Mozart and the Clarinet in His Symphonies Neil Tafelmeyer, M.M.
North Dakota State University Clarinet Research Project Dr. Douglas Monroe, Project Coordinator
Table of Contents Introduction _________________________________________________________________________ 1 The Role of the Clarinet in the Classical Orchestra ___________________________________________ 3 Common Techniques of Orchestration ____________________________________________________ 7 Mozart and the Clarinet _______________________________________________________________ 10 Symphonies Nos. 31 & 35 _____________________________________________________________ 14 Symphonies No. 39 (K. 543) and No. 40 (K. 550) ___________________________________________ 24 Summary ___________________________________________________________________________ 39
Introduction
The clarinet is a relative newcomer to the world of music. It was fortunate to have developed at
one of the most active times in Western music; a time when instrumental music was becoming increasingly popular. This trend started in the mid-‐Sixteenth century and only increased in the Eighteenth century to an extent where instrumental music would have equal importance with vocal music. This was also a time when makers of wind instruments made great innovations in key-‐work and bore design. The time was right for the emergence of the clarinet.
The predecessor of the clarinet, the chalumeau, was widely used in France and Germany in the
1750s and 60s. Although purely instrumental works for the chalumeau can be found (including a concerto), it was mainly used in operas, especially in pastoral or love scenes. The chalumeau had a particular hold on the opera-‐going Viennese. With the development of the two-‐keyed clarinet, the instrument joined the Baroque repertoire with trumpet-‐like clarino playing; the clarinet’s lower register (named after its predecessor) was rarely used. Around the 1720s the clarinet underwent great change with the addition of a third key producing low E and when overblown a B natural a twelfth above. The tone hole for the register key was also narrowed and slightly raised. Later on, changes were made in bore design and undercutting of the tone holes. These alterations enabled greater evenness across the different registers of the clarinet and allowed for greater use of the chalumeau register. This improved clarinet was far more useful, and the chalumeau faded into history.
In addition to being born into a time of increased attention to instrumental music and
development, the clarinet emerged when musical tastes were beginning to change. The early clarinet saw the last years of the Baroque period, when the clarinet was perceived as a trumpet rather than the instrument we think of today. Around mid-‐century the thick, contrapuntal style of Baroque music, with J. S. Bach as its last champion, was slowly giving way to a more simple, homophonic, and melodic style
2 of composition. The improved clarinet made a promising choice for composers writing in the emerging styles of the gallant, emfindsamkeit, and ultimately the mature Classical style of Haydn and Mozart. Pre-‐ Classical and Classical composers viewed the clarinet not as a “mock-‐trumpet,” but as an expressive instrument fully capable of beautiful tone, melodic importance, and dynamic change; all things which were musically valued in the Classical era.
A third factor, and perhaps the most important to this discussion, is that the clarinet was
developing as the symphony and orchestra were also undergoing changes. When one thinks of the orchestra today, they expect to see a full woodwind section consisting of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, plus additional instruments within these families, such as the bass clarinet and the contra bassoon. This was definitely not the case in the Eighteenth century. Baroque orchestras had no standard instrumentation. They were really “pick-‐up” groups that varied from city to city. Composers wrote for whichever instruments were available. Lully used oboes, bassoons, and recorders as the woodwind section of his orchestra. The Eighteenth century orchestra was a little more consistent but far from standardized. A composer could usually expect to write for strings, horns, oboes, and bassoons. It was not uncommon that oboists would also double as flutists. Composers would often ask the oboists to play flute in the slow movement for variety of sound.
As the early sinfonia developed into the Classical symphony, instrumentation became
increasingly standardized to include pairs of oboes, horns, bassoons, and flutes. A few composers began to include the clarinet in the orchestra for both instrumental music and opera, though this proved to be the exception and not the general rule. Regardless, the clarinet began to grow in importance throughout the century as a credible and expressive orchestral and solo instrument. Classical composers who developed the clarinet’s repertoire include Stamitz, Cannabich, J. C. Bach, C. P. E. Bach, Lefébvre, Haydn, and many others. Yet one such composer stands out amongst them all. Perhaps the greatest Classical composer to write for the clarinet was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
3
Mozart seemed to have a special affinity for the clarinet. He used the instrument in most of his
operas and many pieces for harmoniemusik, yet he wrote for the clarinet in only four of his symphonies: No. 31 (K. 297), No. 35 (K. 385), No. 39 (K. 543), and No. 40 (K. 550). Of these four symphonies, two include clarinet parts which were later additions: No. 35 and No. 40. Though the clarinet appears in very few of Mozart’s symphonies, he used the clarinet like few others. It seems that the expressive and coloristic capabilities of the clarinet greatly suited the needs of a maturing orchestrator. The clarinet parts in Mozart’s symphonies reflect his growth as an orchestrator and as a composer. In a time when composers wrote for wind instruments of the orchestra in prescribed, idiomatic ways, Mozart was able to forge a new role for the clarinet in the orchestra, and perhaps cemented the clarinet as a permanent member of the ensemble.
The Role of the Clarinet in the Classical Orchestra
The clarinet underwent extensive development in the Classical era. During this time the clarinet
advanced from the Baroque two-‐keyed clarinet to a four-‐and five-‐keyed instrument. Around the 1770s this clarinet became the standard Classical clarinet familiar to Haydn and Mozart. Although we can establish the five-‐keyed clarinet as the standard Classical model, one must take into consideration that development varied greatly across Europe and innovations in design differed across national boundaries. Nicholas Shackelton points out that a few examples of Bb and A clarinets with three or four keys survive and pre-‐date 1770; however, he also states that there is no surviving five-‐keyed Bb/A clarinet that is older than 1770.1 Mozart undoubtedly encountered the five keyed clarinet as a great amount of his clarinet writing occurred during and after the late 1770s. With these physical changes in mind, perhaps the greatest change in the clarinet occurred in the minds of Classical composers.
The clarinet’s new technical advances made it possible to play more fluidly in both the clarion
and chalumeau registers. The instrument was beginning to be appreciated for its lyrical qualities, agility, 1
Nicholas Shackleton “The Development of the Clarinet.” In The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet, ed. Colin Lawson (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 19.
4 and expressive dynamic range. The above qualities fit right into the values of the empfindsamer stil and the mature Classical style. Thus, the Classical clarinet saw a change of personality from the Baroque clarino style of writing (in which the clarinet imitated typical baroque piccolo trumpet writing) to a more lyrical style encompassing a larger range. Mozart, above all others, saw the clarinet’s potential for expressiveness and rich tone color. Although Mozart could see this new instrument’s full potential, the clarinet had to wait a few decades. One could say that it underwent a sort of orchestral initiation in the Classical age, where one sees various uses in symphonies of the time. At first, composers viewed clarinets as an optional instrument that could be replaced by oboes or flutes.2 Eventually, with great help from Mozart, the clarinet became an established and integral member of the orchestra. Mozart wrote so well for the orchestral clarinet due partly to his exposure to the clarinet in his early travels throughout Europe. While the clarinet remained a novelty throughout much of Europe, a few cities had established an early tradition of clarinet writing in symphonies: Mannheim, Paris, and London. These locations are doubly important as they were all places which left an indelible impression upon the young Mozart.
Mannheim was arguably the most active musical center in early Classicism. Their orchestra was
considered the greatest in Europe. Mannheim was also one of the first places to employ clarinets in their orchestra. Lawson writes, “Clarinets had become officially part of the court orchestra sometime after July 1759.”3 Johann Stamitz, one of the leading figures in the Mannheim musical scene, was an early composer to write for the clarinet in his symphonies. His First, Third, and Fifth Symphonies were some of his first pieces to include clarinets. These symphonies as well as music by other composers were published in Paris in 1758 under the title La Melodia Germanica. Its title page conveys a strong preference for the clarinet, but states that if clarinets were not available, one could replace them with
2 3
Albert Rice, The Clarinet in the Classical Period (New York: Oxford university Press, 2003), 174. Colin Lawson, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 9.
5 two oboes, flutes, or violins.4 Johann Stamitz’s successor, Christian Cannabich, whom Mozart visited, also wrote for the clarinet in his symphonies of the 1760s and 1770s. Other composers to use clarinets in their symphonies were Ignaz Fränzl and Karl Stamitz. Mozart visited Mannheim first as a child in 1763 and again as a teenager in 1777 and 1778. Mozart certainly heard the clarinet during the latter visit. We can be sure Mozart delighted in the sound of the clarinet from a letter written to his father dated December 3rd, 1778: “Ah, if only we had clarinets too! You cannot imagine the glorious effect of a symphony with flutes, oboes, and clarinets.”5 It is interesting that Mozart wrote this letter after he composed his first symphony with clarinets in Paris, No. 31. It seems evident that Mozart was influenced by the clarinets in Mannheim. This experience with the clarinet no doubt gave him a glimpse into the capabilities of the instrument. Mozart was also greatly influenced by the Mannheim school of orchestration. Mozart’s “Paris” Symphony shows great signs of Mannheim’s influence in both the clarinet writing and orchestration.
