Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Symphony No. 38 in D-Major, "Prague"

By Matthew Arnold
IMA Web Editor

I. Historical Background.

Mozart’s symphony in D major K. 504 was composed at
the end of 1786, the score was signed on December 6^th[1]. 
This was during the period of his steady decline in popularity amongst the
Viennese public, although the problems of finances and health were still in the
future.  His recently completed opera Le nozze di Figaro had been a
respectable success in Vienna, but it’s enthusiastic reception in the Bohemian
capital of Prague compelled him to make a trip there in January of 1787[2].

Prague’s love for Mozart has become legendary, and it was
initiated by the success of this opera. He was lodged at the palace of Count
Johan Thun, the dedicatee of his earlier Symphony #36 ‘Linz’, and wrote his
famous impression of the city to a friend: “For here they talk of nothing but Figaro;
they play nothing, sing nothing, whistle nothing but Figaro, they go to
no opera but Figaro and forever Figaro.” [3]

Accounts
at the time say that “no piece (so everyone here asserts) has ever caused such
a sensation…” and “it is not easy to depict the Bohemian’s enthusiasm for this
music”[4].
During the performance of Figaro Mozart attended in Prague on
January 17^th[5]
news of his presence spread and before the curtain rose “he was overwhelmed
with welcoming applause”[6]. 
On the 22^nd of January he conducted a performance of the opera, but
in between these two engagements found an opportunity to give a concert
himself, at which K. 504 was played.

This
symphony’s movements were composed in reverse order, the finale begun
first as a new final movement to his Symphony K. 297 ‘Paris’[7].
Analysis of manuscript paper and general “conjecture”[8]
has made this an accepted theory. In light of this, writing for a performance
in mind at Prague can be ruled out, even though the quote of Figaro
in the 3^rd movement must have been a happy coincidence. A planned
trip to England during the carnival season of 1787 was postponed
right before his decision to go to Prague, so perhaps a performance there would have
materialized[9].
Landon[10]
says that the piece was composed in Vienna and was therefore intended to be played there.  At
any rate, the city of its premiere became attached to its name.

[1]
Edward Downes Guide to Symphonic Music  (GSM) pg. 683

[2]
Stanley Sadie New Grove Mozart (NGM) pg. 112

[3] GSM pg. 684

[4]
Maynard Solomon Mozart: A Life (MAL) pg. 417

[5]
Robert Gutman Mozart: A Cultural Biography (MCB) pg. 660

[6] GSM pg. 684

[7] H.C. Robbins Landon A Guide to the Symphony (GTS) pg. 73

[8] MCB pg. 660

[9] MAL pg. 417

[10] GTS pg. 74

II. The work as a whole

One of the most striking features of this work is the
absence of a minuet, a fact which has led some to call it the “Symphony #38 in
D [without Minuet]”.  The title appears this way in many German editions, but
most English and American versions refer to it as the “Prague”
symphony. Various reasons have been given for the omission, including the
rather fanciful assertion that the residents of were not as fond of
dancing as the Viennese were. However, because the very first evening Mozart
arrived in Prague he went to a ball with people dancing to his music,
this reason can be dismissed[11].
Landon[12]
states that not having a minuet “must mean something, for it is the only one of
the last six [symphonies] to do so,” but he doesn’t offer a reason. Taken as a
whole, though, K. 504 is not any shorter in length than his other symphonies,
the balance is not harmed by the lack of a minuet.

Another noticeable feature of this symphony is
the highly virtuosic writing for the wind instruments. This is a fact that
many musicologists point to when saying that the work was composed for Prague,
whose orchestras boasted particularly fine wind players[13]. 
Throughout the work, and especially in the last movement, important lines and
sometimes whole passages are played by the wind section (for example, mvmt. III,
m.31-46).

