38th Symphony (Mozart)

The symphony in D major KV 504 was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1786. The work is nicknamed " Prague Symphony " and has symphony number 38 after the Old Mozart edition.

General

Posthumous portrait of Mozart by Barbara Krafft , 1819

The first reference to the symphony Köchelverzeichnis (KV) 504 can be found in Mozart's catalog raisonné with an entry dated December 6, 1786. Work on the final movement began as early as the spring of 1786, but then - apparently due to the obligation to other commissions - interrupted and only resumed in connection with the other sentences. It is unclear on what occasion Mozart wrote the symphony; possibly for a Viennese academy or a performance abroad. The invitation to Prague by a “society of great connoisseurs and lovers” (letter from Leopold Mozart to Nannerl of January 12, 1787) came only after the work had been completed and will therefore probably not have been the trigger for the composition. Cliff Eisen (1991), however, suggests that Mozart may have composed the symphony for the trip to Prague.

The first performance took place on January 19, 1787 in Prague as part of an academy, one day after a performance of Figaro . During the academy, Mozart was evidently so convincing as a pianist that the symphony was not even mentioned in some contemporary reports, and it took some time to develop into a favorite of the audience.

Some authors point to musical connections between KV 504 and the operas Figaro and Don Giovanni .

It is unclear why Mozart did not write a minuet for the symphony. Volker Scherliess (2005) lists the following assumptions, which he does not consider to be convincing:

• Mozart wanted to build on Italian models;
• During the composition, Mozart found the minuet not in keeping with the style;
• In view of a planned trip to England, Mozart had deliberately avoided the minuet;
• Lack of time.

Alfred Einstein (1953) thinks that the minuet is missing because "everything has already been said" in the existing sentences. Theodor Kroyer (1931) suspects tension and cloudiness in Mozart's emotional life; Kurt Pahlen (1978) expresses himself similarly when he asks whether "Mozart did not want to interrupt such a serious work with a light dance?"

To the music

Instrumentation: two flutes , two oboes , two bassoons , two horns in D, two trumpets in D, timpani , two violins , viola , cello , double bass . In contemporary orchestras, a harpsichord (if available in the orchestra) may also have been used as a figured bass instrument.

Performance time: approx. 30–35 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 504 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.

All movements of the symphony have in common that the second theme does not appear in the development.

First movement: Adagio - Allegro

First movement, Tsumugi Orchestra, conducted by Takashi Inoue

D major, 4/4 time, 302 bars

Adagio (bars 1–36):

The solemn introduction begins as a sustained chord in unison with drum roll on D. Over an upbeat-like, rolling thirty-second figure, D is then repeated four times energetically, but with a shortened note value. It follows - alternating between winds and strings as well as forte and piano - leads with their resolutions and cadenza-like , chromatic figures. From bar 16, a new motif follows, which is made up of two opposing bars: the first bar in forte, with syncopation in the violins and a distinctive triad bass figure, the second bar in the piano with an ascending thirty-second figure of the 1st violin and sustained full note in the bassoon. This motif appears in D minor, B major, F major, D major, G minor and in the diminished chord in G sharp, which serves as a lead to the following organ point on A (bars 28–33). The introduction ends in a downward chromatic figure and ends after changing chords from D and A as a fermata on the A major seventh chord.

The Adagio is the longest introduction that Mozart ever wrote. When listening, Volker Scherliess (2005) feels reminded of a “game of figures and gestures with different character traits and moods” . The change in dynamics, the modulations and the numerous chromatic inserts create a varied timbre.

Allegro (bars 37–302):

The first theme begins after a bar of syncopated accompaniment of the 1st violin in the remaining strings. It has a calm vocal character and is performed piano (motif 1a). In the fifth bar of the theme, the 1st violin detaches itself from its accompaniment and plays an energetic upbeat figure that contrasts with the theme (motif 1b). The topic finishes with a short wind fanfare in the forte with an upward octave jump and a falling scale (motif 2). The theme is then repeated without the wind fanfare, but with a countermovement in the 1st oboe. Alfred Einstein (1953) feels reminded of the overture to the Magic Flute at the beginning of the topic .

