Forming Interpretive Ideas on Mozart's Serenade in C

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FORMING INTERPRETIVE IDEAS ON

MOZART’S SERENADE IN C MINOR, K.388

THROUGH THE LENS OF A

MUSICAL DETECTIVE

MELINDA M. MASON

B.M., Kennesaw State University, 2015

A thesis submitted to the

Faculty of the Graduate School of the

University of Colorado in partial fulfillment

of the requirement for the degree of

Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting

College of Music

2021

Committee Members:

Dr. Donald J. McKinney, major advisor

Dr. Matthew Dockendorf

Dr. Lisa de Alwis

DocuSign Envelope ID: C4053EBA-8214-4C73-ADF9-A4C4E8195D56

FORMING INTERPRETIVE IDEAS ON MOZART'S, K.388

Melinda______Mason

______B.M., Kennesaw State University, 2015

______

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Colorado in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of

______Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting

______2021

______FORMING INTERPRETIVE IDEAS ON MOZART'S, K.388 Thesis title

Melinda______Mason Written by

For a ______Master's Degree in ______Music

Donald______McKinney ______5/3/2021______Main Advisor Signature Date

Lisa______De Alwis ______5/4/2021______2nd Advisor Signature Date

______3rd Advisor Signature Date

The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline. FORMING INTERPRETIVE IDEAS ON

MOZART’S SERENADE IN C MINOR, K.388

THROUGH THE LENS OF A

MUSICAL DETECTIVE

ABSTRACT

For a wind conductor, the process of score study is a lengthy and sometimes daunting task, especially if the work being studied dates to the origins of the wind band. Wind band music has a reasonably small canon, compared to the orchestra or choral oeuvres, but the few works that exist from the classical era are held in high esteem. With thousands of recordings and varying interpretations of these works, it would be easy for one’s own interpretations to be influenced by others. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Serenade in C minor, K.388, is a prime example of a wind canon staple for which many conductors have formed vastly different interpretations. Each chapter represents the steps throughout this process that I have used in my score study of the Serenade in C minor and explains how I arrived at specific interpretive ideas of the music. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a process of score studying that will help conductors generate well-informed interpretations through the lens of a musical detective.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………1

II. BEING A MUSICAL DETECTIVE……………………………………………9

When was the piece written?...... 4

Why was the piece written?...... 6

In what context was the work written?...... 8

III. THE MUSIC ON THE PAGE………………………………………...……….12

IV. CONSTRUCTING THE INTERPRETATION………………………..………17

V. CONCLUSION…………………………………………………...……………21

BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………….………………………………………………………23

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURES

1. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in Eb, K.375, mm.1-6.…………………………………...……10

2. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, mm.1-8……………………………...…….12

3. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in Eb major, K.375, mm.1-6……………………………..……13

4. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, mm.1-8……………………………...…….14

5. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, mm.1-8……………………………………15

6. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, mm.1-8……………………………………15

7. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, mm.1-8……………………………………19

8. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, mm.9-15…………………………………..19

9. W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, mm.16-23…………………………………20

iii

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Serenade in C minor, K.388, is considered one of the most recognizable chamber works in the wind canon. The opening four measures of the first movement are easily distinguishable from any of his other wind works. Mozart’s wind serenades have been a staple in the wind canon for centuries, yet with the knowledge of performance practice of this time period, it is interesting to hear how varied the interpretations are from many respectable conductors. When making interpretive decisions of a piece of music, whether in the eyes of the musician or conductor, it seems that there is an infinite number of subjective choices that are being made even when the same notes, rhythms, dynamics, etc. are being presented. It will be important to compare recordings from well-respected sources such as Nikolaus

Harnoncourt and Frederick Fennell to gain insight into key differences. This will ultimately in the journey to discover exactly why these differences exist.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, the Austrian cellist and conductor, was known for his recordings of baroque and classical works performed on authentic period instruments.1 In his recording of the Serenade in C minor, we can hear the opening C minor chord with demanding and crisp fronts to the notes followed by a decay and space, and a decrescendo through the rising C minor arpeggio.2 If we compare this excerpt to Frederick Fennell’s recording, we can hear a distinct difference in interpretations. In Fennell’s recording with the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, there is a rounder sounding chord that sustains through to the succeeding chords and no sense of

