Mozart · Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart Symphony No. 41 in C major, "Jupiter"
Five themes at once at the end!
- Key
- C major
- Composed
- 1788
- Duration
- about 30 min
- Movements
- 4 movements
- Instrumentation
- Woodwinds 1·2·0·2 · Brass 2·2·0·0 · Timpani · Strings
The story behind this piece
Completed on August 10, 1788, it is Mozart's last and longest symphony. He wrote it in about two weeks after finishing No. 40. It isn't certain whether it was performed during Mozart's lifetime.
The nickname "Jupiter" wasn't given by Mozart. According to the testimony of Mozart's son, it was given by Salomon, the impresario who brought Haydn to London.
The highlight is the last movement. It begins with a four-note theme from old chant (do-re-fa-mi), new themes are added one by one, and at the end these themes are layered on top of each other, woven together like a fugue.
What to listen for
- Opening of the 1st movement: the whole orchestra's stately fanfare, answered gently by the violins
- First theme of the 4th movement: remember the four notes do-re-fa-mi
- Coda of the 4th movement: the passage where the earlier themes pile up all at once, with each section taking a different theme
Listen · Score
Credits