The rich contrapuntal writing also bears note.  Not until the final movement of his 41rst symphony
does Mozart surpass the “contrapuntal virtuosity”[14]
that he exhibits in the development of the first movement of K. 504. Landon[15]
calls the whole first movement “one of Mozart’s supreme contrapuntal
achievements.”  Downes[16]
states that despite “a half dozen contrasting themes, it never becomes
confused.”  This style of composition is continued in the ensuing movements
(ex. mvmt. III 184-203).

[11] GSM pg. 684

[12] GTS pg. 74

[13] GSM pg. 685

[14] GTS pg. 74

[15] GTS pg. 74

[16] GSM pg. 684

Finally,
a question that all sources seemed to comment on was the whether or not the
music was happy or sad[17]. 
This is not necessarily a part of a musical analysis; more of aesthetics, but
since most writers seemed to disagree with one another it should be noted. The
first movement was described as “serious” and “aggressive” by Alfred Einstein<a
href="#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" title="">[18]
but “brilliant” and “humorous” by Eric Blom[19].
Landon[20] seems a bit awed by it’s “towering intellectual structure” and but goes on to
call it “anguished and troubled – and beautiful – “ The second movement borders
on pessimism[21] but can be called both “happy and sad” according to Landon[22].
Most agree that the third movement is of a lighter character.

This
ambiguity, along with the obvious strokes of compositional genius detailed
later, is cited most when comparing this symphony with Mozart’s following three
works in the genre.  It seems to be the desire of musicologists to allow this
symphony into the triumvirate, and certainly they present their reasons well. Gutman[23]
sums it up best when he says:

The idea of the symphony as drama, as an affair of high purpose, as a
tonal and moral universe, concepts which Mozart affirmed as early as his Storm
and Stress days and then put aside, had roused themselves in the Linz symphony
and then resurged with imaginative force: K. 504 vibrated with the
transcendental overtones of the final three symphonies.

[17]
H.C. Robbins-Landon, eminent musicologist and scholar, actually asks this
question: “who is to say if this music is happy or sad?”

[18] GSM pg. 684

[19]
ed. Ralph Hill “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart” in The Symphony pg. 69

[20] GTS pg. 73

[21] GSM pg. 684

[22] GTS pg. 74

[23] GSM pg. 661

III. 1^st MOVEMENT

The first movement of the
symphony begins with the longest slow introduction Mozart wrote. It establishes
the key of D major and is broken into two sections. The first part is a phrase
group containing three phrases: the first of these phrases is four bars, with a
two bar extension at the end (m. 5 and 6). The second (m. 7-12) features a
melody in the violins that contains a reference to the opening of the second
theme. The end of this phrase and the beginning of the next one are elided in
measures 12 and 13 - the three resolving chords can be assigned to either the
second or the third phrase of this introduction. The final phrase (13-16) is a
transition, and the violin melody is continued and ends in a perfect authentic
cadence (PAC) where the new section begins - in the surprising key of D minor.

The second part of the
introduction is a long sequence; the two sequenced bars are given six times in
the following keys: D minor, Bb major, F major7, D major7, G minor, and G#
diminished. The phrase group has uniform dynamics, with the first bar being an
orchestral forte, and the second strings alone piano. This leads
into a transitional passage (m. 28 and 29) with an A pedal, and after it is
repeated (m. 30 and 31) the final four bars of the introduction find the whole
orchestra playing piano various fragments which have been stated
already. Violins begin with their 32nd note neighbor tone passages (called the
‘gruppetti’ motif[24])
from the sequence, played over a bassoon echoing the bass pattern of the
sequence, and then their falling chromatic line (doubled in the flute and oboe)
inverts what the double reeds played in the bars leading to this passage (m. 29
and 31). The double-dotted rhythms of the last two bars before the fermata
remind one of the opening flourishes, and in measure 35 woodwinds echo the 9th
bar, while the violins look both backwards (to their syncopations during the
sequence) and forward (to their persistent offbeat pattern in the main theme).
This short passage sets up, in miniature, what Mozart proceeds to do throughout
the ensuing sonata form.

