Analysis of Mozart Symphony No.29 In A Major, K.201

But I see the second theme 4 (to Violins I) + 4 (to Violins II). The flourish is evident only in the part for Violins I; the truly thematic material (and re-elaborated) is divided between Violins I and II and the movement of the Vc

Instead of the usual beach crossword, I am dusting off this analysis that I had started.

How would you professionally describe the part after the second theme and its relative tonic pedal, i.e., measures 45 to 76, in an analysis? I mean not limiting oneself to saying "development of material".

...also including some references to the orchestration, this generally regarding the first movement or at least the exposition.

Ah, from 63 onwards I got a bit lost harmonically in the sense that before it plays on V I, after the intensification 57-8, it moves to VII I ...always in E-flat major, arriving precisely at I6 of measure 63 ... then...

I must be quite rusty; even the last bar of the exposition is giving me trouble, it closes on a B chord (II of A?) which should shamelessly sew into the beginning of the recapitulation with an A+. Fragment from violin I (75-6) which, among other things, is used to open the development.

I can't make sense of the harmonic progressions.

The exposition ends in the key of the dominant, which is E+ since it is the fifth of A+, the starting key.

Aside from the last 2 bars, it essentially remains in the key of the dominant from the second theme onwards; so from bar 33, it confirms between 41 and 44 with a tonic pedal, and then explores various degrees of E+....if that were the case, however, I still have doubts from bar 63 onwards.

AbateFaria wrote:

I must be quite rusty; even the last bar of the exposition is giving me trouble, it closes on a B- (II of A?) chord that should shamelessly sew into the beginning of the recapitulation with an A+. Fragment in the first violin (75-6) which, moreover, is used to open the development.

However, those appoggiaturas with E# make me think of a V or VII of the V of E+, so we are still in E+, except that the D is the seventh of Em7, so you pass from the V7 of A+

True Marzapane, I am left with only one harmonic gap between 63 and 66:

- The last chord of 65 has an E#, so it is a dominant

- The first chord of 66 is F# A B; if it were a fifth, Mozart would have omitted the third that arrives at the second subdivision, but the E# of 65 preceding this chord still doesn't make sense

Idem for the B# of 63, which seems to complete an chord that would be exactly a III of C#-

In my opinion, the B# at 63 is a chromatic note that leads to the IV of E+, namely A# which opens measure 64

So, in my opinion between 63 and 69 a first tonicization of the fourth occurs, relative to the key of E major... in fact :

Measure 63: I6; B#... passing chromaticism towards IV

Measure 64: IV; #IV/IV

Measure 65: I46/IV which is practically an I6; #IV

Measure 66: Considering the full measure it is a V

Measure 67: I; VI

Measure 68: II6 V

Measure 69: I

Marzapane wrote:

In my opinion, the B# at 63 is a chromatic note that leads to the IV of E+, namely A+ which opens measure 64

Plausible

Marzapane wrote:

So, in my opinion between 63 and 69 a first tonicization of the fourth occurs, relative to the key of E major... in fact:

Measure 64: IV; #IV/IV

Measure 65: I46/IV which is practically an I6; #IV

Measure 66: Considering the full measure it is a V

...I'm not very convinced

Look, between 64 and 65 there is a progression, look at the bass: it does double sharp G# and E# F#. Coincidentally, the melodic succession of the bass sounds exactly like the closing of the exposition that you discussed earlier

Oracolo wrote:

Look, between 64 and 65 there is a progression, look at the bass: it does double sharp G# and E# F#. Coincidentally, the melodic succession of the bass closely resembles the closing of the exposition that you discussed earlier

True, and it starts earlier and ends later, of which one part is on an upper pedal of E and the other on an upper pedal of B. Both held by the winds. Therefore, by marking the degrees without thinking about the pedals, the harmony should emerge

Following your reasoning, it would be something like:

Measure 63:I6 V6/IV

Measure 64:IV V6/II

Measure 66:II V6/V

Measure 67:V

?

So, let's summarize a bit because the issue has become a little scattered.

Summary of what I have understood and some doubts regarding the first movement:

Sonata form

EXPOSITION

- First theme: from 1 to 8

- Transition: from 9 to 12

- First theme: from 13 to 18

- Development of the first theme: from 19 to 22

- Dominant pedal: from 23 to 27

- Modulating bridge in the key of the dominant: from 28 to 32

- Second theme: from 33 to 40

- Development of the second theme: from 41 to 76 (tonic pedal from 41 to 44)

Therefore, a two-theme exposition with a recapitulation that touches the tonic and dominant areas respectively with the first and second themes.

The last two bars of the exposition, in particular the last one, are:

- speaking of the recapitulation, a V7 of A+

- speaking of the development, a V7/V of D+, beginning of the development

DEVELOPMENT: to be looked at in detail but from bar 77 to 107

RECAPITULATION: to be looked at in detail but from bar 108 to 184

CODA: from 185 to 205 (end)

--------------------

Therefore, doubts:

HARMONY

Exposition bars between 63 and 66. None of the considered solutions convince me 100%. My apologies to Oracolo and Marzapane, whom I thank for their availability.

