Divertimenti for Strings and Wind

Abstract

Mozart composed a matching pair of works, this one and the Divertimento in B flat, K.287 exactly one year later, to commemorate the name day of Countess Maria Antonia Lodron, a family friend and member of the Salzburg aristocracy. He further favored the countess and her family with a concerto for three pianos, K.242, so that she might perform with her two daughters, both of whom were Mozart's pupils. The two divertimenti are nearly identical in structure and dimension, the principle difference being an extended theme and variations movement in the later work in place of the shorter andante found in the first. The first movement allegro opens dynamically with robust string writing and seamless integration of the horns to provide full body. The second movement andante grazioso is simple but somewhat ornamented. The first minuet makes use of the horns to dramatic effect and these are then at rest throughout the following adagio. A delicate second minuet ends with a pizzicato and the final andante allegro assai is a brilliant, miniature symphonic finale. Along with the serenade and cassation, the divertimento played a major part among the works Mozart composed during his earlier years in Salzburg. Relaxed and easy going, divertimentos are generally multi-movement pieces introduced by a march played by the musicians as they entered to take up their places. The Divertimento in D, K205 was probably composed in Salzburg during the summer of 1773, and is possibly associated with the March in D, K290. Works such as K205 were invariably composed to fulfill a particular occasion, such as a name-day, although no particular purpose has been established in this instance. Unlike the serenade, nearly always designed for outdoor performance, it seems likely that divertimentos were also played inside. The scoring of K205 is violin, viola, bassoon, "basso" and two horns, the "basso" line being for double bass, not cello. Strings were played one per part, another difference from serenades, which were customarily given by larger forces. The divertimento thus had a chamber-like intimacy making it suitable for small domestic celebrations. The present work is unusual in prefacing the Allegro, the first of its five movements, with a slow Largo of unusual seriousness for such relaxed music making.