[24]
G. de Saint-Foix Symphonies of Mozart (SoM) pg. 88

B. Exposition

A held dominant chord (m. 36)leads into the Allegro section and the primary theme is heard immediately
(m.37-44).  It is an eight bar phrase with a two bar extension (m.43 and 44),
and is played a second time, immediately after the first, with slight
variations - the extension is left off and the orchestration is different. This
theme is peculiar for many reasons: the melody shifts from one part of the
orchestra to another (in almost a hocket-like way), the sudden dynamic
contrasts in the extension are unexpected, and the three parts of the melody
are very different in character. Saint-Foix[25]
cites these differences (“feverish syncopations contrasting strikingly with the
heroic brass”) to say this theme is “passionately ‘modern’ in character.” Since
different parts of this melody reoccur throughout this work, the principal
cells will be numbered: cell 1 is the rising/falling motif in the lower
strings, cell 2 is the violin melody that many commentators (Downes, Saint-Foix)
say is similar to The Magic Flute, and cell 3 is the extension melody
heard in the flute and oboe.

 The repetition of the primary
theme starts as expected, but Mozart immediately begins playing with his
material by inverting cell 1 and putting it in the oboe over the unaltered form
heard, as before, in the low strings. The next section (m 51-70) is a series of
transitional themes on the way to the proper transition to the dominant
expected in every sonata form. A transition-to-the-transition may seem
redundant, but that is what this section is doing as it presents the remaining
melodic cells of the movement. It is a phrase group of five phrases, all of
which never hint at leaving D major. The first of these phrases (m. 51-54)
presents cell 4, the beginning of which is an inversion of the 3rd and 4th
measures of the piece. 

[25] SoM pg. 89

It is given in the first violins
while the seconds and violas play cell 2. This leads into the second of the
phrases, where cell 5 is played by the violins. This fifth melodic cell, like
the fourth, had its genesis in the introduction - it is the gruppetti motive of
the sequence, inverted.

The next phrase (m. 59-62) does
not introduce a new cell, the fifth is played over an increasingly thick and
complex accompaniment that unifies in bar 62 with a violin line that forms a
bridge between cell 5 and cell 6. The similarity between cells 2 and 6 should
be noticed, they have similar 8th note/16th note relationships, but they are
different enough to be classified separately. 

The final phrase of this passage
(m. 66-70) introduces the seventh, and last, of the melodic cells of the
movement, and contains an extension in bar 69.

The transition proper beings in
bar 71, already with an A (the intended goal) pedal being played in the horns.
The phrase begins like the primary theme: cells 1 and 2 are played piano,
but there are no cellos or bass playing and we are on a different key. The
differences become more apparent in measure 77, when cell 4 starts to be played
in the violins and cell 2 is taken by the violas. These two cells are the main
melodic material of this transition, and their contrapuntal treatment
foreshadows that of the development. Melodic cell 2 becomes slightly altered in
this transition - the 16th note neighbor tones on the last beat of the measure
are replaced by the pattern on the last beat of the first bar. Harmonically,
the transition is rather simple. Because the dominant is heard so strongly at
the beginning of the passage with the G# in measure 79 in the second violins
(after a descending scale) and the D#s in the measure after that, E major (V/V)
is felt  right at the opening. The sequencing which then occurs is felt within
this framework, and the chromatic bass line starting at measure 88 begins on E
and continues upward. Measures 95 and 96 are an extension of the 8 bar
chromatic passage, and they lead perfectly into the second theme.

The second theme (m. 97-111) is
in the key of A major and is a double period. It has a structure of A - B - A1
- B1. The second period is a tonicization in A minor and introduces a counter
melody in the bassoons. A major is re-established in bar 112 with a
transitional melody over the bassoons still playing their countermelody. This
passage is two phrases and is an elided melody - measure 116 could belong to
either the first or the second of the phrases.

