Mozart String Quintet 4 G minor (period instruments) part 2

Mozart string quintet in g minor k.516
Salomon Quartet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci5MD7GGQPk
The String Quintet No. 4 in G minor, K. 516 was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Like all of Mozart's string quintets, this work is a "viola quintet" in that is scored for string quartet and an extra viola (two violins, two violas and cello).

The work was completed on May 16, 1787, less than a month following the completion of his grand C Major Quintet, K. 515. This would not be the last time that a great pair of C major/G minor works of the same form would be published in close proximity and assigned consecutive Köchel numbers. The following year, the 40th (G minor) and 41st (C major) symphonies would be completed within a few weeks of each other.

The work is in standard four movement form: * I. Allegro * II. Menuetto: Allegretto * III. Adagio ma non troppo * IV. Adagio - Allegro

The minuet is placed second and is a minuet in name only as the turbulent G minor theme and heavy third-beat chords make this movement very undancelike. The central trio is in a bright G major.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mozart
• minor
• quintet
• k.
• 516
• HIP
• salomon
• chamber
• music

[StarUponClouds]

Mozart's chamber music is such a pleasure to play :) I performed "the Hunt" with my quartet: lively, exciting, and fun!

I stumbled upon this video at 19,863 views. Lets keep spreading classical music everyone! Get that number to 1,986,300, where it belongs!! Posting videos on facebook is the best way to promote classical music. Every person makes a difference!

Lisa, 17 Chicago

[705JRC]

@Timrath @thephilosorpheus I think this guy is a troll. Anyone who makes it into two videos into the Mozart G-minor String Quintet, then goes on about Salieri being underrated and Mozart writing for "the masses," is clearly just trying to stir up trouble. Although, I do like Tim's interpretation of "hipster." Maybe a hipster troll?

[harrynking777]

@crianguejo You had best keep your opinions to yourself. Greatness does not need comparison.

[crianguejo]

@GLaDOS22 He was indeed a great composer. If - IF - you compare him to Salieri for example, however, he seems to be overrated. It´s not like the comparison is necessary, it´s just my opinion under these circumstances of comparison.

[GLaDOS22]

@ThePhilosorpheus Mozart's music isn't some of the greatest music ever written by a human being in history because it's more accessible to the common ear. He encompasses all of the things it takes to create awesome music: His pieces contain a beautiful melody and complex yet complementary harmonies, they all have a sense of "going somewhere' with a lively tempo and skillful dynamics, and most importantly, they have that elusive emotional quality which evokes a sense of ecstasy in the listener

[ThePhilosorpheus]

@Timrath I meant it´s more accessible to the common ear, easier to digest - than Salieri´s. Kings and masses mean prepared and ignorant ears respectively. I´ll just ignore the attempts at personal attacks.

[daregularperson]

@Timrath I hear it! That means the viola moves chromatically from b3 to 5, including 3(maj 3rd) and b5. So much complexity! And all that in only about 5 seconds, too.

[Timrath]

@daregularperson Your chord analysis is spot on! That's exactly what we're hearing there. :-)

But the trope is not complete with just the descending bass. There must also be an ascending scale occuring at the same time in a different voice. In our case it is played by the viola. If you listen closely you can hear the cello and the viola moving in opposing directions.

BTW, The ascending chromatic scale is actually the historical origin of the entire trope.

[daregularperson]

@Timrath Yeah, it was probably the chromatic bass that made me think that.

So the trope is "gmin -> gmin7 -> Cmaj -> a-dim7 -> D-6/4 -> Dmaj -> gmin"? I think I have it. Thanks so much for the very knowledgeable reply, Timrath. My theory isn't that great yet, but I owe all my knowledge to Alan W. Pollack. :-)

[Timrath]

@daregularperson That's actually a very common trope in classical music. The tonic becomes the dominant of the subdominant; the subdominant follows and turns into the diminished secondary dominant; finally a 6/4 -> 5/3 -> tonic cadence concludes the trope. That's how a classical musician would describe it.

It happens all the time in pieces that are in a minor scale, but because the chromatic scale happens to occur in the bass, it maybe resembles more closely what you thought of.