Philip Hale inFamous Composers and Their Works; the chapter
on Mozart inBeethoven and His Forerunnersby D.G. Mason;
and, as throwing light on aspects of his personality which are
little known, “Mozart Revealed in his Own Words” by Kerst-
Krehbiel (see especially the chapter on Mozart’s religious nature,
p. 142 and passim); the fascinatingReminiscences of Michael
Kelly, a personal friend of the composer; and, above all, the
monumental life of Mozart, unhappily as yet incomplete, by
Wyzewa and St. Foix. The third chapter of Vol. II ofThe Art
of Musicis also well worth reading; and inMozart’s Operas, a
Critical Studyby E.J. Dent are found valuable comments on his
dramatic style, so prominent a feature in many of his instru-
mental works.]
As illustrations[124] for comment we select theF major Sonata
for Pianoforte, theG minor Symphony, theMagic Flute Over-
ture for Orchestraand the little known but most characteristic
Adagio in B minor for Pianoforte. Here again, as in the case
of Haydn, we must regret that it is impracticable to give exam-
ples from the chamber music: the String Quartets, the Quintet
in G minor or from the entrancing Clarinet Quintet. Any fa-
miliarity with Mozart’s genius is very incomplete which does
not comprise the C major Quartet, especially its heavenly An-
dante Cantabile; likewise the E-flat major Quartet in the slow
movement of which are the following poignant dissonances—a
striking anticipation ofTristan and Isolde.
[Music]
[Footnote 124: The first three compositions are not given in the
Supplement, because readily available in several standard edi-
tions. The same recommendations, as given in connection with
Haydn, apply to the performance of theG minor Symphony.]
The F major Sonata is selected to illustrate Mozart’s pianoforte
style because it bubbles over with typical Mozartian melody and
because the Sonata-form is the basis of all three movements; in
the first and last strictly employed and in the slow movement
somewhat modified. The structure, while just as clear and easy
to follow as that of Haydn, represents an advance in the sus-
tained interest of the transitional passages and in the organic
treatment of the Development—this being particularly true of
the Finale—the middle portion of the first movement being not
so significant. The Sonata, without prelude, begins with a soar-