Symphony No. 40 in G minor — 1st movement

W. A. MozartK. 550

Key

Gm

Time

C|

Tempo

♩=108

AO focus

AO3

Form

Molto allegro — sonata form. Opens with the most-recognised three-note 'sigh' motif in Mozart, on solo violins over agitated viola accompaniment. The motif saturates the movement.

Teaching points

• Three-note sigh motif (E♭–D, with the upper neighbour) — track how Mozart sequences and inverts it
• Viola accompaniment — quiet, restless quaver pulse from bar 1; the violins enter on top of it (not the other way round, which is unusual for Classical sonata openings)
• AO3: minor-key symphonies are rare in Mozart's output — only two (Nos. 25 and 40, both G minor). Why does this key have weight?