This begins a transitional
passage to the development utilizing the movement’s melodic cells. A four
measure phrase starting in bar 121 uses cell 5 and this leads into a four bar
phrase (m. 125) with a one measure extension at the end which uses cell 7. Both
of these phrases have continuous V/V - V cadences, and the next phrase (using
cell 1) is played above an A major pedal (m. 130-133). This cell 1 phrase has a
two bar extension at its close, and in it there is a PAC in A major. The final
phrase (m.136) before the development uses a variation on cell 6, and is
expanded by three measures (m.139-141) with every instrument playing A Major
triads or chords.

C. Development

After the forte close of
the exposition the development begins piano, and with the third melodic
cell, which has been heard only once. This begins the first, and largest, part
of the development. With violins playing cell 3 staggered a measure apart,
lower strings play a simple rising progression, mirroring the A major scale
which the entrances on cell 3 provide. This continues for six measures, until
the violins prepare for the next passage with cell 7 expanded rhythmically
(m.149).

The ensuing phrase is four bars, tonicized
in D major, with a five bar extension at the end (m.155) and the introduction
of the bassoon. Cell 3 is still being played, along with the expanded cell 7.
The texture becomes thicker in bar 156 when the whole orchestra begins to play
and the expanded cell 7 in the first violins becomes cell 2, with cell 3
staggered amongst the sections as at the beginning of the development. This
phrase (m. 156-161) contains a two bar extension at its close and leads into a tonicization
of F# minor and the introduction of cell 5 with the phrase beginning bar 162.

The following phrases are some of
the most “densely contrapuntal”[26] passages Mozart ever penned. At this point cells 2, 3, and 5 are being played
and the keys of E major, D major, B minor, and A major are all passed through.
At measure 177 Mozart inserts twelve measures from the exposition, bars 59-70,
which are presented verbatim - in the same key (D major) and in the same
orchestration. This presents cells 6 and the unexpanded cell 7 in the
development, and also means that in the recapitulation this material will not
need to be restated. It also serves the purpose of anchoring the listener’s ear
in one key and giving a familiar point of reference in the complexity of the
surrounding music.

Measure 189 begins the second
part of the development with what could be called a false recapitulation -
syncopated violins play above cell 1, but the music is still in the dominant.
Three bars later, however, high woodwinds play cell 3 and so dispel this notion
(m. 192-194). The music is entering the retransition starting in bar 195, this
is where the dominant pedal begins. While the woodwinds trade off cell 2, the
violins play a variation of cell 3 which slowly becomes less and less
recognizable. The figure sequences downward over the course of six bars (m.
199-204), the whole time violas and cellos echoing the violins, and everything
over an A pedal in the horns and basses. The sequence ends in bar 205, but the
melody is continued in the violins, with woodwinds added, for three bars. At
measure 208 the dominant resolves to the tonic and the melody completes its
stepwise descent to D.

[26] SoM pg. 89

D. Recapitulation

The recapitulation begins as
expected: the primary theme as it is presented in the exposition. The first
phrase is nearly identical in its two instances, only horns holding the tonic
in octaves and a measure of the viola line (m. 213) are different in the
recapitulation. Here the similarity ends, because following this Mozart
presents a very abbreviated version of the exposition. In its first appearance
the primary theme and the ensuing material until the transition proper took
thirty four measures (m. 37-70), in the recapitulation this same material
accounts for only twenty measures (m. 208-227). A correspondence chart will
easily show the differences:

The presentation of the melodic cells are not repeated in
the recapitulation, this whole section is omitted. However, the final three
omitted phrases have been restated, it was these measures which were presented
verbatim in the development. The first two, which present cells 4 and 5, do
have something of a reappearance in the recapitulation as the material for the
transition proper.

