time : approx. 18 minutes.

With the terms used here based on the sonata form, it should be noted that this scheme was designed in the first half of the 19th century (see there) and can therefore only be transferred to the Symphony KV 110 with restrictions. - The description and structure of the sentences given here is to be understood as a suggestion. Depending on the point of view, other delimitations and interpretations are also possible.

First movement: Allegro

G major, 3/4 time, 157 bars

The movement opens with a strong, emerging theme in the forte with violins and oboes leading the voice. It is characterized by the emphasis on the deep root note followed by an interval jump over a decime or undecime upwards. Bass and viola accompany in eighths as "drum bass" and thus reinforce the flowing character of the theme. This is eight bars with blocks of 2 + 2 + 4 bars and is repeated (bars 1–16). In the transition (bars 17 ff.) Mozart takes up this structure, but reduced it to motif units of 1 + 1 + 2 bars and from bar 25 onwards in further shortening to 2 + 2 bars.

In the second theme (bar 36 ff., D major), which, due to the rhythm, can be derived from the first theme, the violins with the oboes again lead the part - but now for the first time in the piano movement. It also contrasts with the previous event through its swaying, vocal character and the lack of continuous eighth note movement in the bass. The theme is structured in four bars and is repeated. From bar 45, the beginning of the final group is followed by a tremolo passage with a continuous, two-bar bass motif, which leads to the ninth appearance of the first theme (now in D major). The exposition ends after another tremolo passage with broken chords in syncope in bar 69 with chord strikes in D major.

The following section (“development”) is only intended for piano strings and is reminiscent of the second theme with its calm, singing character. The strings play staggered and rhythmically a falling figure varies more evenly, e.g. Sometimes a quarter movement (again reminiscent of the second theme), so that the impression of a polyphonic network arises. The return to the recapitulation takes place with the tremolo passage and the "running" bass analogous to bar 45 ff.

The recapitulation (bars 93 ff.) Is mostly structured in a similar way to the exposition. However, the transition to the second theme has been changed so that the components played one after the other in the exposition (sixteenth note movement downwards + broken chord in quarters) are now played in parallel. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Second movement: Andante

C major, 2/2 time (Alla breve), 52 measures, two flutes instead of oboes, horns are silent

The strings begin the movement, which, in addition to its singularity, is characterized by the use of counterpoint in the two main themes: in the first theme (bars 1–5, C major) the violins play the building blocks of the theme, with the second theme (bar 10 –14, G major) 2nd bassoon and 1st violin on the one hand versus 1st bassoon and 2nd violin on the other. In the transition from the first to the second theme (bars 5–9) with a two-bar motif, the wind instruments appear for the first time. In the final group (bar 14 ff.) The flutes with the violins first play a motif with a chromatic lead, then one with a staggered prelude. The first part (exposition) ends in measure 22 and is repeated.

After an eight-bar transition section (varied repetition of a four-bar passage) with an up and down motif of the violins, the recapitulation follows from bar 31, which structurally corresponds to the exposition (changed instrumentation, e.g. on the second theme). The second part is also repeated.

Third movement: Menuetto

G major, 3/4 time, 40 + 20 bars

The first part of the minuet is a two-part canon in which the viola and bass begin, offset by one measure from the violins. The second part initially continues the main melody before a contrasting interplay-like passage for strings follows. This is repeated in various ways in the forte tutti and then ends again in the opening theme in bar 29.

The trio in E minor ( tonic parallel to G major) is only intended for strings in the piano and is characterized by chromatic, sigh-like anticipations.

Fourth movement: Allegro

G major, 2/4 time, 132 bars

The main theme ( refrain ) with an imitative beginning between the violins / oboes and viola / bass is in the style of a gavotte . The movement, laid out as a rondo , contains two couplets , between each of which the refrain is inserted. The first couplet (bars 17–32) is quite short and at the beginning consists of a slightly chromatic continuation of the refrain, which then also appears as a variant in the dominant D major. The second couplet (bars 49-88), on the other hand, is much longer and consists of two repeated parts. It contrasts with the previous event through the change to G minor and passages in the pizzicato- unisono of the strings.

Mozart did not write out the repetitions of refrain 2 (bars 33–48) and refrain 3 (bars 89–104), but instead gave the performer the option of performing the repetitions or playing the chorus only once by adding “Da capo”. The movement closes with a coda that takes up the main theme a fourth time.

Individual references, comments

1. ^ ^{A b c} Alfred Einstein: Chronological-thematic directory of all of Wolfgang Amade Mozart's music works. In addition to the information about the lost, started, transferred, dubious and superseded compositions by Dr. Ludwig Ritter von Köchel. Third edition, edited by Alfred Einstein. Breitkopf & Härtel-Verlag, Leipzig 1937, 984 pp.
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Volker Scherliess : The symphonies. In: Silke Leopold (Ed.): Mozart-Handbuch. Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel 2005, ISBN 3-7618-2021-6 , p. 278
3. ↑ ^{a b} Wolfgang Gersthofer: Symphonies KV 16-134. In: Joachim Brügge, Claudia Maria Knispel (Ed.): The Mozart Handbook, Volume 1: Mozart's orchestral works and concerts. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2007, ISBN 3-8900-7461-8 , pp. 24-25
4. ^ Neal Zaslaw: Mozart's Symphonies. Context, performance practice, reception. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1989.
5. ↑ A structurally comparable section appears in the same place in the first movement of the symphony KV 75 .
6. ↑ ^{a b} The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
7. ↑ Hermann Abert ( WA Mozart. Revised and expanded edition of Otto Jahns Mozart. First part 1756-1782. 7th expanded edition, VEB Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig 1955, 848 p.) Speaks with reference a. a. on the Andante from KV 110 of a "broad, soulful song".

Web links, notes

• 12th Symphony (Mozart) : Score and critical report in the New Mozart Edition
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia in Sol, K. 110. PR 785, Ricordi-Verlag, Milan 1955 (pocket score).

See also

• List of symphonies by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart