Symphony No. 40 In G Minor - Mozart

Question 1

Tempo

Answer 1

Molto allegro (very fast)

Question 2

Time signature

Answer 2

4/4

Question 3

Written in which year?

Answer 3

1788

Question 4

What time period

Answer 4

Classical

Question 5

Written for…

Answer 5

An orchestra

Question 6

Instruments used

Answer 6

Small orchestra
2 horns, strings, woodwind
NO trumpet or drums because he thought there was enough drama

Question 7

Typical features of classical music

Answer 7

Balance
An emphasis on simplicity
A bigger orchestra than the Baroque era (woodwind and brass as well as strings.)
No longer rely on a single ‘affectation’ / mood throughout the piece.
Composers liked to create dynamic contrast within sections.
They also had contrasting moods within longer sections.
Use of call and response.

Question 8

Other classical composers

Answer 8

Beethoven
Haydn
Beethoven

Question 9

Sonata form: exposition

Answer 9

Themes are heard for the first time
Has 2 contrasting themes
Ends in a different key to what it started in

Question 10

Sonata form: development

Answer 10

Themes go trough a number of twists and turns exploring different ideas
Keeps piece interesting
Typical to try to avoid tonic and dominant keys

Question 11

Sonata form: recapitulation

Answer 11

Themes are recapped/played again
Pulls the piece together again
Bits from exposition are used again but changed a bit
Piece ends in G minor so it feels balanced

Question 12

1st subject

Answer 12

Strings start piece
First violins play melody
Then woodwinds introduced
The key is G minor
At end of subject - bridge where harmony uses scales and pedal notes
Melody - balanced phrasing is used
Dynamics - start out quietly, have sudden contrasts and use lots of crescendo and decrescendo
The first two notes use the interval of a semi-tone

Question 13

2nd subject

Answer 13

Key - B flat major
Instruments - strings and woodwind
Melody - chromatic notes, balanced phrasing is also used as it was in 1st subject
END: violins, bassoons, flutes play a descending staccato scale

Question 14

Where would you play this type of music?

Answer 14

Concert hall

Question 15

How are Bb major and G minor connected?

Answer 15

Bb major is relative major of G minor and vice versa

Question 16

SECTION B:

Harmony

Answer 16

Exposition: 
1st subject - G minor
Transition/bridge - used to change to new key
2nd subject - Bb major 
Codetta : Bb major

Development:
Exploration of lots of different keys - even keys that are only loosely related to G minor. Avoids tonic (1) and dominant (5) keys

Recapitulation:
1st subject - G minor
Transition/bridge - G minor
2nd subject - G minor
Codetta: G minor

Question 17

SECTION B: texture

Answer 17

The 2nd subject is more homophonic in texture because orchestra accompany with chords
The horns thicken texture
The development has a busy, polyphonic texture. There is a countermelody in the section
Towards end of the development section the texture is reduced as fewer instruments play and make conversation using first part of 1st subject
Four big, strong, homophonic chords at the very end of the sonata act like 4 big full stops.

Question 18

SECTION B: Instrumentation

Answer 18

Standard classical orchestra with a few noticeable differences.
Woodwind: flute, oboes, clarinets, bassoons (the job of woodwind was to fill out harmonies)
Brass: 2 horns, one in Bb and one in G. NO TRUMPETS. needed two horns because technology wasn’t advanced enough for the horns to have valves so they could only play a limited number of notes.
Strings: violins, violas, cellos, double basses
NO TIMPANI.
No trumpets or timpani - the work was intense enough without them

Question 19

Devices used:

Answer 19

Sequence

Imitation

Question 20

Other movements in symphony are:

Answer 20

1. Fast
2. Slow
3. Minuet
4. Fast