This transition, starting in
measure 228, agrees closely with the parallel section in the exposition, but
begins on the former’s third phrase. In the second half of this section, the
melody in bars 235-239 in the violins is an altered form of what was played in
the exposition, but that is the only major difference. The section will not be
moving to A major, but will stay in the tonic. In order to do this and still
follow the pattern set in preceding section, Mozart uses the first two phrases
to sequence with cell 2, and then he starts the upward chromatic motion on A.
This continues by half-steps until the melody elision during the extension of
the second phrase (m. 242-243), and the V7/V - V - I progression sets the
secondary theme in the tonic.

The secondary theme (m. 244-259)
presented in the recapitulation follows the the structure and orchestration of
the exposition: it is a double period with the second period going into the
minor mode. The bassoons play their countermelody, as before, and the chromatic
violin line sets up a cadence in D major (m. 259) which ends the restatement.

The transitional passage which
follows now acts like a coda. The melody played by the violins over the bassoon
counterpoint (m. 259-269) is again two phrases, but this time the first phrase
contains a two measure extension (m. 263-264) at the end. The question in the
opening about which phrase the two middle measures belong to is here answered;
they are part of the second phrase’s inherently irregular structure. The second
part of this section, using cells 5 and 7, is now longer - one four bar phrase
has been added. The first of these phrases (m. 270-273) differs most from its
precedent (m. 121-124), and is likely the addition. It uses cell 5 in the
violins to set up the whole string section playing this melodic figure in the
next phrase, which resembles its counterpart in the exposition closely. The expected
phrase of cell 7 occurs (m. 278-281), and after a one bar extension (m. 282),
there is a densely orchestrated appearance of cell 1.

This final part of the movement
is somewhat different than in the exposition. In the opening, there is one
phrase of cell 1, and an altered cell 6 with an extension that leads into the
development. In the recapitulation, however, there are two phrases (both
extended) of an altered cell 1 before the extended phrase of cell 6 occurs. The
continuous cadences from V - I reinforce the tonic throughout the whole
passage, just as the V/V - V cadences reinforced the dominant in the parallel
passage in the exposition. The similarities and differences between the whole
transitional/coda section can be easily seen in a correspondence chart:

IV. 2^nd MOVEMENT

A. Exposition

This movement, like the first, is cast in
sonata form. It is in the key of G major.  Strings alone start the movement
with the primary theme, marked piano. This theme is in two part song
form (2PSF),  the phrase structure being A - A1 - B - C. In the second of the
two phrases (m.5) the winds enter, coloring a repetition of the first four
bars. The running 16th note chromatic passages in the first violins that
connect the phrases become an important motive (X) during the course of this
movement, and the slight rhythmic displacement between the 2nd and 3rd bars
should be noted.

The second part of the primary theme is a
period, and it is very contrasting compared with the first. A series of 8th
note figures (N) marked staccato are heard for 6 measures (m. 8-13) in the
first violins over a 16th note accompaniment in the violas and second violins,
while the cellos and basses answer with the same figure. This is a four bar
phrase with a two measures extension in bars 10 and 11, ending on a half
cadence. The final phrase of the primary theme returns to the character of the
opening phrase; it is scored piano for strings only and the rhythm makes
the downbeat unclear in the upper voice. A perfect authentic cadence (PAC)
(m.18) leads into the transition.

This section immediately sounds different from
what preceded it: forte winds usher in a transitional melody on E minor
in the first violins, the sub mediant (vi  or ii/V) of G major. After only one
measure, though, the dynamic goes back down to piano and another
transitional phrase is prepared by a V-i cadence in the minor dominant (d
minor). Another forte announces the arrival of the second transitional
phrase, this time on bIV/V and it too backs away dynamically in it’s second
bar. The B-Flats in the bass are resolved in m. 25 with the final transitional
phrases, on the key of A major (V/V), and using the running 16^th
note motive (X) as their primary melodic material. The second of these two
phrases (m.30-34) has a 1 bar extension in bar 34.

