IEB CONFERENCE 2018

CLASSICAL STYLE
W.A. MOZART SYMPHONY NO. 40 in G MINOR

Italian Overture
Through the work of the Neapolitan school of opera led by Domenico Scarlatti's father Alessandro (1660-
1725), the operatic sinfonia, or overture, had become a piece in its own right using a three movement, fast-
slow-fast, structure. Sometimes they replaced the fast finale with a minuet, borrowed from the Baroque
Orchestral Suite. In other pieces they included both minuet and fast finale to bring the number of
movements up to four.
Giovani Battista Sammartini (1700-1775) - Sinfonia to Memet (1732)

 Written at the height of the Baroque Period but markedly different to contemporary instrumental
music

Baroque Period Features Classical Period Features

 Full strings, 2 oboes doubling violins, Basso  Melody-dominated homophony texture
continuo  Dynamic markings – a new phenomenon at
 Harpsichord underpinning the bass line the time
 Irregular phrasing
 Heavy use of sequences to extend a melodic
idea
 Binary form with typical modulations

The Baroque trio sonata had become a sinfonia which, with the addition of the minuet and trio as the 3 rd
movement would eventually become the Classical symphony

Style Galant
By about 1770, most of the specific changes that dictated the shift from Baroque sonata to Classical sonata
were firmly established.
Just as early opera began as an attempt by a group of Florentine noblemen to rid vocal music of what was
deemed to be excessive polyphony, so composers of the style galant (a courtly style), or Rococo Period
music, created a more homophonic style of instrumental music.
Out went polyphonic textures, extended melodic phrasing, the fast one-beat-per-chord harmonic pace,
Unity of Affections, Binary form and Ritornello Form structures, and, eventually, the basso continuo.
In came Melody-dominated homophony textures, balanced phrasing with regular cadences, a slower one-
chord-per-bar harmonic pace largely emphasizing tonic and dominant, greater musical contrast, and Sonata
Form.
This new style galant chiefly aimed to please the listener by being polished, polite and elegant rather than
rushed, polyphonic and complicated.
One of the sons of J.S. Bach, Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach, is perhaps the greatest exponent of the Style Galant.
C.P.E. Bach – Symphony in C major Wq.182/3

Baroque Period Features Classical Period Features

 Basso continuo underpinning harmonies  Homophonic textures
 String orchestra with no woodwinds  One or two chords per bar
 Melody-dominated music  Melodies based on scales
 Music dominated by melodic movement  Regular cadences
 Rushing string melodies
 Irregular phrases with use of sequences to
extend a melodic idea

A step towards the Classical Period. The work is called a symphony and has begun to sound like a Classical
Period symphony. However, the melodic line is still the driving force behind the music, making the music
sound frenetic even though the harmonic pace has been slowed to a chord per bar rather than a chord per
beat.

The Mannheim School

In 1720 the Elector (Prince/Ruler) of the court at Heidelberg moved to Mannheim taking with him a large orchestra,
larger than any other surrounding state. The leader of the orchestra from 1741 was the Czech musician Johann Wenzel
Stamitz. He increased the size of the orchestra and developed its techniques. He, and those musicians who followed
him are now known as the Mannheim School of composers. Developments to the orchestra included:

 Getting rid of the basso continuo part and using the bass instruments such a ‘cello and double bass to carry
the bassline.
 Bringing more woodwind and brass instruments into the orchestra.
 Using the woodwind instruments in a more independent manner, rather than just as harmonic fillers.
 Using a large range of dynamics including full orchestral crescendos and diminuendos.
 Compositional techniques such as the:
o Mannheim Rocket – a swift ascending passage with a crescendo
o Mannheim sigh – Putting more weight on the first of two descending slurred notes
o Mannheim crescendo – Whole orchestral crescendo

As Classical style developed the music emphasised grace and beauty of melody, formal structure, and proportion and
balance. Music of the Classical Period is an attempt to strike a balance between expressiveness and formal structure.
In the mature Classical style of Haydn and Mozart, the shape of the melody was dictated by the harmonic progression.
In this style, the value of tunes lay in their role as functions of tonality and tonality assumed a central role as the
principal definer of form. The theme's harmonic implications, which contribute to the feeling of key, took precedence
over its attractiveness as melody.

