Mozart - Facts

Question 1

When was Mozart born?

Answer 1

27 January 1756

Question 2

When did Mozart die?

Answer 2

5 December 1791

Question 3

Where was Mozart born?

Answer 3

Austria

Question 4

Which period did Mozart compose in?

Answer 4

The Classical Period

Question 5

Name the characteristics of the classical period

Answer 5

• an emphasis on elegance and balance
• short well-balanced melodies and clear-cut question and answer phrases
• mainly simple diatonic harmony
• mainly homophonic textures (melody and accompaniment) but with some use of counterpoint (where two or more melodic lines are combined)
• use of contrasting moods

Question 6

What types of music did he compose?

Answer 6

• symphonies
• piano concertos
• piano sonatas
• string quartets
• several operas
• a requiem

Question 7

What is the first movement of a symphony?

Answer 7

Allegro (fast) in sonata form

Question 8

Which movement is the minuet?

Answer 8

Third Movement

Question 9

What is a minuet?

Answer 9

A dance with three beats in a bar

Question 10

What is the second movement of a symphony?

Answer 10

Slow

Question 11

What is the fourth movement of a symphony?

Answer 11

Allegro

Question 12

In sonata form, what key is the first subject?

Answer 12

Tonic key

Question 13

What are the three main sections in sonata form?

Answer 13

Exposition, development and recapitulation

Question 14

In sonata form, what key is the second subject in?

Answer 14

Usually the dominant or the relative minor key

Question 15

How are the first and second subject of a sonata connected?

Answer 15

By a transition or bridge passage

Question 16

What does modulations mean?

Answer 16

Key changes

Question 17

What is a motive (motif)

Answer 17

A short distinctive melodic or rhythmic idea and is used as the basis of longer passages of music.

Question 18

In the development section, how does the material from the exposition change?

Answer 18

The music goes through several modulations (key changes).

Question 19

What happens in the recapitulation?

Answer 19

The material from the exposition is repeated (recapped) in a slightly different and shorter form. The first and second subject are now both heard in the tonic key.

Question 20

How may a movement end?

Answer 20

The movement ends with a coda

Question 21

What is a coda?

Answer 21

A coda is a short section which comes at the end of a movement.