The secondary theme in this movement begins in
bar 35 and it uses skips and wider intervals noticeably more than the
resolutely stepwise primary theme. As is expected it is in the key of D major,
the dominant. This melody is repeated immediately after it finishes in bar 39,
with added instruments and an added measure (the 2nd and 1rst beats of bars 42
and 43).

The short secondary theme then gives way to
three transitional phrases before the development section is encountered.  The
first of these is six measures long, including an extension- the second and
third measures a verbatim repeat of the first two (m. 47 and 48).It is a
dialogue between the double reeds and the strings, with 3 PACs and it leads
directly into the second transitional phrase. The 4 bar phrase measures 51-54
serves as a thickly orchestrated V/V and is heavily chromatic leading into the
final transitional phrase (m. 55-58). This last phrase before the development
contains a first and second ending and the violin melody continues unbroken
into the development

B. Development

This section is remarkably straightforward-
the final transitional theme of the exposition leads to the primary theme being
stated in three key areas followed by a short retransition back into the
recapitulation. Scholars have sometimes said that Mozart’s short developments
are a defect; value judgments aside, it should be noted that the breakdown of
the large sections of this movement are:

Exposition- 58 m.

Development - 35 m.

Recapitulation - 54 m

The development of this movement is the largest
proportionately of the symphony, and Mozart uses the length to good effect.

The transitional melody of the violins continued
in the development is a four bar phrase with an extension of 2 bars added at
the end. Begun in the dominant, it soon starts to have D to G motion,  and
during the extension it becomes apparent that it is a V/V in C major, the next tonicization.

The first of the three statements of the
primary theme in the development begins on the key of C major in bar 64. The
melody remains in the first violins, but woodwinds double at different times -
oboes first and then bassoon and doubled flutes. The bassoon plays the falling
countermelody given to the oboe in the second phrase of the piece (m. 5-8). In
each of the three sections the most striking contrast between them and the
opening phrase is the wind writing- it is different each time and in each of
the phrases. The C major section is the longest of the three sequences, because
it contains the second phrase of the primary theme (‘A1‘) and it seems set to
continue this with a statement of the 8th note figures (Y) heard in B (m. 8 and
9).

A swift and forte transition to A minor
(V7/V) over three beats (m. 72-73) leads to a very unexpected D minor rendition
of the primary theme, the second of the three statements.  An oboe doubles the
violins in the melody over a horn pedal for one phrase of ‘A’ before the 8th note
figures usher in another swift transition, this time going to E minor via it’s
dominant, B major. This final airing of the primary theme in a foreign key
starts in bar 80 and continues as the previous two have, a statement of ‘A’.
The expected 8th note figures (Y) do occur, but now the whole orchestra is
playing them forte in a call and response manner. The previous two times
they have ushered in a new key, and they do this again, sequencing through E
minor, A major, D minor, G minor, C major, and D major over the course of a 6
bar phrase group that will become the retransition to the recapitulation. The retransition
itself begins out of this sequence in bar 89, and figure Y is exchanged between
winds and violins while basses solidify the dominant through half step motion.
A 1 bar extension to the 4 bar phrase (m. 93) leads organically into the
recapitulation.

C. Recapitulation

The restatement of the primary theme in the
recapitulation is quite altered. The 2PSF of the beginning is reduced to a
phrase, a fragment, and a phrase:

This very abbreviated version of the primary theme is
peculiar, especially since it comes so soon after a section in which Mozart
casts truncated versions of the primary theme in a variety of keys. Perhaps he
intended for this to seem like just another rendition of the theme, and unwary
listeners would be caught wondering where they were. His treatment of bars
103-105, so reminiscent of the swift forte transitions of the
development bears this out, only this time there will be no going to the
dominant.

