Symphony No.15 in G major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Northern Chamber Orchestra conducted by Nicholas Ward.
I - Allegro: 0:00
II - Andante: 3:34
III - Menuetto: 8:19
IV - Presto: 11:09
Mozart's Symphony No.15 was composed in Salzburg between January and February 1772. It may have been written as a sort of "calling card" to secure his position as court concertmaster in Salzburg, after the recent death of Archbishop Sigismund von Schrattenbach. Overall, the work represents a fusion of the best of the Viennese symphonic traditions with the distinctly Italian cantabile. The symphony is also noteworthy for its flexible tempi and good humour, despite being more conventional than the previous one. Premiere date and performers involved are unknown.
Between 1769-73, the young Mozart and his father Leopold made three Italian journeys. The first, an extended tour of 15 months, was financed by performances for the nobility and by public concerts, and took in the most important Italian cities. The second and third journeys were to Milan, for Wolfgang to complete operas that had been commissioned there on the first visit. From the perspective of Wolfgang's musical development, the journeys were a considerable success, and his talents were recognised by honours which included a papal knighthood and memberships in leading philharmonic societies. Wolfgang's Italian triumphs proved short-lived however; he failed to obtain a court position, and despite the critical and popular successes of his Milan operas, he was not invited to write another, and there were no further commissions from any of the other centres he had visited.
The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a lively and animated main theme in G major, presented forte by full orchestra. Soon follows a more melodic second theme in D major, introduced in dialogues between oboes and strings, supported by triplet rhythms. We can already perceive the flexible tempi Mozart employs, which is unusual for the classical era. This exposition is then repeated. The development opens with a new and gallant theme in D major, modulating to E minor before the main theme reappears (perhaps a joke to deceive audiences into believing the recapitulation was beginning), rising in a climax. A dance-like motive leads us to the recapitulation of themes in the home key of D major, with an optional repeat from the development onwards. A vigorous coda, derived from the main theme, ends the movement.
The second movement is written as a sonatina. It opens with a widely lyrical main theme in C major, exposed in piano by violins with horns and oboes adding touches of colour. It becomes more ambiguous as it verges between major and minor with a melancholic tone. A more rhythmic second theme (also in C major) is then introduced in dialogues between woodwinds and violins. This exposition is then repeated. We find no real development section, instead a transition leads us to the recapitulation of the main themes. This section is also repeated. A serene coda ends the andante.
The third movement is a minuet in ternary form. It begins with a two-part, lively and accented main theme in G major, characterized by its forte tutti chords contrasted by piano violin responses. Each part is then repeated. The central trio section is scored for solo strings, offering a two-part, more melodic and cantabile second theme in D major, exposed in piano by violins. After each part is repeated as well, the minuet is recapitulated. The movement ends with an elegant coda.
The fourth movement is structured as a rondo (A-B-A-C-A-D-Coda). It opens with bright and joyous main theme in G major, as in the minuet it is characterized by its forte tutti chords contrasted by piano violin responses. This opening is very similar as in the finale of Symphony No.14. After it is repeated, the first episode begins with a contrapuntal motive that sets the motion to several modulations through E minor, G major, A major and D major. It is then promptly being repeated. After the main theme is recapitulated, the second episode features a thrill figure contrapuntally exposed on strings. After the main theme is repeated once again, Mozart deceives us with a false coda composed by alternation of syncopations and a cadenza-like chord sequence. The real coda then takes place with a humorously insisting hammering of the tonic G major.
Picture: Anonymous portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the age of 13 in Verona (1770, attributed to Giambettino Cignaroli or Saverio Dalla Rosa).
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Source: tinyurl.com/2a...
To check the score: tinyurl.com/29...

[@CaminoAir]

Merry Christmas everyone and thank you, Sergio.

[@SergioCánovasCM]

Thanks, merry christmas you too!