|
History
According to Mozarts personal notes the Serenade had 5 movements; for reasons unknown to us one of the two minuets and its trio got lost.
The four remaining movements have been named:
- Allegro
- Romanze (Andante)
- Menuetto (Allegretto) und
- Rondo (Allegro)
According to an authentic autograph the work was intended for "Two violins, viola, violoncello e basso", i.e. a string quintet, but in modern performances the orchestra is enlarged at the conductors discretion.
Origin of the composition:
The purpose of this most popular among Mozarts compositions is unknown. What we know is that the composition, according to Mozarts personal notes, was finished on August 10th, 1787 in Vienna, at a time when he was busy with the second act of his opera Don Giovanni.
Detailed information to the different movements:First movement: Allegro
Second movement: Romanze (Andante)
Third movement: Menuetto (Allegretto)
Fourth movement: Rondo (Allegro)
Summary "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" is the apogee of Mozarts occupation with symphonic instrumental branch forms. It is an
example of party music, written as a commission for a special cast of instruments (e.g. big orchestra, string ensemble,
quartet, wind instruments, trio). Mozart, but also Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert have composed similar works;
for the listener it was entertainment, but it made high demands on the composers art.
"Eine kleine Nachtmusik" documents a divine musical talent and an unsurpassed mastery in the application of
musical forms. In spite of the brevity (duration of performance ca. 16 minutes) this work is as perfect in ist form
as a big symphony. There is hardly a parallel in musical history that a piece is so identified with its composer as
Mozarts most popular composition, K 525.
Used Literature
| 
