# Second Movement of Mozart's Symphony No. 40



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

This has got to be one of the most charming pieces of music I've ever heard! It's so light and sophisticated, I really love it. One of my favorite second movements!

:tiphat:


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## AfterHours (Mar 27, 2017)

Possibly my favorite 2nd movement of his symphonies after his 41st.

The subtle, hinting, inner voices of maintaining nobility amidst a sinking, creeping gradation of despair...

Btw, the most astonishing rendition of Mozart's 40th I've ever heard is probably:


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

AfterHours said:


> Possibly my favorite 2nd movement of his symphonies after his 41st.
> 
> The subtle, hinting, inner voices of maintaining nobility amidst a sinking, creeping gradation of despair...
> 
> Btw, the most astonishing rendition of Mozart's 40th I've ever heard is probably:


I'll check it out!


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## arnerich (Aug 19, 2016)

It's funny how much milage he gets from such simple material.


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

I was listening to it a couple hours ago, and yes, what a beautiful, yet light and distinguished! So different from the other three movements.


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

There was a youtube channel that pointed out some of the interesting orchestrational techniques Mozart used in that movement(and the others) in that symphony. 



 Slow movements were Mozart's strength and even in some of his least interesting works, the slow movements are usually of a much higher quality and worth listening to. I love all of them from symphony 36 onward, but my favorite is probably the slow movement of the 39th.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

trazom said:


> There was a youtube channel that pointed out some of the interesting orchestrational techniques Mozart used in that movement(and the others) in that symphony.
> 
> 
> 
> *Slow movements were Mozart's strength* and even in some of his least interesting works, the slow movements are usually of a much higher quality and worth listening to. I love all of them from symphony 36 onward, but my favorite is probably the slow movement of the 39th.


Can you say a little more about what you mean by that highlighted part? It seems to imply that you find Mozart's slow movements to be of higher quality than his faster movements, and I can't quite believe you meant it that way.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Animal the Drummer said:


> Can you say a little more about what you mean by that highlighted part? It seems to imply that you find Mozart's slow movements to be of higher quality than his faster movements, and I can't quite believe you meant it that way.


I can believe it. I don't know if I've ever put the slow movements in one pile and the faster movements in another and compared them, but there are quite a few works of his where I feel the highlight is the slow movement.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

I don't find that myself, but it's a matter of personal taste and that's fair enough. Trazom's post seemed to me to go beyond that, though, and to suggest that by and large the slow movements are objectively greater music. With that I would flat out disagree.


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

Animal the Drummer said:


> Can you say a little more about what you mean by that highlighted part? It seems to imply that you find Mozart's slow movements to be of higher quality than his faster movements, and I can't quite believe you meant it that way.


I mean I find his slow movements more consistent across the entire span of his works. If I'm listening to an earlier work that I find less interesting, I often still enjoy the slow movement. The concerto for three pianos k.242 is one example where I find the slow movement much more interesting and appealing than the other two.


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