1 “Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Conductor, Cello, Viol) - Short Biography.” Accessed April 3, 2021. https://www.bach- cantatas.com/Bio/Harnoncourt-Nikolaus.htm. 2 Wolfgang A. Mozart, Vienna Mozart Wind Players, Nikolaus Harnoncourt – Serenades Nos. 11 & 12 (1990, Cassette).

1 urgency of volume or time through the arpeggiated C minor triad.3 Why is it that we get two vastly different interpretations of these first four notes from two highly respectable conductors in our field? These two recordings are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the number of interpretations that exist of this simple C minor arpeggio that Mozart composed for this wind octet.

Throughout my preparation and score study of this piece, I found myself searching for the correct interpretation of the first four notes of the Serenade in C minor and through this process, developed a method for making informed decisions based on performance practice, historical contexts, and my personal experiences and musical ideas. Harnoncourt and Fennell, have made these interpretive decisions with the knowledge of performance practices during

Mozart’s time. This includes understanding period instruments and their limitations to gain a perspective on sound qualities during the Baroque and Classical era. It is equally important to consider the quality of sound that Mozart would have expected when hearing this piece of music.

To make an informed decision about interpretation, one must also have knowledge of commonly practiced styles, ornamentations, phrasings, articulations of the time period.

In essence, to make well-informed interpretive decisions, one must be a musical detective. Just like any good detective, one must always be asking questions in pursuit of the truth. In this case, the “musical” truth. There are three questions that factor into the score study process of a musical work, (1) When was the piece written? (2) Why was the piece written? (3)

In what context was the piece written? These certainly are not the only questions to consider but are meant to be a starting point when developing interpretive ideas.

3 Mozart, Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, Frederick Fennell – Serenade No. 10, Serenade No. 12 (1991, CD).

The question of “Why?” pertains to the examinations of processes that will allow us to arrive at various interpretations through informed decision making. To state the obvious, Mozart is not alive today to provide his direct insights into the work. With all the information that exists in the world, with letters, manuscripts, etc., it is our job as conductors and musical detectives to discover clues to help foster our interpretations in an informed manner. I plan to show the reader how it is that I come up with my interpretation of specific passages of this work.

CHAPTER II

BEING A MUSICAL DETECTIVE

When was the work written?

In order to understand the music of Mozart, we must look at the history before the date of the Serenade’s creation. Music that was specifically composed for wind instruments, have been around since the 16th Century, but were mostly used as antiphonal music in liturgical settings. A pivotal moment for these compositions were initiated by Louis XIV of France and his court music, eventually leading to the beginning of Mozart’s Harmoniemusik. By the mid-17th

Century, we can see an evolution of these wind-only ensembles, or Harmonie.4 In France, Louis hired composers, such as Jean-Baptiste Lully to compose music for the infantry bands whose instrumentation primarily consisted of oboes and bassoons. In other parts of Europe, composers, such as Henry Purcell and George Frederick Handel, began writing music for royal celebrations and events using only brass and percussion instruments.5 In the eighteenth century, the core of musical activity was found in Vienna, Prague, and Budapest, along with, the development of court music. Music that was specifically composed for winds became known as Harmonie, because the ensembles were comprised of wind musicians whose primary role was to provide the harmonies from within the orchestral setting. These early court ensembles usually consisted of oboes, bassoons, and English horns.6 The first known appearance of a Harmonie octet was in

1771 at the court of the Schwarzenberg family in Vienna. The relevance of Harmonie became

4 Stephen L. Rhodes. “A History of the Wind Band: Harmoniemusik and the Classical Wind Band.” Accessed April 3, 2021. https://ww2.lipscomb.edu/windbandhistory/rhodeswindband_04_classical.htm. Ch. 4. 5 Frank L. Battisti, The Winds of Change: The Evolution of the Contemporary American Wind Band/Ensemble and Its Conductor., 3 6 Ibid., 4

4 essential to courts’ everyday operations and would eventually evolve into what we now know as

Harmoniemusik.

