Mozart - Symphony No. 40

Mozart - Symphony No. 40

1. Harmony and Tonality

   • largely diatonic
   • some chromatic notes
   • diminished 7th used as a chromatic chord
   • perfect cadences
   • pedal
   • music modulaes to related / unrelated keys
   • first subject in G minor
   • second subject in relative major Bb
   • second subject in recapitulation in tonic (G minor)

2. Instrumentation

   • strings
   • no trumpet or timpani
   • brass section is two horns
     • One in Bb and one in G
   • seven woodwind players
     • one flute
     • two oboes
     • two clarinets
     • two bassoons
   • chamber orchestra

3. Melody

   • lyrical
   • chromatic notes
   • scalic passages and sequences
   • falling / descending
   • longer note values
   • balanced phrases and graceful melody lines
   • first and second subjects
   • 3 mote motif
   • scalic descent
   • contrasting phrases as first and second subjects
   • upward leap / minor 6th
   • repeated notes in 2nd subject

4. Genre

   • classical
     • balanced phrases
     • simple textures
     • range of wild instruments
     • harpsichord replaced with piano
     • 1750-1830

5. Mood

   • dark and intense

6. Structure

   • sonata form
     • exposition
     • development
     • recapitulation
   • contrast of two subjects
   • incudes coda at end
   • bridge sections between first and second subjects
     • for modulation

7. Texture

   • mostly homphonic
   • use of imitation
   • use of octave doubling
   • dialogue between woodwind and string

8. Dynamics

   • the exposition the first subject is quiet
     • apart from a short passage in the middle
   • second subject begins quietly and gets louder towards the end
   • development there is a loud section in the middle
     • it starts and ends quickly
   • recapitulation has similar dynamics to the exposition
   • there are only a few crescendos and no diminuendos.

9. Rhythm

   • first subject repeated
     • quaver- quaver- crotchet rhythms
   • on beat rhythms
   • some dotted rhythms
   • scalic quaver passages
   • second subject longer note values
   • syncoopation
   • augmentation
   • anacrusis / up beat