1. Area of Study 1: Mozart Symphony No.40 In G minor Mov 1
GCSE Music Revision 2014
Area of Study 1:
Mozart Symphony No.40
In G minor
Mov 1

2. Background: The Classical Era
The Classical era (c.1750 – 1830)
Movement away from the flamboyant and ornate, highly decorative Baroque era
Classical architecture reflected influences of the Greeks and Romans
Music from the era echoes the clear cut and balanced architecture
Emphasis placed on graceful and regular phrasing bringing a new simplicity to musical composition
Main composition forms were the Classical Symphony, String Quartet, Concerto and Sonata
The period was dominated by the Vienesse composers (Vienna). These were: Mozart, Haydn & Beethoven

3. The Symphony
One of the most important large scale genres invented during the Classical era
The word symphony comes from the Italian word for “sounding together”
The classical orchestra featured four families of instruments
Early Classical symphony forms had 3 movements, however as the form developed a minuet and trio (from the baroque era) was added between the 2nd and 4th movement:
Mov 1
Fast tempo
Usually written in sonata form
Mov 2
Slow tempo
Various forms includin theme & variations
Mov 3
Minuet & Trio
Mov 4
Written in either rondo or sonata form

4. Symphony No.40 in G Minor Written in the key of G Minor
Melancholy feel (sadness)
Written in sonata form:
The score includes parts for the recently (at the time!) invented clarinets
No orchestration for trumpets or drums (unusual in comparison to modern symphony orchestras)
Exposition – Main themes or melodies are presented
Development – develop ideas from the exposition
Recapitulation – final section which balances with the opening

5. Exposition Bars 1 - 100 Bars 1 - 20 Bars 20 - 44 Bars 44 - 72
1st subject:
Repeated idea which becomes an important motif throughout the rest of the movement.
Bars 16 – 20 strong wood wind chords
Strings play D octaves which form a dominant pedal
Bars
Linking Passage
First subject repeated but altered (bars 24 – 27)
Oboes & bassoons provide “harmonic filling”
Bar 27 – 28 perfect cadence in Bb Major
Bars 30 – 33 descending sequences in the violins
Bar 28 – forte for full orchestra in the relative major of Bb Major
Bars
2nd Subject:
This theme is in the relative major (Bb major)
Graceful use of semi tones
Bar 44 - Falling figures represent sadness
Bar 58 – a series of sequences extend the subject
Bar 58 – 66 – Ab Major tonality, the music crescendos and ascends chromatically
Bars
Codetta
This section is based on the first 3 notes of thee 1st subject
Melodies cycled between different instruments (e.g. clarinet to bassoon)
Bar 73 – Violins have the opening theme in minims – augmentation
Bar 88 – 100 homophonic texture
Repeat of the 1st subject which maintains balance and familiarity for the listener
Exposition Bars

6. Development Bars 101 - 164 Bars 101 - 114 Bars 115 - 138
Music of the whole development is based entirely on the opening of the first subject
Melody is doubled in octaves by the violins
Bars 107 – 114 descending chromatic chords in bassoons
Bars
Music resolves to the key of E Minor
Upper strings play a new quaver counter melody
Woodwind provides harmonic support
Bar 118 – modulation to A minor
Barr 120 – modulation to D minor
Bar 122 – modulation to G minor
Bar 124 – modulation to C Major
Constant explorations of new/different keys
Bars
Texture is reduces
Use of dominant and tonic pedals in different parts
Bar 153 – 160 – strong forte passage
Development Bars

7. Recapitulation Bars 164 - 299 Bars 164 - 184 Bars 184 - 227 227 - 260
First subject in the key of G minor (a repeat of bars 1 – 20)
Bars
Linking passage
This section takes the music from the tonic to the dominant key
Development of motif ideas heard previously
Second subject stated in the tonic key of G minor
The melody is shared between the woodwind and strings (as in the exposition)
Bar 245 – 251 – rising one-bar sequences
Bar 252 – 254 – perfect cadence
Bar 254 – 260 – rising form of the theme hard at bars 66 – 72 in the exposition, but now in G minor
Recapitulation Bars