Paris shared much of its musical taste with Mannheim; Johann Stamitz worked there for a year
beginning in 1754. Orchestral use of the clarinet started early in Paris. Lawson brings to our attention archive material from the Paris Opera showing the payment of two German clarinetists for performing in Rameau’s opera Zoroastre.6 In 1751 Rameau wrote extensive clarinet parts in his opera Acante et Cephise.7 Rice explains Gossec’s contribution to the symphonic clarinet (writing for the four-‐keyed clarinet): symphonies containing optional clarinet parts include op. 4 (1758), op. 5 (1762), and op. 8 (1765). Gossec specifies Clarinets in his later symphonies staring in 1769.8 The Concert spirituel, which began in 1725, was a large factor in making Paris an active center for the symphony. It would be for this orchestra that Mozart would write his first symphony involving clarinets. The Concert spirituel began 4
Colin Lawson, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 7. nd Emily Anderson, The Letters of Mozart and His Family 2 ed. Vol. 2. (New York: St. Martin’s, 1966), 638. 6 Colin Lawson, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 6. 7 Ibid., 7. 8 Albert Rice, The Clarinet in the Classical Period (New York: Oxford university Press, 2003), 177. 5
6 because opera was banned during religious holidays, yet one could still attend instrumental concerts. Organizers used a large orchestra to employ as many musicians as possible since many would be out of work with the closing of the theater.9 Zaslaw comments that as the concerts progressed, they became more and more a showcase for new symphonies,10 thus encouraging progressive composers to write for the clarinet in their symphonies.
Another city with early ties to the clarinet was London. J. C. Bach, who had a large influence on
the young Mozart, used the clarinet in five of his symphonies, as well as in Orione (1762). Two other operas of the same time utilizing clarinets were Arne’s Thomas and Sally and Artaxerxes written in 1760 and 1762 respectively.11 As Mozart was in London at this time, it is accepted that he heard these works.12 The young Mozart likely heard symphonic clarinets in the popular Bach/Abel concerts as well. Another English composer to use clarinets in the symphony was William Herschel. His Symphonies Nos. 18 and 20 (1762), and No. 22 (1763) do not contain clarinet parts, but Rice makes us aware that clarinet parts to these symphonies do exist in the composers hand.13 The clarinets may have been used at a later date. Perhaps the greatest interaction with clarinets came from an assignment given to Mozart either by his father or Bach. Mozart was thought to have written a symphony while in London in Eb with clarinets and bassoons, K. 18. We know now that this symphony is in fact Abel’s Symphony No.6, op. 7. Mozart was probably assigned to copy out the symphony. What is significant is that in his copying, Mozart substituted the oboe parts for pairs of clarinets.14 Mozart would later draw upon this unique orchestration in his later symphonic works.
9
John Spitzer and Neal Zaslaw, The Birth of the Orchestra: History of an Institution, 1650-‐1815 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 198. 10 Ibid. 11 Colin Lawson, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 11. 12 Adam Carse, The History of Orchestration (New York: Dover, 1964), 179. 13 Albert Rice, The Clarinet in the Classical Period (New York: Oxford university Press, 2003), 178. 14 Robert Dearling, The Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Symphonies (Rutherford, NJ: Fairleagh Dickenson University Press, 1982), 33.
7 In summary, the clarinet’s technical advances saw a change in the style of writing, from the Baroque trumpet style to lyrical classicism. Though this change was an essential step in the clarinet’s integration into the orchestra, the clarinet remained a novelty instrument until the 1770s and 1780s. The clarinet took hold in some cities across Europe at an earlier age where key composers began experimenting with the instrument’s possibilities in the symphony. These were cities where Mozart traveled and was exposed to the clarinet, giving him an early glimpse of its potential. Though the appearance of clarinet parts in these early symphonies is an important milestone in the history of the instrument, one must remember the use of the clarinet was reserved at best. With a few solo passages in mind, the clarinet was mainly used for harmonic support and to reinforce tutti passages. As more composers wrote for the instrument, more questions arose as to what role the classical clarinet would take. To better understand Mozart’s attitude to the symphonic clarinet, one must look at the general tendencies of orchestration in the Classical era and how the clarinet fit into this system.
Common Techniques of Orchestration As the Classical era developed, composers began using a more integrated orchestration. In early Classical symphonies, one will hear that composers orchestrated in a concertato style, a style which has its roots in the Baroque concerto grosso. Composers often assigned one or more soloists with the majority of the melodic material against the tutti ensemble. Excellent examples of concertato orchestration are Haydn’s early symphonies Le Matin, Le Midi, and Le Soir (1761). As orchestration became more integrated, composers perceived the instruments in the orchestra as sections, part of a larger whole.15 Spitzer and Zaslaw further explain, “Because each section was internally homogeneous, composers could treat instruments more idiomatically.”16 This shows that with the concept of orchestral sections, the instruments were beginning to take on prescribed roles. The woodwind section, for 15
John Spitzer and Neal Zaslaw, The Birth of the Orchestra: History of an Institution, 1650-‐1815 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 31. 16 Ibid.
8 example, would very often be treated as a wind choir with bassoons in the bottom voice, the flutes on top, and the oboes filling in the middle register. This would later prove problematic for the clarinet. How was the clarinet to fit into this mold? It would be logical to assume the clarinet’s place in the woodwind choir was to fit in the middle register between the bassoons and flutes, yet were they to replace the oboes, or double the oboe line? Many composers would solve this problem altogether by omitting one or the other; very rarely does one find a Classical symphony with pairs of clarinets and oboes. In the early Classical age, often the orchestra’s oboists doubled as clarinet players. Later, specialists performed the clarinet parts.17 This fact hindered both clarinets and oboes from being scored simultaneously; however, I believe it was more a matter of uncertainty with the clarinet’s abilities in the orchestra. Adam Carse further explains: Many composers wrote no oboe parts in the movements in which they included clarinet parts, and with others it was evidently a matter of choice whether oboes or clarinets, or both together, were to play the parts which lay between the flute and the bassoon registers. When both oboes and clarinets appear together and are given independent parts, the oboes are treated as the 18
more active of the two.
Mozart would go against this trend; his orchestrations for the clarinet are unique for many reasons, yet in three of his four symphonies with clarinets, Mozart wrote for both oboes and clarinets. With the exception of Mozart and a few others, it seems most Classical composers had reservations about the newcomer, yet with the influence of cities like Mannheim, the clarinet gradually took on a greater role in the orchestra.
It is understandable that the clarinet would be approached with caution, as the already
established winds were used somewhat sparingly as well. It took a few decades before Classical composers used the woodwinds to greater lyrical effect. Early classical composers mainly used the wind 17
John Spitzer and Neal Zaslaw, The Birth of the Orchestra: History of an Institution, 1650-‐1815 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 25. 18 Adam Carse, The History of Orchestration (New York: Dover, 1964), 180.
9 choir in block sounds, supporting underlying harmonies and reinforcing loud tutti sections; composers gave the majority of the melodic material to the strings. When writing on Haydn’s early orchestrations, Carse shows us that Haydn’s scoring for winds also started out humbly: When Franz Joseph Haydn began writing symphonies in 1755 he had only the example of the earliest symphonists before him…Like them, he started with giving all the essential matter to the strings, allowing the wind only to amplify the musical structure by providing harmonic backing, 19
rhythm, colour, and volume of tone.
It is no wonder then that a new woodwind instrument should find itself in a humble place when composers were grappling with how to use the already established winds.
It did not take long for composers to begin using the winds in more expressive ways. Haydn was
quick to use the winds in a soloistic way and for orchestral color. In mature Classical symphonic writing, composers used wind instruments for the sake of expressive color. A composer chose to write for winds not for simple variety, but because the timbre of the instrument fit into a deeper musical meaning. Composers would explore different timbres by changing and mixing them in new combinations in the recapitulation, instead of repeating the exposition note for note. Haydn’s set of six “Paris” Symphonies is a good illustration of this, as well as his Symphony in G No.88 which followed shortly after.20 The more composers integrated the wind instruments into their orchestrations and explored possibilities of timbres, the greater the appeal of the clarinet in the orchestra. Mozart saw the latent possibilities and used the clarinet’s characteristic tone to full effect in his few symphonies with the instrument, especially his last two, Nos. 39 and 40.
Robert Dearling compares the wind writing in the symphonies of Haydn and Mozart. He states
that Haydn was able to write for the winds in a greater soloistic capacity and drew more possibilities of
19
Adam Carse, The History of Orchestration (New York: Dover, 1964), 183. Ibid., 185.
20
10 sound from his players.21 This statement is certainly true. Mozart was far more willing to experiment with different instrumental doublings than to give players solo lines. One must remember Haydn had the luxury of a stable and constant orchestra for which to compose in the Esterhazy palace. Hiring many of his players, Haydn knew their talents, having in effect a laboratory of sounds with which to experiment. Many of Mozart’s symphonies were written while traveling for orchestras over which he had no control. As Dearling points out, Mozart’s scoring is usually on the safe side and the instruments are more integrated as part of a whole.22 Mozart may not have experimented with instrumental solos as much as Haydn; he did, however, write his instrumental parts in a much greater vocal style. In his book The Symphonies of Mozart, Saint-‐Foix quotes Wagner comparing Haydn and Mozart, “Compared with Haydn’s the significance of Mozart’s symphonies lies in the extraordinary expressive vocal character of his instrumental themes…”23 It is perhaps for this reason Mozart was so drawn to the clarinet. Throughout the Classical age, the clarinet was regarded increasingly as a capable instrument for cantabile playing. Mozart showed this possibility greater than any of his contemporaries. As Mozart did not have a court appointed position, he did not have the chance to work with a single orchestra under his leadership. This would explain less soloistic writing in his symphonies compared with Haydn. Mozart did, however, have something that Haydn did not – an early background in the clarinet and Anton Stadler.
