Mozart: Symphony No.

40 in G minor
Area of Study 1

Sonata form
a very basic overview
Exposition
Nice music which
includes two
contrasting
melodies (subjects)

Development
Composer gets
creative subjects
are played but in lots
of different ways

Recapitulation
Pretty much a
repeat performance
of the first section
a welcome return to
the music at the start.

Sonata Form a basic

overview
Exposition

1st
subject

2nd
subject

Recapitulation

Development

1st
2nd
subject subject

Sonata form an overview

Exposition (repeated)

Recapitulation

1st
Subject

Bridge
passage

2nd
Subject

Development

1st
Subject

Tonic key

Where the
key change
(modulation)
happens

In a
different
key

Composer develops the two

subjects in many different
ways.

A repeat
from
before

Bridge
passage

2nd
Subject

This
This
section time , this
happens subject is
but no key also in
change
the tonic
this time
key

Sonata in more Detail

Exposition
Two contrasting themes
1st Subject: G minor
2nd Subject: Bb major
Bridge Passage
Codetta
Section is repeated

Development
No new ideas

Recapitulation
Ideas from exposition
repeated

Develop ideas mainly

from the 1st subject but
also 2nd subject

Bridge passage
extended

Exploration of different
keys not heard in
exposition

The coda is a further

development of the 3 note
from the 1st subject

Avoidance of tonic/
dominant keys

2nd subject remains in

tonic as piece needs to
end in tonic key

The mood of the whole piece/ each

section
1st and 2nd subject have contrasting themes:

1st Subject:

The mood of the whole piece/ each section

2nd Subject

The mood of the whole piece/ each

section
The development of the 1st subject

The mood of the whole piece/ each

section
Fast tempo
Serious and dramatic
Exciting
Dramatic G minor key
1st subject being dominated by strings section
2nd subject, pathtique mood - dialogue
between woodwind and strings

The purpose of the exposition

The main purpose of the exposition is to
expose the main themes
The first theme: First subject
Bridge Passage
The second theme: Second subject

Analysis
Section

Sub
section

Detail

Exposition

1st Subject
(bars 1-28)

G minor
No introduction
1st idea bars 1-9
2nd idea bars 9-14

1st 3 notes repeated motif

Sequence
Dominated by strings

Bridge
Passage
(bars 2843)

Modulates to the
relative major (Bb)
More chromatic

Woodwind provide
harmonic filling in texture
Horns enter
Descending sequence
from strings

2nd Subject
(bars 4472)

Bb major
Theme shared by strings
and woodwind
Swap parts from bars
44-51 & 52-58

Mood graceful
pathetique chromatic
descent: grief & sadness
1 bar sequences
Chromatic passages

Codetta
(72-100)

Modulates from Bb
major to G minor
Based on 3 note motif
Homophonic texture
(bars 88-100)

Imitation (Clarinets and

Bassoons)
Canon between upper and
lower strings (bars 73-88)

Bars 101164

Based on 3 note motif in

1st subject
Chromatic harmony

Woodwind provide chordal

harmonic support
thickens texture
Constant exploration of
keys!

Development

Section
Recapitulati
on

Sub
section

Detail

1st Subject (164-184)

G minor (exactly the

same as exposition)

Bridge Passage (184227)

Still in tonic key

Extended to 51 bars
Structural balance to
form & extended ideas

Bass counter-melody
against theme (bars 191197)
Modulates to different
keys but comes back to the
tonic

2nd Subject (227-260)

Played in tonic key

Like the exposition

1 bar sequences

Coda (261-299)

3 note motif passed

between Woodwind

Imitation
Homophonic texture

Possible Questions
In what century was this piece of music composed?
What style is this piece of music written in?
Comment on how Mozart uses the following musical
elements in No.40 in G minor:
Instruments
Melody
Dynamics
Tonality and Harmony
Form and Structure

Remember to use correct musical vocabulary where

appropriate

Mozart: Symphony No.

40 in G minor
Area of Study 1