Mozart: Symphony No. 41 Jupiter | Nikolaus Harnoncourt & Concentus Musicus

Is this the greatest symphony in classical music? Some people think so. Mozart's Symphony No. 41 (K. 551) was given the nickname “Jupiter,” which clearly intimates its divine nature. In this 2014 performance at the Stefaniensaal in Graz, Concentus Musicus perform the Mozart classic partly on period instruments. The ensemble is under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

(00:00) I. Allegro vivace
(13:46) II. Andante Cantabile
(24:10) III. Menuetto. Allegretto – Trio
(29:57) IV. Molto Allegro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) composed this symphony in C major in 1788. It is his longest and final symphony. Mozart's symphonic masterpiece was only posthumously given the emblematic nickname “Jupiter.” It first appeared in concert programs in England more than 30 years after its composition and seemed so apt that soon people referred to it only as Mozart's Jupiter Symphony. This connection of the supreme Roman god Jupiter with Mozart's radiant and clear musical language is still considered extraordinarily fitting today.

The genesis of the popular symphony in C major is linked to two other symphonies. Mozart composed all three in just six weeks in the summer of 1788, and each one is a very individual work. Mozart primarily saw himself as an opera composer, and it is very likely that he composed these three symphonies because he once again needed money to fund his rather profligate lifestyle. This makes it even more astonishing that these last three symphonies are still among the highlights of classical music today. The Jupiter Symphony in particular is regarded as the pinnacle of Mozart's instrumental music. His perfect yet playful handling of the themes is universally admired, and the clarity of the structure is regarded as the epitome of musical beauty.

The last movement of the Symphony No. 41 is unusual. In terms of external form, it has a sonata structure with exposition, development, recapitulation and coda, which can be considered typical of the music of the classical period. At the same time, the final movement has a kind of inner structure reminiscent of Baroque music: a fugue with five themes. The themes are each of a different character, so that their interplay has the effect of a comedic performance. Because of the dense counterpoint of the fourth movement, Mozart's Symphony No. 41 has even been described as a “symphony with a final fugue.”

In this concert, Mozart's Jupiter Symphony is played very slowly. The performance lasts almost 42 minutes. A comparison with the version played by the Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Hartmut Haenchen is intriguing, as they perform the same symphony in less than 29 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vfU4cmdx-s&t=836s

The Austrian Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1929–2016) was one of the most influential conductors of the 20th and early 21st centuries. For over 60 years, he had a formative influence on the world of classical music. In 1953, he and his wife, the violinist Alice Hoffelner, founded the Concentus Musicus Wien, a groundbreaking historical music ensemble specializing in the performance of early music. Its influence spanned the globe and many historical music ensembles were formed following its example.

© 2014 Unitel

Thumbnail: © Werner Kmetitsch

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