Mozart and the Clarinet
Mozart’s early travels made him aware of the clarinet, and this certainly helped him write for
the instrument. He also was able to learn about the instrument from his dealings with the virtuoso Anton Stadler. As Haydn learned from his musicians and Brahms from Mühlfeld, so Mozart was exposed to the clarinet’s expressive possibilities in the hands of a very capable player. The earliest date we have 21
Robert Dearling, The Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Symphonies (Rutherford, NJ: Fairleagh Dickenson University Press, 1982), 164. 22 Ibid. 23 Georges de Saint-‐Foix, The Symphonies of Mozart, trans. Leslie Orrey (New York: Dover, 1968), 128.
11 of the Stadler brothers, Anton and Johann, in Vienna is from a concert program at the Kärtnertortheather dated 21 March 1773.24 The Stadler brothers held various positions in the city under different patrons. In 1782 The Stadlers played in the orchestra of Joseph II’s imperial court. A year later, they were members of the court harmonie. Lawson points out the first documented connection between Mozart and Anton Stadler was in March of 1784 for Stadler’s benefit concert, where Mozart’s Gran Partita K. 361 was performed.25 It is possible that the two musicians may have encountered each other earlier as Mozart settled permanently in Vienna in 1781. Apart from their musical encounters, Mozart and Stadler were also both Masons. Though there is not much information about the relationship between Stadler and Mozart, the music clearly speaks for itself. In the works written for Stadler, Mozart’s clarinet parts take on a new eloquence. There is no doubt that Stadler’s fascination with the low register of the clarinet encouraged Mozart to explore it in his compositions.26 Perhaps the culmination of the Mozart-‐Stadler relationship is the Clarinet Quintet (K. 581) and the Concerto (K. 622) of the 1790s. It is possible that without Stadler’s influence, Mozart’s clarinet writing would never have flourished as it did. Yet even before Mozart met Stadler, he was writing for the clarinet.
In Edward Evanek’s thesis on Mozart’s early clarinet works, he cites twelve examples of works
with clarinet from 1771 through 1782. Many of the works are divertimenti, serenades, and other various odd instrumental/vocal groupings. It is interesting that of all the genres in which Mozart wrote for the clarinet, the symphony has the least. Much of Mozart’s greatest writing for the clarinet, besides the Concerto, occurred in harmoniemusik, and other chamber ensembles. One reason for this is there were no clarinets in the Salzburg orchestra until the Nineteenth century,27 nor in the various cities in which he also composed symphonies. Yet, most of Mozart’s operas – all of his later ones – use the clarinet to great expressive ends. When speaking of Don Giovanni, (1787), Lawson writes, “It is in this opera rather 24
Colin Lawson, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 17. Ibid., 18. 26 Ibid. 27 Albert Rice, The Clarinet in the Classical Period (New York: Oxford university Press, 2003), 179. 25
12 than Le Nozzi di Figaro (1786) that clarinets begin to threaten the predominance of the oboes as the principal woodwind coloring.”28 Mozart used the clarinet in his operas to a greater degree than in his symphonies for two reasons: Firstly, because most of Mozart’s operas were written in Vienna after Mozart met Stadler and Vienna had clarinet players available. Secondly, because opera required a greater demand for coloristic sounds to help supplement the drama on stage. Carse explains: Music more illustrative and descriptive than symphony and concerto tended to draw into the orchestra instruments which were more or less alien to the concert-‐orchestra. Clarinets had as yet no definite footing in symphony orchestration, but were included in the scores of all Mozart’s 29
later operas and in Haydn’s oratorios.
The symphony in the Classical age was not yet seen as a vast palette of colors and timbres as it was in the Romantic era. Thus, more programmatic music, operas and oratorios, would call for more instruments. Mozart’s first two symphonies with clarinets, Nos. 31 and 35 would certainly fit into Carse’s description; however, with much practice at writing for the clarinet in the late 1770s and early 1780s, Mozart’s orchestrating of Symphonies Nos. 39 and 40 prove to use the clarinet (and all the winds) in very expressive, almost Romantic ways.
Mozart’s first works to include the clarinet were three Divertimenti, K. 113, K. 166, and K. 186,
written in 1771 and 1773. K. 113 and K. 186 were written while Mozart was in Milan, and K. 166 was written in Salzburg. It is not impossible, but it seems improbable, that this was written for an ensemble in Salzburg.30 K. 166 was most likely written for the same ensemble in Milan as K. 113 and K. 186. These Divertimenti are interesting as one can see how Mozart first approached the clarinet. In general, the clarinets appear doubled in thirds and for the most part double the oboe line. In K. 113 and K. 186, the use of the clarinet is quite conservative; very little melodic material is given to the clarinet. In K. 166, there are short solo passages where the clarinets have the melody supported by the horns and 28
Colin Lawson, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 23. Adam Carse, The History of Orchestration (New York: Dover, 1964), 195. 30 Colin Lawson, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 16. 29
13 bassoons.31 Mozart’s writing for the clarinet improved dramatically in the 1780s, no doubt from Stadler’s influence.
An important step in Mozart’s clarinet writing came with his wind Serenades of the early 1780s:
K. 361, K. 375, and K. 388. In these works, Mozart writes truly independent clarinet parts; no longer are the clarinets doubling the oboes or simply filling out the harmonies between the oboes and bassoons. It seems Mozart started to treat the clarinets as a section within the ensemble capable of solo melody and dark coloring. Mozart also explored the lower clarinets with the use of basset horns. The first piece to be composed was K. 375, written in October 15, 1781 not long after Mozart had moved to Vienna. In a letter to his father, Mozart explains that the purpose of the composition was to impress Herr Von Strack, the groom of the emperor’s chamber.32 Lawson suggests that Stadler could have played in the first performance of this piece from a letter by Mozart stating his satisfaction with the first clarinet and horns.33 In any case, this work is a triumph in that it was an experiment in which Mozart gave the main melodic task to the clarinets. Originally scored for and performed as a sextet for two clarinets, two horns, and two bassoons, it was not until a year after its completion that Mozart added two oboes to make it a standard octet. The clarinets have especially active parts in the first movement.
Perhaps Mozart’s greatest wind serenade is his K. 361, the Gran Partita. This piece could have
very well be written with Stadler in mind as we believe the date of composition to most likely be 1783, not 1781.34 In this work, Mozart exploits the richness basset horns add to the ensemble. The work is scored for two oboes, two clarinets, two basset horns, four horns, two bassoons, and contrabass or contrabassoon. Throughout this work, Mozart wrote for the clarinet as one who realized the singing and technical capabilities of the clarinet. Anyone who has seen the movie Amadeus will recognize the 31
Edward G. Evanek, “Mozart’s Use of the Clarinet, 1771-‐1782” (M.A. thesis, Pennsylvania State University, 1961), 24. 32 Ibid., 48. 33 Colin Lawson, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), 18. 34 Ibid.
14 beautiful Adagio, in which the clarinets play a large role, trading melodic material with the oboes. Like K. 375, more often than not, the clarinets are largely independent from the oboes. In addition to writing novel clarinet parts, Mozart also explored different combinations of color in the ensemble. Evanek writes: More effectively than in any other of Mozart’s compositions for wind instruments, the Serenade in Bb major [K. 361] engenders a strong dynamic contrast through the addition and subtraction 35
of voices, and simultaneously achieves a wide spectrum of tonal coloration.
This work would prove an important background for Mozart’s bolder orchestrations in his later symphonies. These three wind Serenades, the three Divertimenti, and many other later works (including the “Kegelstatt” Trio), are important to the symphonies of Mozart for a number of reasons. One being that Mozart was increasingly becoming adept at writing for the clarinet, and secondly, he was refining his technique of orchestration. There is only one symphony which includes clarinets that lays between the three Divertimenti of 1771 and the wind Serenades of the 1780s: the “Paris” Symphony, No. 31. in D major K. 297/300a.
Symphonies Nos. 31 & 35 Like the three Divertimenti, the first symphonies of Mozart to include clarinets are rather humble in the instrument’s usage. Both the “Paris” and “Haffner” Symphonies are in D major, the key used for excited, flamboyant symphonies, and both use a pair of A clarinets, fitting well in the key. In general, the clarinets add richness to the body of harmony doubling the horns or bassoons an octave higher. In some cases the clarinets double the oboe line. The clarinet’s use as a reinforcer is illustrated by the fact that in these two Symphonies clarinets are used only in the outer movements. Yet in these works one can see Mozart giving the clarinet a chance in some increasingly technical passages. Also, in 35
Edward G. Evanek, “Mozart’s Use of the Clarinet, 1771-‐1782” (M.A. thesis, Pennsylvania State University, 1961), 48.
