Symphony No. 23 (Mozart)

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Symphony No. 23 in D major
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart by Martin Knoller 1773.jpg
1773 miniature of Mozart
Key D major
Catalogue K. 181/162b
Genre Symphony
Composed19 May 1773 (1773-05-19): Salzburg
Published1848 (1848): Hamburg
PublisherAugust Cranz
Movements3
Scoring Symphony orchestra

The Symphony No. 23 in D major, K. 181/162b, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was dated as complete on May 19, 1773. It is sometimes called "Overture", even though the autograph score bears the title "Sinfonia". [1] The symphony is scored for 2 oboes, 2 horns in D, 2 trumpets in D, and strings.

Contents

Background

The genre of the symphony was key in the Classical period, becoming the most important genre of instrumental music. Multiple musical local traditions existed in Europe at the time, which Mozart absorbed during his travels through most of Western Europe. In the Mozart family grand tour from between 1763–66, Wolfgang wrote around 15 symphonies, many of which have not been preserved. More symphonies were written during Mozart's stays in Vienna (1767–68) and Italy (1769–71). [2]

Composition

The symphony was completed on 19 May 1773, [3] [4] being part of a group of four (No. 22, 24 and 26) written shortly after the return from the third travel to Italy. [5] According to Saint-Foix, these symphonies may have been commissioned by a Milanese patron. [6]

According to musicologist Neal Zaslaw, the symphony found success at the time, as sets of parts were found in the cities of Brno, Frankfurt and Regensburg. These copies also modified the scoring of the piece; viola parts were reduced to a single one and the trumpets were removed in the parts found in Brno and Frankfurt, while the Regensburg ones had the possibility of oboes being replaced by flutes. [7] The original 1773 autograph is located at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York. [2]

Instrumentation

The symphony is scored for 2 oboes, 2 horns in D, 2 trumpets in D, and strings. [4] Neal Zaslaw notes additional parts for bassoon, kettledrums and continuo (probably harpsichord). [7]

Form

The symphony follows the overall tripartite structure of the Italian overture, [8] divided in three movements that are played continuously ( attacca ) [4]

  1. Allegro spiritoso, 4
    4     in D major
  2. Andantino grazioso, 3
    8     in G major
  3. Presto assai, 2
    4     in D major

Allegro spiritoso

Symphony No. 23 (Mozart)

Andantino grazioso

Symphony No. 23 (Mozart)

Presto assai

Symphony No. 23 (Mozart)

Assessment

The first page of the Breitkopf & Hartel's edition (1880) of the symphony Mozart symphony 23.jpg
The first page of the Breitkopf & Härtel's edition (1880) of the symphony

French musicologist and Mozart scholar Georges de Saint-Foix praised the piece, making a favourable comparison against the surrounding ones in the catalogue; Symphony No. 22, K. 162 and Symphony No. 24 K. 182. [8] British musicologist Stanley Sadie also praised the symphony as "full of brilliant writing and 'effective' passages, built up into an elegantly and logically shaped edifice". [9]

Recordings

Most recordings of the symphony are as part of complete recording projects of Mozart's Symphonies.

ConductorOrchestraRecording DateFormatsLabelsCatalogue IDReferences
Otto Ackermann Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Unknown, released before 1988LP / DigitalDocuments recordsCHS-1194 [10]
Ferenc Fricsay Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin 1951, released 2018CD / DigitalDeutsche Gramophon00028947982753 [11]
Erich Leinsdorf Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 1955, released 1960, rerelease 2006LP / CD /Digital Westminster Records / Deutsche GramophonXWN 18756 / 00028947758471 [12] [13]
Günter Kehr Mainzer Kammerorchester 1966, rereleased on 1976 and 1991LP / CD / Digital Vox Records / World Record Club SVBX 5118 / R.03331-2-3 / CDX 5030 [14] [15]
Karl Böhm Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Released 1968, rereleased multiple times afterwardsLP / CD / Digital Deutsche Grammophon 643 521/35 [16]
Sir Neville Marriner Academy of St Martin in the Fields Released 1970, rereleased 1996LP / CD / DigitalPhiliphs Records / Decca RecordsZRG 653 / 00028945408521 [17] [18]
Josef Krips Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra 1973, released 1974, rereleased 1990CD / Digital Philips Records / Decca Records 426 973-2 / 00028942697324 [19]
Libor Pešek Pardubice Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra  [ cz ]1977, released 2013Digital Supraphon VT 9738-2 [20]
Christopher Hogwood The Academy of Ancient Music 1979, released same year, rereleased 1987 and 2009LP / Casette / CD / Digital L'Oiseau-Lyre / Decca RecordsLC 0171 / Decca 476 1718 [21]
James Levine Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra 1986, released 1988, rereleased in 2015CD / DigitalDeutsche Grammophon423 365-2 / 00289 479 4195 [22]
Hans Graf Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg 1989, released 1990CD / Digital Capriccio Records C10314 [23]
Sir Charles Mackerras Prague Chamber Orchestra  [ cz ]1989, released 1990CD / Digital Telarc Digital CD-80217 [24]
Nicholas Ward Northern Chamber Orchestra 1993, released 1995 and rereleased 2013CD / Digital Naxos records 8.550876 / 8.501109 [25] [26]
Claudio Abbado Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra1994, released 1996, rereleased 2018CD / Digital Sony Classical Records G010001222975B / 19075816312 [27] [28]
Trevor Pinnock The English Concert 1992-5, released 2002CD / DigitalDeutsche Gramophon471 666-2 [29]
Jaap ter Linden Mozart Akademie Amsterdam2001-02, released 2006 and rereleased on 2011 and 2014CD / Digital Brilliant Classics 92110 / 94295 / 95010 [30] [31] [32]
Ádám Fischer Danish National Chamber Orchestra 2008-09, released 2009, rereleased 2013CD / Digital Dacapo Records 6.220542 / 8.201201 [33] [34]
David Greilsammer Orchestre de chambre de Genève Released 2012CD / DigitalSonny Classical Records88725430252 [35]

