Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 25 in G minor
Brandt Anderson
Mozart’s 25th Symphony
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a musical genius. From the time he was 3 years old, he
was already picking out chords on the harpsichord. Most three year olds do not know what a
harpsichord is. By the age of 5, he was already composing. This shows that Mozart had a
brilliant and developed mind at such a young age. It is undeniable that Mozart was of a brilliant
mind as he wrote many works and died at such a young age of 35. He also mastered many
instruments. For instance, “no sooner had the clarinet been invented and introduced than Mozart
began playing and composing for it.”1 Why was Mozart so advanced in his skills? Some believe
that he was inspired and had a gift from God. His dad called him “the miracle which God let be
born in Salzburg”2 as Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria. One of the many symphonies he
wrote was the popular Symphony 25.
One of the more amazing things about this symphony is that Mozart wrote it when he was
17 years old. Think about what you were doing at 17. I was in high school trying to figure out
my future. Mozart was writing symphonies concertos at that age. That is just more proof that he
was brilliant. Overall, Mozart wrote 41 symphonies. The 25th symphony was one of the two that
were written in the minor key. Both symphonies were written in G minor. The 40th symphony is
known as the great G minor symphony and the 25th symphony is known as “the little G minor
symphony.”3 Since he only wrote two pieces in the minor key, it is determined that these pieces
had a significance importance to him. Minor key pieces tend to sound dark and mysterious.
They also have a passionate feel to them. Those feelings were accomplished in this piece. It was
even stated that “the seventeen-year-old Mozart may be said to have come of age emotionally.”4
This was a piece that Mozart wasn’t generally writing and showed a different side of his genius.
During this time period, Mozart was being criticized for putting too many notes in his
pieces. This symphony definitely had lots of complicated notes. It has complicated variations of
stringing many different notes together with syncopated melodic lines. However, when
performed correctly, this piece is beautiful. The way it was written captures the passion within
our hearts and helps us remember some of the trials in our lives.5 Mozart was being emotionally
1
Mozart: A life by Paul Johnson
Mozart’s father Leopold during Mozart’s early childhood
3
Brandon Hill mentions this but I don’t know where the original quote is from
4
Quote from the Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra web page
5
This is my own opinion of the piece.
2
controlled by his father. He also felt unappreciated by his boss, Archbishop Colloredo. This
symphony perfectly depicts those emotions. At the time, there was a Sturm and Drang (Storm
and Stress) movement in Germany. Joseph Hadyn was writing symphonies based on this
movement and Mozart was more than likely influenced by him.
This symphony has an unprecedented opening. It opens with the oboes playing four long
notes over the syncopated violins and violas playing the same line while the basses carry the bass
in even quarter notes. Just that opening has many things going on. Something like that was
unheard of at the time. It is easy to see why he was criticized. Who knows that the opening
could be delivered in the way that Mozart had intended. But it just worked. After the first
theme, Mozart introduces a second theme written in B flat major. This movement of the
symphony symbolizes the general music of the era that Mozart was “quickly leaving behind.”6
He knew the music of the era and wanted to make his own name. As previously stated, this
piece was an emotional milestone for Mozart.
After the B flat major movement comes the Andante movement. This movement shows a
little change in the opening. It is the only movement in the symphony that does not begin with
jagged octaves. Here, Mozart is trying to “paint a picture of 18th century gentility.”7 But even
this movement shows boldness in the details. Following this movement is the sober minuet that
starts to paint a picture of sunshine and grace. However, Mozart brings a really strong finale that
leaves the listener almost breathless. The finale will restore the tension from the first movement.
This paints the picture of emotional discontent, which is the perfect finale to Mozart’s emotional
symphony.
In conclusion, Mozart made a statement with this symphony. He entered a different
realm of musical possibilities. He was influenced by Hadyn with the minor key. Mozart was a
child dealing with a troublesome childhood and this piece was a turning point for him. He
expressed everything he meant to express. This piece is still popular today as it is being
performed in live concerts across the globe. The work was first performed in the United States
by the Boston Symphony Orchestra on October 27, 1899, under the direction of Wilhelm
Gericke. And now it is being performed by orchestras everywhere. I am starting to appreciate
the influence of Mozart on our society and hope that his influence becomes stronger.
6
7
Quote taken from Phillip Huscher in his report about the Symphony
Another quote taken from Phillip Huscher
References Sited Page
Three Websites:
Sadie, Stanley. "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Austrian Composer)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
Robins, Brian. "AllMusic." AllMusic. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
Hill, Brandon. "Mozart Symphony No. 25 in G Minor K 183." BHCO. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
One Report
Huscher, Phillip. Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Rep. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
One Book
Johnson, Paul. Mozart: A Life. N.p.: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated, 2013. Print.