15 the “Paris” Symphony one gets a glimpse of Mozart’s favorite woodwind combinations, namely bassoon and clarinet. Although it is a mere whisper, it is a foretelling of the next symphonies in which the clarinet makes an appearance. In September 1777, Mozart and his mother set out on an important tour in the hopes of acquiring a court position. Though the trip was a disaster (he gained no position), the “Paris” Symphony was a result of this journey. Leaving on the 23rd of September, Mozart and his mother made stops in Augsburg and Munich and gave performances, but received no job offers. They next stopped in the great orchestral center of Mannheim where they stayed until March the following year. Here Mozart was able to soak up the musical scene, and witness the large orchestrations of the Mannheim composers and hear the famous crescendo and diminuendo, not to mention the clarinets! This experience was invaluable to his success as a symphonist in Paris, as well as to Mozart the musician. One can see the influence of Mannheim permeate his later symphonies. With much urging from his father, Mozart and mother left for Paris on the 14th of March, 1778, and arrived on the 23rd. During Mozart’s time, Paris was an active symphonic center. To make a good impression on the Parisian public, Mozart had to write a symphony that would please. The two best orchestras in town were the Concert spirituel and the newer Concert des amateurs founded in 1769. Zaslaw concludes that Mozart had in mind to contact one of these organizations as, according to musicians in Mannheim, they both paid well for a symphony.36 Mozart met Joseph Legros, director of the Concert spirituel, and wrote his new symphony for this orchestra. When writing his symphony, Mozart took into consideration the musical tastes of Parisian audiences. One such device was the premier coup d’archet, a dramatic tutti entrance on a synchronized down-‐bow. This became quite popular in Paris and Mozart made good use of it not only as a dramatic beginning but also as a unifying device: tutti, forte whole notes followed by two half notes mark important formal devices within the 36
Neal Zaslaw, Mozart’s Symphonies: Context, Performance Practice, and Reception (Oxford: Clarendon, 1989), 213.
16 first movement. As Leopold Mozart would say, the Parisians were fond of “noisy music.”37 In many ways Mozart’s “Paris” Symphony is noisy music, a spectacle to tickle the ears. However, Mozart did create some very artistic moments. For instance, in the last movement’s development, Mozart wrote a lovely fugal section, showing us the learned style can be enjoyed without taxing the intellect. Another Parisian mark on this symphony is its three movement structure; rarely did symphonies written in Paris have four movements. As was the tradition with the Concert spirituel, Mozart orchestrated on a scale larger than ever before. The symphony calls for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets in A, bassoons, horns, trumpets, drums, and strings.
It is no coincidence that after Mannheim Mozart was able to write so well for an orchestra this
size. This symphony marked a new phase of orchestration in the composer’s life. The bass line is very active beneath creative doublings in the violas and violins.38 Mozart also set the full woodwind choir in alternation with the strings more so than in his past symphonies. Different combinations of sound were also experimented with: clarinets and bassoons, flutes and oboes, oboes and horns, oboes and bassoons. Mozart exploited the sound of the full woodwind choir when he could, often in loud cadential patterns. He also made use of the Mannheim crescendo in measures 247-‐251, and again in mm. 265-‐ 270.
The clarinet has a greater role in the first movement than the last; in both movements the
clarinet has a limited range from c1 to g2. Throughout the introduction and the first theme, the clarinet is used for harmonic richness, mostly playing in block-‐chords. It is not until the secondary theme that the clarinet plays a more important role. In this theme, mm. 56-‐58, Mozart begins with the first and second violins, and uses the clarinets and bassoons unaccompanied as an answer to the violins. The clarinets play in thirds and double the bassoons at the octave. This combination must have pleased Mozart as he used it many times in his last two symphonies with clarinets. The combination occurs again in the 37
Stanley Sadie, Mozart’s Symphonies (London: Ariel Music, 1986), 55. Adam Carse, The History of Orchestration (New York: Dover, 1964), 187.
38
17 recapitulation, mm. 210-‐212. The clarinet is used as a pedal tone through much of the development. In the recapitulation, Mozart gave the clarinet more of a technical challenge than in the exposition. This starts in m. 180 where the clarinets and violas play a run up a major scale. The texture is rather thin in this section, and one can hear the clarinet sound come through nicely. Measure 229 is a transitional section based on an ascending D major scale used in the introduction of the movement. The scale is played alternatively between the oboes and clarinets and then the bassoons and low strings. The clarinet did not participate when this occurred in the exposition. In the last movement, a lightning-‐fast Allegro, the clarinet has no moments of shining glory, but is a full participant in the woodwind choir. Throughout the movement none of the woodwinds play a large part. In some cases, the oboes and flutes double the string melody. Mozart also uses the oboe and flute in the fugal section, but was hesitant to use the clarinet. The clarinet is present in a short, tender moment during the secondary theme, mm. 200-‐203. Here Mozart combines the flute, clarinet and bassoon.
Even though the clarinet is used cautiously in this symphony, it is an important first step. It is my
belief that in this work, Mozart began to appreciate orchestration for its own sake. Though still subtle in the “Paris” Symphony, as Mozart’s orchestration matures, the clarinet’s unique timbre becomes ever increasingly exploited. The symphony was met with success in Paris, and was later published by Legros.
Leaving Paris defeated and without his mother (Mozart’s mother died in Paris), Mozart
reluctantly went back to Salzburg. Who knows what Mozart would have done with an orchestra like the one in Mannheim or the ones in Paris? Would clarinets have been used in more symphonies to greater capacities? Salzburg did not have clarinets in its orchestra, and Mozart would have to wait until his move to Vienna until he could again use the clarinet in one of his symphonies.
Mozart’s “Haffner” Symphony No. 35 in D major (K. 385) began as a serenade with no clarinets
written for Salzburg. Shortly after Mozart had moved to Vienna, his father sent him a letter in the summer of 1782 asking him to write a serenade for the ennoblement of Siegmund Haffner, a family
18 friend. Mozart was extremely busy during this time; he was, after all, soon to be married, but over a period of time Mozart did send the Serenade to Salzburg as he completed it. In December 1782 Mozart sent a letter to his father asking for the score of the Serenade to be sent to him with a few of his earlier symphonies. Leopold was slow in getting these works to Mozart, and after a series of ever increasing urgent letters, Mozart received the works. Mozart set about resetting the work to fit the symphonic mold and added a pair of flutes and A clarinets. The serenade was originally scored for oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets, drums, and strings. The Serenade was written in the middle of staff paper with twelve staves, thus Mozart used the top staff for the pair of flutes, and the bottom staff for the clarinets.39 The clarinet and flute parts were only added to the outer two movements, and were written in a way in which Mozart did not have to change any of the existing parts.
Thus, the role of the clarinet in the “Haffner” Symphony is limited. Its writing is present mainly
in the tutti sections and fills in the inner harmonies, even more so than the “Paris” Symphony. It is not surprising that Mozart chose to write for the two instruments this way; he was very pressed for time and he was quite pleased with the Serenade as it was. Although the clarinet does not play a large role in the Symphony, it still shows its importance to Mozart as he chose to add the instrument. We already know Mozart savored the effect of clarinets in the symphony from his Mannheim letter previously mentioned. The clarinet does fill out the woodwind choir and its tone adds to the richness of the ensemble. One might keep in mind that large orchestrations were not altogether common and classical audiences must have delighted in a large orchestral sound including all the woodwinds, regardless of inactive clarinet parts. The “Haffner” Symphony was very popular and was published in Vienna during Mozart’s lifetime and performed in Paris and as far away as England. The “Haffner” is considered the first of Mozart’s last six mature symphonies. In this Symphony one can hear an ever increasing confidence and comfort in the genre. In this work, it seems that Mozart innovates more with themes and structure than with 39
Stanley Sadie, Mozart’s Symphonies (London: Ariel Music, 1986), 68.
19 orchestration. The first movement is largely based on a single theme where the composer alters it considerably while underneath the original theme is being played. Sadie mentions that this technique is more common to Beethoven than to Mozart.40 In the last movement, Mozart plays with the sonata-‐ rondo structure in new ways.
In addition to its structural brilliance, this work also has some very nice orchestrations. The
oboes and bassoons (the original woodwinds) have very active roles and share some attractive duets. In the recapitulation of the last movement, Mozart gave the melody to the oboe, when the listener expects to hear the strings, m. 190; it has a surprising and wonderful effect. The clarinet’s most exposed moment in the work is in mm. 56-‐58 of the first movement. Here the clarinets and bassoons play a simple duet on descending half notes above murmuring first violins; the clarinet finishes on a run up an A major scale. The passage reoccurs in the recapitulation, mm. 162-‐164. This is a tender moment which must have originally been scored for bassoon alone. It is interesting that Mozart chose to use the clarinet in this setting.
Mozart also used the clarinet in a chromatic passage along with the rest of the woodwinds towards the end of the last movement, mm. 257-‐260. Perhaps an earlier Mozart would have not included the clarinet in this part.
40
Stanley Sadie, Mozart’s Symphonies (London: Ariel Music, 1986), 69.
20 Fl. Ob. Cl. Fg.
The “Paris” and “Haffner” Symphonies mark the end of Mozart’s early symphonies with
clarinets. The next symphony to use clarinets was written in the summer of 1788; thus, Mozart had five years in which to perfect and explore his writing for the clarinet. The Symphonies Nos. 39 and 40 are monumental in the history of the clarinet. In these works, they are essential and full participants of the orchestra. Mozart’s genius as an orchestrator is fully evident in these works as well. Mozart wrote with a color palate like that of the Romantics. The clarinet, more so than any other instrument, is exploited for its color, dynamics, and cantabile style.
