Symphony No. 25 (Mozart)

Symphony in G minor
No. 25
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart in 1773, portrait by Martin Knoller
Key	G minor
Catalogue	K. 183/173dB
Composed	1773 (1773)
Movements	four

The Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183/173 dB, was written by the then 17-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in October 1773, shortly after the success of his opera seria Lucio Silla. It was supposedly completed in Salzburg on October 5, a mere two days after the completion of his Symphony No. 24, although this remains unsubstantiated. Its first movement was used as the opening music in Miloš Forman's film Amadeus. A part of it is used as the theme of Indian watch manufacturer Titan.

This is one of two symphonies Mozart composed in G minor, sometimes referred to as the "little G minor symphony". The other is the Symphony No. 40; see also Mozart and G minor.

Movements

The symphony is laid out in standard classical form:

1. Allegro con brio, Template:Time signature in G minor
2. Andante, Template:Time signature in E-flat major
3. Menuetto & Trio, [[Triple metre|Template:Time signature]] in G minor, Trio in G major
4. Allegro, Template:Time signature in G minor

This symphony is scored for two oboes, two bassoons, four horns and strings.

First movement

<score %vorbis="1"%%T257066%>

\relative c {

 \tempo "Allegro con brio" 4 = 170
 \key g \minor
 g8 g4 g g g8 |
 d8 d4 d d d8 |
 es8 es4 es es es8 |
 fis,8 fis4 fis fis fis8 |

} </score>

Second movement

<score %vorbis="1"%%T257066%>

\relative c {

 \version "2.18.2"
 \tempo "Andante"
 \key ees \major
 \time 2/4
 \tempo 4 = 50	
 \partial 4 \partial 8 bes,8\p^\markup { \italic {con sordini} } (aes g) r8
 c8 (bes aes) r8
 aes (g f) r8 bes (aes g) r8
 ees'-! ees (f,) r8 bes-!
 aes (g) r8 c-!
 c (bes) r8
 d, (ees4) r8

} </score>

Third movement

<score>

\relative c {

 \version "2.18.2"
 \tempo "Menuetto"
 \key bes \major
 \time 3/4
 g,4\f d g
 bes2 c8 (a)
 g4 fis g
 a8 (fis) d4 r4
 c'4\p c c
 b4.\fp (c16 d c4)
 ees ees ees
 d4.\fp (ees16 f ees4)
 g4\f g g
 fis (c') bes-!
 \grace bes16 (a4) g fis
 g2 r4\bar ":|."

} </score>

<score>

<< \new Staff \with { instrumentName = #"Hb1 "}

 \relative c {
    \version "2.18.2"
    \key g \major
    \tempo "Trio"
    \time 3/4
   d2 \p  b'8 (g)
   g (fis) fis4 fis 
   fis (c') b16 (a g fis)
   g8 (b) d,4 r4
   g (fis e)
   a4.\fp (g8) e4
   \grace a16 (g4) fis e
   d2 r4 \bar ":|." 
 }

\new Staff \with { instrumentName = #"Hb2 "}

 \relative c {
   \key g \major
   \time 3/4
  b2\p r4
  r4 c c
  c (fis,) g16 (a b c)
  b8 (d) b4 r4
   e4 (d cis) 
   fis4.\fp (e8) d4
    \grace fis16 (e4) d cis
   d2 r4 \bar ":|."
 }

>> </score>

Fourth movement

<score>

\relative c {

    \version "2.18.2"
    \key bes \major
    \tempo "Allegro"
    \time 2/2
   g4 \p d bes'4. a8
   g4 bes (a g)
   fis d c'4. bes8
   a4 c (bes a)
   g bes ees4. d8
   c4 a d4. c8
   bes4 g ees cis
   d! c' (bes a)
   g8\f d'4 d d d8~ d4 g (fis g)
 }

</score>

Style and influence

With its wide-leap melodic lines and syncopation, this symphony is characteristic of the Sturm und Drang style. It shares certain features with other Sturm and Drang symphonies of this time, and is likely inspired by Haydn's Symphony No. 39, also in G minor.

Performance history

The work was first performed in the United States by the Boston Symphony Orchestra on October 27, 1899, under the direction of Wilhelm Gericke. It was not performed again in the U.S. until 1937, when rendered by the Alfred Wallenstein Sinfonietta. John Barbirolli and the New York Philharmonic performed it again in 1941 as part of their centennial season.

External links

• Template:NMA
• Template:IMSLP
• Template:Mutopia (the Allegro con brio movement)
• Template:Mutopia (the Andante movement)
• Symphony No. 25 in G minor mp3 by the RIAS-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (1950 recording), Liber Liber