Mozart Concerto No. 20 in D Minor Analysis

Mozart Concerto No. 20 in D Minor starts out soft. It has a sweet melody throughout the entire piece. It had me picturing in a sunny day at the park, lying in the grass and soaking up the sun with friends and family around. As I listened to it more I started to hear it slightly repeat itself, then jump into something new. As it goes on, I started to imagine that the wind was picking up and blowing all around.

Aspect of Interest

What interests me about this piece of music was how soft it came across for most of the piece.

It felt like it would be played during the spring or summer time at a park somewhere. It never got too loud or aggressive as it played. While it did sometimes loud, it’s was never uncomfortable loud or sharp. This is a very calm and relaxing piece of music.

Historical Context

Mozart’s Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K.

466-”Romanze”(Second Movement) was created during the Neoclassical Period. The Neoclassical period began in the late seventeenth century and lasted until the end of the eighteenth century. This period saw a shift in rational thought and advancements in science, philosophy, society and politics. The English civil war happened between 1642-1651. The United States declared independence during this time period. The French Encyclopédie was created, which held many enlightenment goals. (MindEdge, 2017).

Insights into the Work

Mozart Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466-”Romanze”(Second Movement) was created in 1785.

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This is the only one of two pieces written in minor key. The concerto has a solo piano, flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings. It has three movements: Allegro in D minor, Romanze in B major, and Rondo, Allegro assai in D minor. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, January 27, 1756. His father was a professional musician. He had one younger sister growing up named Marianne. Mozart was amazing at learn the harpsichord and the violin. He could play a composition after only hearing it once. His father took him around Europe to show off his musical talent. On August 4, 1782 Mozart married Constance Weber. For most of his career, Mozart was penniless and had taken many loans from friends. When he died he was buried in a paupers graves, his last work being the Requiem. (Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1966).

Exploration of a Particular Theme

Balance is a theme for Mozart’s Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466-”Romanze”(Second Movement). Throughout the entire piece it was very balanced. It never had a sudden sharp burst of loud instruments playing or a sudden change in pace. This was a soft, clear sounding piece of music from Mozart.

Relevance of the Work

Mozart Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K 466-”Romanze”(Second Movement) is still relevant in today’s society by being an example of music that can be used as a calming effect on people and a way for people to relax. Mozart’s work can also be used for studying in college or high school as it has a calming effect on students. This is a wonderful piece of music to just listen to and silence the mind.

Effect of Analysis on Perception

After listening to this music piece many times and then reading up on Mozart’s history, I have a better appreciation for this work. With the research I did, I still have the same reaction about the music that I had in the beginning. This piece was very enjoyable to listen to and I loved hearing a new piece of music from Mozart that I haven’t heard before.

References

1. MindEdge, (2017). Introduction to Humanities. Retrieved from https://wgu.mindedgeonline.com/content.php?cid=42523
2. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. (1966). Great Composers, 1300-1900. https://doi-org.wgu.idm.oclc.org/Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (Hutchinson Encyclopedia of Biography, 2000); Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (Chambers Biographical Dictionary (Bio Ref Bank), 1997); Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (Composers of Yesterday, 1937)