Eine kleine Nachtmusik, First Movement

Mozart

The piece begins with two introductory statements of a motive. The first starts on sol, and the second on fa. The tempo helps to immediately establish an energetic feel to the piece, very lite and brisk, combined with a rhythm of quarter eighth rest eighth and quarter on one, giving it a simple duple time signature. The intervals also give it a sporadic feel, immediately demading the attention of the listener. The held sol at the end of the second phrase is a cue that the core of the piece will begin the the next phrase, which is a relief from the intense begining few measures. The first period of the A section is made up of two four measure phrases, which is repeated and ends on a half cadence. After the HC, an ascending line begins that starts a new phrase, and also ends in a HC. The A section also has a consistant stream of eighths to maintain a tempo, which contributes to the energy. The next phrase begins a two phrase parallel period, the structure becoming more stable to hint that a B section, and key change, is on its way. The period ends with a PAC, on la-ti-do, do acting as an elision into a terminative function. The new B section has a more melodic motive, more flexible. The first phrase has ant/con subphrases, and is restated in the next phrase in a new voice, accompanied by a stream of eighths. The next phrase introduces a new motive that is less squared, without an ant./con. relationship. This phrase is repeated, and a new, higher density, contrasting symetric period begins. The more dense it gets the closer to a terminative function it gets, in this case leading back to the introductory measures. The contrasting symetric period is repeated, and transistional function returns to the introductory theme. From this theme, A is restated, then B, and then the introductory theme again. By now, this theme has become the constant of the piece, surrounded by several different variations. B is restated in a different key, then there is a transistional function back to the constant, A and a terminative function, this time very long and more aggressive that ends the piece in an IAC. Each time the constant theme was stated, it was in the same key. I enjoyed this piece very much. Overall, it was very happy. The keys were all major, and in a very stable register. The tempo also added to the energetic feel, even in the more melodic B section. Overall, I look at this piece in three different parts, the A section, the B section, and the constant.