Form

Sonata

Theme (B flat major)

Theme (F major)

Development - New Theme (F major)

Notes

The quartet draws its name, "The Hunt", from this movement. Though not Mozart's title nor likely even his inspiration, it is a useful association with regard to the spirit of the piece. With its bouyant 6/8 jaunt, and multiple themes that brightly outline the tonic major triad, the mood it creates can indeed be seen al fresco, pursuit, and adventure. It is light, easy, supremely entertaining. And as a Mozart quartet, and a classic sonata in general, it offers deeper treasures for the attentive. As a sonata structure, this movement has some unique features. The "theme" in the second key area (F major, the dominant of B flat) is quirky, fragmentary, and introduced almost surreptitiously. It feels to be no more than an unstable motive. The final 5 notes, a trill-like flourish of 16th notes, is the essential kernal of the motive, and pervades the entire movement with a sparkling, warbling magic. To lend it a bit more finality in order to round out the exposition, Mozart returns to a lovely lyrical motive from the first them, this time in the dominant key. It is a perfect example of a micro point of arrival as opposed to the larger arc of entire movement. It both instances, this charming "local" motive initiates a call and response pattern (the second time, with imitative counterpoint) that further creates the atmosphere of the hunt as it establishes a foreground and a kind of distant background.

Another unique aspect of this sonata occurs at the arrival of the development section. Most often, the development begins by leveraging some recognizable material from the exposition, presenting it in a new context of instability. This might involve a mode shift (e.g. major to minor) or a tart key change, a fragmentation which disturbs the established expatation momentum (sequence, imitative counterpoint), or a bold harmonic shift, heavy with restless, potential energy. Chosing the opposite in every way, Mozart initiates his captivating departure with a bright, mellow, stately and most stable waltz. In remains in the dominant key and, like the original theme, outlines the major triad and an easy I-V-I progression. The overall impression is one of surprise but new repose; suddenly, this sonata feels much more like a two part form, as if we have just moved into the trio of a minuet.

Enter the little 5-note trill motive. It restores the drama of the sonata, relates this "second part" back to the material of the first (cancelling the notion of new couplet part within a more sectional form), and ignites a thrilling (trilling) chase that dashes right back into the recapitulation. The return of the "hunting" theme is warm and welcome and characteristic of most masterworks in that it dresses the original character in a bit finer raiment. Elogation, elaboration, new play and a new richenss give us delight to recall, to savor to sing. Here is the impact of the macro point of arrival, the largest arc in the sonata form.

Should there be any mistake of finding only frivolvity here, any wanting for depth, Mozart tosses us a bone. The fox darting through the woods, a little shock at realizing that the quarry remained elusive: a coda suddenly jumps out with three arresting chords. A flash of danger, a rearing of the horse. A sense of something deeper, missed. But a cascade of bright "horns" enters to restore the mood. The cello intones the pedal point of the pastoral, and a rich brocade of string quartet counterpoint invests the original theme with a new almost longing nobility. The trill motive returns, faster pulsations and rising dyamics trot, canter and finally gallop to a loud final cadence, the definitive and ultimate arrival.