Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart free essay sample

Analysis Being an admirer of the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, I chose to analyze Mozart Symphony No. 40 In G Minor. An early analyst and critic of Mozart music, Otto Kahn called the Symphony No. 40 a symphony of pain and lamentation. Another critic said it was nothing but joy and animation (Kramer 480). While these two remarks may be used as extreme ways to interpret the symphony, its character and mood are captivating and touching. The standard instrumentation for this piece includes woodwinds (flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons), strings (violins, violas, cellos, and basses), and brass (horns),The instrumentation does not include any percussion or heavy brass. The horns are used sparingly, only to add density to the tone or emphasize the crescendos and sopranos. The symphony Itself Is comprised of four movements: Movement One Molt allegro Movement Two Andante Movement Three Allegretto Movement Four Allegro assai The first movement of the symphony opens In a minor key with a piano but agitated principal theme that repeats Itself throughout the movement. We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Such an opening Is not a usual one; a listener may have expected some sort of an Introduction to precede such a theme, but Mozart decides to omit any prelude, thereby establishing a certain feeling of restlessness or anxiety. The first movement exhibits frequent interchanges between piano and forte. Of all the sections of the first movement, only the development is played in a major key with distinct motion. This, combined with other expressive elements, further contributes to the movements general uneasy mood. The meter here is duple simple, and it remains constant throughout the movement. The first movement is presented in the Sonata-allegro form, with a mitotic structure laity In the principal theme, and a homophobic texture. Obediently following the sonata plan, Mozart slows down his second movement to andante. Violas play the principal theme and are later Joined by the first and second violins, imitating one another. The dominating strings maintain dynamics within movement is duple compound, and like in the first movement, this one is composed in sonata-allegro form.Homophobic accompaniment in an E-flat tonality supports a Med-range, but conjunct-motion melody that is characterized by regular periodic structures. Ere third movement is in triple simple meter with the orchestra once again nominated by the strings. The minuet and trio form naturally divides the movement into three sections with different keys, dynamics, and a dad capo. The minuet section and its a dad capo are played forte and in a minor key, while the trio is piano and in a major key. The tempo remains allegretto throughout the entire movement.Unlike the second movement, the motion of the melody is distinct and wide-range, structured n regular periods. The movement begins in a G minor tonality and then changes to G major. The texture remains homophobic throughout the entire movement. He final movement of the symphony is again dominated by the strings. The tempo of this movement is allegro assai, which combined with distinct melodic motion in the portions played forte, maintains the stressful, nervous mood of the symphony. These sections are interchanged by ones played piano and adagio, with a narrow melodic range and conjunct motion.This movement is composed in sonata-allegro form with duple simple meter. The motion is mostly conjunct, except for sections played presto, where the motion is distinct and the range is wide. The tonality of this vehement is G minor, and the texture is homophobic. II. Composer background. At the time of this symphonys composition, in the first half of 1788 when Mozart creative powers were at their peak, his everyday life suddenly began to deteriorate. Although he had recently been appointed a composer to the Court of Emperor Joseph II, the salary was meager and the duties were light.Two or three years previously Mozart concert schedule was busy and an abundance of students provided him Ninth an adequate income. He had triumphed in Prague with The Marriage of Figaro in 1786 and Don Giovanni in 1787. Now his fortunes went into a slump. When Don Giovanni was performed for the first time in Vienna, on the 7th of May, 1788, it aroused mixed reactions. Although it was given fifteen times that year, it does not seem to have been regarded as a success in Vienna. In the spring of 1788 Mozart could not obtain enough subscribers to a set of three string quintets, and the projected publication was postponed and then abandoned.In June Mozart planned a series of public concerts, but these apparently did not occur. After 1788, Mozart Mould never again perform a public concert in Vienna, and his desperate financial tuition made him write letters to relatives and friends, asking for money (Brooder Nevertheless, Mozart continued to compose with his characteristic and inspiration. Ere failures of his performances and the consequent financial hardships took a recognition, however, did not stop Mozart from writing. Mozart composed his last three symphonies (Nose. 39, 40, and 41) in only two months, without commission or