Like almost everyone in the world, I am a big fan of music. In my opinion, there is nothing more relaxing than listening to a good song. Sometimes though, I need something even more refreshing, and that’s when I listen to a good orchestra. The mixture of instruments leading the melody along is beautiful. When I am in an orchestra mood, there’s nothing I enjoy listening to more than the popular Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Born on the 25th of January, 1776, in Salzburg, he began composing for the public at the young age of six, and would go on to create many great orchestras. In this article, I will be ranking five of my favorite pieces of Mozart’s work.
#5 – Clarinet Concerto
Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto was written in October 1791. It was composed for the clarinetist Anton Stadler to perform. Originally, Mozart planned for the piece to be written for a basset horn, since Stadler was also a very good player of the basset horn, but he eventually changed it to be for a clarinet because he believed it would be more effective. The piece is split into three movements, Allegro (a brisk tempo), Adagio (a slow tempo), and Rondo Allegro (a music form with a leading theme and a brisk tempo). Although this piece is last of my favorites, it is not a bad song. When listening to Clarinet Concerto, I feel like I’m enjoying a brisk run through a lovely meadow in the spring.
#4 – Symphony 41
Symphony 41, also known as Jupiter Symphony, was composed by Mozart in 1778. It was the last and longest symphony composed by Mozart and is recognized as one of the greatest symphonies in classical music. It is usually around thirty minutes long and is split into four movements, Allegro Vivace (a very fast and exciting tempo), Andante Cantabile (a slow tempo with a smooth, singing style), Menuetto Allegretto (a graceful and fairly brisk tempo), and Molto Allegro (a quick and lively tempo). The nickname is very fitting: The melody makes you feel as if you are going on a journey through space, and each movement is a new encounter in the final frontier.
#3 – The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute, premiering in 1791, is a great adventure composed by Mozart. It’s in the form of a Singspiel, which is a German term for a genre of opera that includes dialogue between parts. Unlike the next compositions I will be looking at, The Magic Flute is separated into acts since it’s for an opera. Act one has five different scenes, while act two has seven. Mozart wrote a piece for each scene to make you truly feel like you are part of the adventure. This piece is around two hours long and is set in ancient Egypt. Act one depicts the journey of a prince named Tamino who is trying to save the daughter of the Queen of the Night. Tamino is told that the princess has been kidnapped by Sarastro, the high priest of Isis and Osiris. With his friend, the eccentric Papageno, he goes to encounter the high priest who he discovers is not like what the Queen had described. In act two, Tamino discovers that Sarastro is a kind and wise man, who insists that Tamino must complete a series of challenges to prove his worth to the princess. It is explained that Sarastro kidnapped the princess from her evil mother, and Tamino and her were meant to be together. With the help of a magical flute, Tamino defeats both the challenges and the Queen of the Night, and the story ends with everyone happily watching the sunrise together. The work features a large amount of instruments: it uses oboes, clarinets, horns, trumpets, trombones, strings, bassoons, and of course, flutes. I find the dialogue portion a bit annoying since it interrupts the music, but if you’re interested in the story rather than the music, it’s a fun intermission.
#2 – Requiem
One of Mozart’s orchestras that really stands out is his piece called Requiem. This may be because it wasn’t completed by Mozart due to his death on December 5, 1791. The composition was completed by Franz Xaver Süssmayr, who was commissioned to create a piece for the death of Count Franz von Walsegg wife. The finished piece is divided into fourteen sections, but the most exciting parts in my opinion are the first three. These parts are called Aeternam, Kyrie, and Sequentia (specifically the Dies Irae portion). Requiem was meant to be used for religious purposes, and the rhythm definitely shows it. It begins with a calm, yet foreshadowing melody, which makes up the Aeternam and Kyrie part. Then immediately after, there is a small silence followed by the beginning of Sequentia and the real beauty of Requiem. It’s as if the music itself is signaling the end of the world; the instruments are clashing together as they call upon the forces of the apocalypse. Requiem is very fitting to be Mozart’s last composition as it can be seen as the end of his world.
#1 – Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is probably my all time favorite composition by Mozart. He is able to masterfully manipulate the instruments in a way that relaxes my soul. It was composed in 1787, and its German title means “a little serenade.” It is usually performed with a string orchestra, but it was written to be composed with many other instruments as well. Like the Jupiter Symphony, it is split into four movements, Allegro, Romanze: Andante, Menuetto: Allegretto, and Rondo: Allegro. Mozart originally had meant for the piece to have five movements, but it is unknown if Mozart or someone else removed it. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is a very motivational song. Its cheery melody can make any dull day feel like a bright, sunny morning, and Mozart commands his instruments with such professionalism and creativity that it’s impossible to not be entranced by the song’s luscious rhythm.
I’ve been listening to Mozart since I was a child, and his music has always helped my through difficult challenges in my life. Classical music isn’t for everyone, but if you are looking for a soothing song and something new, I highly recommend giving it a try. While Mozart is my personal favorite composer, he is not the only one I recommend. There’s Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner and many more great composers with worlds of music to explore.