Symphony No. 39 (Mozart)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finished his Symphony No. 39 in E major on the 26th of June 1788. This completion date marked the start of a frantic creative period during that same summer. He wrote two other symphonies, numbers 40 and 41, within just six weeks after this one. The third symphony arrived on the 10th of August 1788. Nikolaus Harnoncourt later argued these three pieces functioned as a single unified work. He pointed to structural choices like the grand introduction in the first movement. That opening acts like an overture but lacks a traditional ending section called a coda. During this intense time, Mozart also composed piano trios and violin sonatas. His apartment on the Alsergrund served as the workspace for all these final symphonic efforts.
Historians cannot determine when Symphony No. 39 was performed for the first time. Evidence suggests it might never have been played while Mozart lived. Around the composition date, he planned a series of concerts at a new venue called the Casino. Philipp Otto owned this establishment located on Spiegelgasse. Mozart sent tickets for these events to his friend Michael von Puchberg. Records do not confirm if those concerts actually took place or were cancelled due to low interest. Other concert programs from his lifetime listed unidentified symphonies that could have included this piece. The earliest known eyewitness account comes from March 1792. A man named Iwan Anderwitsch attended a memorial concert in Hamburg dedicated entirely to Mozart's music. He described hearing the opening bars of the symphony during that event.
The score calls for flute, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings. This instrumentation creates a rich texture across four distinct movements. The first movement begins with an Adagio introduction featuring fanfares in the brass section. An Allegro follows in sonata form but includes loud outbursts after soft openings. These features connect the work to the galant school style found in his earliest symphonies. Wind instruments operate with greater independence here than before. The second theme group contains multiple themes including a walking melody. The slow second movement is marked Andante con moto and stays in A major. It expands from quiet string passages to fill the entire orchestra. The third movement presents a Menuetto followed by a trio section. That trio uses an Austrian folk dance called a Ländler with a clarinet solo. The final movement returns to sonata form with a main theme resembling a scale ascending and descending. No coda concludes this finale, though both exposition and development sections repeat.
Mozart biographer Alfred Einstein proposed a specific model for this composition. He suggested Mozart used Michael Haydn's Symphony No. 26 as a creative template. Both works share the key of E flat major. Einstein noted that Mozart likely encountered Haydn's piece while staying in Salzburg on the 14th of August 1783. This earlier symphony provided the stimulus for the first Allegro section of Mozart's work. The opening four bars of music appear similar in piano reduction between the two composers. Einstein also drew parallels between the Adagio affettuoso of Haydn and the Andante of Mozart. These connections suggest a direct lineage rather than mere coincidence. The influence appears most clearly in structural choices and thematic material. Mozart adapted elements from his predecessor to create something new yet familiar.
The autograph score of Symphony No. 39 changed hands during an auction at Sotheby's in London. This sale occurred in 1987 when a private buyer purchased the manuscript. An unknown collector acquired the document at that time. The transaction set a record price for such items during that year. The physical score represents one of the few surviving original manuscripts by Mozart. Its provenance traces back through various owners before reaching the auction house. The high value reflects both historical significance and rarity. Collectors prize these documents as tangible links to the composer's creative process. The sale highlighted the enduring market interest in primary source materials from the classical era.
Common questions
When did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finish Symphony No. 39?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finished his Symphony No. 39 in E major on the 26th of June 1788.
Where was Symphony No. 39 first performed during Mozart's lifetime?
Historians cannot determine when Symphony No. 39 was performed for the first time and evidence suggests it might never have been played while Mozart lived.
What instruments are required to play Symphony No. 39 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
The score calls for flute, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings.
Which symphony influenced the composition of Symphony No. 39 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
Mozart biographer Alfred Einstein proposed that Mozart used Michael Haydn's Symphony No. 26 as a creative template for this work.
Who purchased the autograph score of Symphony No. 39 at Sotheby's auction in 1987?
An unknown collector acquired the document at that time after a private buyer purchased the manuscript during an auction at Sotheby's in London.