The Classical Period

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(1756-91)

Key Terms & Concepts

Singspiel
Double-exposition sonata form
( = Ritornello-sonata form)
Opera seria
Opera buffa

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91)

Child prodigy as a performer
and composer
Toured Europe from ages 6-17
with father Leopold & sister
Nannerl (b. 1751), both
musicians
Leopold: performer & composer
for Archbishop of Salzburg
Met J.C. Bach in London,
studied counterpoint with Padre
Martini in Italy, was influenced
by music of Haydn (Austria),
Sammartini (Italy), Schobert (a
Parisian writer of keyboard
works)

The Mozart
Family

left: c. 1763
right: c. 1781

Mozart in Salzburg: 1773-1781

Wrote 13 piano sonatas, serenades and divertimenti

for instrumental ensembles, and violin and piano
concerti; also, an opera (Idomeneo, 1781) for a
commission from Munich
Traveled with
mom to Paris
& 3 German
cities in 1777;
no job offers!
Mother died,
1778

Mozart in Vienna: 1781-1791

Vienna: the largest & fastest-growing Germanspeaking city at this time
Mozart initially earned a living by performing (publicly
& privately), teaching piano and composition, and a
successful singspiel, Die Entfhrung aus dem Serail
(The Abduction from the Harem, 1782)
Mozart had increasing
money problems:
Financial mismanagement
Shrinking income

Mozart in Vienna: 1781-1791

Musical style: synthesis of Galant & Learned styles
Influences of Haydn, Bach & Handel (the latter 2 via
Baron von Swieten)
In Vienna, he composed
in all major genres, esp.:

11 Piano sonatas
16 String quartets
Instrumental quintets
6 Symphonies
17 Piano concertos
7 Operas
Sacred music (Requiem)

Piano Sonata in F Major, K. 332, I

(Anthology, p. 182-189 CD 8:1)
3 distinct melodies in the Primary Theme (P):
Songlike (mm. 1-4)
Imitative counterpoint (mm. 5-12)
Horn call (mm. 13-22, note arpeggiation of left hand part:
like the overtone series on a natural horn)
Mm. 22: Sturm und drang (storm and stress) style
Minor key, fast rhythms, dissonance, chromaticism, loud
Development begins with new melody (common for Mozart,
rare in other composers works, who usually use P or S)

Piano Concerto in A Major, K. 488, I

(Anthology, pp. 190-223; CD 8:9)
Double-exposition sonata form
(common name) a.k.a. RitornelloSonata form (textbooks term) Some
unusual aspects:
Second Ritornello (m. 137: uses Tr
and a New Theme to introduce the
Solo Development; this pattern
recurs for the Fourth Ritornello (m.
284)
Third Ritornello (m. 198) begins the
Recapitulation, instead of letting the
solo piano reintroduce A Major
The Solo Recapitulation concludes
with the New Theme

Piano Concerto in A Major, K. 488, I

Don Giovanni
Set to a libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte (poet for the Imperial
theater, later a professor at Columbia University); he wrote
libretti for Mozarts The Marriage of Figaro (1786), Don
Giovanni (October 1787), and Cos fan tutti (1790)
Premiered in Prague; revived in Vienna in May 1788
Don Juan is recast as a rebel against authority, not just a
womanizer
The plot uses characters from Opera Seria and Opera Buffa
Shocking: It is a comedy which begins with an onstage murder
( is that really funny?)
Shows Mozarts mastery of ensemble pieces and continuous
sections to build dramatic tension

Don Giovanni
Shows Mozarts mastery of ensemble pieces and continuous
sections to build dramatic tension
Ex/ from Act I (Aria Trio Dramatic action Closing trio)
(Anthology, pp. 249-271, CD 8:36):
Leporello opens the scene by complaining in an opera
buffa style
Donna Anna & Don Giovanni sing in an opera seria style,
while Leporello frets
A duel between Giovanni & Annas father ends in the
latters death
A trio laments the unfortunate action
Don Giovanni and Leporello return to comic banter