One of the prevailing myths about Mozart, reinforced by the movie Amadeus, is that his musical compositions sprang fully formed from his head – usually at the last minute. But the study of old manuscripts yields proof that Mozart, too, sometimes needed time for his inspirations to gel. A case in point is the history of the Symphony No. 38.

Mozart finished this symphony in December 1786 in Vienna, just before traveling to Prague where he was to attend the performance of his new opera, Le nozze di Figaro. Because Figaro was such an enormous success in Prague and the composer more celebrated there than in Vienna, Mozart had thought to capitalize on his popularity by arranging for concerts of his other current works. On January 19, 1787, between two performances of the opera, he gave a concert of his recent compositions, in which his new symphony was premiered, again to great public enthusiasm.

Studies of the manuscript paper, however, show that the Presto Finale of the symphony was written first, early in 1786, in the midst of the composition of Figaro, without any reference to a new symphony. The first two movements exist in manuscript dated December by the composer. In addition, extensive sketches for the first movement, as well as for a discarded Adagio, have survived.

With only three movements, Symphony No. 38 is unusual for late Mozart. But three-movement symphonies that omitted the traditional minuet/trio were popular with Prague audiences and composers at the time. Like his older contemporary Haydn, Mozart opens the Symphony with a dramatic slow introduction that shifts between major and minor, breaking into the true key with the Allegro. The Allegro section itself is quite complex, containing no less than six separate thematic elements, two of which are developed as a double fugue. It is the longest of all Mozart’s symphonic movements.

In the lyrical Andante, Mozart uses a number of short motives or phrases, rather than an extended theme that he normally provided in the slow movements. Look for three principal subjects that explore contrasts between chromatic (using any of the 12 semitones of the octave, regardless of key) and diatonic (using primarily the notes of one key), as well as legato and staccato motifs.

In the final Presto, Mozart’s audience may well have been able to discern in the opening syncopated theme snippets of the humorous duet between Susanna and Cherubino from Act II of Figaro, where she urges him to escape being found by the Count in the Countess’ boudoir. But unlike its comic model, this movement builds up emotional intensity that foreshadows the final movement of Mozart’s last symphony, the “Jupiter,” No. 41.

Program notes by:
Joseph & Elizabeth Kahn
Wordpros@mindspring.com
www.wordprosmusic.com