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Mozart's Last Three Symphonies - Nos. 39, 40 and 41

Mozart / Symphonies / Orchestral

Symphony No. 39, Symphony No. 40, Symphony No. 41


The Symphony No. 39 in Eb major, K. 543, completed on 26 June 1788, is the first of a set of three last symphonies that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed in rapid succession during the summer of 1788. Symphony No. 40 was completed 25 July and Symphony No. 41 on 10th of August. Austrian conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt argues that Mozart composed these three symphonies as a unified work, pointing, among other things, to the fact that the Symphony No. 39 has a grand introduction (in the manner of an overture) but no coda.

Symphony No. 40 in G minor, KV 550 is sometimes referred to as the "Great G minor symphony," to distinguish it from the "Little G minor symphony," No. 25. The two are the only extant minor key symphonies Wolfgang Mozart wrote. (Here's a favourite link: Lenny Bernstein conducting Symphony 40: Here.)

Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551, was completed by Mozart  on 10 August 1788. The longest and last symphony that he composed, it is regarded by many critics and music lovers as among the greatest symphonies in classical music... the pinnacle of Mozart's instrumental music. Its combination of simplicity and complexity, melodic invention and emotional depth remain unsurpassed. This work is nicknamed the Jupiter Symphony, a name stems not from Mozart himself but said as likely coined by the impresario Johann Peter Salomon. (Mozart: Sinfonie C-Dur KV 551 (»Jupiter«) ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Paavo Järvi. Uploaded by Frankfurt Radio symphony. Accessed June 26, 2015. Mozart Symphony 41 / Simone Young / 2018. YouTube, uploaded by micabrains. Accessed April 29, 2021.)



Video Credit:

Harnoncourt conducts Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39-41. YouTube, uploaded by Mentor1954. Accessed June 26, 2015.  


Resources:

Symphony No. 39 (Mozart). en.wikipedia.org.

Symphony N0. 40 (Mozart). en.wikipedia.org.

Symphony No. 41 (Mozart). en.wikipedia.org.

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