Mozart quartet in D minor

Exposition: m. 1 -41
First Theme: m. 1 - 12 HC d minor
Transition: 13 - 24
Second Theme: 25 - 32, key: F major (III), PAC
Closing Theme: 34 - 41, Fmajor, HC


For a Sonata set in a minor key the expected second key area is III, or sometimes a v. And, as expected, this movement modulates to the key of F major (III) at measure 24. The first theme definitley has a more serious characterization, while the second theme is lighter and emits a very pleasent feeling. In addiiton, the second theme tends to build on a certain musical thought. It is a string of 16th notes that when each time its played is given a bit of an extension. The last section should be labeled as a closing theme because it carries a new introduced theme till the end. Also, codettas tend to be slightly unstable harmonically, and there is no sign of instability harmonically. As for typical quartet strng textures, m. 29 - 32 is when there is a solo in one section and the others accompany, and m. 12 - 14 is an example of a motive being passed along by each part.

The development begins in eb minor. Despite the new minor key, the first four measures are familiar to the listener because it takes from the very beginning of the first theme, 42 - 45. Another motive from the first theme that appears in the development is the descending four sixteenth notes that leads into two descending eighth notes. This occurs in measure 59 -62. The last motive that can be seen is the trill effect with the dotted eighth note. This occurs from m. 42 - 57 in each part. Lastly, the retransition begins at measure 66 - 69.

The recapitulation is in D minor, even for the second theme. It does not make the usual modulation to III. The first tiheme is from m. 70 - 81 ending in an HC. The transition begins in 82 and continues in D minor. The transition ends in a pac, at measure 94 which begins the second theme. Second theme is pretty much the same other than the fact that is in d minor. This section ends at measure 1o2 with a pac. Lastly, the closing theme begins here and ends with a pac at measure 117.