payment.Furthermore, at least two of these symphonies were never performed during his lifetime. As to why they were not performed, some people believe that Mozart had such an intense inner need to express himself that he could not wait for tarot from whom to charge commission. Perhaps these were the circumstances that inspired such a feeling of insecurity, anxiety, and urgency in Symphony No. 40. Ere composer needed success, recognition, and simply money. IV. Personal Reaction. On a personal level, I was also inspired with the same unexplained feeling of urgency and anxiety while listening to this symphony. The first movement creates this mood Ninth its very first motive. However, it seemed hard for me to follow through the entire piece without having lost some of this impression to the more subdued second and hire movements. Perhaps Mozart emotions at the time were too complex for me to understand at this point; after all, these two movements were not composed Just to fill the void between the first and the last movements. But maybe Mozart knew that the listeners would be exhausted if the same mood prevailed throughout the entire symphony. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart free essay sample Of these letters only one of them Is written to Nearly; the rest are to a dear friend of Mozart, Michael Bugbear. Interestingly enough Mozart begins all of his letters to Michael delicately and affectionately with brother, Brother of Order, or beloved friend which we know from the past is Mozart way of getting on somebodys good side before asking for something. After the greeting, the body of all of these letters appears to follow a basic format: starting out with a high feeling of dignity or self-confidence, and ending tit pleas for financial backing or help.The letters, amounting to twenty between 1 788 and Mozart death (Keys 206), only afforded Mozart an estimated 141 5 florins. This can be compared to the near 3000 gulden that he had borrowed from many people by his death in 1791. Mozart met Michael back in his freemason days; they worked together for the same company. Michael became very wealthy when he inherited the textile manufacturing business that he was working for. We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mozart near constant pleas for money were sometimes granted, but not all of the time. Unfortunately.Mozart never made enough money before his death to be able to fully pay Michael back for all of his help. However, as a small form of compensation, Mozart would occasionally send Michael compositions and even dedicated one of his piano symphonies to him. Michael was such a good friend of the family, that it has been said that he continued to help Castanet out with family and financial problems after Mozart death. Eventually, it becomes rather obvious that Mozart can barely support his family, let alone pay back anyone who lends him money.Because of this, e loses nearly all of the flannel credibility that he once had. He reaches an economic low point and runs into a great crisis when his landlord demanded immediate payment of arrears in June of 1788. Mozart turns to Bugbear, asking him for the money and promising a return payment within a year or two with one or two thousand gulden, at a suitable rate. Michael realizes that Mozart needs to work through this problem on his own and therefore refuses to lend him the money. Because of this, Mozart winds up having to pack up both his family and belongings and move too suburb in Warring.Here, Mozart lives in a much smaller house than the one in Vienna. During these next few months it can be said that Mozart suffers an air of withdrawal from Vienna and its music life. Not only was Mozart facing an economic hardship at this time, but there was also quite a bit of commotion going on in his family life too. Taking a look at the past few years of Mozart life it can be seen that In 1786 his wife gave birth tonal lost a son and In 1787 he lost 3 of his close that was born to this couple, Theresa Connotations, passes away in June.This was less than a year after the child was born. The baby girl was buried in the Warring cemetery, right near the familys new home. On top of all of this, Mozart health was still declining from his re-infection of what doctors assumed to be SSH (Schooners- Hence Syndrome) in mid April if 1787. It seems that nothing here could really pull him out of his rut enough to get better. Eventually though, he got his life back together enough that he moved back to Vienna in late 1788 to early 1789 in hopes of again finding better luck.Moving on, Mozart professional life seems to be quite uneventful during 1787. Mozart seems to withdraw himself from society. One author even stated that in the autumn and winter so little appears to be happening that one begins to wonder how Mozart spends his days(unknown). Looking at the list of works that he finished in 1788 it can pretty much be inferred that he is spending most of his time at home composing. This raises the question of who Mozart was doing all of this composing for.Looking at commissions, it can be seen that there really are not any; along the lines of employment, activity seems to be kept at a minimal; publishing also appears o have been kept rather stagnant; and performances seemed to be the only