Symphony No. 16 (Mozart)

Structure#

The symphony has the basic scoring of two oboes, two horns in C, and strings. The form is that of a standard three-movement Italian overture: The first movement, which a C major essay in sonata form, sounds at first to be in due to the presence of triplets. However, as it enters the second half of the exposition section it becomes clear that the movement’s meter is actually . The development section is short, but filled with dense modulations. Some of this developmental spirit carries over into recapitulation, which turns out not to be perfectly literal. : \relative c \tempo “Allegro maestoso” \time 3/4 4\f g r \times 2/3 c8-.\p d-. c-. \times 2/3 d-. e-. d-. \times 2/3 e-. f-. e-. \times 2/3 f8-. g-. f-. \times 2/3 a-. g-. f-. \times 2/3 e-. f-. g-. \times 2/3 a8-. g-. f-. \times 2/3 e-. d-. c-. \times 2/3 b-. c-. d-. The oboes and horns drop out of the second movement, which is another essay in sonata form, written for the strings alone. They return, however, for the third movement, in C major, which is a cheerful dance cast in an altered rondo form, with a coda.