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Second movements have changed a lot from the start of the Western Classical
period through to the end. The second movement of a symphony is usually
considered to be the slowest movement with the first being a big statement, the
third being a dance and the fourth being fast and loud.
In Stamitz Op.3 No.2, the second movement is in the sub-dominant key of D. The
second movement is in G and the movement is in Rounded Binary with a texture
made up of Melody Dominated Homophony. Rounded Binary was not particularly
common of second movements as seen in Mozart 41 where his second movement is
in Sonata Form. This second movement is also in the Sub-Dominant key of C which is
F. Mozart 41 is however a mature classical piece in comparison to Stamitz Op.3 No.2
which is very much Galant. Mozart uses more lyrical melodies and adds more
complex embellishments to this movement in comparison to Stamitz where his
harmonies are relatively simple. Further along the Western Classical timeline we see
Hadyn in Symphony 94 using once again the Sub- Dominant Key for his second
movement which he later takes into the Sub-Dominant minor. Haydn has his second
movement as a set of variations whereby he plays with his initial melody and creates
humor to himself by trying to make the audience jump at the end with a loud chord.
This was really the start of composers having a bit more fun with second
movements.