small thing that Mozart was falling back on. Joseph Starter died in 1787 and Mozart was appointed his role of the director of Sweeties oratorio concerts. In fact, Barron van Sweeten liked what Mozart was doing so much that he had Wolfgang add to and alter Handels piece Accusing Galatea in November of 1788.The piece came out so well that Sweeten decides to have Mozart do the same thing to a couple of other pieces later on in his life. Also during this year a virtual collapse in Mozart concert audience an be seen throughout his performances. On top of that, not only were his subscription attempts in June of this year a failure, but his subsequent promotions did not seem to far any better. When the performances from 1788 are assayed we find that Mozart mainly covers someone elses pieces along with performing one of his operas.The piece that he conducted is C. P. E. Bachs Die Furthering undo Hammertoe Jesus that is performed on March fourth. The opera that is put on was one that Mozart had written Just a year before: Don Giovanni. Although it has been reformed previously in other locations, this is the first time that it is to be seen by a Vienna audience. Unfortunately though, it only has fourteen or fifteen showings before it is no more. The Emperor attends the last showing and declares it good, but unfit for his people (Keys 210). The score for this opera is so well written that it causes Hayden to react to a circle of aristocratic musical amateurs that were disputing over Mozart Vienna opera with: l cannot settle this quarrel, but I know this, that Mozart is the greatest composer now living in the world (unknown). Possibly the best and most incredible thing to come out of this year in Mozart life is the composition of his last three piano symphonies within a time frame of only six weeks.This task alone is outstanding, but what makes it even more amazing is that he managed to produce such a strong trilogy despite all of the personal problems that he is having. It is now known that these pieces were not commissioned, but why were they written? One possible explanation for the pieces is Mozart great need for time in his life between June 26 and August 10 he was in such a financial bind that e was pawning his belongings to keep the family alive (Keys 206).Between Mozart declining health and his poor finances, it is becoming clear that the end off great man is nearing. 1788 was a year of struggle, but Mozart stood up against his hardships as much as he could to prove that he was not Just going to Match his life get taken from him. Although none of this effort can be seen financially, his strength can be seen in all of the pieces that he finished in this year alone. Mozart valiant efforts over this years struggles illustrate what a truly hard Morning and dedicated man he was. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart free essay sample Mozart Mozart is truly the most remarkable composer who ever lived. He composed In the classical style and there Is no other composer to fairly compare him to. Although he died at the age of 35, he left the world with more than 600 of the most amazing compositions ever written, Throughout his life, he composed with an ease of melody and a blend of grace and precision that arguable no one has ever excelled (Ducker 478). He was an amazing musician and composer whose legend continues to grow more than two and a half centuries after his death.Mozart was a musical child- Roding, writing his first minuet at the age of five. At the age of six, he began composing complicated and serious musical works and in the same year gave his first harpsichord concert. His first symphony was written when he was only eight years old and his first opera when he was twelve. We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salisbury, Austria in January of 1756 to Leopold and Anna Maria Pertly. Leopold Mozart was a respected and successful violinist and composer for the Archbishop of Salisbury. He was also an experienced teacher and taught young Wolfgang to play the clavier at the tender age of three.By the age of four, he had developed such an amazing talent for remembering musical pieces, that Leopold began teaching him to play the harpsichord. Wolfgang was a quick learner and within a year he was composing serious pieces of music. Beginning in 1762, Wolfgang and his sister Maria Anna, affectionately nicknamed Manner, went on a musical tour throughout Europe with their parents. They visited some of Rupees largest and most culture-rich cities and performed small concerts for groups of royalty and nobility. Wherever they played, their audience was overwhelmed with their extraordinary talents.For two young children, they were extremely talented but Wolfgang certainly stood out from the pair. This was partially due to his age, his unusual talent, and his fathers strict and unrelenting instruction, but it was also due to the time period in which they lived. During the classical period, women had a harder time finding respect, not to mention work, as musicians and composers. Although Manner composed wonderful pieces of her own, even Wolfgang once wrote In a letter to her, l have been quite astonished that you can compose so beautifully (Gay 18). And although Leopold was immensely proud of both of his childrens musical