Mozart Symphony No. 40
Mozart Symphony No. 40 Program Notes
Mozart Symphony No. 40 Program Notes. Mozart finished this “Great G Minor” (compared to the shorter, No. 25), symphony on July 25, 1788, in a burst of composition that also included No. 39 in E-flat, and No. 41, “Jupiter.” If that bears repeating: he composed these three symphonies on the same day. He was planning and preparing for a series of concerts in Vienna later that year, and the summer’s down-time allowed for this. The family (Wolfgang, Cosima and young Carl) had just moved North-East of Vienna proper, to the Alsergrund district – to a place with a garden! In August, a visitor from Copenhagen, the actor Joachim Preisler, described what he saw at the Mozarts’ home one Sunday afternoon: “He improvised… on a pianoforte with pedal… so wonderfully that it staggered belief! He interwove the most difficult passages with the loveliest themes. His wife cut quill pens for the copyist, a pupil composed, and a little boy of four walked about the garden singing recitatives. In short, everything surrounding this splendid man was musical!” Born: January 27, 1756, Salzburg, Austria Died: December 5, 1791, Vienna, Austria Other Mozart Program Notes Mozart Abduction from the SeraglioSymphony No. 40 in G minor is one of only two symphonies Mozart wrote in a minor key, and it is among the most famous and frequently performed symphonies in the entire repertoire. It is remarkable for its emotional intensity and restless energy.
Mozart composed Symphony No. 40 in the summer of 1788, along with his Symphonies No. 39 and 41, in an extraordinary burst of creative energy. The exact date and circumstances of its premiere remain uncertain.
A typical performance lasts approximately 28 to 32 minutes.
The opening theme — quiet, urgent, and immediately recognizable — is one of the most famous openings in all of music. Throughout the symphony listen for the almost constant sense of searching and unease that makes this work so emotionally gripping.
Mozart wrote Symphony No. 40 during one of the most financially difficult periods of his life, yet the music shows no sign of despair — only fierce creative energy. It is one of three great symphonies he wrote within just a few weeks of each other.
