Chapter 11

The Classical Symphony

Mozart is just Gods way of making the

rest of us feel insignificant.
Music journalist David W. Barber

Defining the Term Classical

A work of lasting value
Serious music as opposed to popular

music
More accurately, a style of European

music from about 1750 to about 1800

The Classical Style in Music

Essentially homophonic
Successive contrasting melodies rather

than the contrapuntal expansion of one

melody
Structured in clear sections
Three- or four-movement plan

The Form of the

Classical Sonata
Three-movement plan:

Four-movement plan:

First movement
fast, sonata form
Second movement
slow, sonata, theme and
variations or other plan
Third movement
fast, rondo, sonata form
or other

First movement fast, sonata

form
Second movement
slow, sonata, theme and
variations or other
Third movement
minuet and trio, or
scherzo and trio
Fourth movement
fast, rondo, sonata form
or other

Sonata Form

Three sections:
Exposition

Development

Two contrasting themes introduced

Themes are connected by bridge
Codetta may be used to close section
Repeated
Themes are manipulated

Recapitulation

Themes return, but second theme appears in

home key rather than contrasting key
Occasionally ends with coda

Minuet and Trio

Ternary form

A minuet, B trio, A minuet

Trio takes name from time when second

dance of pair was played by three

instruments
Scherzo and trio has same structure
Scherzo played at faster tempo
Became movement of great power and
drama in Beethovens hands

The Classical Orchestra

Standardized

through efforts of
Johann Stamitz at
Mannheim
Mannheim orchestra
had large string
section

20 violins
4 violas
4 cellos
4 basses

Expanded wind

section

2 flutes
2 oboes
2 clarinets
2 bassoons
2 trumpets
4 French horns
timpani

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(1756 1791)
Born in Salzburg, Austria
His father was respected composer and violinist
Child prodigy

Began harpsichord at age 4

First compositions at age 5

Toured extensively until 15 years old

Extensive tours through Europe
Produced first major opera, Mitridate, in Milan in
1770
1781 settled in Vienna

Quit position in Salzburg over fathers objections

Mozart (cont.)
First years in Vienna prosperous
Married Constanze Weber

Happy marriage, but she was careless

houskeeper, Mozart poor money-manager

Last ten years of life spent in near

poverty

Gave up public performances in 1788

Health declined in final year; died 1791

Mozarts Instrumental Music

41 Symphonies
12 violin concertos
25+ piano concertos
14 concertos for other instruments
26 string quartets
17 piano sonatas
40+ violin sonatas
Other chamber works

Listening Guide
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, First Movement
W. A. Mozart
Composed in 1788
Orchestra: 1 flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2

bassoons, 2 horns and strings

Sonata form: Exposition
Theme 1: Bouncing theme (Think, Its a bird,
its a plane, no its Mozart.)
Bridge: Rushing strings, emphatic close
Theme 2: Violins play floating theme, answered
by woodwinds
Close: Strings rush downward stepwise

Listening Guide
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, First Movement
(cont.)
Development
Dynamic is p, theme 1 in violins, new

harmonies
Sudden f, theme 1 traded between low strings
and violins
Dynamic returns to p, theme 1 traded between
violins and woodwinds
Woodwind answer reduced to three-note motive
Sudden f, three-note motive traded between
violins and low strings
No strings, flute and clarinets trade three-note
motive, descend into

Listening Guide
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, First movement
(cont.)
Recapitulation
Violins, woodwinds answer, loud chords
Violins begin theme again
Upward-leaping motive in violins, f, then low strings back

and forth
String scales, emphatic close
Theme 2 in violins, woodwind answer
Strings take over
Rhythmic motive from theme 1 traded back and forth,
alternating p and f
Coda: Rushing string scales, woodwind chord, emphatic
closing chords, f

Listening Guide
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, Third Movement
W. A. Mozart
Minuet and trio form
Minuet (A): First phrase played by orchestra, f, repeated
Second phrase more dissonant, moves directly into

repeat of first phrase

Repeat of second phrase and varied repeat of first
Trio (B): Relaxed, lyrical phrase in strings, woodwinds,
then strings, repeated
Then lower strings enter, answered by woodwinds
Horns join strings, completed by horns with woodwinds,
then strings
Minuet (A): First phrase, f
Second phrase and return of first phrase repeated, ends
p in woodwinds