The transitional passage in this section
differs from the first in one very important way:  bars 103-104 have been
added. In doing this Mozart shifts the harmony down a fifth and so allows the
same harmonic progression of the exposition to occur (ii - bIV - V - I) without
ending up in the dominant. The transitions compare thus:

All three transitional phrases are paralell in
orchestration and melody.

The secondary theme returns in the tonic, G
Major at bar 122. It is presented in the same way as it is in the exposition,
there are no additions or deletions as there were in the primary theme’s
recapitulation appearance. The transitional phrases that follow stick very
close to their originals - with the obvious exception of key center they are
basically much the same. The most noted difference is in the second and third
phrases, where the flute has a different part than in the exposition, this time
joining the violins for their final phrase.

The coda’s four measure phrase (m.145-148)
brings the movement to a close. The Y motive heard throughout the movement is
exchanged between the strings and winds three times and things are ended with a
pianissimo PAC in G major.

V. 3^rd MOVEMENT

A. Exposition

The primary theme of this sonata form movement
begins in the first measure, just as it did in the previous movement. The
melody is taken from a scene in Mozart’s opera La Nozze de Figaro, entitled
‘Aprite Presto’.[27] 
The opening 8th note figure is a motive cell (X) for the entire movement.  The
theme is cast in a large three part song form (3PSF) and is in the key of D
major. Part 1 (m. 1-16) is a double period in A- B- A1- B1 form and leads
directly into Part 2 (m. 17-30), which is a repeated period of four bars and an
inherently irregular five bar phrase ( C- C1- D). Motive X introduces the
second part and even though the subsequent material differs, its use links the
sections of the 3PSF.  The orchestration and dynamic markings during Part 2 are
full and loud, while lighter textures are preferred for the outer parts. Part 3
(m. 31-46) is a double period like Part 1 (A2- B2- A3- B3) and is scored for
woodwinds with all melodic material in the solo flute. At this point the melody
has been heard four times and motive X fifteen times.

The transition begins (m.47) with an immediate
forte and motive X is heard in each of the first eight bars of the
ensuing sequence to E major (V/V).  The lower and upper strings trade the
motive back and forth, but the violins use the same pitches, while the basses
and cellos move stepwise until they reach D#. Using this leading tone the
phrase group then moves to the second part of the transition- another phrase
group of eight measures (m. 55-62) which this time stays on one key center: V/V
(E major). A three bar extension in the violins (m. 63-65) leads into the
dominant and the second theme.

[27] GSM pg. 685

The second theme of this movement may sound
familiar, but not because the melody was used in an opera.  The extension’s
final bar strongly resembles the 3 note pickup to the second theme of the first
movement and both themes grow organically out of the violin extension which
precedes them.

Also, the melodic contour of all the phrase’s measures
(except the first, which is itself just a  mirror image of the following bars)
is that of the final bar of the primary theme. This theme is cast in a 2PSF
which is played a second time with slightly different orchestration. It can be
broken down like this:

Also worth noting is the fact that the dynamic marking
throughout this section is piano.  The second theme ends firmly in A
major and a series of transitional passages occur before the development is
reached.

The first of these is a mini 3PSF (m.98-109)
which uses the primary theme for an A- B- A1 structure. Woodwinds take the
first two phrases with strings taking over in A1, and the violas play F
naturals in their countermelody, preparing the way for the next part. Given the
expanded song forms seen so far, this section stands out because of it’s
compactness.  The second transitional passage is a phrase group on D minor, very
loudly orchestrated and marked forte. Motive X appears in an inverted
form in the first phrase (six bars) which is a two measure cell repeated three
times. The next four bar phrase leaves this startling tonicization and the
music goes back into A major by way of PAC.

The following transitional passage is a phrase
group consisting of two  complementary phrases (m.120-137). The first of these
introduces a version of motive X expanded by triplets and the phrase expanded
in its final two measures to six bars. Solo violins answer this with a phrase
of triplets (m.126-129)leading into a repeated phrase of trills (130-133), the
whole time each phrase is in A major.