The years between the “Haffner” and the Symphony in Eb, No. 39, were very important chapters
in Mozart’s clarinet writing. During this time, Mozart wrote only two additional symphonies: the “Linz”, K.425 (1783), and the “Prague”, K. 504 (1786), neither of which utilize clarinets. However, Mozart did write many works that display an increasing intimacy with the clarinet. One such example is the Trio for Viola, Piano, and Clarinet, (K.498) nicknamed “Kegelstatt”. The piece was completed in 1786 and performed in the house of the Jacquin family, whose daughter, Franziska played the keyboard while the composer played the viola and Stadler played the clarinet. This work remains one of the core pieces of chamber music in the clarinet repertoire. It is remarkable in its variety of writing for the clarinet. Now the chalumeau is used as melodic device instead of solely an accompanimental register. The clarinet part shows the instrument’s technical and lyrical possibilities to a high degree. The oddity of its instrumentation shows that Mozart likened the clarinet as possessing a darker sound, pairing well with the mellow tones of the viola. This piece exploits the different registers of the two instruments thus highlighting their respective timbres in a very musical way. Küster writes:
21 The two melody instruments [clarinet and viola] share the characteristic of being able to play in two distinct registers: the clarinet in the low ‘chalumeau’ register…and the higher register…, and the viola over a range which embraces the tenor and a very high alto…the piano, of course, commands several registers. The combination of the three gave the composer the run of an 41
uncommonly wide range of both pitches and timbres.
Exploitation of the clarinet’s timbre in this piece is important in the genesis of the last two symphonies with clarinets.
Despite the fact that the “Linz” and “Prague” Symphonies do not have clarinet parts, they are
still important works regarding the clarinet and the orchestra. These Symphonies do not have clarinet parts for the simple reason that they were composed for cities that did not have clarinets in their orchestras. These Symphonies are the mark of a maturing composer. It is somewhat uncommon speaking of a man just approaching age 30 as a “mature” composer; it certainly speaks to Mozart’s genius and to how quickly he mastered the symphony. Mozart’s music during the 1780s began to show a significant growth and musical depth, especially in his symphonies. Mozart’s orchestration became very integrated, using instruments in many different combinations and capacities. Mozart used instrumental color for dramatic impact, changing instruments to suit the musical needs of the piece. There is no doubt that the quality wind playing Mozart heard in Vienna helped the composer to reach this height. After all, Joseph II had some of the best players available in his harmonie. Zaslaw comments: His [Mozart] brilliant use of the wind instruments, much criticized at the time, subsequently formed the basis for the orchestration of Haydn’s late orchestral works as well as the orchestral 42
works of Beethoven, Schubert, and many lesser lights.
Mozart’s later symphonies also took on a more serious light, using greater chromaticism and contrapuntal writing. Zaslaw continues: 41
Konrad Küster, Mozart: A Musical Biography, trans. Mary Whitall (Oxford: Clarendon, 1996), 234. Neal Zaslaw, Mozart’s Symphonies: Context, Performance Practice, and Reception (Oxford: Clarendon, 1989), 413.
42
22 The ‘Prague’ Symphony benefited not only from this newly-‐elaborated orchestration and deepening style, but also from the more serious role that, increasingly, was assigned to 43
symphonies…
The “Linz” and “Prague” Symphonies are important to clarinetists because they mark an elaborate and expressive style of orchestration. Even though they do not include clarinets, Mozart used the winds to great effect. Mozart would call on this experience when composing Symphonies Nos. 39 and 40, the culmination of his symphonic clarinet writing. Mozart did not write a symphony with clarinets between the “Haffner” and Symphony No. 39; however, three works composed in this time mark an essential phase in the symphonic clarinet: the Piano Concertos Nos. 22 K. 482 (1785), 23 K. 488 (1786), and 24 K. 491 (1786).
These three works are superb examples of the newly dramatic orchestration mentioned above.
Though these are piano concertos, Mozart treated them in a very symphonic manner, displaying some excellent and difficult wind writing. All the winds are used for coloristic purposes, and all are used in soloistic capacities; even the horn (limited by its partials) is used as a solo instrument. In each of these works there is great dialogue between winds, strings, and soloist. Mozart wrote for the winds in the orchestra with as much deftness as in his Wind Serenade K. 361, Gran Partita. While in Vienna, Mozart did not need to write many symphonies to be noticed and appreciated. He was known as well for his skills at the piano as for his composing. The great bulk of Mozart’s concerts in Vienna centered around his piano concertos. When he needed a symphony, he had many older ones available for use. Instead of symphonies, Mozart wrote more piano concertos while in Vienna. This is perhaps why Mozart did not compose more symphonies with clarinets at this time. If Mozart could not use clarinets in new symphonies, he would instead use them in these three piano concertos. These works are a testament to how important the clarinet had become to Mozart. 43
Neal Zaslaw, Mozart’s Symphonies: Context, Performance Practice, and Reception (Oxford: Clarendon, 1989), 413.
23
Both the Concertos No. 22 in Eb and No. 23 in A are noted for their interesting scoring. Both
call for one flute, two clarinets, and two bassoons in the wind section – no oboes. With the absence of brightness from the oboes, it is often said that these two concertos have a darker, more mellow color. Mozart exploited the darkness and richness of the clarinet sound without the trouble of reconciling them with the oboes. The clarinet writing in these Concertos is novel in that Mozart began to separate from the idiom of clarinets in parallel thirds. While this does occur, and is by no means unpleasant, one can hear a greater distinction between first and second clarinets, where the first is more soloistic and the second often accompanies with an alberti pattern. Also new is Mozart’s prominent utilization of the chalumeau register in an orchestral setting. In the Andante of No. 23, the second clarinet plays an alberti bass pattern in the chalumeau that foreshadows the left hand in the piano, while the upper winds play the melody above. Mozart must have liked this effect as he used it in all three of these Concertos. Mozart’s fondness for the singing qualities of the clarinet is evident in that the clarinets play the most in all three Concertos’ slow movements. Mozart wrote for the clarinet in fast technical passages as well. The greatest technical writing occurs in the last movement of No. 22. Here the upper woodwinds take turns playing fast sixteenth-‐note passages echoing the piano. It should be noted that K. 488 is further important in that it helped Mozart refine his writing for A clarinet, which he would bring to unparalleled heights later.
While the Piano Concertos No. 22 and No. 23 are important, in my opinion, the most critical of
these three works is the last concerto of the set, Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor K. 491. The work is scored for a full woodwind section: one flute and pairs of oboes, clarinets, and bassoons. Unlike the “Paris” and “Haffner” Symphonies where both clarinets and oboes are present, Mozart shows us in this work that clarinets and oboes can be treated as equals sharing in solo capacities. Mozart’s orchestration rose to a level taking him beyond the idiomatic woodwind writing of the time. He used all the winds as integral parts of the orchestra. Again, Mozart used instruments in ways which they best served his
24 expressive purposes. The clarinets play a large part in all three movements, especially in the slow movement and the last movement, where the clarinets play a special part in the third variation. For clarinetists and lovers of good music, these three Piano Concertos are worth getting to know. With plenty of experience under his belt, it was now time for Mozart to bring the clarinet to new heights in the symphony. The year 1788 saw the completion of his final three great symphonies, perhaps the greatest of the Classical age: Symphony No. 39 in Eb major (K. 543), No. 40 in G minor (K. 550), and No. 41 in C major (K. 551). Two of these three, Nos. 39 and 40, include clarinets, although they were a later edition to Symphony No. 40. These last symphonies mark the culmination of the clarinet in the Classical symphony. These works, as well as Haydn’s symphonies of the 1790s, were influential in the clarinet becoming a regular member of the Romantic orchestra.
Symphonies No. 39 (K. 543) and No. 40 (K. 550)
The late 1780s were an extremely difficult time for Mozart; it seems as if the city which he
cherished so much was beginning to forget him. To make matters worse, Mozart’s father passed away in the spring of 1787. Mozart’s tough financial position was due partly to the economic woes of the Hapsburg’s empire. Many patrons who would have sponsored concerts were inactive from the war with the Ottomans. Although Mozart was finally able to attain a court position, it paid very little (800 gulden). Mozart’s predecessor, Gluck, had earned 2,000 gulden in the same post. In a series of letters in the summer of 1788, Mozart wrote to his fellow mason Michael Puchberg about his troublesome financial position. Increasingly heartbreaking, the letters ever so eloquently beg Puchberg for desperately needed support. To save money, Mozart moved to cheaper lodgings that same summer to Alsergrund, a suburb outside Vienna. In his new home, Mozart worked industriously with an impressive output of over thirty works in the year.44 The summer of 1788 also saw the completion of Mozart’s last three symphonies in an astonishing period of six weeks. Symphony No. 39 is dated in Mozart’s catalogue 44
Elaine Sisman, The “Jupiter” Symphony Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 21.
25 the 26th of June, No. 40 was listed as the 25th of July, and No. 41 the 10th of August. The genesis for these three Symphonies remains somewhat of a mystery. There is no definite purpose as to why they were written, and no certain evidence as to when and where they were performed. The question remains concerning Mozart’s intention of writing these three symphonies as a set, something which Mozart had not done previously.
