Describe how Mozart uses Sonata form in this

movement.
Symphony No. 41, later-named The Jupiter Symphony, the last
symphony Mozart wrote, signified the climax of classical symphonic
writing before Beethoven. Therefore the symphony shows a
culmination of Mozart’s symphonic techniques; both the rules he
conformed to, representing the structure and principles of the
classical symphony, and the conventions he altered and changed.

Sonata form became popular in the late Baroque period, after

Bach’s extensive exploration and development, which would then
influence Haydn, and Mozart. The popularity of sonata form
stemmed from its ability to enable composers to explore key and
tonality; this was now more possible during the Classical period due
to the development of instruments, allowing performers to play in a
wider range of keys. Sonata form mainly explores the relationship
between tonic and dominant, and then in the development any key
can be used.

Sonata form:

As illustrated by the diagram above, the first subject is in the

tonic (C major in the Jupiter Symphony) and the second subject is in
the dominant. To allow the composer to modulate to the dominant,
there is a transition passage which moves the music away from the
tonic. Mozart has used sonata form here in the expected way: the
first subject (bars 1-80) is in C Major (tonic) and the second subject
(bars 81-100) is in G major (dominant). Mozart omits the common
introductory section of the exposition, which is used to establish the
tonic. This could be due to the firm opening bars of the exposition:
in bar 1, in all parts, there are forte crochets on C, on beats 1 and 3,
and then beat 1 of the following bar. By placing the tonic crochets
on the strongest beats of the bar Mozart establishes the key, and
the forte dynamic markings emphasise this further. The texture is
tutti which makes this opening even more bold and prominent,
therefore eliminating the need for a slow introductory passage to
introduce the key.
The tonic-dominant layout of the exposition is mirrored in
Mozart’s opening bars of the first subject – this subtly reinforces the
sonata structure. Bars 1-4 introduce the first antecedent and
consequent themes in C, which are then repeated in G Major
(dominant) in bars 5-8, (signified by the F♯ in the woodwinds and the
strings in bar 5), reflecting the overall T-D tonality structure of the
sonata form. The subsequent bars return to C major, due to the first
violin playing F natural at the end of bar 7. Bars 9-14 show a
repeated cadential figure of I-IV-V, I-IV-V. The strong perfect
cadence (bars 11-12 and 14-15) reinforces the tonic key of C Major.
The music then alternates between tonic and dominant, which is
strengthened by the timpani on the strongest beats of the bar,
almost creating a sequence of perfect cadences, to emphasize the
key of C. This is therefore fulfilling the purpose of the exposition, to
introduce themes and establish the ‘home’ key, before moving away
from it and exploring new keys.
Although the first subject contains dominant and sub-
dominant chords, the tonic key tone is maintained throughout the
first subject through use of a tonic pedal and perfect cadences (ie.
bars 8-9, 11-12 etc.). In the Classical period, the timpani were
limited to only two notes; as a result they were tuned to the most
commonly required degrees of the scale at the time, which were the
tonic and the dominant. Therefore throughout the first subject, the
timpani play between C and G, (but more prominently bars 9-14
with just the repetition of a C pedal on a bold, dotted fanfare
rhythm), strengthening the tonic-dominant exploration in the
exposition.
The next prominent use of the sonata form is exhibited in the
contrast between the first and second subject. The first subject is
mainly loud, shown by the forte markings in bars 1, 5 and 9. The
texture is mostly tutti, apart from the strings-only consequent
phrases of bars 3-4 and 7-8. This loud and proud first subject
enables Mozart to then be able to make a stark contrast in the
second subject, in dynamics, key and texture. Though to get to the
second subject, Mozart needs a transition section to change the
main thematic material and the key.
The bridge passage (or transition) spans from bar 24 to bar
55, which is slightly longer than the first subject itself. Mozart keeps
the transition in keeping with the first subject by repeating some of
its thematic material. In bar 24, in only the first and second violins
(as opposed to the all the strings and the woodwind parts), the
opening bars of the exposition are repeated, which subtly reinforces
the ideas from the first subject. To begin the transition through
various keys to get to G, Mozart uses a circle of fifths in bars 31-34,
using a 2 bar sequence which is a fragmentation of the idea from
bar 4. He disguises the ‘tell-tale’ bass line of a circle of fifths by
having a descending chromatic bass line in the bassoon part. The
appoggiaturas also disguise the circle of fifths by not announcing
the root of the chord or accenting it – this enables Mozart to make a
smoother transition between the first and second subjects; it is
almost as if there is no key change at all. Despite the previous
subtlety of the change, the complete modulation to G is announced
with a forte, tutti G major chord in bar 37. In the previous bar the
double bass or cello signifies this change with an upward moving
accidental of F♯, which successfully announces the modulation as it
is the leading note of the key of G.
G is then confirmed in bar 39 through an inverted tonic pedal
in the flute and oboe parts, and on a dotted rhythm in the horns and
trumpets, which all hold for almost 8 bars. A tonic pedal is also
played on a quaver rhythm in the bass and viola parts. This overall
‘G sound’ strengthens the new key before the second subject has
even begun. Then in bars 49-55, the woodwind and brass play the
dotted rhythm from bar 9 on a chord of D and the timpani plays a
repetitive rhythm, also on D. This forms a dominant pedal, which
forms an extended dominant preparation leading to the second
subject, creating suspense and tension. The second subject is finally
declared with an imperfect cadence and then a dramatic pause of 3
crochet beats of silence in bar 55. Mozart has done this to announce
the second subject, and the strong chord of D major expertly lends
the music to then start on G major, the desired key for the second