The final transition (m. 138-149) takes the
orchestra back up to forte with motive X again dominating the melody.
Two complementary phrases, each four measures with a two and four measure
extension at the end,  lead into the development.

A breakdown of the transition to the development looks
like this:

B. Development

The development begins with a phrase
(m.152-154) which Goetchius calls “new material, but consistent in character.”
This is heard three times in the first section of the development, on three
different keys, and each time the recognizable ‘A’ of the primary theme is
played afterwards.  This phrase (P) is  the first thing stated in the
development, in A major.

 High woodwinds follow with their interjection also in A
major (m.156-159) and phrase P returns forte in B minor for the next
four bars.  Woodwinds stay in A major for their reply, and phrase P returns
(m.168-171) with A-sharps for another sequence. After this, the primary theme
along with motive X is the main material in the development. The woodwind reply
to this final phrase P moves the music back into A major for two four bar
phrases (m.176-183) using the primary theme. However, only the first of these
phrases stays in A, the second moves onto the key of G major in order to set up
the large sequence which fills the remainder of the development.

The melodic material for this sequence is
phrase ‘A’ of the primary theme. High woodwinds and violins play this melody
and are staggered by one bar from the lower strings and bassoons for a canonic
effect. The phrases alternate as each group starts the melody first. Brass
instruments and timpani mark the beginning of each separate iteration of the
sequence with a chord. There are five phrases of the sequence and the key
scheme is GM-DM7-Am7-EM-Bm7. An extension of the phrase in bars 204-205
solidifies a cadence in G major and another, shorter, sequence using motive X
traded amongst the double reeds brings back the recapitulation (and D major) in
measure 216 by way of a fifths sequence (m.210-215).

C. Recapitulation

Like the previous movements, this statement of
the primary theme is quite different than in the exposition. In this section it
is only twelve measures long - three phrases in an A-B-A1 scheme. A
correspondence chart shows the differences best:

The remaining phrases of the second and third parts of the
3PSF are omitted in the recapitulation. There are a total of ten phrases of the
primary theme in the exposition, but only three are heard during the theme’s
restatement.

The first four phrases of the transitional
passage is a reference to the development, using the P theme introduced there
and the ensuing primary theme in the woodwinds. Again they are used in foreign
keys, the first being G minor (iv) and the second F minor7. The sequence of
motive X which follows (m.244-251) and the dominant pedal section after that
(m.252-259) correspond with its complementary section in the exposition. In
these sections the aim is not A major, as it was before, but D major, for the
restatement of the second theme. It is in the motive X descending sequence that
V7/V is arrived at, which leads into the dominant pedal for eight bars. The
expected three bar extension leading into the second theme is present, and the
theme itself begins in D major.

Mozart chooses to present the second theme in
the recapitulation much as it appears in the exposition. It is not shortened
and every measure

The transitional passages which
followed the second theme in the exposition are now reproduced, in almost the
exact same form. Slight differences in orchestration are present, but the
phrases follow each other nearly verbatim, with the obvious exception of being
transposed into D major, and not A major.  These phrases end the piece because
there is no composed coda.

The following page contains a bibliography for this article.

VI. Bibliography

Blom, Eric “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart” in The Symphony
edited by Ralph Hill,   P      Penguin Books, Baltimore 1958.

Downes, Edward Guide to Symphonic Music Walter and
Company. New York 1981.

Gutman, Robert Mozart: A Cultural Biography
Harcourt Inc. Orlando 1999.

Robbins Landon, H.C. “Mozart” in A Guide to the
Symphony edited by Robert Layton

Oxford University Press 1995.

Sadie, Stanley The New Grove Mozart W.W.Norton and Co.
New York 1980.

Saint-Foix, G. de Symphonies of Mozart Dover
Publishers New York 1948.

Solomon, Maynard Mozart: A Life Harper Collins New
York 1995.