After four transition bars (motif 1b in 2nd violin / viola, plus in 1st violin the new motif 3 consisting of a triad with pause and a lead), a longer forte block follows in bar 55, for which motif 4 with its sixteenth-note rotating figure is characteristic . The increase in the sixteenth-note figures and the imitative use of motif 4 condense the action. From bar 63 motif 1b dominates, but already in bar 66 a new motif (motif 5) made up of ascending triad clichés appears, leading to the dominant A major. Instead of the expected second theme, the first theme surprisingly starts in bar 71 as a variant in A major. Bars 77 ff. Combine motifs 1b and 3, from bar 88 the polyphonic structure dissolves through semiquavers in the violins (with a chromatic ascending line in the bass).

The second, eight-bar theme (from bar 97, A major) consists in its first half of repeated, broken triad figures with a recumbent tone, in its second half of a sinuous chromatic figure and a closing cadence phrase. It is repeated in A minor with bassoon participation, and in the second half, as an extension with wind participation, it merges into the new motif 7, which is somewhat reminiscent of motifs 1a and 2. The final group from bar 121 begins with motif 4 in staggered use, followed by motif 5 and the head of the first topic (motif 1a) in the forte and in high register. The exposition ends with motif 1b and falling chord melodies in A major.

The implementation (bars 143–207) can be divided into the following sections:

• Bar 143–150: section worked in an imitation style with the motif of the wind fanfare sequenced upwards from the beginning of the movement (motif 2), only strings, A major, piano.
• Measure 151–155: forte in D major, continued processing of motif 2.
• Measure 156–161: Motif 1b appears in addition to motif 2.
• Measure 162–169: Motif 1b and Motif 4 are set against each other; initially beginning in F sharp minor, from bar 166 repetition from E minor.
• Measure 170–176: intensification through increasing compression with motif 4 and upward sequencing.
• Cycle 177-189 correspond to cycle 59-71 and represent a discharge of the built-up voltage;
• Measure 190–194: corresponds to measure 72–76.
• Bar 195–207: Return to the recapitulation : Organ point in A major (A major is already dominant from bar 187 onwards) with motif 1b and a falling figure with lead.

The differences between the recapitulation beginning in bar 208 and the exposition are among others. a. in the omission of the tutti section according to measure 55 ff. and the lack of the second entry from the main theme (measure 72 ff.). Right at the beginning of the recapitulation, the A is sharpened from the beginning of the theme to the A sharp (corresponding to bar 72), the oboe counterpart in the repetition of the theme contains a brief major-minor contrast (bars 218/219) and the final section is more expansive (e.g. B. Tremolo of the violins, bars 290 ff.).

The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

“Playful grace and strict contrapuntal work, polyphonic voice guidance and cantable lines,“ learned ”and “ gallant ”styles stand side by side and are interwoven - and in such an organic, natural way that you hardly hear it when you just hear it, you hear it analytical observation. "

Second movement: Andante

G major, 6/8 time, 148 bars, trumpets and timpani are silent

Second movement, Tsumugi Orchestra, conducted by Takashi Inoue

First the strings perform a vocal melody on the piano. The chromatic run at the end of bar 3, however, goes beyond the target note G to E, then falls back down to G in bar 5; the theme is now repeated with chromatic interludes with wind participation. In measure 8, a new staccato eighth motif, essential for the rest of the movement, begins in string unison. This motif is sequenced from bar 10 upwards in the 1st violin - underlaid by the tremolo of the other strings. With five heavy eighth notes on E in the forte (bar 18) a modulation to E minor (bar 19) announces itself, which in the following string cadenza continues over D minor, B major (bar 23 ff. With a new, again vocal Motif) and A minor / A major.

The second theme (from bar 35, dominant in D major) is presented by the strings piano over an organ point on D. It has a vocal character, aspiring gesture and alternates between legato and staccato. In the repetition of the theme, the final turn is briefly continued by the solo winds, then the oboe / bassoon and strings take up the theme figure as a variant in a question-and-answer dialogue. A short motif with a tone repeater ends the exposition.

