Symphony No. 23 (Mozart)

Symphony No. 23
by W. A. Mozart
1773 miniature of Mozart
KeyD major
CatalogueK. 181/162b
Composed19 May 1773 (1773-05-19): Salzburg
Published1848 (1848): Hamburg
PublisherAugust Cranz
Durationc. 9 minutes
Movements3
ScoringOrchestra

The Symphony No. 23 in D major, K. 181/162b, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was dated as complete on May 19, 1773. It is sometimes called "Overture", even though the autograph score bears the title "Sinfonia".[1] The symphony is scored for 2 oboes, 2 horns in D, 2 trumpets in D, and strings.

Background

The genre of the symphony was key in the Classical period, becoming the most important genre of instrumental music. Multiple musical local traditions existed in Europe at the time, which Mozart absorbed during his travels through most of Western Europe. In the Mozart family grand tour from between 1763 and 1766, Wolfgang wrote around 15 symphonies, many of which have not been preserved. More symphonies were written during Mozart's stays in Vienna (1767–68) and Italy (1769–71).[2]

Composition

The symphony was completed on 19 May 1773,[3][4] being part of a group of four (No. 22, 24 and 26) written shortly after the return from the third travel to Italy.[5] According to Saint-Foix, these symphonies may have been commissioned by a Milanese patron.[6]

According to musicologist Neal Zaslaw, the symphony found success at the time, as sets of parts were found in the cities of Brno, Frankfurt and Regensburg. These copies also modified the scoring of the piece; viola parts were reduced to a single one and the trumpets were removed in the parts found in Brno and Frankfurt, while the Regensburg ones had the possibility of oboes being replaced by flutes.[7] The original 1773 autograph is located at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York.[2]

Instrumentation

The symphony is scored for 2 oboes, 2 horns in D, 2 trumpets in D, and strings.[4] Neal Zaslaw notes additional parts for bassoon, timpani, and continuo (probably harpsichord).[7]

Form

The symphony follows the overall tripartite structure of the Italian overture,[8] divided in three movements that are played continuously (attacca)[4]

  1. Allegro spiritoso, 4
    4     in D major
  2. Andantino grazioso, 3
    8     in G major
  3. Presto assai, 2
    4     in D major

Il Allegro spiritoso

\relative c''' { \tempo "Allegro spiritoso" \key d \major d2:16\f d4 r | d2:16 d4 r | d,,8 e16 fis g a b cis d e fis gis a b cis d | cis4 <a a,> q }

II. Andantino grazioso

\relative c'' { \version "2.18.2" \key g \major \tempo "Andantino grazioso" \time 3/8 \tempo 4 = 70 g8-! b (c) d (e) d-! d\trill (c) b-! b (d c) r8 a (b) c (e d) c (b a) c (b) b-! }

III. Presto assai

\relative c'' { \version "2.18.2" \key d \major \tempo "Presto assai" \time 2/4 \tempo 4 = 170 d'4\f fis,8. g16 a4 d8. b16 a4 fis8. g16 a4 d8. b16 a32 (g fis8.) fis8-. fis-. g32 (fis e8.) e8-. e-. fis32 (e d8.) d8-. d-. cis32 (b a8.) a8-. a-. }

Assessment

The first page of the Breitkopf & Härtel's edition (1880) of the symphony

French musicologist and Mozart scholar Georges de Saint-Foix praised the piece, making a favourable comparison against the surrounding ones in the catalogue; Symphony No. 22, K. 162 and Symphony No. 24 K. 182.[8] British musicologist Stanley Sadie also praised the symphony as "full of brilliant writing and 'effective' passages, built up into an elegantly and logically shaped edifice".[9]

Recordings

Most recordings of the symphony are as part of complete recording projects of Mozart's symphonies.

ConductorOrchestraRecording DateFormatsLabelsCatalogue IDReferences
Otto AckermannNetherlands Philharmonic OrchestraUnknown, released before 1988LP / DigitalDocuments recordsCHS-1194[10]
Ferenc FricsayDeutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin1951, released 2018CD / DigitalDeutsche Gramophon00028947982753[11]
Erich LeinsdorfRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra1955, released 1960, rerelease 2006LP / CD /DigitalWestminster Records / Deutsche GramophonXWN 18756 / 00028947758471[12][13]
Günter KehrMainzer Kammerorchester1966, rereleased on 1976 and 1991LP / CD / DigitalVox Records / World Record ClubSVBX 5118 / R.03331-2-3 / CDX 5030[14][15]
Karl BöhmBerlin Philharmonic OrchestraReleased 1968, rereleased multiple times afterwardsLP / CD / DigitalDeutsche Grammophon643 521/35[16]
Sir Neville MarrinerAcademy of St Martin in the FieldsReleased 1970, rereleased 1996LP / CD / DigitalPhiliphs Records / Decca RecordsZRG 653 / 00028945408521[17][18]
Josef KripsRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra1973, released 1974, rereleased 1990CD / DigitalPhilips Records / Decca Records426 973-2 / 00028942697324[19]
Libor PešekPardubice Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra1977, released 2013DigitalSupraphonVT 9738-2[20]
Christopher HogwoodThe Academy of Ancient Music1979, released same year, rereleased 1987 and 2009LP / Cassette / CD / DigitalL'Oiseau-Lyre / Decca RecordsLC 0171 / Decca 476 1718[21]
James LevineVienna Philharmonic Orchestra1986, released 1988, rereleased in 2015CD / DigitalDeutsche Grammophon423 365-2 / 00289 479 4195[22]
Hans GrafMozarteum Orchestra Salzburg1989, released 1990CD / DigitalCapriccio RecordsC10314[23]
Sir Charles MackerrasPrague Chamber Orchestra1989, released 1990CD / DigitalTelarc DigitalCD-80217[24]
Nicholas WardNorthern Chamber Orchestra1993, released 1995 and rereleased 2013CD / DigitalNaxos records8.550876 / 8.501109[25][26]
Claudio AbbadoBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra1994, released 1996, rereleased 2018CD / DigitalSony Classical RecordsG010001222975B / 19075816312[27][28]
Trevor PinnockThe English Concert1992–5, released 2002CD / DigitalDeutsche Gramophon471 666-2[29]
Jaap ter LindenMozart Akademie Amsterdam2001–02, released 2006 and rereleased on 2011 and 2014CD / DigitalBrilliant Classics92110 / 94295 / 95010[30][31][32]
Ádám FischerDanish National Chamber Orchestra2008–09, released 2009, rereleased 2013CD / DigitalDacapo Records6.220542 / 8.201201[33][34]
David GreilsammerOrchestre de chambre de GenèveReleased 2012CD / DigitalSonny Classical Records88725430252[35]

