AOS 1
Mozart - Number 40
Compared to baroque era -
- Orchestra expanded a lot
- Clarinets invented
- Horn invented
- Better strings
Symphony structure -
4 movements, balanced
1. Fast tempo (Symphony no. 40)
Sonata form
2. Slow tempo
Ternary
Theme and variations
3. Minuet and trio
4. Fast tempo
Rondo
Sonata/variation
Sonata form structure -
1. Exposition (b1-100)
- Split into 2 subjects (usually in different keys)
- Introduces themes
Subject 1:
- B1-20
- Bridge passage b20-44 (modulates)
Subject 2:
- B44-72
- Codetta b73-100 (based on subject 1, closes section)
2. Development (b101 - 164)
Develops themes/subjects (mainly subject 1)
- Change instrumentation
- Extend/augment
- Modulate
- Decorate
3. Recapitulation (b164-299)
Recaps exposition -
- 2nd subject in tonic key
- Bridge extended
- Coda b260-299 (instead of codetta)
Melody -
Exposition
Subject 1 -
- B1-5 - repeat of 3 note motif, 6th on end - descending sequences finishes phrase
- B5-9 - repeat of b1-5 down a tone
- Heavy use of anacrusis (an upbeat) throughout section 1 - later developed
Bridge passage -
- Same 3 note motif
- B30-33 - descending sequence in upper strings
Subject 2 -
- Pathetique (graceful)
- More relaxed and major
- Characteristic use of semitones
- B58-61 - 1 bar sequence to extend further
- B66 - new 6 bar idea - 'subject 2 part 2'
- - chromatic ascent, broken by rhythmic features
- - falling scalic pattern
- - developed later
Codetta -
- Subject 1 and developments
- Passed between instruments
Development
- Based on first 3 notes of subject 1 with additions and alterations
- B114 - countermelody in upper strings
- - staccato melody - stands out from legato theme
- B139-164 - motif repeated, passed around woodwind and strings (dialogue effect)
Recapitulation
- B164-184 - subject 1 repeated
- B184-227 - extended version of bridge, originally for modulation (exposition)
- - recapitulation in same key, further develops melody - doesn't need to modulate in bridge
- Splits between upper and lower strings - alternating passages
- B191 - countermelody in lower parts
- B198 - switches over
- B211-227 - same as 28-43 but in tonic key
- B227 - 2nd subject repeated in tonic
Coda -
- 3 note motif (subject 1)
- Augmentation of theme in cellos
Exposition
Subject 1 -
- G minor
- Diatonic
- Perfect cadences (eg: b10-13)
- Ends on chord V to lead into bridge
- Starts in Gm - no F#, suggests modulation to Bb (relative major)
- B27 - perfect cadence, confirms modulation
- Ends with dominant pedal - prepares for subject 2
- Bb major
- More chromaticism
- Traditional chord progression (1c - V7 - 1) b64-66
- Bb major
- B100 - dominant 7th chord in Gm - acts as pivot to link to development
- Lots of modulation
- Gm + added chromatic chords -> Em
- Mores through keys rapidly (inverted circle of fifths) - Em-Am-Dm-Gm-C-F-Bb (traditional feature of development sections)
- B134 - dominant pedal
- B139-164 - dominant pedals in different keys
- Gm
- B185 - Brief modulation to Eb major
- B198 - Brief modulation to Fm
- B211 - Back to Gm tonic
- B221 - dominant pedal, signals return of subject 2
- Gm
- Allows piece to end in tonic key
- Main rhythm motif taken from 3 note motif in subject 1 (quaver, quaver crotchet)
- First quaver usually an upbeat
- Subject 1 - driving quavers in accompanying parts (pulse)
- Subject 2 - rubato, pathetique (graceful)
- Clear sense of pulse throughout - very little use of syncopation
- Occasional rhythmic contrasts (eg: b66 - pushed rhythm - extension of anacrusis)
- B68 - dotted rhythm break
Texture/instrumentation -
- Standard orchestra (without trumpets and timpani)
- Divisi strings in score - fuller texture (more dense)
- String dominated
- Woodwind - provides accents in most prominent areas
- Doubling of parts, mainly in woodwind and strings - draws attention (eg: b28 - bassoon and lower strings)
- Doubling in octaves - stronger, stands out of texture (eg: b14-16 - woodwind)
- Texture surges towards end of section (eg: b132 - sustained notes in middle of texture)
- B96-97 - homophonic