There appears to be considerable amount of speculation about the time period in which the Serenade in C minor was written, but musicologists suggest that the octet must have been written between 1782 and 1784. The autograph manuscript is currently held at the

Staatsbibliothek Preuẞischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin, Germany, where it has been meticulously studied in order to determine its origins.7 Evidence suggests that the work was presumably written in July of 1782.8 Inscribed on the first page of the manuscript, we see in Mozart’s handwriting, “di Wolfgango Amadeo Mozartmp 1782”. In addition to this observation, Alan

Tyson, determined that the paper and watermarks of the Serenade in C minor manuscript correspond to other documents and manuscripts that were penned by Mozart in the year 1782.9

It is imperative that the question, “When was the music written?”, be asked in order to better understand the rich history of the music that is being studied. Mozart did not begin cataloguing his music until after the Serenade in C minor was written, and therefore, requires the utmost diligence in research to find golden nuggets of information that are crucial to understanding the piece.10 By asking the questions that help to gather knowledge about the historical background of the work, it is only natural that new questions arise relating to the reasons or meanings behind the composition. The next logical question, in furtherance of the score study preparation, is “Why was the work written?”.

7 W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, edited by Daniel Leeson and Neal Zaslaw (Germany: Barenreiter- Verlag, 1979), V 8 Landon, H. C. R. The Mozart Essays. Thames and Hudson, 1995. 9 W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, edited by Daniel Leeson and Neal Zaslaw (Germany: Barenreiter- Verlag, 1979), V 10 Ibid., VI

Why was the work written?

We have learned in the previous section that throughout the mid to late eighteenth century, composers began experimenting with pairs of wind instruments playing together outside of an orchestral setting, and that this was known as Harmonie. The popularity of this type of wind music influenced works from Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.11

Based on the information from the previous section, we can deduce that Mozart’s

Serenade in C minor was most likely started being composed in the year 1782. This year is especially important in the process of conceiving the “why?” behind the piece. Joseph II, also referred to as the Revolutionary Emperor, was known for his radical reforms of church music and court music during his reign in Austria.12 Due to the popularity of Harmonie ensembles,

Emperor Joseph II decided that it was necessary to create a similar ensemble by hiring the best wind musicians in Europe to perform for his court. In April of 1782, Emperor Joseph II contacted the Count Franz Xaver Orsini von Rosenberg, a diplomat and the head of the Imperial

Theaters, stating:

“Since I have now decided to take on the 8 individuals I know for my wind music as well as for the orchestra from the National Theater and to grant them 400 fl for the former and 350 for the latter annually; so I will make this known to you at the end, so that you can arrange for what is necessary in this case and may assign them this measured salary at the theatrical box office from Easter onwards.”13

The wind musicians that were hired for the Emperor’s court were, Georg Tribensee and Johan

Vent on oboe, Wenzel Kauzner and Ignaz Trobney on bassoon, Jakob Eisen and Marin Rupp on

11 W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, edited by Daniel Leeson and Neal Zaslaw (Germany: Barenreiter- Verlag, 1979), V. 12 Pauly, Reinhard G. “The Reforms of Church Music under Joseph II.” The Musical Quarterly 43, no. 3 (1957): 372. 13 W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, edited by Daniel Leeson and Neal Zaslaw (Germany: Barenreiter- Verlag, 1979), V. Text translated from German to English.