In the past, many writers suggested Mozart wrote the three symphonies because of an inner
compulsion, an artistic wave of inspiration. This seems highly unlikely that Mozart, desperate for money, would ever think about composing works which did not provide a means of income. Composing a piece out of inspiration within was not typically done until later in the Romantic era. Zaslaw outlines three possible reasons for the composition of the last three symphonies: for performances in Vienna, for publication, or for an English tour.45 In a letter to Puchberg, Mozart mentions his intention of casino concerts for the fall of 1788. While we have no exact proof these concerts ever happened, H.C. Robbins Landon has found evidence suggesting they very well could have. Whether or not these concerts took place, there is good evidence to support a later concert in Vienna where the G minor Symphony was performed.
Perhaps the most convincing evidence indicating a performance of one of Mozart’s last three
symphonies comes from a poster advertising a benefit concert by the Tonkünstler-‐Sozietät occurring on the 16th and 17th of April 1791, in which “A Grand Symphony composed by Herr Mozart” was performed.46 Remarkably, Landon discovered a Tonkünstler-‐Sozietät personnel list from the city archives of Vienna listing the Stadler brothers as performing in this concert.47 Thus, one can surmise that the symphony performed was indeed the G minor, No. 40, and that Mozart had re-‐orchestrated the work with clarinets for the Stadlers. 45
Neal Zaslaw, Mozart’s Symphonies: Context, Performance Practice, and Reception (Oxford: Clarendon, 1989), 421. Erich Otto Deutsch, Mozart: A Documentary Biography, trans. Eric Blom, Peter Branscombe, and Jeremy Noble (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1965), 393. 47 Ibid. 46
26
Secondly, these symphonies could have been written for a tour in England. Mozart had been
planning a trip there with his pupil Thomas Attwood, and other British friends, yet no such tour took place. Though the English tour fell through, the last symphonies of Mozart could have been used in his later tours through Germany. In 1789 Mozart gave concerts in Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig, and in 1790 Mozart gave concerts in Frankfurt and Mainz. Again no definitive documentation exists to identify the symphonies performed on these tours, yet there is convincing evidence that would suggest otherwise. The writings of Zaslaw and Landon detail this fascinating topic.
Lastly, many scholars believe Mozart’s last three symphonies were composed for publication.
This seems likely as Mozart would have attempted to create income from the sales. Further evidence for this statement is Mozart’s composition of three symphonies. It was quite common in Mozart’s day to publish symphonies in sets, a set of six for smaller works and three for larger ones.48 Küster points out the fact that Artaria in 1787 published the first three of Haydn’s Paris Symphonies (Nos. 82-‐84) in Vienna.49 Mozart’s choice of keys for his last three symphonies – Eb, G minor, and C – parallel the keys used in this set of symphonies by Haydn.
The above three keys also have strong associations in Mozart’s music. It is often said that
Mozart’s works in G minor are stormy and dramatic, works in C are grand and joyful, and pieces in Eb are of a darker, mellow color. Key associations were not uncommon in the past as certain methods of tuning worked for better or worse in certain keys. Therefore people would associate keys with a particular aesthetic quality. Feelings ascribed to G minor included despair and agitation; C major, grandiosity; and Eb, quiet majesty and love.50 It seems that Mozart was looking for a particular color when writing the Symphony No. 39, scored for flute, 2 clarinets in Bb, pairs of horns and trumpets, drums, strings, but no oboes. This orchestral sound must have had an effect on Mozart as he used the 48
Stanley Sadie, Mozart’s Symphonies (London: Ariel Music, 1986), 81. Konrad Küster, Mozart: A Musical Biography, trans. Mary Whitall (Oxford: Clarendon, 1996), 294. 50 Elaine Sisman, The “Jupiter” Symphony Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 26. 49
27 same orchestration in his Piano Concertos Nos. 22 and 23. The aforementioned scoring is also reminiscent of Mozart’s copy of Abel’s Symphony No. 6 op. 7, also in Eb. Mozart’s association with the more “amorous”51 sound of Eb and the mellow tone of the clarinet could be a reason why he chose the instrument above the oboes. Yet, I think it goes beyond an association with a particular key.
This sort of orchestrating seems to contradict Mozart’s letter stating how he admired the
possibilities of a symphony with clarinets and oboes. Saint-‐Foix suggests that Mozart omitted the oboe parts in Symphony No. 39 because Eb was a difficult key for oboes in which to play.52 While oboists in Mozart’s time found it more difficult to play in the key of Eb, it seems unlikely that this is the reason for Mozart’s novel orchestration. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 K. 491 is in C minor and oboes and clarinets both have equally prominent parts. Also, Billeter sights three of many other works with three flats which include oboes: the Sinfonia Concertante in Eb (1778), the Great Mass in C minor, and Die Zauberflöte.53 I believe Mozart’s orchestration in the Symphony No. 39 was purely an artistic decision independent of any technical or outside stimulus. We are not exactly sure which orchestra Mozart had in mind to perform the last three symphonies. Mozart did add clarinets to the G minor symphony for the Stadlers. Yet, if Mozart intended for all his last three symphonies to be played by the Stadlers or other capable players, why does only one symphony of the three include clarinets? Mozart relished the orchestral color in his Piano Concertos Nos. 22 and 23, and now he had a chance to bring this new combination to the symphony. It was surely a risky venture. It is very rare, if not impossible, to find a Classical symphony in which the clarinets play such a central role. When commenting on Mozart’s clarinet parts in this symphony, Sadie eloquently states:
51
Georges de Saint-‐Foix, The Symphonies of Mozart, trans. Leslie Orrey (New York: Dover, 1968), 121. Ibid., 124. 53 William Billeter, “Analysis of Mozart Symphony No. 39 in E-‐flat” (M.A. thesis, University of Utah, 1995), 9. 52
28 …he makes them [clarinets] the central instruments of the woodwind ensemble, and what was still primarily a military-‐band instrument was required to take its place in the civilized dialogues 54
of the concert-‐room.
The Eb Symphony is a paradigm of Mozart’s mature orchestration. The winds are now quite independent of the strings and are seen as tools for both harmonic and melodic functions: orchestration was now becoming an art in itself. Saint-‐Foix labels this symphony as the most “Romantic” of the last three,55 and Brown describes it as having a Romantic sonority achieved with the brightness of the oboes absent and the pairing of clarinets and bassoons.56 The Eb Symphony shows the importance of tone color as a means of expression, which is why the choice for clarinets as the principal winds is so important. I believe that as Mozart’s orchestration matured, he found the clarinet to be a unique voice in the orchestra which could open the door to new expressions. This symphony is known for its lyrical phrases, light scoring, alternating moments of tenderness and wit, and expressive orchestration. It is no wonder that Mozart, who was able to write for the clarinet so expressively, chose the clarinet as the primary wind instrument. In this Symphony, Mozart utilizes the clarinet’s cantabile style to its fullest capabilities. The composer also makes use of the sonorous effect of clarinets in parallel thirds and sixths, and clarinets paired with bassoons to create a unique amber tone color. The range is unprecedented compared to the “Paris” and “Haffner” Symphonies. The first clarinet reaches a height of E3, and the second clarinet plays low E in the chalumeau. While most of the clarinet writing occurs in the clarion register, Mozart makes greater use of the soft, muted throat tones and the rich chalumeau.
The first movement begins with an expressive and surprisingly dissonant slow introduction. The
clarinet is used here for tuttis and chains of suspensions. Clarinets first play in the second statement of
54
Stanley Sadie, Mozart’s Symphonies (London: Ariel Music, 1986), 82. Georges de Saint-‐Foix, The Symphonies of Mozart, trans. Leslie Orrey (New York: Dover, 1968), 121. 56 Peter A. Brown, The Symphonic Repertoire Volume II: The First Golden Age of the Viennese Symphony: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2002), 415. 55
29 the Allegro’s main theme, m. 41. The clarinets in octaves echo the first three notes of the theme, doing the same again five measures later, but with clarinet and bassoon.
This woodwind echo is heard before with the horns and bassoons imitating the first violins, mm. 26 and 30. It is interesting that Mozart chose to use the clarinet in the repeat when the cellos and basses now play the theme. The clarinets are more active in the secondary theme; a soli section for the clarinets ends the first half of the theme, m. 106. In m. 115, Mozart works in an orchestral substitution and gives the clarinets and bassoons the melody mid-‐phrase, taking it from the violins. By this time, Mozart was writing more chromatically for the clarinet. He wrote a sighing, chromatic eighth-‐note theme for the clarinet many times during the development; this theme first appears at m. 120 in the exposition. Fl.
Cl. Fg.
It is remarkable to see the difference between the clarinet writing in the “Paris” and “Haffner” Symphonies and Mozart’s clarinet parts in the Eb Symphony. Mozart uses the woodwind choir as a transition to the recapitulation in mm. 181-‐183. After a dramatic grand pause, while the rest of the orchestra is silent, the clarinets and bassoons play simple whole notes descending by half-‐steps, and the flute plays a soft, broken melody above.
