Mozart Symphony 41 K 551 - Molto Allegro

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ernestalba
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  • Added: 22-Mar-07

Woody Allen once said that Mozart's Symphony 41 proved the existence of God. Certainly, a symphony of such grandness and scale had, until the summer of 1788, never before been seen in the musical universe. Its implications for the direction of music in the future, and its influence on future composers is immeasurable. What makes Mozart's Jupiter symphony worthy to share the name of the most powerful god of the Roman world?

The answer to this question comes in the Molto Allegro, and more specifically in its coda, (8:09-8:36). In the coda, Mozart takes the five musical themes or melodies that had been developed throughout the final movement, and does something that no one has ever achieved to the extent that he did, not even the illustrious Beethoven.

What Mozart does is take these five themes and combines them to create a fugato in five-part counterpoint. That is, he takes the five melodies and simultaneously plays them in a variety of combinations and permutations. Imagine five separate melodies, all with their own notes, being played simultaneously, but each constantly changing. It's impossible for the human ear to focus on the enormous amount of notes that this simultaneous playing and constant changing entails. The effect is that the music seems to encompass an infinite amount of sound. With lesser two or three-part fugues, it is occasionally possible to sense everything that is going on. Once you get to four voices, it's nearly impossible to detect all of the nuances of the melodies. With five, well, only God could completely grasp its profundity.

This is Jeffrey Tate and the English Chamber Orchestra performing the Molto Allegro of Mozart's Symphony 41 in C Major.

A far greater introduction to this piece than I provide can be found at NPR's website, if you follow this link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5173337
In the audio clip, you will get the chance to hear the five melodies that Mozart used in the coda individually.

  1. Categories: Music & Dance
Comments on

Mozart Symphony 41 K 551 - Molto Allegro

15 Comments | Add Comment
  • Dear Friend, Thank ...

    Dear Friend,
    Thank you for sharing the info. Jeffrey conducted a magnificent movement. Everybody can learn from this about music, disabilities, and Mozart.
    Peace

    By raoulandgretchie [Affiliate User] 1215124006 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • To ganjon1234 The ...

    To ganjon1234

    The conductor, Jeffrey Tate, was born with spina bifida. He started out in life as a physician, but gave up medicine to pursue music. Medicine's loss, music's gain, and a lesson to us all.

    By MICHKAC [Affiliate User] 1214786518 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Yeah, Mozart knew ...

    Yeah, Mozart knew it because he, probably like you already have done, he took home the whole "Art of the Fugue" and "Well Tempered Clavier" and played it. Then he arranged some fugues by Bach, Händel and Buxtehude for string quartett or quintett and then USED what he had learned. Not only in Requiem or c minor Mass , but also in almost every work after that. Take also the time to analyse the retrogation, augmentation stretto in his last operas, chamber music and symphonies.

    By andipipo [Affiliate User] 1214728858 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • My last comment is ...

    My last comment is a response to Helkaluin's comment posted two weeks ago. To round up, Mozart composed various four part fugues in Bach's style and was particularly proud of the c minor one for two pianos. In this one he used all of Bach's techniques without losing his own style, he was the first composer to achieve this; afterwards came Beethoven, Bartok, Shostakovic and Penderescki. Anyway, Helkaluin, follow Mozart's example, play and study Bach and then make your own musical comment!

    By andipipo [Affiliate User] 1214643128 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Yeah, Mozart knew ...

    Yeah, Mozart knew it because he, probably like you already have done, he took home the whole "Art of the Fugue" and "Well Tempered Clavier" and played it. Then he arranged some fugues by Bach, Händel and Buxtehude for string quartett or quintett and then USED what he had learned. Not only in Requiem or c minor Mass , but also in almost every work after that. Take also the time to analyse the retrogation, augmentation stretto in his last operas, chamber music and symphonies.

    By andipipo [Affiliate User] 1214641648 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • whats wrong with ...

    whats wrong with the conductor?he looks funny

    By ganjon1234 [Affiliate User] 1214562203 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • LMAO it works ...

    LMAO

    it works pretty well with alot of michael jacksons songs..

    By chazkendall [Affiliate User] 1214498433 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • no worries... ...

    no worries...youtube doesn't seem to post comments in the right places sometimes.

    By flynbryan41 [Affiliate User] 1214251944 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Forgive me, I ...

    Forgive me, I didn't know.

    By Dodo251 [Affiliate User] 1214251786 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • yeah that was meant ...

    yeah that was meant for the guy talking about listening to Thriller...I actually have a big appreaciation for classical music.

    By flynbryan41 [Affiliate User] 1214251725 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • A real masterpiece!

    A real masterpiece!

    By Dodo251 [Affiliate User] 1214236965 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Boring, what the ...

    Boring, what the F**k ? Why did you even bother to open the video then?

    By Dodo251 [Affiliate User] 1214236920 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • boring.

    boring.

    By flynbryan41 [Affiliate User] 1214187135 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • 1:48 to 2:00 is ...

    1:48 to 2:00 is particularly good for that VV

    By username4t2 [Affiliate User] 1214177674 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Sorry if this is a ...

    Sorry if this is a bit sacreligious but... Mute the audio, put on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and watch the composer. Hilarious.

    By username4t2 [Affiliate User] 1214177445 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
15 Comments | Add Comment