Mozart Symphony No.

40 in G Minor 1st
Movement
An Analysis
Overview:
Written in 1788
Instrumentation:
1 Flute
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets in Bb
2 Bassoons
2 French Horn (in Bb and G)
Strings
Form:
Exposition: Bar 1-100
- 1st Subject: G minor (Bar 1 -27)
- Transition: Bb Major F minor (Bar 28-43)
- 2nd Subject: Bb Major (Bar 44-65)
- Codetta: Bb Major (Bar 66-100)
Development: Bar 101-163
Recapitulation: Bar 164 299
- 1st Subject: G minor (164-183)
- Transition: Eb Major G minor (184-226)
- 2nd Subject: G minor Eb Major- G minor (227- 259)
- Coda: G minor (260-299)
Instrumentation:
1. Flute:
Range: from g1-g3
Function:
Very seldom appear alone to play Melody. Always doubled with
other instruments, or in tutti with other instruments.
In bar 52-55, the flute takes the melody of the 2 nd subject previously
heard from the strings, doubled by oboe and clarinets, where
previously in bar 45, only oboe and clarinets, maybe because in bar
45 it was only a counter melody
Bar 58-61, the music and texture is moderate, therefore the flute
plays at it medium range (g2-ab2)
Almost always joins in the scalar running notes
Bar 113-138, play at high register, thus, amidst the very active and
dense texture, still can be heard.
It has asolo moment during bar 160-166 where the flute plays the
melody with woodwinds only, serving as a transitional bars, leading
back to the recapitulation
It hits the lower g1, only in the scalar runs, and the texture is very
thin.

Has very little real melodic material. Mostly as the top of a harmonic
structure, or doubling in scalar runs.
Doubling:
Mostly with oboe/clarinet one octave lower and bassoon, 2 octave
lower.
Very seldom double the string except in scalar runs.
2. Oboe
Range: c1-d3
Function:
Very much like flute, only it is one layer below the flute.
Many time is found to strengthen the harmonic structure.
When in scalar runs, mostly likely to be one ocatave below the flute.
Sometimes, it also doubles the flute at unison, e.g. at bar 126-132,
especially when the texture is thick.
Oboe 1 and 2 almost always come out together, either at unison or
at thirds or other intervals.
Very rarely they play completely different stuff. Most likely, one
sustain, the other quite active.
they come at unison only when the texture is very thick.
When only 1 oboe play, it is usually when the dynamic is soft.
It reaches the c1 only when the dynamic is forte.
3. Clarinet
Range: B-c3 (written)
Have a similar treatment to the oboe, only it doulbes at the lower
register
4. Bassoon
Range: FF-c2
Is used melodically (treated the same with the rest of woodwind,
but in the bottom) or act as bass line (especially in tutti). Very often
double the Double bass or cello.
Woodwind Section Overview
Has a secondary role compared with strings, rarely mixed individually with
the strings, except for bassoon (double the cello and double bass) or in
tutti.
Function:
Strengthen the Harmony.
Plays short snippet of motif
Favorite structure:
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
Bassoon
All the above are overlapped or juxtaposed, mostly doubled in octaves
ranging to 3 octaves.

Have a pure woodwind sonority in right before the recapitulation (bar 160165)

French Horn
2 horns were used, in Bb and G.
only play notes in the Harmonic series, from
3-10
(3,4,5,6,8,9,10)
most common are the tonic and dominant (4,6)
Function:
Strengthen the Harmonic structure.
Doesnt have any melodic material
Enter most commonly during loud section, tutti, or to give accent.
Mostly semi breves, minim and crochet.
Strings
Dominate the entire orchestra.
Violin 1
Range: V1: g-eb3
Busiest in the whole orchestra.
Act as the top part of string harmony.
Often doubled one octave lower or at unison with violin 2.
Never play accompaniment figure.
Almost never divisi.
Double stop only in loud section
Violin 2
Range: V2: g-c3
Have a flexible part, either doubling the first violin one octave lower, or at
unison, or harmonized.
Sometimes also double the viola, playing the accompaniment part.
The accompaniment doesnt have to be with viola.
Sometime divided but seldom.
Viola
Range: c-f2
Very many divided parts.
Mostly act as accompaniment, or double the cello and double bass one
octave higher to play the bass line.
Have a little melodic and run parts at the transition
Cello and Double Bass
Range: Eb-g1
Always play the bassline, but have melodic part at the transition, along
with the viola.
Lowest part of the strings.

A little less active than the viola.