References

  1. ↑ Mozart 2005, p. XI.
  2. 1 2 "KV 181: Symphony in D". kv.mozarteum.at. Mozarteum. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  3. ↑ Mozart 2005, p. XIII.
  4. 1 2 3 Saint-Foix 1968, p. 216.
  5. ↑ Saint-Foix 1968, p. 39-40.
  6. ↑ Saint-Foix 1968, p. 40.
  7. 1 2 Zaslaw 1991, p. 255.
  8. 1 2 Saint-Foix 1968, p. 43.
  9. ↑ Sadie 1986, p. 42.
  10. ↑ "Die symphonien von wolfgang amadeus mozart". www.muziekweb.nl. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "THE MOZART RADIO BROADCASTS". www.deutschegrammophon.com. Deutsche Gramophon. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "Westminster; Early catalogue and jackets - WST serial 14151~ and 'Artificial stereo' issues". trmsolutions.co.kr. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "W. A. MOZART: The Symphonies". www.deutschegrammophon.com. Deutsche Gramophon. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  14. ↑ Strongin, Theodore (3 April 1966). "Mozart And 'Big Sound'". The New York Times. A. G. Sulzberger. p. 18. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  15. ↑ "MOZART, W.A.: Symphonies, Vol. 1 - Nos. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 50 (Mainz Chamber Orchestra, Kehr)". www.naxos.com. Naxos Records. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  16. ↑ "Mozart Complete Symphonies - Gramophone". www.gramophone.co.uk. Deutsche Gramophon. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  17. ↑ "Symphonies 23 & 24, 26 & 27". archive.org. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  18. ↑ "WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: Complete Symphonies". www.deccaclassics.com. Decca Records. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  19. ↑ "WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: Symphonies 21 – 25". www.deccaclassics.com. Decca Records. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  20. ↑ "Classical Anniversary Libor Pešek 1. / W.A.Mozart: Symfonie". www.supraphonline.cz. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  21. ↑ Trotta, Heinrich von. "The Symphonies - Vol. 3 - Salzburg 1772-1773". www.heinrichvontrotta.eu (in Italian). Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  22. ↑ "MOZART: The Symphonies". www.deutschegrammophon.com. Deutsche Grammophon. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  23. ↑ "MOZART, W.A.: Symphonies, Vol. 5 (Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, Graf) - Nos. 23, 24, 25, 26 and 50". www.naxos.com. Naxos Records. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  24. ↑ "Mozart in Prague". reader.exacteditions.com. October 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  25. ↑ "MOZART: Symphonies Nos. 21 - 24 and 26". www.naxos.com. Naxos records.
  26. ↑ "MOZART, W.A.: Symphonies (Complete) (11-CD Box-Set)". www.naxos.com. Naxos records.
  27. ↑ Hodgson, Antony. "Claudio Abbado conducts Mozart – Haffner, Linz, Paris, Posthorn Serenade, C-minor Mass [Berliner Philharmoniker; Sony Classical]". www.classicalsource.com. ClassicalSource. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  28. ↑ "Claudio Abbado Conducts Mozart". www.sonyclassical.com. Sony Classical Records. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  29. ↑ Phillips, John. "Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphonies - complete". www.musicweb-international.com. MusicWeb International. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  30. ↑ "Mozart: Symphonies (Complete)". www.brilliantclassics.com. Brilliant Classics. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  31. ↑ "Mozart: Complete Symphonies". www.brilliantclassics.com. Brilliant Classics. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  32. ↑ "Mozart Complete Edition". www.brilliantclassics.com. Brilliant Classics. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  33. ↑ Johansen, Claus. "W.A. Mozart: Symphonies Vol. 7". www.dacapo-records.dk. Dacapo Records. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  34. ↑ "W.A. Mozart: 45 Symphonies". www.dacapo-records.dk. Dacapo Records. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  35. ↑ Manheim, James. "Release: Mozart In-Between". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 October 2025.

Sources

  • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (2005). Die Sinfonien. Vol. III. Translated by Robinson, J. Branford. Kassel: Bärenreiter-Verlag. ISMN 9790006204663.
  • Sadie, Stanley (1986). Mozart symphonies. London, U.K.: Ariel Music. ISBN 9780563127697. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  • Saint-Foix, Georges de (1968). The Symphonies of Mozart. New York, U.S.: Dover Publications. p. 216. ISBN 9780486212470. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  • Zaslaw, Neal Alexander (1991). Mozart's symphonies: Context, performance practice, reception. Oxford, U.K.: Clarendon Press. ISBN 9780198162865. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.