Mozart - Symphony no. 39, KV 543 (3/3)

3. Menuetto: Allegretto
4. Finale: Allegro

Historical recording of the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (on Fontana Grandioso LP)

The 39th Symphony is the first of a set of three (his last symphonies) that Mozart composed in rapid succession during the summer of 1788. No. 40 was completed 25 July and No. 41 on 10 August. Around the same time, Mozart was writing his piano trios in E and C major, his sonate facile, and a violin sonatina. Mozart biographer Alfred Einstein has suggested that Mozart took Michael Haydn's Symphony No. 26, in the same key, as a model.

It seems to be impossible to determine the date of the premiere of the 39th Symphony on the basis of currently available evidence; in fact, it cannot be established whether the symphony was ever performed in the composer's lifetime. According to Deutsch (1965), around the time Mozart wrote the work, he was preparing to hold a series of "Concerts in the Casino", in a new casino in the Spiegelgasse owned by Philipp Otto. Mozart even sent a pair of tickets for this series to his friend Michael von Puchberg. But it seems impossible to determine whether the concert series was held, or was cancelled for lack of interest. In addition, in the period up to the end of his life, Mozart participated in various other concerts whose program included an unidentified symphony; these also could have been the occasion of the premiere of the 39th (for details, see Symphony No. 40 (Mozart)).

In modern times, the work is part of the core symphonic repertoire and is frequently performed and recorded.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mozart
• Symphony
• no
• 39

[dbrittdbritt]

No timpani? Put your bass up. It's an old recording with more treble than bass. The basses, celli and timpani are pushed back. But still an excellent performance. At 6:42 I hear clearly the timpani.

[ThaSchwab]

The lack of a timpani in the final movement made it feel empty.