talents and accomplishments, he was often heard saying that his son was a prodigy of nature (Gay 12). It can easily be accepted that he was a prodigy. By the time Wolfgang was a teenager, he had mastered the harpsichord, violin and pianoforte, as well as the sonata and symphony and was writing keyboard pieces, oratorios, solos, and operas. Up until 1768 the Mozart family continued taking musical tours throughout Europe. During this time Wolfgang continued composing.While on tour in Paris, he published his first works, our sonatas for the clavier with violin accompaniment. He also composed his first opera, La Flat Someplace, which he played In a public performance the following year in his hometown of Salisbury. Between 1769 and 1771, Wolfgang and his father traveled together on three tours In Italy, leaving Manner and Anna Marl at home. While in Italy, Wolfgang wrote several new operas, Intimidate RI De Pont, Occasion in also in Rome, Italy that Mozart heard for the first and only time Gregory Allegros Miseries performance in the Sistine Chapel then wrote it out in its entirety from Emory, only returning to correct minor errors; thus producing the first illegal copy of this closely-guarded property of the Vatican (Wisped). In 1773 they returned home from their last tour in Italy. By this time, Wolfgang had written more than two dozen symphonies in his traditional classical style and his true genius as a symphonists had emerged (Gay 16). Once home, he found work as a court musician for the ruler of Salisbury.During this time he composed many works including five violin concertos, which were the only violin concertos he ever wrote. But in a short amount f time, he came to be dissatisfied with that position. He was unhappy with the salary, which was only 150 florins per year, and the position did not allow him to express himself as fully as he liked (Wisped). He was interested in composing operas but the Salisbury audience was not interested in operas. So Wolfgang began searching for employment away from Salisbury.For the next few years he traveled to large cities such as Vienna, Munich, Anaheim and Paris searching for a position that suited him. It was on his trip to Paris with his mother in 1778 that she became ill and died. In 1781 he found work as a pianist and composer in Vienna. His works Mere widely accepted and appreciated by his Viennese audiences and he achieved a reputation as an accomplished composer. It was also in Vienna that he reacquainted himself with Constance Weber, a childhood friend and the daughter of Loopholes long-time friend, Franklin Weber.In August 1782, Wolfgang married Constance against his fathers vehement objections. The couple had a total of six children although only two boys survived infancy, Karl Thomas Mozart and Franz Xavier Knolling Mozart. Shortly after the birth of their first child, Karl Thomas, Wolfgang Egan working on his famous opera, The Marriage of Figaro, which premiered in Vienna in 1786 followed by a popular showing in Prague. The following year, he completed Don Giovanni which was also widely accepted in both cities.Both of these operas Are considered among Mozart most important works and are mainstays of the operatic repertoire today (Wisped). Prior to Wolfgang marriage and for a few [ears after, he had tried to find work under a permanent patron who would respect and praise his work and one which would guarantee a large and steady income. But t was not until December of 1787 that he finally obtained a steady post under aristocratic patronage from Emperor Joseph II who appointed him as his chamber composer. However, this was not a full-time position and his compensation was only 300 florins per year although it merely required him to compose dances for the annual balls in the Hoofers Imperial Palace. By 1788, his career and income started steady decline. It is believed that he began suffering from bouts of depression and he rarely performed in public. However, he was not idle during his last years. In fact, during this time E wrote a great deal of music, including some of his most admired works: the opera The Magic Flute, the final piano concerto (K. 95 in B flat), the Clarinet Concerto (K. 622), the last in his great series of string quintets (K. 614 in E flat), the motet Eave verve corpus (K. 618), and the unfinished Requiem (K. 526)(Wisped). In September of 1791, while visiting Prague, Wolfgang fell ill. Toward the end of November his condition had worsened so much that he was Constance, her younger sister Sophie and the family doctor, but all was in vain. He died in the early morning hours of December 5, 1791. Today there is no headstone or rake to identify where the great composer was laid to rest.Some historians have speculated that the Mozart family was so poor that they could not afford a proper burial. However, a simple burial was actually a sign of the times. Funerals were not elaborate, celebrated events. Instead, they were quiet, solemn and low-key. He was buried as any of his fellow Viennese countrymen would have been buried-in a common grave. But there are even more questions surrounding his death; primarily how he died. Rumors abound from trichinosis (a parasitic disease contracted from eating under-cooked pork) to influenza, mercury poisoning, or rheumatic fever Wisped).