6 horn, and the most influential addition to this group, brothers Anton and Johann Stadler on clarinet.14 The combination of two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, and two horns, became the standard octet instrumentation of Harmoniemusik from the eighteenth century. The Stadler brothers were possibly the most well-known clarinetists during this time. Mozart had great admiration for the brothers and may have commissioned a couple of his lost octets with them in mind.15 Mozart’s widow, Constanze Mozart, confirmed the relationship between him and the

Stadler brothers by claiming that they “had some autograph manuscripts of Mozart's wind music.”.16

“Should you want any Harmoniemusik, the elder or younger Stadler or Wendt ... can produce some information.”17

Although the reasoning behind the creation of the piece is unknown, it is plausible that Mozart composed this piece in hoping to receive a commission from the Emperor that would further his growing career. Mozart had recently moved from Salzburg to Vienna for the advancement of his compositional career and was trying to establish himself in the city.18 Joseph’s implementations of Harmoniemusik inspired other nobles to follow suit. Prince Aloys I of Liechtenstein, who also became somewhat of a music connoisseur, hired a full-time musical group and theater where they implemented these Viennese traditions.19

14 Ibid. 15 Leeson, Daniel N., and David Whitwell. “Mozart’s ‘Spurious’ Wind Octets.” Music & Letters 53, no. 4 (1972): 378.

16 Ibid., 379. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. 19 Stephen L. Rhodes. “A History of the Wind Band: Harmoniemusik and the Classical Wind Band.” Accessed April 3, 2021. https://ww2.lipscomb.edu/windbandhistory/rhodeswindband_04_classical.htm. Ch. 4.

An outpouring of Harmoniemusik and wind band music continues throughout the classical and romantic eras. Later composers, such as Beethoven, began composing in a similar style and they eventually transcribed string works to fit a Harmonie ensemble.20 In addition, we start to see a shift of the societal ideals about the purpose of chamber music. Originally meant as background and dance music, chamber music began requiring the attention of the listeners.21 At the time of the composition of the Serenade in C minor, Harmoniemusik was becoming more than just background music. It is evolving into a respected art form of concert music that requests the attention of the audience, resulting in a Viennese society that is demanding more of its output. It is conceivable to think that Mozart may have been composing Harmoniemusik in a way that deserved proper attention from the audience, therefore, using compositional techniques to attract their focus.

In what context was the work written?

With this last question, we will explore the context in which Mozart wrote his Serenade in C minor to find clues in how to interpret this work. One approach to the investigation of this work is to look at and compare Mozart’s other compositions. What music was Mozart composing in and around the time in which he composed his Serenade in C minor? How are these pieces similar and how do they differ? These are the leading questions that must be asked in order to seek out important clues.

20 Roger Hellyer, Grove Music Online. “Harmoniemusik.” Accessed April 4, 2021. https://www-oxfordmusiconline com.colorado.idm.oclc.org/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e- 0000012392. 21 W. A. Mozart, Serenade in C minor, K.388, edited by Daniel Leeson and Neal Zaslaw (Germany: Barenreiter- Verlag, 1979), V.

It is well-known that Mozart had composed two other wind serenades during 1781 and

1784, the Serenade in B-flat major, K.361, and the Serenade in Eb major, K.375. Researchers speculate that there could be more wind octets, other than the Serenades in C minor and Eb major, that Mozart composed during this time period but that they may have been lost over time.22 Evidence of letters and incomplete manuscripts suggests that Mozart had composed more octets in the style of Harmoniemusik between 1781 to 1787.23 In the infamous journal article entitled “Mozart’s ‘Spurious’ Wind Octets”, Leeson and Whitwell explore the whereabouts of some of Mozart’s “lost octets”.24 They state that “In view of the opportunity for octet composition between I78I and I787, it seems odd that we have only two recognized octets by

Mozart. The extraordinary activity of the various concert octets of the Austrian nobility would have almost demanded some further contribution from a young man trying to make a name for himself and looking to obtain a patronage of one sort or another.”25

When comparing the serenades, the first aspect of the Serenade in C minor that should be addressed is the key. It is the only one out of the three to be set in a minor key. This work has the most serious tone of all the serenades. It is important to note that only 2 piano sonatas out of 17,

2 piano concertos out of 27, and 2 symphonies out of 41 were set in minor keys. The minor key in Mozart’s composition suggests that the character of this serenade is both solemn and sincere.