30 Fl. Cl. Fg.
The clarinets play softly in the upper clarion and the bassoon in its tenor range. This effect is quite ethereal and unexpected, a most appropriate transition to the gentle main theme. In the recapitulation, the clarinet has the same material in the exposition, albeit in the tonic key. Once again, the clarinets and bassoons echo the main theme after the low strings. In the secondary theme, the clarinet part occurs much as it did in the exposition.
In the second movement, the clarinets play a particularly active role. It is as if this movement
was a symphonie concertante for two clarinets. Mozart makes use of the clarinet’s subtle throat tones with an expressive effect. The clarinets are often passed between duets with the flute and bassoons. The main theme is a dialogue between the strings alone. In the closing section after the main theme, the clarinets and bassoons have the melody, which was given to the first violins in the beginning of the movement. Here the clarinets and bassoons are in a conversation with the low strings. The greatest writing for the winds in this movement occurs in the secondary theme, m. 53. Mozart writes a gentle, yearning theme which the winds play in cannon. The bassoon begins, followed by the first clarinet, second clarinet, and finally flute. This passage is simply sublime. The layer of colors combined with the expressiveness of the theme results in a very moving, tender passage. Mozart’s clever orchestration uses simple devices and creates stirring effects. The woodwind cannon is played again at m. 60.
Fl. Cl. Fg.
31 This time the bassoon enters in its tenor range, followed by the second clarinet in the throat tones. The combination of the high bassoon and clarinet in the throat tones produces a warm, rich effect. Though the moment is fleeting, it is certainly long enough to make an impact on the listener. In the recapitulation, the clarinet again shares the melody in changing duets between the flute and bassoon. In m. 103, the winds play a mournful counter melody above the strings, which did not occur in the exposition. The woodwind cannon returns in m. 125 with the first clarinet playing in the throat tones and the second in the clarion. The final rendering of the woodwind cannon, m. 132, showcases the clarinets particularly well. The clarinets alone, m. 139, play a cascading scale passing the melody to the bassoon. In m. 142, the clarinets, accompanied only by a whole note in the horns, play a downward, twisting chromatic pattern as a transition to the final statement of the main theme. The richness of clarinets in thirds is quite evident here.
Cl.
In the Trio, Mozart wrote a particularly special part for the clarinets. This is perhaps the most
famous clarinet part in the symphony. This passage is very often found in a clarinet student’s first orchestral excerpt book. In the Trio, Mozart highlights two of the clarinet’s registers simultaneously: the clarion and the chalumeau. The first clarinet plays the melody and the second clarinet accompanies with an alberti pattern in the low chalumeau, reaching the lowest possible note on the clarinet. This passage is written in the style of a Ländler, an Austrian folk dance, and although it is rustic and somewhat humorous, Mozart adds a touch of class with the flute echoing the first clarinet. In the melody, Mozart gives the clarinet wide leaps of major sixths and minor sevenths. The Trio in the Eb Symphony breaks ground as it is the first Classical symphony in which the chalumeau is exploited so openly.57 Mozart must 57
Adam Carse, The History of Orchestration (New York: Dover, 1964), 190.
32 have been pleased with this effect as he used it before in Don Giovanni, and later in Cosi fan tutte. This passage is perhaps the fruit of Mozart’s relationship with Stadler and the composer’s previous basset horn writing.
The last movement is almost solely based on a rather joyful, playful theme. It too makes an
appearance on many first clarinet orchestral excerpt books. In this movement, Mozart very often wrote short, witty woodwind interjections to the string melody. An example of this is in the secondary theme, m. 42. The first violins begin to play the main theme, but are suddenly interrupted by the winds, which finish it for them; it is rather surprising to the ear. He also used all the woodwinds in soloistic capacities. Starting in m. 54, a fragment of the main theme is traded between the bassoon and flute. The clarinet takes part in this in m. 79. This passage is tricky as the player must be able to articulate fast and clearly.
33 Fl. Cl. Fg.
By passing the motive between the woodwinds, Mozart is giving a variety of color to the listener. Before the recapitulation in m. 139, the clarinets and bassoons are featured in an extensive duet above the strings. Mozart used the winds more as soloists in the recapitulation. The flutes and bassoons have exposed moments doubling the first violin melody, mm. 153 and 156, respectively. The wind interjections occur again in the recapitulation at m. 192, although the second interjection at m. 198 is with clarinet and bassoon alone. At m. 231 the clarinet again takes part in passing the fragment of the main theme between the other woodwinds. These two passages are important as they highlight the solo clarinet, a tactic which Mozart would use in his G minor Symphony.
Unlike the “Haffner” Symphony, the later added clarinet parts of Symphony No. 40 prompted
Mozart to greatly alter the oboe parts and give to the clarinet an equal share of solo material. This new orchestration is similar to Mozart’s Piano Concerto no.24 in that the oboe and clarinet are used as equals. This is very rare in the Classical symphony. Unlike the Eb Symphony, the G minor Symphony features an emerging solo clarinet. At this point, the clarinets very rarely appear in thirds in Mozart’s orchestrational development. Perhaps the rich sound of clarinets in thirds was found to be uncharacteristic of the agitated mood so present in the G minor Symphony. In any case, Mozart broke ground in using a solo clarinet in the Classical symphony. In this work, one will hear an exposed clarinet solo devoid of bassoon doublings, found so often in previous works. As mentioned above, Mozart began to write more chromatically for the clarinet in the Eb Symphony. In the G minor Symphony, he went a step further. It is highly unusual to find such chromatic writing for the clarinet in a Classical symphony. It is not only the clarinet parts, but all the winds were written with high expectations from the composer.
34 If the clarinet parts were in fact written in 1791, Mozart would have had the compositional experience of the Clarinet Quintet, K. 581 from which to draw. Perhaps it was this experience that helped Mozart write for the solo clarinet. The G minor Symphony is a tour de force in orchestration. Mozart has a full woodwind section and draws on all of the instruments for expressive purposes. Like the Eb Symphony, the clarinet plays an important role in key structural points throughout the movements: namely the secondary theme and transitions to the development and recapitulation.
The winds make their first appearance in the second half of the main theme, m. 14. Here they
appear to answer to the distress called out by the violins. This occurs again in the recapitulation, m. 177. The clarinet plays an important role in the secondary theme. In m. 44, the strings begin to play the theme only to be interrupted by the clarinet and bassoon. Then In m. 51, the strings and winds switch seamlessly; the clarinet, flute, and bassoon play the melody and the strings now provide the interjections. This theme is brought to a close with the first clarinet and first violins playing a descending chromatic scale, m. 56. This doubling is rare in Mozart’s orchestrations: the clarinet is usually found playing the melody doubled with either another clarinet or bassoon. In the closing theme before the development, Mozart gave the first clarinet the semitone motive of the primary theme, m. 72. Fl. Cl. Fg. Vl. I Vl. II
This motive occurs on the off-‐beat and is traded between the clarinet and bassoon. This kind of motivic writing could be associated with Beethoven more so than with Mozart. Here Mozart was using the timbre of the clarinet to highlight important musical events.
35
The development is full of surprising key changes, chromaticism, and counterpoint. The clarinet
does not have a large solo role, but participates fully in the woodwind choir. The clarinet is present in the transition to the recapitulation starting in m. 138. The first violins, clarinet, and flute are in a dialogue, the semitone motive so prevalent throughout the movement alternating between the three. The bassoons join the conversation in m. 148. Mozart created a dramatic effect by setting small ensemble writing against loud, dramatic tutti passages. This goes far beyond the concertanto orchestrating of the early Classical era. One of the few times clarinets move in parallel thirds in this work occurs in m. 160. After a tutti section, the flute and clarinets call to one another in a downward motion, leading the orchestra to the recapitulation. The light scoring, twisting chromatic motion, and the pairing of clarinets and flute, creates a somewhat hollow, haunting timbre. This is a great example of Mozart choosing not to pair clarinets with bassoons to achieve a different timbre more suited to the music. Perhaps if this symphony had a more melancholy flavor, this passage would have been scored with bassoons and clarinets. Mozart’s mature orchestration was no longer bound to idiomatic writing for any instrument.
The recapitulation sees less clarinet than the exposition. Mozart chose the oboe’s timbre as the
dominant wind in the secondary theme. Sadie suggests that the oboes “sharper sound” is more suitable to the minor key58 (when the clarinets played, the secondary theme was in G major). This could very well be true, as we know Mozart’s orchestration requires timbres that will suit the emotion of the music. In the closing section, m. 260, the clarinets and oboes call to one another as they did in the exposition, m. 72. This time the flute is present. One can see Mozart using some of the same devices of orchestration in this symphony as in the last movement of Symphony No. 39. One can argue that Mozart goes a step further in the G minor Symphony.
58
Stanley Sadie, Mozart’s Symphonies (London: Ariel Music, 1986), 89.
36
The second movement is similar to the first in that there is an absence of clarinets in thirds and
a prominent place for solo clarinet. Interestingly, Mozart incorporated the lilting semitone motive so prevalent in the first movement into the second. The composer used this motive in the winds as a countermelody to the main theme. Mozart set this up wonderfully in m. 27. Here the clarinet and bassoon play the motive together in the dominant, giving way to the main theme in the strings while the flute begins the countermelody above. The countermelody is passed to the bassoon then to the clarinet, next flute and bassoon, and ends with the first violins.
