Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Symphony No. 39  in Eb K. 543

“Black thoughts often come to me, thoughts which I push away with a tremendous effort.”  This Mozart wrote just one day after he finished composing the delightful and light-hearted E-flat Symphony No. 39.  Mozart’s next symphony, was the g minor Symphony No. 40, one of the darkest and most fiery works that he ever wrote.  The misery of this quotation and the Symphony No. 40 challenge the common stereotype that Mozart and his music were constantly bright and light.  But at the same time, that notion is supported by the fact that Mozart wrote as glorious and joyous a piece as the Symphony No. 39 during such difficult and unhappy times.

 Mozart suffered through many hardships in 1788 that continued to worsen until his death three years later.  The fickle and constantly shifting public opinion of the Viennese happened to shift its focus away from Mozart after several years of adoration; the masterpiece opera Don Giovanni was a public failure, concert opportunities were dwindling out, and commissions were reduced.  Mozart’s popular decline coincided with, or perhaps was partially caused by severe economic depression.  (The same depression helped cause the 1789 French Revolution.)  Consequently, Mozart’s financial situation hit an all-time low.  In August, Mozart wrote to his friend and fellow Freemason Puchberg,

“Just imagine my situation: sick and full of worry and grief…I am forced to sell my quartets [K 575, 589, 590] all that hard work, for a trifle, just to get some cash into my hands and meet my immediate obligations… I’m expecting some help, but now I am in need.  Couldn’t you help me out with a trifle? Anything would be a help just now…”

Puchberg eventually sent Mozart more than 100 gulden, a very generous and helpful amount.  But as if things weren’t bad enough, Mozart’s 6-month-old daughter became very ill during that summer, and died two days after Symphony No. 39 was completed. 

Amazingly, despite these adversities, the summer of 1788 was one of the most productive period in music history, in terms of quantity and quality.  The last and greatest three of Mozart’s symphonies, the aforementioned Nos. 39 & 40, as well as No. 41 (Jupiter Symphony) were composed within a span of just six weeks (June-August, 1788). These works, so deep, beautiful, complex, and historically important belie the turmoil that was going on in Mozart’s life at the time of their composition.

During his decline in popularity, Mozart’s music continues to improve rather than deteriorate in quality.  He still churned out more profitable works for the masses, but his focus was on the serious compositions that would change the face of music.  Mozart’s late style is marked by an almost Romantic expressivity, with a wider range of emotions and character changes than any music composed in his era.  It is also characterized by a more strict limiting of thematic material, and more contrapuntal development, owing its influence to the music of Haydn, Bach and Handel.  Thus, Mozart’s late style is a fusion of Baroque technique, gallant aesthetics and Romantic emotion.  This style was championed by Beethoven and can be traced to affect all serious composers who followed.

Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 is unique in its instrumentation; the piquant sonority of the traditional oboes are replaced by the warm richness of two clarinets.  The symphony begins with an unusually lengthy and dramatic slow introduction in the manner of a French overture, with regal dotted rhythms. This sets the stage for a flowing and sparkling Allegro that features gracious dance-like melodies, an energetic fanfare-like transition, as well halting as a more halting and forceful motive that takes over much of the development.  The second movement begins with a deceivingly simple tune that is dealt several stormy variations before relaxing again.  The third movement is one of Mozart’s many clear and pleasant Minuets.  The mono-thematic last movement closes with the same happily energetic and fun, yet passionate and glorious spirit that pervades the whole symphony.