The Mannheim School helped to shape the key features of Classical Period music. These include:

 Music driven by harmony and tonality with simpler, defined harmonies and harmonic changes
 Strictly regular phrasing. Often 4 bars + 4 bars.
 Regular orchestra with increased use of woodwinds and brass
 Contrast created by changing note lengths, textures, harmonies and tonality
 Simple melodies based on the triad
 Homophonic textures with changes in texture used as contrast.
 Dynamic contrast an important compositional technique
 No basso continuo
Christian Cannabich (1731-1798) – Symphony for 2 orchestras in C major

Classical Period Features

Instrumentation
 Full strings
 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons
 2 trumpets
 2 horns
 Timpani
Woodwind solos
Music driven by harmony with melody subordinated to triadic and scalic figures
Regular phrasing with defined cadences
Contrasting themes
Dramatic dynamic change

Mozart visited the Mannheim orchestra several times beginning in 1777, composed the opera Idomeneo
with the orchestra specifically in mind, and obviously incorporated Mannheim mannerisms into his music.

Sonata Form
The term, sonata, comes from the early 17th Century and was used to distinguish instrumental pieces from
vocal pieces which were termed cantata. Early Baroque trio sonatas all used a Binary Form structure in which
the A section would modulate from tonic to dominant, and a new – but often similar theme – in the B section
would modulate through various keys before arriving back in the tonic.
Composers of the Classical Period placed more emphasis on musical contrast than their earlier counterparts
and so the second – contrasting – theme began to make its way into the A section in the dominant or relative
major, before both themes were interwoven in a modulatory second section. Eventually, a third section
would be added to resolve the tonic-dominant tension with the second theme now presented in the tonic.
Good examples of easy to analyse sonata form music include the 1 st movement of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,
Mozart’s Piano Sonata no.13 in B♭ major K.333, and Beethoven Piano Sonata no.1 op.2 no.1.

Steer clear of Haydn as his music comes from a slightly different path and his sonata form movements are
often monothematic.
W.A. Mozart – Symphony no.40 in G minor
Towards the end of the 1780s, Mozart’s conditions worsened dramatically. Despite the success of Le nozze
di Figaro in 1786, Don Giovanni was not so well received and Mozart’s popularity in Vienna began to decline
until he was almost completely ignored. His music was considered complicated and hard to follow and a
publisher wrote to him, ‘write in a more popular style, or else I can neither print nor pay for any more of
your music!’ His compositional output dwindled although his final three symphonies, numbers 39, 40, and
41 were written within six weeks of each other between June and August 1788.
There are two different versions of Symphony no. 40, one with 2 flutes, 2 oboes, and 2 bassoons, and a
revision with only one flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets and 2 bassoons. It is the revised version that we study and
a score has been included on the USB.
Instrumentation

Strings Woodwind Brass

1st violin
1 flute
2nd violin
2 oboes French horn in B♭
Viola
2 clarinets in B♭ French horn in G
‘Cello
2 bassoons
Double bass

Mozart employed a typical Classical Period orchestra for this piece but with only 1 flute, no trumpets and,
most interestingly, no timpani.

 On German scores it will say 2 Clarinets in B. In German B = B♭ and H = B. The clarinets play in B♭.
 The two horns are tuned in different keys so that they can play at different times when the music is
in the tonic key, G minor, or in the relative major, B♭ major. It also allows them to play in 3rds during
passages in G minor.
 The ‘cellos and double basses are scored together on the same line. The double basses sound an
octave lower than written.

