This is a post that I have been very tardy on, for which I apologize. We have now reached Mozart’s final three symphonies, which are considered to be very different than the rest. They still have his same perfectionist qualities, but he does tend to expand heavily on his harmonic progressions and his counterpoint. However, …
Category: Studying Scores
Oct 09
Symphony No. 38 (“Prague”)
Now, many of you might be wondering, “He skipped No. 37. Why did he do that?” That is because, technically, “his” Symphony No. 37 is not his. He took it from a composer friend named Michael Haydn, and all Mozart did with the piece was add an introduction to the first movement. So, we are …
Sep 28
Symphony No. 36 (“Linz”)
This second of the late symphonies was composed in 1783, when he was traveling back home to Vienna from Salzburg and made a quick stop at Linz. In my opinion, this is an underrated piece of music, and actually, it is my favorite of all of Mozart’s symphonies. There is so much in this symphony …
Sep 22
Symphony No. 35 (“Haffner”)
The first of Mozart’s late symphonies was written for a commission from his childhood friend, Sigmund Haffner, who was going through a process of ennoblement. This symphony does not shy back from its monarch-like and aristocratic nature, as all the movements have some sort of royal aspect to them; the first movement has the great …
Sep 21
Mozart’s Late Symphonies
What would my life be without Mozart? He has given me so much: my first opera, my favorite opera, and these wonderful symphonies that have been the first scores I have annotated. I have marked up three of his symphonies now! There is a huge difference between just reading a score and actually studying a …