24th Symphony (Mozart)

The symphony in B flat major Köchelverzeichnis 182 was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Salzburg in 1773. According to the Old Mozart Edition, the symphony has the number 24.

General

The autograph is dated October 3, 1773. Mozart composed the symphony shortly after returning from his trip to Vienna (July to September 1773). A few days later, on October 5, 1773, he completed work on the Köchelverzeichnis symphony (KV)  183 . For the history of the composition and the reason for the composition, see KV 162 .

The three-movement form of the piece corresponds to the Italian symphony type, whereby the movements do not merge into one another as in KV 181 , KV 184 and KV 318 , but are separate.

To the music

Instrumentation: two flutes (only in the second movement), two oboes , two horns in Bb, two violins , viola , cello , double bass . It was also at that time usual, to reinforce the bass part, a bassoon and a basso -instrument a harpsichord to use (if the respective Orchestra present).

Performance duration: approx. 8-10 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 182 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 spiritoso

B flat major, 4/4 time, 146 measures

The movement opens as a contrasting theme with two-bar motifs: signal-like, descending B major - triad in the forte of the entire orchestra, ascending trill phrases in the violins (piano), striding B major - triad figure in viola and bass with syncopation of the violins (forte), String figure in stepped movement (piano). The following forte block is characterized by two-dimensional tremolo, as well as two motifs: motif 1 (bars 17 ff.) With unison eighth notes up and down, and motif 2 (bars 26 ff.) With a stepping quarter movement, with the 1st violin again in Syncope accompanied. Motif 2 is repeated twice (the first time like an echo in the piano). The section ends as a cadencing chord progression in the dominant F major. The second theme (from bar 37, F major) with its Lombard rhythm in the violins, the striding figure in the bass and the flax is played piano by the strings.

The following section to clock 75 can be used as miniature conduct be considered: Images 1 occurs displaced in the strings (second violin - Viola - Bass) that overlapped by Tremolo 1st / 2nd violin. Here modulated Mozart shortly after G minor, D minor and A major, followed by a based on these same harmonies chromatic passage. The transition to the recapitulation takes place via fanfare-like triad melodies with march-like, dotted rhythm . This begins in measure 76 with the first theme and is largely structured in a similar way to the exposition . However, the forte block before the second theme has been expanded and touches G major and C minor with a new bass motif. The beginning of the developmental part with motif 2 is taken up again, but then leads abruptly to a coda with the beginning of the first theme (bars 137 ff.).

Overall, the movement is characterized by "a highly compressed conciseness (...) that brings it close to a baroque introduction to a suite or a divertimento " , as well as the bass motif over tremolo in the violins.

Second movement: Andantino grazioso

E flat major, 2/4 time, 60 bars, flutes instead of oboes, horns in E flat, violins with mutes

By exchanging the oboes for flutes, muffling the violins and leading the bass in pizzicato , a kind of shepherd's idyll is created, as is typical of some of the middle movements of Italian opera symphonies.

The movement is based on two themes, whereby in the more motif-like second theme color-rich effects are created by the dialogue between strings and winds.

• Part A (bars 1–8): Presentation of the main theme ( chorus ), which is made up of a four-bar front and a trailer. The first two bars of the front and back notes are based on the ascending E-flat major triad, the following two bars on a descending, detached sixteenth-note movement. The flutes and the 1st violin lead the voice. The section is repeated.
• B-part (bars 9-18): based on a motif with four-fold tone repetition and its continuation, which occurs offset between the strings and from bar 15 also in dialogue with the flutes.
• A section (bars 19–26): As at the beginning of the sentence.
• B´ part (bars 27–44): The tone repetition motif appears in different shapes and timbres. The section ends as a solo for flutes and horns.
• A section (bars 45–51): As at the beginning of the sentence.
• C-part (bars 52-60): coda-like ending with a change from ascending forte unison passage and descending answer in the piano.

Third movement: Allegro

B flat major, 3/8 time, 132 bars

This rather short sentence in rondo structure is kept in the "Kehraus" character typical of final sentences at the time. Characteristic of the memorable main theme is the two-bar structure of chord beats and interval leaps downwards, which are strung together in an echo-like alternation of forte and piano. The section with the main theme (refrain, bars 1-16) is repeated.

In contrast, there is only a couplet (similar to the second sentence), which consists of three symmetrically structured motifs:

• B1: detached, dancing figure consisting of two four bars, piano;
• B2: run downwards and trill phrase, four bars and repeated, forte;
• B3: based on a descending phrase made up of three notes, eight bars, is repeated with oboe accompaniment.

After a short transition (bars 50 ff.) The main theme follows again, followed by the slightly varied B-part. The movement ends with a coda-like final section (bar 107 ff.) With tremolo, virtuoso semiquaver runs and a variant of the main theme (the two-bar structure goes through a complete B flat major triad) in forte unison. The section from measure 17 to the end is repeated.

See also

• List of symphonies by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Individual references, comments

1. ↑ Volker Scherliess : The symphonies. In: Silke Leopold (Ed.): Mozart-Handbuch. Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel 2005, ISBN 3-7618-2021-6 .
2. ^ ^{A b} Michael Kontarsky: The "Salzburg" Symphonies KV 162-202. 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. 28-43.
3. ^ Neal Zaslaw: Mozart's Symphonies. Context, performance practice, reception. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1989, 617 pp.
4. ↑ Volker Scherliess (2005) speaks of a delicate, tonally restrained rococo scenery .
5. ↑ The repetition is not kept in some recordings.

Web links, notes

• Symphony in B flat major KV 182 : Score and critical report in the New Mozart Edition