Symphony No. 1 (Mozart)
Encyclopedia
The Symphony No. 1 in E flat major, K
. 16, was written in 1764
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
at the age of just eight years. By this time, he was already notable in Europe
as a wunderkind
performer, but had composed little music.
The autograph score of the symphony is today preserved in the Biblioteka Jagiellońska in Kraków
.
in London
when they had to move to Chelsea
during the summer of 1764 due to Mozart's father Leopold's
illness (throat infection). The house at 180 Ebury Street, now in the borough of Westminster, where this symphony was written, is marked with a plaque. The symphony was first performed on 21 February 1765. The work shows the influence of several composers, including his father and the sons of Johann Sebastian Bach
, especially Johann Christian Bach
, an important early symphonist working in London whom Mozart had met during his time there.
s, 2 horn
s, and strings
.
The work is in three movements:
What's notably interesting is the symphony's second movement, in which the young eight year-old Mozart makes use of the famous four note motif that appears in the Finale of his Jupiter symphony
. The four notes, Do, Re, Fa, Me, were used considerably by Mozart, and they make an appearance in several of his works, including his Symphony No. 33
and the Symphony No. 41. This particular theme is stated by the horns in his first symphony.
Köchel-Verzeichnis
The Köchel-Verzeichnis is a complete, chronological catalogue of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart which was originally created by Ludwig von Köchel. It is abbreviated K or KV. For example, Mozart's Requiem in D minor was, according to Köchel's counting, the 626th piece Mozart composed....
. 16, was written in 1764
1764 in music
- Events :* Wilhelm Friedemann Bach leaves his post as organist at Halle.*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart becomes a pupil of Johann Christian Bach.- Classical music :*Joseph Haydn – Symphony no 22 *Michael Haydn – Trumpet Concerto...
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
at the age of just eight years. By this time, he was already notable in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as a wunderkind
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
performer, but had composed little music.
The autograph score of the symphony is today preserved in the Biblioteka Jagiellońska in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
.
Background
The piece was written on the Mozart family's Grand Tour of EuropeMozart family grand tour
The Mozart family grand tour was a journey through western Europe, undertaken by Leopold Mozart, his wife Anna Maria, and their musically gifted children Maria Anna and Wolfgang Amadeus from 1763 to 1766. At the start of the tour the children were aged eleven and seven respectively...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
when they had to move to Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
during the summer of 1764 due to Mozart's father Leopold's
Leopold Mozart
Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was a German composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist. Mozart is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule.-Childhood and student years:He was born in Augsburg, son of...
illness (throat infection). The house at 180 Ebury Street, now in the borough of Westminster, where this symphony was written, is marked with a plaque. The symphony was first performed on 21 February 1765. The work shows the influence of several composers, including his father and the sons of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, especially Johann Christian Bach
Johann Christian Bach
Johann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital...
, an important early symphonist working in London whom Mozart had met during his time there.
Movements and instrumentation
The symphony is scored for 2 oboeOboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, 2 horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
s, and strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
.
The work is in three movements:
- Molto allegro, 4/4
- Andante, C minorC minorC minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
, 2/4 - Presto, 3/8
What's notably interesting is the symphony's second movement, in which the young eight year-old Mozart makes use of the famous four note motif that appears in the Finale of his Jupiter symphony
Symphony No. 41 (Mozart)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed his Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551, on 10 August 1788. It was the last symphony that he composed.The work is nicknamed the Jupiter Symphony...
. The four notes, Do, Re, Fa, Me, were used considerably by Mozart, and they make an appearance in several of his works, including his Symphony No. 33
Symphony No. 33 (Mozart)
The Symphony No. 33 in B flat major, K. 319, was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and dated on 9 July 1779.-Structure:The symphony has four movements:#Allegro assai, 3/4#Andante moderato, 2/4#Menuetto, 3/4#Finale: Allegro assai, 2/4...
and the Symphony No. 41. This particular theme is stated by the horns in his first symphony.