Movement I: Allegro molto
Movement II: Andante
Movement III: Menuetto (Allegro)
Movement IV: Finale (Allegro assai)
Mozart’s last three symphonies date from the summer of 1788, a trying time for the composer. His opera, Don Giovanni, after a successful run in Prague, failed miserably in Vienna. The Viennese public no longer flocked to support his concerts. In addition, cultural activities on the whole were curbed sharply by the Austrian Empire’s new war with Turkey. As a consequence, Mozart’s income plummeted, and he and his family were forced to seek less expensive lodgings in the suburbs of Vienna. Attempting to put a good face on things, the composer boasted in a letter that the distance he now lived from the city’s heart was actually beneficial, claiming “I have greater leisure to work now since I am not troubled by so many visitors.” Mozart was troubled by a lack of commissions and by the recent death of his six-month-old daughter, Theresia. One letter to a lodge brother refers to “dark thoughts which I must banish by force,” and apparently those thoughts interfered in his ability to compose. During this summer, Mozart completed only a few compositions. These works were the three final symphonies of his career.
Mozart rarely composed without a particular purpose in mind. Generally, his works were written on commission, or for his own concerts, or as gifts for friends. Such transactions were usually cataloged in the composer’s letters and writings. However, in this case, scholars have found no evidence of a commission; no one paid for these symphonies to be written. Perhaps Mozart composed them on speculation, in hopes of selling them or presenting them in a Viennese concert. If so, he was disappointed, for they were not published during his lifetime, and there is no clear evidence of a performance. Nevertheless, the sudden burst of activity does suggest that the composer had some objective in mind, and it now seems that his goal may have been a London tour. As a child, Mozart had spent over a year living in London, absorbing the musical ambience. Even in adulthood in Vienna, he had several close English friends, and since at least 1786, he had spoken of traveling to London to present a concert series. In the event of such a tour, it was customary for composers to bring new works, preferably a set of three or six symphonies. Haydn did exactly that when he came to London in the 1790s. Scholars now suggest that, several years before Haydn’s journey, Mozart wrote these three symphonies while dreaming of a similar excursion, though he never embarked upon the adventure.
Of these three last symphonies, the middle one, the Symphony No. 40 in G minor, is the best-known. Indeed, it is among of the most famous of Mozart’s works. Its high profile is challenged only by such favorites as Eine kleine Nachtmusik and The Marriage of Figaro Overture. Although reasons for popularity are always difficult to determine, one factor in this case may be the choice of key. The Symphony was written in the key of G minor, a rare choice for Mozart, who showed a strong preference for cheerier major keys. In fact, of his 41 Symphonies, only two use minor keys. But given the gloomy days that Mozart was enduring, his selection of a dark and brooding key seems predictable. However, there is more at work here than one man’s daily sorrows. At this time in history, German and Austrian composers were increasingly drawn to the “Sturm und Drang” (“Storm and Stress”) movement, a school of thought that also affected artists and writers. They began to compose music that was the audible expression of angst. Haydn wrote “Sturm und Drang” symphonies, frequently in the key of G minor. So did the London-based Johann Christian Bach, who had strongly influenced the preteen Mozart. In this atmosphere, it is no surprise that Mozart, too, turned, at least occasionally, to minor keys. Symphony No. 40 proves to us that this man whose music could so easily provoke our delight could also bring forth tears.
In addition to being a pillar of the standard orchestral repertory and one of the most flawless examples of Classical Period style, the Symphony No. 40 is a key work in understanding the link between musical Classicism and musical Romanticism. Mozart composed this symphony in three weeks during the summer of 1788. According to the composer’s own catalog, the completion date was July 25. The first performance of this work was conducted by Antonio Salieri in Vienna on April 16, 1791.
The first score of this symphony called for 1 flute, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, and the usual strings. A later revision by the composer added 2 clarinets. The typical performance time for this work is approximately 25 minutes. In many respects, the Symphony No. 40 is among the most interesting of Mozart’s works, because of its poignant character implicit in the very opening notes. None of the four movements departs significantly from the introspective and near melancholic atmosphere set by the opening phrases of the first movement. This is a work of passion, a symphonic masterpiece which could accurately be defined as soul-searching or deeply contemplative.
Mozart needs no better testimonial to his genius, no finer illustration of his versatility, no stronger indication of his imagination than this masterpiece of symphonic form. For many devotees of Mozart, Symphony No. 40 is not only a major triumph of the Classical Era, but one of Mozart’s greatest expressions in any musical genre.