I like the idea of the progression, but the scheme is not yet clear to me.

FORM

The development and the recapitulation are in the recapitulation [ritornello], at a sonata form level; what does this imply?

Thanks to anyone who wishes to provide further input.

Great Abate, by eye, the DEVELOPMENT should be better defined at a formal level:

-Connection

These together

- Dominant pedal: from 23 to 27

- Modulating bridge in the key of the dominant: from 28 to 32

are probably the modulating bridge

The codettas to be separated from the development of the second theme are missing

AbateFaria wrote:

Therefore, doubts:

HARMONY

Measures of the exposition between 63 and 66. None of the examined solutions convince me 100%. My apologies to Oracolo and Marzapane, whom I thank for their availability.

I like the idea of the progression, but the scheme is not yet clear to me.

Just for completeness, a similar situation at 169 in the other key

What do you propose, Marzapane?

Here I am. I am responding between the lines by changing my text color, not out of a desire for protagonism, but because it is more convenient.

I will proceed in order.

So, let's take stock because the issue has become a bit scattered.

Summary of what I have understood and some doubts from the first half:

Sonata form

EXPOSITION - First theme: from 1 to 8 -

Transition: from 9 to 12 -

I would note that these four measures are used by Mozart as a liquidation at the end of the 1st movement (m. 201 onwards).

He does this, albeit in a different way, also in Symphony K 550 in G minor, where he uses the main motif (Eb Re Re etc.) as a cadence at the end of the development to introduce the recapitulation.

First theme: from 13 to 18 -

Development I theme: from 19 to 22 -

In my opinion, it is too "Flemish" to divide measures 13 to 22 as you have done. It simply seems to me that, apart from the first 8 measures (1-8), from 1 to 22 we are in the «first theme region» which has the logical consequence of moving towards the dominant. That is what actually happens here.

Dominant pedal: from 23 to 27 -

Modulating bridge in the key of the dominant: from 28 to 32 -

I have a mania for simplifying, but, strictly speaking (perhaps I am saying something silly), does it make sense to have a «modulating bridge» after one has already arrived at the dominant? In my opinion, from 23 to 37 we are simply in the presence of a transition section whose purpose is to confirm the key of the dominant to prepare for the entry of the 2nd theme. As usual, I will perform a check (the litmus test): let's eliminate all measures from 23 to 31 and try to play by joining 22 to 32. Does it work? Yes: it is ugly, but it works, because at 22 Mozart has already arrived at the dominant and only needs those ten measures to reinforce that harmony.

Second theme: from 33 to 40 -

Development second theme: from 41 to 76 (tonic pedal from 41 to 44)

Therefore, a two-theme exposition with a ritornello that touches the tonic and dominant areas respectively with the first and second themes.

The last two measures of the exposition, in particular the last one, are: - speaking of the ritornello, a V7 of A+ - speaking of the development, a V7/V of D+, beginning of the development.

Second theme region: from 33 to 51. The actual second theme, if we want to be extremely strict, ends at 44 (and if we really want to be as nitpicky as possible, measures 41 to 44 could almost be considered a new thematic element, but that would be a real stretch, even if...)

From 45 to 51 there is another short conjunction section which once again has the function of reconfirming the key.

At 52/53 (the measure with the viola repetitions is outside the count for me: I consider it a neutral measure) the coda of the exposition begins.

A look at measures 59-62: what do you see? Exactly: that thematic element we found at 41-44, only slightly enriched and modified (the trill and the two ascending repeated notes, instead of descending).

DEVELOPMENT: to be looked at in detail but from measure 77 to 107

RECAPITULATION: to be looked at in detail but from measure 108 to 184 CODA: from 185 to 205 (end)

Therefore, doubts:

HARMONY Exposition measures between 63 and 66.

None of the examined solutions convince me 100%.

I am sorry to Oracolo and Marzapane, whom I thank for their availability. I like the idea of the progression, but the scheme is not yet clear to me.

I haven't read the other solutions, so I might repeat things already said, but I would say it like this (attention: I am putting the degrees reasoning in E major!):

m. 63 I6 (the chromatic movement of the violins has no harmonic function),

m. 64 IV - #II7

m. 65 I6 - #I seems to be a tonicization of II, so it could be read as #VII of F#, but it is not, because the oboe holds the B, so:

m. 66 V36-V56 then, a very normal cadence:

m. 67 I - VI

m. 68 V - I

FORM The development and the recapitulation are in a ritornello, at the level of sonata form; what does this entail?

Nothing: even in this case Mozart uses some measures (179-184) to bring the discourse back to the development, but the Symphony could have ended as follows, i.e., by cutting everything from 179 to 204. It works the same way even without a coda, a coda which, at this point, results in being insignificant for the balance of the «sonata form» (I don't mean to say he shouldn't have put it: the question was precise, the answer is drastic, but it only refers to a formal discourse).

Thanks to anyone who wishes to provide further input.