References

  1. ↑ Mozart 2005, p. XI.
  2. 1 2 "KV 181: Symphony in D". kv.mozarteum.at. Mozarteum. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  3. ↑ Mozart 2005, p. XIII.
  4. 1 2 3 Saint-Foix 1968, p. 216.
  5. ↑ Saint-Foix 1968, p. 39-40.
  6. ↑ Saint-Foix 1968, p. 40.
  7. 1 2 Zaslaw 1991, p. 255.
  8. 1 2 Saint-Foix 1968, p. 43.
  9. ↑ Sadie 1986, p. 42.
  10. ↑ "Die symphonien von wolfgang amadeus mozart". www.muziekweb.nl. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "THE MOZART RADIO BROADCASTS". www.deutschegrammophon.com. Deutsche Gramophon. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "Westminster; Early catalogue and jackets - WST serial 14151~ and 'Artificial stereo' issues". trmsolutions.co.kr. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "W. A. MOZART: The Symphonies". www.deutschegrammophon.com. Deutsche Gramophon. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  14. ↑ Strongin, Theodore (3 April 1966). "Mozart And 'Big Sound'". The New York Times. A. G. Sulzberger. p. 18. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  15. ↑ "MOZART, W.A.: Symphonies, Vol. 1 - Nos. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 50 (Mainz Chamber Orchestra, Kehr)". www.naxos.com. Naxos Records. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  16. ↑ "Mozart Complete Symphonies - Gramophone". www.gramophone.co.uk. Deutsche Gramophon. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  17. ↑ "Symphonies 23 & 24, 26 & 27". archive.org. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  18. ↑ "WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: Complete Symphonies". www.deccaclassics.com. Decca Records. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  19. ↑ "WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: Symphonies 21 – 25". www.deccaclassics.com. Decca Records. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  20. ↑ "Classical Anniversary Libor Pešek 1. / W.A.Mozart: Symfonie". www.supraphonline.cz. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  21. ↑ Trotta, Heinrich von. "The Symphonies - Vol. 3 - Salzburg 1772-1773". www.heinrichvontrotta.eu (in Italian). Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  22. ↑ "MOZART: The Symphonies". www.deutschegrammophon.com. Deutsche Grammophon. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  23. ↑ "MOZART, W.A.: Symphonies, Vol. 5 (Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, Graf) - Nos. 23, 24, 25, 26 and 50". www.naxos.com. Naxos Records. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  24. ↑ "Mozart in Prague". reader.exacteditions.com. October 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  25. ↑ "MOZART: Symphonies Nos. 21 - 24 and 26". www.naxos.com. Naxos records.
  26. ↑ "MOZART, W.A.: Symphonies (Complete) (11-CD Box-Set)". www.naxos.com. Naxos records.
  27. ↑ Hodgson, Antony. "Claudio Abbado conducts Mozart – Haffner, Linz, Paris, Posthorn Serenade, C-minor Mass [Berliner Philharmoniker; Sony Classical]". www.classicalsource.com. ClassicalSource. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  28. ↑ "Claudio Abbado Conducts Mozart". www.sonyclassical.com. Sony Classical Records. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  29. ↑ Phillips, John. "Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphonies - complete". www.musicweb-international.com. MusicWeb International. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  30. ↑ "Mozart: Symphonies (Complete)". www.brilliantclassics.com. Brilliant Classics. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  31. ↑ "Mozart: Complete Symphonies". www.brilliantclassics.com. Brilliant Classics. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  32. ↑ "Mozart Complete Edition". www.brilliantclassics.com. Brilliant Classics. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  33. ↑ Johansen, Claus. "W.A. Mozart: Symphonies Vol. 7". www.dacapo-records.dk. Dacapo Records. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  34. ↑ "W.A. Mozart: 45 Symphonies". www.dacapo-records.dk. Dacapo Records. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  35. ↑ Manheim, James. "Release: Mozart In-Between". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 October 2025.

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