I went to the Mozart concert on March 23rd conducted by Otto Tausk at Chan Center. The conductor said that it is was a dream to bring Mozart’s last three symphonies (Nos. 39, No. 40 and 41) together on the stage. The three final symphonies were composed after a nearly two-year gap after his rest and were composed in just three months. They belong to the “Classical Era” in music history; at the same time, we have to notice that these three works were composed in the late 18th century, and thus they were a part of the transition, with innovations to nineteenth-century music. Since we have learned the first movement of Symphony No. 40 in G minor, I will skip the introduction for it.
Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K. 543
Symphony No. 39 is as “elegant, witty, and superbly entertaining” as the programme said. When the first movement began, I could feel a warm and bright atmosphere, as if spring were coming and flowers beginning to blossom. Everything seemed to be peaceful. How did it give me such a pleasant feeling? The symphony begins with a soft slow tempo in the Adagio of the preparatory section, which reminds me of the tender spring thunder. It also forms a strong contrast with the Allegro that follows, as it sounds more graceful and gentle. It is the clarinets Mozart used that contribute to a mellow sound and harmonious atmosphere. Moving on to the second movement, more warmth was added in the melody. It was played softly and melodiously. I can imagine an elegant woman walking along the river in the lingering light of the sun. Different from the second graceful second movement, the third movement, a minuete, brings me to a scene where lively young men and women holding hands, dancing in a beautiful garden. It is said to be based on a traditional dance tune from Switzerland whose “rustic nature is enhanced by the sound of clarinets.” The symphony wraps up with a nimble and witty finale that is totally opposite to the first two movements. It gave me an impression of being full of vigor: birds flying and singing, dears and dogs running across the forests. According to the introduction on the programme, this finale summons images of the comic opera world that Mozart understood fully.
Symphony No.41 in C Major, K.551 Jupiter
It is the longest (about 33 minutes) and last symphony, with four movements in sonata form that Mozart composed during the summer of 1788. It is regarded as the greatest symphonies in classical music. Jupiter mirrors No. 40 in dispensing with the slow introduction. Then, we can feel an immediate turn to a joyous and energetic music world. Although it is very lively and fast, it still retains an unforced elegance. Among the four movements, the finale, Molto allegro, is probably of the most significance. On the one hand, Mozart incorporated elements of fugal writing – five-voice fugato at the end of the fourth movement. On the other hand, he also tried to be innovative: he dropped the trumpets and drums for the slow movements, leading to a brisk and nimble symphony. The finale perfectly concludes Mozart’s career as a symphonist. I was fortunate to attend this concert and had a close experience appreciating Mozart’s changes in emotions when composing the last three works.