16th Symphony (Mozart)

The symphony in C major Köchelverzeichnis 128 was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Salzburg in 1772. He was then 16 years old. According to the Old Mozart Edition, the symphony has the number 16.

General

Painting by Mozart by Saverio dalla Rosa, January 1770

Mozart composed the symphony Köchelverzeichnis (KV) 128 in May 1772 as a prelude to a six-part symphony group (see KV 130 ). Within this group it forms a pair of works with the symphony KV 129 insofar as both - in addition to the same "small" instrumentation - are three-movement symphonies without a minuet. In addition, the character of the final sentences is similar. On the other hand, z. For example, the first sentences are rather contradicting (but also form a counterpart to each other): KV 128 I with the "more rhythmically emphasized spelling" or "large-scale, to a certain extent stable" , KV 129 I, on the other hand, with an "Italian-influenced (n ) fluid-elegant (n) diction ” or “ flexible, graceful, always changing ” and (as well as parts of the first movement of the symphony KV 132) pointing in the direction of Johann Christian Bach .

To the music

Instrumentation: two oboes , two horns in C, two violins , viola , cello , double bass . In contemporary orchestras it was also customary, even without separate listing bassoon and harpsichord (if available in the orchestra) to reinforce the bass part or as a basso use -instrument.

Performance time : approx. 12 minutes.

With the terms of the sonata form used here, 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 128 with restrictions. - The description of the 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 maestoso

C major, 3/4 time, 137 bars

The symphony opens as Quart jump down in unison , the "motto" of the symphony, and a staccato - triplets of the violins in the piano. This four-bar unit is repeated (“main theme”). From bar 9 the whole orchestra forte takes up the triplet figure in more flowing movement, whereby the triple tone repetition is noticeable, which is emphasized again in unison from bar 16 in a fanfare-like manner. The passage unfolds "a two-dimensional splendor that appears majestic in a very outward way" . The triplet movement then continues as a broken chord dialogue between viola / bass and the violins. The now established G major ( dominant ) is followed by a section with almost overturning movement (large interval jumps of at least one octave ) in the violins. The brief clouding of the minor key in the piano (bar 38 ff.) Is followed by a four-bar passage, in which a bass motif with a "jumping" sixteenth note suggestion, tone repetition and octave jump of tremolo is in turn overlaid with strong interval jumps in the violins (bar 42 ff. ). The final group (bars 46 ff.) Is based on a suggested figure of the violins, while the bass continues the beginning of the “hopping motif”.

The execution (cycle 54-84) begins as a dramatic Forte tremolo in the harmonic remote key of major, the abruptly to G minor turns and reaches a Septnonakkord on A D minor where now a contrasting piano passage in Legato movement follows. This section is repeated with altered harmonies, with Mozart modulating in E major . In this key, the downward sequencing of a running motif in the bass-violin dialogue begins from bar 74 . The abrupt, harmonious changes in the development extend into the recapitulation : Mozart briefly hints at E major, A minor and F major when repeating the first thematic four-measure. The rest of the recapitulation corresponds structurally to the exposition.

Peter Brown interprets the sentence, which has nothing majestic about it, as a parody. KV 128 is the first symphony in which Mozart did not add repetitions to the development and recapitulation in contrast to the exposition.

Second movement: Andante grazioso

G major, 2/4 time, 67 bars

The movement is only intended for strings and thus, as well as the use of imitation techniques, gets its chamber music character: Mozart leaves the beginnings of the two main themes / motifs (bars 1–10, somewhat sustained figure with trills; bars 15–20: sixteenth notes in staccato) The instruments appear, with a short homophonic passage in between, which changes to the dominant D major with a new vocal motif. The final group (bars 20 ff.) Is also worked in dialogues: first between bass (run upwards) and violin / violin, then as a rocking figure between the violins.

The communication (“development”, bars 27–41) spins the thought from the beginning of the sentence to A minor and then merges into a sequence of cadencing upward runs of the 1st violin. The recapitulation (bars 42 ff.) Is structured in a similar way to the exposition. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Third movement: Allegro

C major, 6/8 time, 105 bars

The Allegro is structured as a rondo with the main theme ( refrain ) and two couplets . The ten-bar refrain is consistently in the forte and is characterized by its change from "up" - question and "down" - answer in largely unison. In particular the refrain and the second couplet (bars 70–89) with voice-leading horns suggest associations with hunting themes.

In the first, quite long couplet (bars 11–59) there are several small ones, e.g. T. contrasting motifs placed one behind the other. The beginning in the piano has a relaxed dance-like effect due to the syncopation , followed by a running motif in the dialogue 2nd violin - viola / bass, a passage with organ point on G and a section in A minor with energetic tremolo on E. That too The return to the reprise-like appearance of the refrain is quite detailed (bars 45–59).

Mozart ends the movement as a short coda with tremolo, horn fanfares and chord melodies on C.

Individual references, comments

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Wolfgang Gersthofer: Symphonies KV 16-134. In: Joachim Brügge, Claudia Maria Knispel (Ed.): Das Mozart-Handbuch. Volume 1: Mozart's orchestral works and concerts. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2007, ISBN 3-8900-7461-8 , pp. 15-27.
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} Volker Scherliess : The symphonies. In: Silke Leopold (Ed.): Mozart-Handbuch. Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel 2005, ISBN 3-7618-2021-6 , p. 282.
3. ^ Neal Zaslaw: Mozart's Symphonies. Context, performance practice, reception. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1989.
4. ^ Bernhard Paumgartner: Mozart. Atlantis-Verlag, Zurich and Freiburg i. Br. 1957, p. 160.
5. ↑ Volker Scherliess (2005) evaluates bar 9 ff. As a follow-up to the topic.
6. ↑ Mozart also uses a fourth down in the symphonies KV 130 and KV 200 as an important motif for the opening of the first (and fourth in KV 130) movement.
7. ^ A. Peter Brown: The Symphonic Repertoire. Volume II. The First Golden Age of the Viennese Symphony: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. Indiana University Press, Bloomington & Indianapolis 2002, ISBN 0-253-33487-X ; P. 362.
8. ↑ In the New Mozart Edition, however, repeat symbols have been added.
9. ↑ The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not observed in some recordings.
10. ↑ Paumgartner (1957, p. 161) writes: “The finals of both symphonies storm along as real“ Caccia ”, real hunting pieces, as down-to-earth pleasures about them, more Hellbrunn than transalpine groves, more Haydn than Sammartini , magnificent, lively and imaginative, the C major piece (...) as a rondo, idiosyncratic in terms of content and form, fascinating through the number and order of the side thoughts [...]. "

Web links, notes

• 16th Symphony (Mozart) : Score and critical report in the New Mozart Edition
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia in do, K. 128. PR 787, Ricordi-Verlag, Milan 1955 (pocket score).

See also

• List of Mozart's symphonies