After repeating the exposure, the execution continues with the final motif from the end of the exposure. From bar 64 the first theme is introduced in different keys (C major, D minor, E minor), "disturbed" by a variant of the staccato eighth note motif, in which the winds make dissonant interjections. After the last appearance of the first theme in E minor, a polyphonic section follows from bar 83, in which the eighth note is offset, processed in countermovement and chromatic changes (e.g. bar 83: G sharp instead of G in the 1st violin). From bar 90 the action calms down again, the transition to the recapitulation takes place via figures of thirds.

In contrast to the exposition, the recapitulation (from bar 94) shows a. a. At the beginning there is no repetition of the first topic, the pitches are e.g. Sometimes slightly changed (e.g. bar 103: f and a flat instead of f sharp and a), as well as some harmonies. Bars 145 - 148 can be seen as a small coda : They take up the eighth note motif that runs through the instruments one last time. The movement ends with the motif in bass and pianissimo. The development and recapitulation are not repeated.

Alfred Einstein (1953) assumes a connection between this movement and the aria “Dalla sua pace”, which Mozart composed for Don Ottavio for the Vienna performance of Don Giovanni: the first bars are almost identical. Volker Scherliess (2005) sees the wind interjections (e.g. bars 18 and 73/74) as “deadly serious, like voices from the beyond.” Theodor Kroyer (1931), on the other hand, says: “That, by the way, the keynote of the andante is not at all is meant so seriously that it is in any case not as dark as the "dramatic" accents of the development could pretend, tell us the teasing final confirmations in the exposition (bar 54) and especially in the recapitulation (bar 141 ff). "

Third movement: Presto

D major, 2/4 time, 350 bars

Third movement, Tsumugi Orchestra, conducted by Takashi Inoue

The first theme is symmetrically structured from two eight-bar halves. The first four bars of each eight bar contain three upbeat eighth notes (as a broken third) to half a note ("main motif", since it is important for the further structure of the sentence) and a line falling in syncopation. The other four bars consist of a pendulum figure, with the change between B minor and E minor first (bars 4-8), then (bars 12-16) between A major and D major. The forte block from bar 17 underscores the main motif throughout the orchestra with a drum roll and changes to the dominant A. Then the theme is repeated, but with a completely different timbre: in D minor and only performed by the flutes and oboes (accompanied by bassoon).

The forte block from bar 47 begins similarly to the previous one with the main motif, but now in F major, and modulates via D minor to E major, which functions as a dominant to A major of the second theme that begins in bar 66. The space required for the second theme is unusually long (bars 69–97). The theme consists of a sixteen-bar, which in turn can be broken down into four-bar sub-units: four bars of the first movement in the strings, this is repeated higher, then four bars of the subsequent movement in flute, oboe and bassoon and four bars of the final figure of the strings. Bars 82–97 represent a repetition with richer instrumentation. The motif of the antecedent can be derived from the figure of bars 7/8.

In bars 95-109 there is the third appearance of the first theme in A major, played by flute, oboe and bassoon, albeit with a variant in the second half of the eight bar. Bars 110–120 are designed according to bars 17 ff. And 47 ff. With the main motif staggered. From bar 120 the main motif appears offset in oboe and bassoon, accompanied by triplets of the 1st violin. The final group from bar 130 contains, in addition to the main motif, a new trill motif in the violins and ends the exposition with chord melodies and tremolo.

The beginning of the performance is designed as a contrasting sequence of four bars forte throughout the orchestra with tremolo and accented bass on the one hand and the four bars of the beginning of the first theme in the piano in flute, oboe and bassoon on the other. The passage from bar 176 is structured according to bar 17 ff. (Main motif staggered), the passage from bar 184 picks up the first four bars of the first theme, starting on G. Starting from G, key changes follow as well as the change from syncopated and non-syncopated falling lines from the main motif (e.g. bars 186/187 and 190/191). Wolfgang Gersthofer (2007) describes further compression:

“(...) the impulse of the starting eighth note can initially be heard again after three bars (bars 185 and 188), but the next time only five bars later (bar 193). In the course of the first two four-measures (bars 184–191), Mozart then continuously increases the thematic intervals: upper part, bar 184/185 g – d (fifth); Lower part m. 185/186 g – e (sixth), lower part m. 188/189 d – c (seventh), upper part m. 189/190 d – d (octave). Third, the long high tones of the upper part form an ascending line in large seconds, which marks the beginning, middle and end of the whole development: bar 185 d '' '- bar 193 e' '' - bar 201 f sharp '' '. All of this works together to make bars 184–206 one of the most uncompromising passages in symphonic literature of the late 18th century (...). "