It was uncommon during this time to assign certain emotional descriptors to key centers, we see this evolve into the romantic era, but there is something undeniable about the calculated choices of keys that Mozart brings to life.26

22 Leeson, Daniel N., and David Whitwell. “Mozart’s ‘Spurious’ Wind Octets.” Music & Letters 53, no. 4 (1972): 378 23 Ibid. 24 Ibid. 25 Ibid. 26 Einstein, Alfred, and Arthur Mendel. “Mozart’s Choice of Keys.” The Musical Quarterly 27, no. 4 (1941): 416.

“Let it not be objected that Mozart was confined to such modest limits by the limitations of his orchestra, especially of his horns and trumpets. Elvira's aria "in Handelian style" (Ah, fuggi il traditor) is accompanied only by strings. Mozart was not compelled by any external circumstance to reconcile the intensity of the emotions in the work with his key scheme. Yet he stays in D. That key suffices; nay, it is the only possible medium to match the force and impressiveness of this warning with adequate stability. No; Mozart's apparent sobriety has deeper roots. It informs all his works.” 27

It is helpful and instructive to compare the beginning of each of the serenades to help inform our understanding of the differences and similarities. This step will help to provide an interpretation that is well-informed and logical. Mozart composed definite and decisive introductions for both the Serenade in B-flat major, K.361 and Serenade in E-flat major, K. 375.

In the Serenade in E-flat major, the introduction ends at measure four with a clear resolution into measure five when the first theme is presented in the clarinet 1 part. This evenly divided phrasal

Figure 1

27 Ibid.

10 structure of 4 measures followed by 8 measures is commonly found in Mozart's introductions

(see Figure 1).

In the Serenade in B-flat major, the introduction is fourteen measures long with a definitive ending and a forte dominant chord that precedes the first theme in the exposition. The phrasal structure of this introduction is 8 + 8, which is common in Mozart’s compositions. If we compare the introduction of the other two serenades to the C minor serenade, it is clear that this composition is entirely different. The introduction of the C minor serenade is ambiguous. The phrasal structure of the introduction is uneven and blurred. The tonal center quickly shifts from C minor to the dominant of G major, which takes an eternity to resolve by creating elisions of the melodic material. If one tries to define the beginning of this work as having an introduction, what could the structure of it be? Could it be 4 + 5 +3? Or 5 + 4 +3? The options are plentiful and bewildering.

Lastly, it is important to consider the performance practices of the 18th century when thinking of context. There are many elements of performance practices of this era, however, the following are catered to the composition styles and techniques presented in the Serenade in C minor. Unslurred notes, in most contexts, were understood to be detached or have separation but to have a pronounced sustain through the note if the melody is being supported.28 In 1753, C.P.E.

Bach stated that “in general, the liveliness of allegros is conveyed by detached notes…”.29 In the next chapter, I will illustrate additional performance practices and how they can be applied through further score study of this work.

28 Donington, Robert. Baroque Music, Style and Performance: A Handbook. 1st American edition. New York: Norton, 1982. 29 29 Ibid., 30

CHAPTER III

THE MUSIC ON THE PAGE

After having done my due diligence as a Musical Detective, it is time to take an educated look at the music. In this section, I will show the process of discovering crucial elements of the music that will lead to a well-informed interpretation of the work. For the purposes of this paper,

I will be isolating the first stanza of the Serenade in C minor as a demonstration of the process of creating a well-informed interpretation of the work. The concepts that will be exhibited may be applied to the entirety of the serenade.