Mannheim Features of the 1st movement

 The 1st subject of the 1st movement is an example of the Mannheim ‘sigh’
 The transition section of the exposition with its ascending triadic figures and ascending scales is
reminiscent of the Mannheim ‘rocket’.
 At the end of the transitional material in the exposition there is a 1 bar silence – a favourite technique
of the Mannheim composers

Compositional Techniques

 Imitation – Clarinet and bassoon, and violin 1 and ‘cello/bass at bars 72-76. Vice-versa at bars 80-84
 Repetition – Bars 34-37 (and anywhere that this figure appears)
 Augmentation – The violin and ‘cello/bass lines at bars 72-76 and bars 80-84 are an augmented
version of the main melody
 Sequence – Strings in bars 30-33, bars 199-202 and bars 213-216.
 Cycle of 5ths – Bars 203-210
 Inversion – Woodwinds at bar 148 and strings at bars 155-157
 Ostinato – Violas at the beginning (and anywhere else that accompaniment figure appears)
  Pedal points – Dominant pedal points at bars 134-138 and bars 160-166
Structure of W.A. Mozart – Symphony no.40 in G minor
The 1st movement of the symphony is in Sonata Form.

Many Classical Period symphonies opened with a slow, forte introductory passage – Mozart – Symphony no.39 begins
with a slow introduction, as does Beethoven – Symphony no.1 and Haydn – Symphony no. 104, both composed after
Mozart’s death. Classical Period audiences would talk between pieces at a concert and the introduction served as
notice that the music was beginning and they were to sit down and listen. Mozart abandons this convention in this
symphony, dropping the listener directly into the ‘action’ with the viola quavers and the main melody appearing at
the end of bar 1. To listeners at the first performances this would have seemed very unusual and some may even have
missed the opening theme while still chatting!

 Exposition – Bar 1 – 100 (repeated)

 1st subject – Bars 1-20. G minor
 Transition material – Bars 20-42. G minor to B♭ major.
 Second subject – Bars 44-72. B♭ major
 Codetta – Bars 72-100
o Bar 100 – Chord Vc in G minor prepares the music for the repeat of the exposition

 Development – 101 – 166

The development section is completely based on the 1st subject with music from the 2nd subject not heard at all. The
melody isn’t altered or developed in any way but is subjected to numerous key changes and is passed between the 1st
violins and bassoon. Harmonically, the development section is like an extended cycle of 5ths starting on an extremely
remote key, F♯ minor, and gradually working its way back to the tonic key, G minor, for the recapitulation.

 Recapitulation – 164 – 299

The 1st and second violins ‘surprise’ the bass strings at the beginning of the recapitulation by entering 2 bars ‘too soon’.
Similarly to the transition material in the exposition and the beginning of the development section, Mozart brings the
main melody in earlier than we expect surprising the listener.

 1st subject – Bars 164-184

o Exact repetition of the 1st subject from the exposition with addition of a bassoon solo at bars 168-172
 Transition material – Bars 184-225
o The transition material quickly diverges from the original transition and is lengthened significantly.
o Mozart uses one of his favourite tricks in the recapitulation to modulate to the subdominant key. In this
case, the subdominant of the relative major.
 2nd subject – Bars 227-260
o Remains in G minor
 Coda – Bars 260-299

Exposition Development Recapitulation

1st Subject Bridge passage 2nd Subject Codetta Development 1st Subject Bridge passage 2nd Subject Coda

Bars 1-20 Bars 20-42 Bars 44-72 Bars 72- Bars 101-166 Bars 164- Bars 184-225 Bars 227- Bars 260-
100 184 260 299
Tonic key Music Contrasting Mainly the 1st Extended
modulates to melody in B♭ Short end subject. Lots A repeat of version of Begins in G Extended
B♭ major major piece to of key the exposition minor, version of
finish changes. exposition finishing in G goes to B♭ the codetta
exposition minor major but
 returns to
G minor.

Classical Period Stereotypes

 Orchestra in three sections

o Strings
o Woodwind (with only one flute)
o Brass (but only 2 French horns and no trumpets)
o No timpani
 Violins play most of the melodies but woodwinds have solo moments
 Horns used as harmonic fillers

 Simple, conjunct melodies with diatonic harmonies and regular cadences confirming the key
 8-bar ‘call-and-response’ phrases with cadences after 4 and 8 bars
 Regular pulse. Molto Allegro tempo. Duple metre.
 Melody-dominated-homophony texture
 Compositional techniques such as sequences and cycle-of-5ths and pedal notes
 Use of contemporary techniques of the Mannheim School
 More dynamic markings than a Baroque piece but still very few dynamic indications
 Sonata Form – always used for the 1st movement of a symphony