The String Quintet No. 2 in C minor, K. 406/516b, was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1787. Like all of Mozart's string quintets, it is a "viola quintet" in that it is scored for string quartet and an extra viola (two violins, two violas and cello).[1] Unlike his other string quintets, however, the work was not originally written for strings. Having completed the two string quintets K. 515 and K. 516, Mozart created a third by arranging his Serenade No. 12 for Winds in C minor K. 388/384a, written in 1782 or 1783 as a string quintet. Although by then Mozart was entering each new work into his catalogue of compositions, he did not enter this quintet, perhaps because it was an arrangement rather than a new work.[2]
Since the wind serenade used pairs of oboes and clarinets, it was a straightforward matter to map these to the pairs of violins and violas. The arrangement is so successful that Richard Wigmore asserts, in his sleeve notes to the recording by the Nash Ensemble that "without prior knowledge few would guess that the work was not conceived for string quintet, even if the textures (except in the minuet) are generally simpler, less polyphonic than in K515 and 516".[3]
Movementsedit
The opening of the Minuetto, with the cello entering in canon with the first violinThe first eight bars of the trio, showing the pairs of instruments answering in mirror canon
Mozart contrasts the stark opening theme with a lyrical second subject in the relative major – E flat. However, in the recapitulation the second subject returns in C minor, rather than C major, allowing the whole movement to conclude uncompromisingly in C minor.
The lyrical slow movement is unremarkable structurally. However, throughout the work Mozart made small adjustments to the musical material of the original wind serenade when rewriting the music for strings, one of which can be heard in the second subject of this movement. In the string quintet version, he inserts a chromatic note into the descending scale motif, and adjusts the rhythm to accommodate it.
III. Menuetto in canone 3 4 in C minor, with Trio in canone al rovescio in C major
The Menuetto is a canon in which the violin enters first, with the cello following at an interval of one bar.
The trio, in the major, is a double Mirror canon, in which the second viola is silent. In it, each answering voice plays the previous musical material upside-down.
IV. Allegro 2 4 in C minor (ending in C major)
The last movement is a set of variations which, Wigmore [3] points out, often treats the theme quite freely. The fifth variation, begun softly by violas (horns in the original wind version) is on a larger scale and is in the relative major key of C minor, E flat major. The seventh variation explores the theme with chromatic harmonies. It is only with the final variation that the work finally turns to C major.
Referencesedit
^Charles Rosen, "The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven", 1997, Norton
^Zaslaw N. The Non-Canonic Status of Mozart's Canons. Eighteenth-Century Music. 2006 Mar 1;3(1):109-23.
^ abRichard Wigmore. Sleeve notes to Hyperion album CDA67861/3
External linksedit
Quintett in c: Score and critical report (in German) in the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe
string, quintet, mozart, string, quintet, minor, 516b, written, wolfgang, amadeus, mozart, 1787, like, mozart, string, quintets, viola, quintet, that, scored, string, quartet, extra, viola, violins, violas, cello, unlike, other, string, quintets, however, work. The String Quintet No 2 in C minor K 406 516b was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1787 Like all of Mozart s string quintets it is a viola quintet in that it is scored for string quartet and an extra viola two violins two violas and cello 1 Unlike his other string quintets however the work was not originally written for strings Having completed the two string quintets K 515 and K 516 Mozart created a third by arranging his Serenade No 12 for Winds in C minor K 388 384a written in 1782 or 1783 as a string quintet Although by then Mozart was entering each new work into his catalogue of compositions he did not enter this quintet perhaps because it was an arrangement rather than a new work 2 Since the wind serenade used pairs of oboes and clarinets it was a straightforward matter to map these to the pairs of violins and violas The arrangement is so successful that Richard Wigmore asserts in his sleeve notes to the recording by the Nash Ensemble that without prior knowledge few would guess that the work was not conceived for string quintet even if the textures except in the minuet are generally simpler less polyphonic than in K515 and 516 3 Movements edit nbsp The opening of the Minuetto with the cello entering in canon with the first violin nbsp The first eight bars of the trio showing the pairs of instruments answering in mirror canon The work is in standard four movement form I Allegro nbsp cut time in C minor Mozart contrasts the stark opening theme with a lyrical second subject in the relative major E flat However in the recapitulation the second subject returns in C minor rather than C major allowing the whole movement to conclude uncompromisingly in C minor II Andante 38 in E flat major The lyrical slow movement is unremarkable structurally However throughout the work Mozart made small adjustments to the musical material of the original wind serenade when rewriting the music for strings one of which can be heard in the second subject of this movement In the string quintet version he inserts a chromatic note into the descending scale motif and adjusts the rhythm to accommodate it III Menuetto in canone 34 in C minor with Trio in canone al rovescio in C major The Menuetto is a canon in which the violin enters first with the cello following at an interval of one bar The trio in the major is a double Mirror canon in which the second viola is silent In it each answering voice plays the previous musical material upside down IV Allegro 24 in C minor ending in C major The last movement is a set of variations which Wigmore 3 points out often treats the theme quite freely The fifth variation begun softly by violas horns in the original wind version is on a larger scale and is in the relative major key of C minor E flat major The seventh variation explores the theme with chromatic harmonies It is only with the final variation that the work finally turns to C major References edit Charles Rosen The Classical Style Haydn Mozart Beethoven 1997 Norton Zaslaw N The Non Canonic Status of Mozart s Canons Eighteenth Century Music 2006 Mar 1 3 1 109 23 a b Richard Wigmore Sleeve notes to Hyperion album CDA67861 3External links editQuintett in c Score and critical report in German in the Neue Mozart Ausgabe String Quintet No 2 Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Serenade in C minor original version for wind octet Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Portal nbsp Classical Music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title String Quintet No 2 Mozart amp oldid 1152000472, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