As I open the score to the Serenade in C minor, the first thing I notice is the unison fortes and a quick tempo marking, Allegro (see Figure 2). This is a slight divergence from his other two wind serenades. Mozart’s Serenade in B-flat has a tempo marking of Largo and his Serenade in

E-flat has a marking of Allegro maestoso with sforzando dynamics. At first glance, the

Serenades in E-flat major and C minor, look to be similar in the way that they both have an

Figure 2

12 allegro marking and resounding sustained chords. However, the marking of Allegro maestoso differs from the tempo marking of Allegro. The combination of Allegro and maestoso, which is a slower tempo marking, implies that the pulse should be on the slower side of the typical Allegro marking.30 In addition to the written tempo markings, the E-flat Serenade is in common time versus the C minor serenade which is in cut time (see Figure 3). There is a conclusive difference between the dynamic properties of the first notes in each of the serenades. Performance practice helps us to understand that sforzandos were not intended as “expressive effects”, as they are in more contemporary compositions, but as “a technical instruction for getting a pure attack and release.31 This indicates that the Serenade in C minor, compared to Mozart’s Serenade in E-flat major, is faster and more reverberant.

Figure 3

30 Donington, Robert. Baroque Music, Style and Performance: A Handbook. 1st American edition. New York: Norton, 1982. 28 31 Ibid., 34

The first chord establishes the C minor tonality that the piece is centered around. By analyzing the chord, I discover that all players are sustaining on the tonic, C, while only the horns are providing the third and fifth to complete the sonority (see Figure 4). From a conductor’s perspective, this would be important to mention to the ensemble to ensure that the chord is perfectly balanced. After looking at the sonority of the chord, I immediately notice the registers of the instruments, in particular the oboes and bassoons. The timbre of the oboes and second bassoon are both exceptionally low in their registers, which would sound dark and almost guttural with the chalumeau register of the clarinets also being heard, all of which is adding to the dark and rich sonorities of the chords (see Figure 5).

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Mozart continues his establishment of the C minor tonality by ascending through an outlined triad in all voices. He creates a sense of forward direction and momentum through the arpeggiation to the downbeat of measure 3 (see Figure 6). The musical figure continues into a short outburst of trills and a shift to the dominant key. The music continues in the dominant tonal center, with short glimpses of tonic that never quite resolve until measure 22, where we arrive at the opening C minor arpeggios in the bassoons.

CHAPTER IV

CONSTRUCTING THE INTERPRETATION

The research stated in the preceding chapters, as extensive as it is, helps to develop my own interpretation of the Serenade in C minor. In this chapter, I will present my selective interpretations of the first 22 measures to demonstrate to the reader how using the Musical

Detective method can elicit well-informed decisions for a successful performance.

Upon the completion of my investigative work as a Musical Detective, I ponder the crucial question of “what should this music sound like?”. My first interpretive decision must be geared towards the first four notes of the piece and how they should be performed. Mozart is clearly establishing a dark and rich tonal center of C minor. The sustained C minor chord should be approached with a strong, but rounded, front to each note. These notes should not diminish in sound and ought to have dynamic movement through the C minor arpeggiated triad. There should be slight spaces in between each whole note and half notes as to help ground the beginning of each horizontal note change. The dynamic structure of the passage should not crescendo, but rather increase energy all the way until beat 2 of measure 4. This is a crucial elision as we change from the short-lived tonic of C minor to the dominant functions. The opening of this movement is not an introduction. The melodic material is presented in unison except for the horns, who are static on the third and fifth of the chord. In addition, the way in which this melodic material is developed throughout the movement, leads me to believe that this was not meant to be an introduction. The time period in which this piece was written and Joseph

II’s influence on the importance and uses of Harmoniemusik, might prove that this opening was meant to gain the attention of the audience. The first note is meant to be bold in a way that forces the music to be heard actively, instead of passively.

As the tension increases through the eliding tonal centers, the melodic material in the oboe parts help to enhance the direction of the music to measure 9, where we get a glimpse of the tonic that is then quickly followed by a forte chord of the subdominant. The first elision occurs between the fourth and the fifth measure. The esoteric material in the clarinet parts from measures 5 to 9, should be played softly and stagnant to encourage the atmosphere of uncertainty in tonal centricity. One of the most interesting spots in this mysterious section is in measure 7.

Oboe 1 has presented a taste of the half step suspensions while all other players (with the exception of the clarinets) are sustaining on the dominant, G. But, in measure 7, the oboe 2 joins in the texture along with a leap of a major seventh, contrary to each other, in an attempt to emphasize the half step motions. Mozart uses the compositional style of leaps followed by resolving half steps throughout a majority of the work, but especially in the first movement.