subject.
In sonata form sections A and B are designed to contrast;
most obviously they do so in tonality, and in other obvious ways
such as texture, in thematic material and dynamics. Slightly pushing
the boundaries of the typical sonata form, Mozart splits his second
subject into three sections, which was uncommon for the first
movement of a symphony. The three sections are from bars 56-80,
81-100, and 101-111. There is also reduced orchestration in this
subject, contrasting with the previous tutti texture of the first
subject. For bars 56-61, only the strings play, with the first violin
introducing a new idea for the first section. Mozart breaks
convention again in bar 62, with use of the bassoon as a melodic
instrument; although the bassoon cannot play the trill seen in the
violin part of bar 59, because there were fewer keys at the time. The
first violin and the bassoon repeat bars 56-61 (although from the
third beat of bar 64 in the bassoon part the tune is displaced by an
octave), which gets the ‘hook’ of this melody in the head of the
listener. The dynamic markings also reflect the change in texture,
the previous marking of forte is now piano. Overall, this contrast of
the second subject between the first subject and the transition
calmly announces the second subject, for Mozart then to
dramatically introduce the next section in bar 81.
The use of sonata form draws away from the model here – the
key of C minor is brilliantly proclaimed in bar 81, with a bold forte
chord with tutti orchestration, contrasting with the previous section.
This happens after a G7 chord, and not forgetting another dramatic
pause, before introducing a section starting minor which comes as a
surprise. After striking chords which lead to bar 88, Mozart brings
the second subject back to G with a leading note of F♯ in the flute
and oboe parts. This creates a perfect cadence into bar 89, where
the key of G is then strengthened by a sustained pedal on G. The
third section is subsequently introduced in bar 99 with a descending
arpeggiated chord of D7 before a dramatic general pause of 3
crochet beats. This then leads nicely into the third and final section
of the second subject, due to the perfect cadence of D7 to G.
In bar 101, Mozart uses an Alberti bass to accompany the
strings-only new 4-bar phrase, before most of the orchestra is
introduced a few bars later, bar the timpani. As mentioned
previously, the timpani were limited in the notes they could play,
therefore they do not play in the second subject or the
development, apart from where C or G is seldom appropriate. A
series of tonic-dominant chords, or perfect cadences, strengthen the
key of G before the codetta, of bars 111-120. The codetta’s function
is to prepare the audience both for a repeat of the exposition, then
to lead into the development. Mozart emphasises the dominant key
(G) with a series of cadences and cadential figures, such as the
greatly-used IIb-V-I in bar 116, exhibited in the bass and viola parts
(or IV-IIb-V-I). The idea from bar 9 is then repeated in bar 117 in the
first violin, reinforcing ideas heard right at the beginning of the
piece. The exposition finishes with three firm G major chords with
tutti orchestration.
Despite exploring various keys in the development, especially
E♭major, Mozart needs to bring the key back to C, for the
recapitulation in the tonic key. He begins a circle of fifths in bar 139,
but on the third beat of bar 143 and the first beat of bar 144, the
interval is not a fifth, between A♭major and D minor. This
interruption in the cycle of fifths is to allow Mozart to reach D, the
enhanced dominant of his desired key, C, much quicker. The
enhanced dominant, the ‘dominant of the dominant’, would mean
that by a series of two perfect cadences, Mozart could get to his
original key of C major, albeit minor in this case.
To fully return to the key of C major for the recapitulation,
Mozart uses descending scalic figures (in C) in the woodwind and
strings parts. The horns hold a dominant pedal from bar 183-188
which represents dominant preparation and an extended cadence.
The trumpets and timpani play crochets on G which signify the
perfect cadence of bars 188-189, whilst the other orchestral parts
are moving on quaver rhythms. Also, the leading note of B (the last
quaver beat of bar 188), made prominent by the flute, oboe and
violin parts, strengthens the perfect cadence which successfully
brings the key back to C major. Additionally, the contrast in
dynamics, from piano in bar 187 to forte in bar 189, reflects the
change in texture and shocks the audience with a dramatic
announcement of the recapitulation, making the sonata form even
more obvious to listeners that it was already. This tutti texture after
a previously thinner sound boldly brings the timbre and texture back
to that of the loud and tutti exposition.
Even though the recapitulation is essentially the return of the
exposition, there is one explicit difference: both subjects are in the
tonic, as opposed to tonic and dominant. Therefore the transition
section almost becomes nullified; its sole purpose now is to remain
in and around the key of C, for the second subject’s entrance.
Consequently the first subject is the same up to the transition, bar
212. The main difference, from the same place in bar 28, is the
added accidental of E♭, making the key C minor. This occurs in the
bassoon part, as opposed to the oboe, and therefore the following
descending scale in bar 213 is C melodic minor. To move around the
key of C minor, Mozart uses two three-bar descending cycles of
fifths from bar 219-223. The following bars from 225-234 are the
same as in the exposition, and from bars 235-243 Mozart uses a
dominant pedal in the double bass and cello part to prepare for the
imperfect cadence of bars 242 and 243, which marks the end of the
transition.
The last forte bars of the piece represent the coda, different
from the codetta, but serving a similar purpose, to finish the piece
and reinforce the final key. This is achieved through tonic-dominant
emphasis in bars 306-313 (the end) –the violin semi-quaver figures,
reminiscent of bar 9-11, are strengthened by the rest of the
orchestration who alternate between the tonic and dominant, C and
G. The last five bars form an extended cadence and the three final,
dramatic tonic chords, interspersed with crochet rests, confirm the
tonic key and boldly end the first movement of this symphony.