Mozart's Symphony No. 39 in E-Flat Major, K. 543 A Brief History and Interpretation
Mozart is undoubtedly one of the greatest musical composers in theWestern tradition. Indeed, many might argue that he is the greatestclassical composer to have walked the earth, period. However, some of hisworks are less well known than others. In particular, his Symphony No. 39in E-flat major, K.543, is among the least commonly cited in reference tohis greatness. Yet the depth, and sense of gentle optimism that shinesthrough the piece-an optimism and lightness that seems to defy the painthat Mozart experienced in his personal life, marks it as truly remarkable According to Michael Prouty, in his Mozart Web page, Mozart was bornin the year 1756 in the Austrian town of Salzburg, one of two survivingchildren (out of seven) of Anna Maria and Leopold Mozart. A child prodigy,Mozart learned to play the harpsichord at the age of three, and by the ageof six he was writing compositions. Under the guidance of his father,Wolfgang toured Europe. When that ended, he traveled briefly to France andthere, suffered the death of his mother. Soon after, he returned toSalzburg, where he married Constanza, the sister of his first love, AloysiaWeber (who had rejected him). Soon he was t
[i] Not only did he accomplish this belief in his Symphony No. However the irregular and on some levels,misleading phrasing within parts of the piece do give it a hint ofunorthodoxy-yet wonderfully so. In addition, the variety of sound, mood, tempoand style make the piece predictable amid its greater unpredictability. Indeed, this very nature ofMozart's music and personality is perhaps summed up in his own words,recorded in the The Quotation Page, an online quotation collectioin,reflective of his views on life and music (which, to him, may have been onsome level, one and the same): Nevertheless the passions, whether violent or not, should never be soexpressed as to reach the point of causing disgust; and music, even insituations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear butshould flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music. o suffer through the deaths ofseveral of his children, as well as difficult financial times. Indeed, that fact,coupled with the amazing diversity of theme, mood, and feeling between No. Indeed, the spirited, poetic feel of the piece particularly shines inthe slow movement, while seeming to call forth a certain inwardawareness-much like a daydreamer, thinking of days long past while gazinginto the glassy surface of a pond. Indeed, it is here that the pieceshines through its very simplicity-yet it is a simplicity based in opulentand satisfying detail. The instruments itself are typically heavily represented inimportance by the woodwinds, particularly the clarinet-an instrument thatparticularly seems to hold the capacity to communicate the quiet, yetgrowingly exuberant optimism with which the piece ends. Further, according to the Web-based encyclopedia, Wikpedia,many scholars assert that he probably intended that these three worksshould be published as a single, three part opus. Indeed, the well known drop in esteem he seemed to suffer followingThe Marriage of Figaro must have been a great emotional strain for both heand his wife. Markedby the effects of an economic downturn in the country (and region) as awhole and the aristocracy in particular, the degree to which wealthypatrons were willing to support Mozart's (as well as other composers) workwas in steady decline. The simple fact is that, although among Mozart's symphonies (as wellas other works), Symphony No. However, they were notpublished until his death. Indeed, one might imagine that in times of financial hardship, onewould compose works highly conservative in nature-those most in demand, andexpected at the time.
Common topics in this essay:
Marriage Figaro,
Joseph Haydn,
K543 Symphony,
Gutman K543,
Quotation Page,
K551 Mozart,
,
Ledbetter Haydenesque,
Notes June,
Leopold Mozart,
symphony 39,
according stephen ledbetter,
steady decline,
piece indeed,
marriage figaro,
significant portions,
39 e-flat,
piece particularly,
difficult financial,
39 e-flat major,
symphony 39 e-flat,
e-flat major,
particularly difficult,
|
Acceptance Essays