Another instance of this is in measures 10 and 11. Clarinet 1 has a written C# followed by a leap of a tenth which resolves stepwise down to an A. This movement is creating momentum through the phrase towards the arrival point at measure 12. Similar ambiguity in tonal center and phrase structure continues until the arrival of the primary theme in measure 22.

The last interpretive element that I think is important to address, is the articulation markings, known as martellato, that are presented throughout the entire work. In particular, I will be focusing on how the martellatos are presented in measure 12 of the first movement.

Martellato, meaning “hammered”, implies that the notes should be performed with an aggressive front to each note and plenty of space afterwards. Quantz believed that “average” articulations were not to be separated in a sharp manner.32 I can apply this performance practice to this

32 Donington, Robert. Baroque Music, Style and Performance: A Handbook. 1st American edition. New York: Norton, 1982. 31

passage and combine it with my own interpretive ideas to create a sound that I believe best

represents these figures. These specific notes should be played with a deliberate front to the note

with space in between, but not too much space to where the ends of the notes do not resonate.

Resonance, especially with the ends of these articulations, is essential. Figures 7-9 display the

first 22 measures of movement 1 from the Serenade in C minor.

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

Throughout this paper, I have showed the necessary steps in developing an interpretation that is well-informed, thorough, and achievable. Through the process of being a Musical

Detective, one will be able to gather the compulsory information by asking the three leading questions of, “when”, “why”, and “in what context”. The “when” will help place the origins of the music and the quintessential history that surrounds it. For Mozart’s Serenade in C minor, discovering when the piece was written lead to the importance of the development of wind music and how that connects to the music. The “why” helped us to understand the motivations of

Mozart and the creation of the work. Mozart was inspired by the octet instrumentation that was becoming popular, thanks to Emperor Joseph II, and was possibly seeking out a commission from him. This would mean that Mozart would want to compose a piece to impress the Emperor.

The Stadler brothers played an important role in the increase of wind music being composed by

Mozart as they developed their relationship together. The last question that is imperative to ask is

“In what context was the music composed?”. The information that was identified in the above section, supports details that are beneficial to understanding the serenade. I showed that the significance of comparing the Serenade in C minor to the Serenade in B-flat and Serenade in E- flat, proves to enlighten key components for interpreting and understanding the work. In addition, I showed the importance of grasping practice performance ideals and how to apply them to create a personal interpretation of the work.

These three primary questions are not the only questions that could be asked. The concept of becoming a musical detective is to help foster curiosity in one’s score study of the music.

These lines of questioning should be used as a way of asking more specific questions of whatever piece is being studied.

Making interpretive decisions about a musical work that has such a rich history and is highly regarded can be a daunting task. The ultimate question that comes to the forefront of our minds is “What is the correct interpretation of this piece?”. As humans, we want to have the correct answers to everything we do. My conclusion is that there is no correct answer when it comes to making an interpretive decision. However, there is a correct way of arriving at an interpretive decision. Frederick Fennell, Nicolas Harnoncourt, and I have decidedly different interpretations of how Mozart’s Serenade in C minor should be performed, nevertheless, none of these interpretations is more “correct” than the other.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Battisti, Frank L. The Winds of Change: The Evolution of the Contemporary American Wind Band/Ensemble and Its Conductor. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2002.

Donington, Robert. Baroque Music, Style and Performance: A Handbook. 1st American edition. New York: Norton, 1982.

Einstein, Alfred, and Arthur Mendel. “Mozart’s Choice of Keys.” The Musical Quarterly 27, no. 4 (1941): 415–21. ———. “Mozart’s Choice of Keys.” The Musical Quarterly 27, no. 4 (1941): 415–21.

Grove Music Online. “Harmoniemusik.” Accessed April 4, 2021. https://www- oxfordmusiconlinecom.colorado.idm.oclc.org/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/978156159 2630.001.0001 /omo-9781561592630-e-0000012392.

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