27th Symphony (Mozart)

The Symphony in G major Köchelverzeichnis 199 was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1773 in Salzburg. He was then 17 years old. According to the Old Mozart Edition, the symphony bears the number 27.

General

Mozart in 1777

For the origin of the "Salzburg Symphonies" Köchelverzeichnis (KV) 162–202 see KV 162 . The symphony KV 199, dated April 10 or 16, 1773, has three movements, but its character is not an opening piece, but a concert symphony, "conventional in form and musical language". The main sections of the movements are repeated, so that Finscher (1998) thinks that KV 199 is “if all the repetitions are played (and there is no reason not to do that) a strangely long piece because the substance hardly corresponds to its length . ” Volker Scherliess (2005) writes on“ Substance ”: “ If it is primarily about polyphonic working through, the objection is probably right, at least for the first two movements; but if a motif change, organic answer and continuation of a phrase are meant, it will hardly hit. However - measured by Mozart's own standard, the G major symphony does not only appear conventional, but deliberately conservative. "

To the music

Instrumentation: two flutes , two horns in G, 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. 18-22 minutes (depending on compliance with the prescribed repetitions)

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 199 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, 146 bars

The first theme (bars 1–19) consists of several components: After four opening chord strikes on G, a passage follows (as the main component) in which a two-bar motif is spun out or "answered". Initially only the 1st violin is the part leading (the other strings act as a tremolo carpet), and then the flutes as well. The third component begins with a rising unison figure and leads via tremolo to the dominant D major. The whole topic is consistently in the forte.

After a brief caesura, the second theme for strings (D major, piano) begins with a swaying figure in the voice-leading violins. The theme is repeated forte with wind participation and then moves on to the final group (bars 36 ff.), Which repeats a chord progression interrupted by pauses in an echo-like manner in the piano and then ends the exposition as a formulated cadenza (introduced with a virtuoso sixteenth run up the violin).

The following section with a transitional character contains a sequence of several smaller motifs: first in thirds and with trills, then loosened up with dissonant syncopation and finally with a vocal character and a striding bass line. The recapitulation (bars 87 ff.) Is structured like the exposition (however, for example, the final motif is repeated four times and reinforced with unison instead of twice). The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Second movement: Andante grazioso

D major, 2/4 time, 99 bars

The movement, the “event” of the symphony, begins in the first theme with a “gentle song of thirds” of the muted violins over pizzicato of the low strings. In the aftermath, the flutes lead the part. From bar 17, the second theme follows immediately with its upbeat motif in the 1st violin with an echo in the winds over triplet chains in the staccato of the 2nd violin and basic accompaniment in the bass. From bar 22, the theme drifts abruptly into an exotic, floating “carpet of sound” with sustained chords by the wind instruments, which begins as a diminished chord in the harmoniously distant F major and finally changes to the dominant A major. The final section is also unusually designed with the unison octave steps of the violins.

In the middle section (bars 35–52) Mozart first introduces a new six-bar thought in the strings with a dialogical beginning over a striding movement in the bass, which is led downwards. This thought begins (based on the final group) with an octave and combines the double tone repetition from the first theme with the triplet movement from the second theme. This is followed by a dialogue (somewhat reminiscent of the second theme) between the flute and the first violin, which in turn ends like a closing group with a unison octave movement - now in the bass. In the recapitulation, the length of the second theme is doubled, and the end of the movement is extended by a coda .

All in all, this sentence, which takes a lot of time (approx. 9-10 minutes) when all repetitions are kept, has “something dreamy, absorbed in itself”. The special timbre comes from the muffled violins, the leisurely pace (striding bass in pizzicato), the restrained dynamics (mostly piano) and the unanimous final turns.

Third movement: Presto

G major, 3/8 time, 323 bars

The first theme is introduced by the two violins (leading 1st violin, counterpart 2nd violin), the head of the theme - a four-tone motif derived from the Allegro's opening theme - then runs through the instruments and becomes forte-unison twice from bar 17 onwards in the meanwhile reached A major repeatedly.

The second theme (bar 25 ff., D major, only strings) begins with the same four-tone motif as the antecedent, but then has a different continuation-like continuation and has waltz-like features from bar 33. The final group (bars 51 ff.) Initially brings a bell-like tone repetition motif in the dialogue between winds and strings, followed by a chromatic pendulum passage, a unison motif with tone repetition and a two-part violin playing, which leads to the repetition of the exposition or implementation.

The development sequences this violin motif from the end of the final section via G major and A major to B major. In this key, the movement ebbs until finally only the 1st violin remains and the recapitulation begins with a figure falling in semitones . This is structured in a similar way to the exposition, but expanded as a coda, which ends the movement with tremolo and the unison motif.

In the finale, Volker Scherliess (2005) illustrates the discrepancy between length and “substance” of the symphony (see above) mentioned by Ludwig Finscher (1998): “The difference between a finely crafted picture and large-scale fresco painting is obvious: this symphony movement would perhaps better fit into a serenade , the aim of which is merely to entertain you pleasantly . For example, in the theme guidance at the beginning of the sentence (initially two-part, then polyphonic, finally waltz-like): “Such imperceptible transitions between the stylistic levels are not only aimed at the“ lovers ”, but especially also at the“ connoisseurs ”. It is possible that Mozart had a very special type of listener in mind with this symphony and wanted to "serve" his taste. "

Individual references, comments

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Volker Scherliess : The symphonies. In: Silke Leopold (Ed.): Mozart-Handbuch. Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel 2005, ISBN 3-7618-2021-6 , pp. 286-293
2. ^ Ludwig Finscher: Symphony. In Ludwig Finscher (Hrsg.): The music in past and present. Sachteil, Volume 9, Stuttgart 1998, p. 47. Quoted in: Scherliess (2005)
3. ^ Neal Zaslaw: Mozart's Symphonies. Context, performance practice, reception. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1989, 617 pp.
4. ↑ ^{a b} The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
5. ^ Arnold Werner-Jensen: Reclam's music guide. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Volume 1: Instrumental Music. Philipp Reclam jun., Stuttgart 1989, p. 174.
6. ↑ In the symphonies KV 162 and KV 202, which were written shortly after, the head theme of the finale is derived from that of the first movement
7. ↑ The tone repetition is fourfold, as are the four chord strokes that open the symphony.

Web links, notes

• 27th Symphony (Mozart) : Score and critical report in the New Mozart Edition
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia in sol, K. 199. PR 795. Ricordi-Verlag, Milan 1955 (pocket score)

See also

• List of symphonies by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart