Variety and unity of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
The 1st movement to Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik may seem very simple to the outside and untrained eye; However, this work is extremely complex with its use of unity and variety. The movement uses sonata-allegro form, composed of and exposition, development and finally the recapitulation (recap). The beginning unison line brings simplicity using arpeggios and a largely monophonic melody. This melody (A1, m1-5) has become the most recognizable one in the song and provides a nice lead into A2 (m5-9). The A2 theme contrasts the opening because it is mainly homophonic, and blends together nicely. A2 blends well because the cellos and bass are playing the tonic pitch over and over while the 1st violins have a light flowing melody on top. Measures 9-11 serve as an extension to the A2 theme. The variety in the 1st and 2nd violins creates tension using contrary motion, then leads into a V7 chord and finally ends on a I6 (IAC). This extension seems to want to lead into something bigger, but I believe the listener is deceived when the A3 theme enters at a "piano". This slightly imitative section (m11-18) is the first time a motive is repeated. This brings a sense of unity to the piece after a deceiving A2 ending. The use of d
The 1st section of the transition is the exact same from the A1 section, except for the key change. The 2nd section is the 1st four measures of the B2 section repeated 1 1/2 times. The 1st time it is the same and then the last 6 measures go through another key change. The last section in the development is the re-transition. It gives the same feeling as the earlier transition because it uses the rising D-major scale. However, it adds chromatisicm and begins with fragmentation in all of the voices with the scale in 2 different parts. We finally hear the complete scale and a long note (hint, hint), telling us we have reached the end of a phrase. This leads us to the recap very nicely. The exposition is followed by the development. The development is when the composer should introduce variations on the exposition melodies by rhythm, key or texture changes. Mozart's development (m56-76) uses multiple key changes with melodies from the exposition as follows: 2) B2 (m60-70) IV ii ynamics adds to the section by giving a light feeling to the 1st parallel period. The next few measures (m18-28) are the transition. Typically in sonata allegro form the transition changes in key to the dominant, this movement is no exception. One would assume that the transition would use a modulatory technique; Mozart uses direct modulation (beat 4, m21). The modulation is very abru
Some common words found in the essay are:
A3 B1, Kleine Nachtmusik, I6 IAC, key change, , movement mozart's, b1 section, a2 theme, section transition, extension a2, complex rhythms, variety themes, key dominant,
Approximate Word count = 943
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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