The recapitulation begins in measure 216 with the first theme. There may be deviations from exposure. a. in that the woodwinds are already leading the voices in bar 224, the pitches being transposed upwards by a fourth compared to bar 9 . In measure 228 “a tutti block” in G minor comes in, similar to the development z. B. in bars 160 ff. The exposition, development and recapitulation are repeated.

Alfred Einstein (1953) writes about Presto: "And the finale is one of those strange D major movements by Mozart which, despite all their apparent cheerfulness and real perfection, leave a wound in the soul: death is associated with beauty." Volker Scherliess ( 2005) and Wolfgang Gersthofer (2007) point to parallels between the first theme and the beginning of the duettino Susanna / Cherubino from the second Figaro act. Volker Scherliess also emphasizes the instrumentation, "in particular the interplay of violins and woodwinds, which give the movement an ethereal color."

See also

• List of Mozart's symphonies

Individual references, comments

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h} Volker Scherliess : The symphonies. In: Silke Leopold (Ed.): Mozart-Handbuch. Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel 2005, ISBN 3-7618-2021-6 , pp. 307-309.
2. ^ Cliff Eisen: Symphonies. In: Howard Chandler Robbins Landon: The Mozart Compendium: His Life - His Music. Droemer Knauer, Munich 1991, pp. 292-300.
3. ↑ Theodor Kroyer (1931), however, thinks that Figaro was performed on January 20th.
4. ^ ^{A b} Theodor Kroyer: Mozart, Symphony in D major (without minuet). Foreword to the pocket score of the symphony in D major KV 504 in the Eulenburg edition (Volume 446), London / Zurich without the year (foreword from 1931)
5. ↑ ^{a b c d} Alfred Einstein: Mozart - His character, his work. Pan-Verlag, Zurich and Stuttgart 1953.
6. ^ Kurt Pahlen: Symphony of the world. Schweizer Verlagshaus AG, Zurich 1978 (preface from 1966), 383 pp.
7. ^ Neal Zaslaw: Mozart's Symphonies. Context, performance practice, reception. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1989.
8. ↑ See literature list with z. T. extensive analyzes. Wolfgang Karallus gives an artist comparison of 24 recordings: Between obedience and design aesthetics. The “Prague” Symphony KV 504 in a comparison of performers. In: Joachim Brügge, Claudia Maria Knispel (Ed.): The Mozart Handbook, Volume 1: Mozart's orchestral works and concerts. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2007, ISBN 978-3-89007-461-0 , pp. 548-561.
9. ↑ ^{a b c} The repetitions of the parts of the sentence are not kept in some recordings.
10. ↑ ^{a b c} Wolfgang Gersthofer: Symphony in D major, KV 504 (“Prager”). In: Joachim Brügge, Claudia Maria Knispel (Ed.): The Mozart Handbook, Volume 1: Mozart's orchestral works and concerts . Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2007, ISBN 978-3-89007-461-0 , pp. 77-93.

Web links, notes, literature

• Symphony in D KV 504 : Score and critical report in the New Mozart Edition
• 38th Symphony (Mozart) : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony D major “Prague”. Volume 446, Ernst Eulenburg, London / Zurich without a year (pocket score, foreword from 1931).
• W. Meves: Symphonies de WA Mozart. Collection Litolff No. 168. Henry Litolff's Verlag, Braunschweig without a date (approx. 1890, including a version of the symphony KV 504 for piano for two hands)
• ER Sisman: Genre, Gesture, and Meaning in Mozart's “Prague” Symphony. In: Cliff Eisen (Ed.): Mozart Studies 2. Oxford 1997, pp. 27–84 (this source was not evaluated for the present article).
• Ulrich Konrad : Wolfgang Amadé Mozart: Symphony No. 38 KV 504 ("Prague" Symphony) . Facsimile of the autograph and commentary, Laaber 2016 (= masterpieces of music in facsimile, volume 34).