This is a stunningly beautiful passage. It appears again in the recapitulation, but in a different order: clarinet, bassoon, flute, clarinet, all three. The clarinet is active in the secondary theme as well. After it is first heard in the strings, the bassoon, clarinet, and first violins take turns playing the melody a second time in m. 41.
37 Cl. Fg. Vl. I Vl. II Vla. Vlc.
With this passage, one can see that Mozart increasingly wrote higher in the clarion register. Just as Mozart experimented with the chalumeau, he played with the color of the clarinet’s high register.
The clarinet plays a small part in the Minuet and Trio; the original oboe part remains unaltered.
Here Mozart explored pairings between the oboe, flute, and bassoon.
The last movement is special in that it showcases Mozart’s first prominent clarinet solo devoid
of parallel doubling with any instrument. It was uncommon for Mozart to write any instrument solos in his orchestrations; he was more apt to pair instruments in exposed parts. For this reason and the fact that the solo is for a clarinet, makes this passage particularly special. Most composers at this time who did utilize the clarinet in their symphonies, wrote in a way in which the clarinet part was hidden in the inner harmonies. Haydn used clarinets in five of his “London” Symphonies, but he used the clarinets quite sparingly. Carse comments on Classical composers’ general use of the clarinet: The new instruments were used to give additional body to the wood-‐wind tutti, to supply essential harmony, or to double melodic phrases played by one or other of the wood-‐wind, but 59
all the important solo parts go to the flute, the oboe, or the bassoon.
This quote demonstrates the ground breaking way in which Mozart used the solo clarinet in this symphony was ground-‐breaking. It is no wonder that Zaslaw believes Mozart’s mature orchestration, especially for the winds, served as an influence on later Romantic composers. Clarinetists are indebted to Mozart as he helped to establish the clarinet as an integral voice in the orchestra. 59
Adam Carse, The History of Orchestration (New York: Dover, 1964), 190.
38
The secondary theme begins in m. 71. The first statement of the theme is played by the first
violins. The clarinet takes the melody in m. 85.
For a moment, the listener thinks he is going to hear the clarinet and bassoon play melody together as the bassoon enters shortly after in thirds. However, the clarinet breaks off and plays a variant of the secondary theme. Instead of parallel doubling with the bassoon, the bassoon provides an accompaniment to the clarinet melody. The clarinet’s clarion register is well suited to the song-‐like and playful nature of the theme.
The oboe is more prominent in the development than the clarinet. The clarinet mainly takes
part in the tutti wind interjections. The oboe, along with the bassoon, is showcased in a figure derived from the primary theme in m. 145.
In the secondary theme of the recapitulation, Mozart changed the orchestration doing away
with the clarinet solo, and giving away the melody to clarinet, flute, and bassoon playing simultaneously. The effect is striking to the ear; Mozart achieved an attractive color with the pairing of the double and
39 single reeds with the airiness of the flute. It is difficult to find places in Mozart’s symphonies where all three instruments play the melody together.
Summary
Through his mature orchestrations, one can clearly see Mozart as an important advocate for the
orchestral clarinet. It seems that through his fondness of the clarinet, he experimented with new colors and moods in the orchestra, a feature which would dominate nineteenth century orchestration. Like all composers, Mozart started writing for the clarinet in a cautious way. This is evident in his first works for the clarinet, his three Divertimenti: K. 113, K. 166, K. 186. In these works, he almost exclusively wrote for the instrument in parallel thirds. When one did play the melody, it was usually doubled with the oboe.
The next big step came after Mozart’s experience in Mannheim with his “Paris” Symphony. This
was the first of Mozart’s symphonies to include clarinets. Though the clarinet parts are limited to the inner harmonies in the outer two movements, Mozart gave us a glimpse of one of his favorite combinations of sound – the pairing of bassoons and clarinets. One can also see increased technical writing for the instrument.
Perhaps one of Mozart’s most important steps in writing for the clarinet came after he moved to
Vienna when he wrote the great wind Serenades of the 1780s. This was also the time when the composer met his clarinet muse, Anton Stadler. Mozart’s Gran Partita, K. 361 shows a remarkable flowering of clarinet writing; it certainly shows an increased familiarity with the instrument. Also important in these works was Mozart’s experimentation with the chalumeau register as a melodic resource.
After the “Haffner” Symphony, Mozart embarked on some of his greatest orchestral wind
writing in his Piano Concertos Nos. 22-‐24. In the first two Concertos, Mozart highlighted the mellow sound of the clarinet by using only clarinets, flutes, and bassoons as the wind section. The clarinet’s expressive capabilities are fully exploited in its prominent role in the slow movements. Mozart went a
40 step further in his Piano Concerto No. 24 by writing for a full woodwind section, and equally featuring the oboe and clarinet – something rarely heard in Mozart’s day.
Mozart’s need for expressive orchestration broke the compositional idioms of his time. These
Concertos display some of Mozart’s greatest wind writing and this experience certainly proved useful in the composer’s last two symphonies with clarinets, Nos. 39 and 40.
These two Symphonies, along with No. 41, are the culmination of Mozart’s orchestral writing.
Symphonies Nos. 39 and 40 also serve as the culmination of the composer’s writing for the orchestral clarinet. The works show orchestration as an art and expressive tool in itself. Mozart used the clarinet’s timbre to reinforce the emotion of the music. Again, Mozart showcased the dark, mellow orchestral sound with only clarinets, bassoons, and flute in Symphony No. 39. This Symphony is a landmark for the orchestral clarinet in many ways, especially for its use of the chalumeau register in a soloistic fashion.
Symphony no. 40 is important as it is Mozart’s only symphony with both oboes and clarinets on
a more equal setting. Whereas the lyrical, calm mood in Symphony No. 39 showcased the clarinet almost exclusively, the stormy, agitated Symphony No. 40 called for a greater range of emotion, thus needing more instruments at its disposal. This Symphony was further remarkable for its use of the clarinet as a solo instrument in the orchestra; very rarely was it in parallel motion with the second clarinet.
It is certainly true that Mozart’s success as a composer for the clarinet came partly from his early
exposure to the instrument and his dealings with the Stadler brothers. Yet, it seems a greater reason was Mozart’s unparalleled ability to write for instruments as though he was writing for the voice. Mozart was able to exploit the clarinet’s expressive qualities unlike any of his contemporaries. With his increased intimacy with the instrument, Mozart saw greater possibilities through orchestration. It is certainly evident that the clarinet parts in Mozart’s symphonies reflect his growth as an orchestrator. A clarinet in the orchestra simply provided greater possibilities for orchestral color and expression. Mozart
41 realized this and took complete advantage of it. Like all musicians, clarinetists have much to be thankful for as Mozart’s orchestrations proved highly influential in the orchestrations of later composers.
42 Bibliography Anderson, Emily. The Letters of Mozart and His Family. 2nd ed. vol. 2. New York: St. Martin’s, 1966. Baines, Anthony. Woodwind Instruments and Their History. rev. ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1963. Billeter, William. “Analysis of Mozart Symphony No. 39 in E-‐flat.” M.A. thesis, University of Utah, 1955. Brown, Peter A. The Symphonic Repertoire Volume II: The First Golden Age of the Viennese Symphony: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 2002. Carse, Adam. The History of Orchestration. New York: Dover, 1964. Dearling, Robert. The Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Symphonies. Rutherford, NJ: Fairlegh Dickinson University Press, 1982. Dickinson, A.F.F. A Study of Mozart’s Last Three Symphonies. London: Oxford University Press, 1927. Donovan, Margaret Ann. “The Haffner Symphony K. 385 by W.A. Mozart.” D.M.A. diss., Stanford. University, 1933. Deutsch, Otto Erich. Mozart: A Documentary Biography. Translated by Eric Blom, Peter Branscombe, and Jeremy Noble. Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1965. Evanek, Edward G. “Mozart’s Use of the Clarinet, 1771-‐1782.” M.A. thesis, Pennsylvania State University, 1961. Küster, Konrad. Mozart: A Musical Biography. Translated by Mary Whitall. Oxford: Clarendon, 1996. Landon, H.C. Robbins. Mozart: The Golden Years. New York: Macmillan, 1989. Lawson, Colin. Mozart Clarinet Concerto. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. _____________. “Single Reeds Before 1750.” In The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet. Edited by Colin Lawson, 1-‐17. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Mozart, Wolfgang. Symphony No. 35. New York: Pro Art, 1946. _________________. Symphony No. 39. New York: Pro Art, 1946. ________________. Symphony No. 40. New York: Pro Art, 1946. Rice, Albert R. The Clarinet in the Classical Period. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Read, Gardner. Style and Orchestration. New York: Macmillan, 1979. Sadie, Stanley. Mozart Symphonies. London: Ariel Music, 1986.
43 Saint-‐Foix, Georges de. The Symphonies of Mozart. Translated by Leslie Orrey. 1st American ed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1949. Shackelton, Nicholas. “The Development of the Clarinet.” In The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet. Edited by Colin Lawson, 16-‐32. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Sisman, Elaine. Mozart: The “Jupiter” Symphony. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Spitzer, John, and Neal Zaslaw. The Birth of the Orchestra: History of an Institution, 1650-‐1815. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Zaslaw, Neal. Mozart’s Symphonies: Context, Performance Practice, and Reception. Oxford: Clarendon, 1989.