Symphony No. 40 is a symphony in G minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He finished it in Vienna in the summer of 1788. It opens with a quick, restless tune that many people know. Many symphonies of the time were bright in mood. This one is dark from its first bar.
Quick facts
- Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who lived from 1756 to 1791
- Finished: July 1788, in Vienna
- Length: about 30 minutes
- Movements: four
- Played by: a small orchestra with no trumpets and no drums
- Full name: Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550
Three symphonies in one summer
In the summer of 1788, Mozart wrote his last three symphonies: Nos. 39, 40, and 41. He finished all three in about two months.
No one knows for sure why he wrote them, or when they were first played. He later added clarinets to No. 40, which suggests that an orchestra played it while he was alive.
Read how many symphonies Mozart wrote.
A symphony in a minor key
Music in a minor key sounds darker than music in a major key. Mozart’s numbered symphonies go up to 41, and only two of them are in a minor key. Both are in G minor.
Read major and minor explained.
The four movements
| Movement | Speed | What to listen for |
|---|---|---|
| First | Fast | The violas start a soft, pulsing beat. Then the violins play the famous tune: short, short, long. |
| Second | Slow | A calmer movement in a major key, with repeated notes that pile up one group at a time |
| Third | A minuet | A stern dance with a pushing rhythm. In the middle, the key turns bright, and the horns have a turn. |
| Fourth | Fast | A tune that shoots up like a rocket, and loud answers from the full orchestra |
Read what is a symphony?
The opening
Many symphonies of the day began with loud chords. This one begins soft, with the accompaniment alone. The tune slips in a moment later.
The tune is built from a small idea: two short notes and a long one. Mozart repeats that idea again and again, higher and lower, louder and softer. Count how many times you hear it in the first minute.
How to listen with a child
- Ages 4 to 7: the first two minutes of the first movement
- Ages 8 to 10: the whole first movement, which lasts about seven minutes
- Ages 11 and up: all four movements, with a break after the second
Where you may have heard it
The opening tune plays in films and advertisements, and it has been a common phone ringtone.
Things to do together
Short, short, long. Tap the rhythm of the opening on your knees: two quick taps and one slow one. Tap it each time you hear it.
Find the violas. Listen to the first second or two. That pulsing sound is the violas, before the tune begins.
Rocket. Play the opening of the fourth movement. Crouch down, and jump up as the tune shoots upward.
Dark and bright. Play the third movement. Stand in a shadow for the stern part, and move to a sunny spot for the bright middle.
Compare two openings. Play the opening of this symphony, and then the opening of Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Ask how the moods differ.
Name the mood. Write down three words for the first movement. Compare your words with your child’s.
Questions to ask
- Does the opening sound worried, sad, or restless?
- What is missing from this orchestra?
- Which movement is the calmest?
- How does the last movement feel different from the first?
Words to know
- Symphony: a long piece for orchestra, most often in four movements
- Minor key: a set of notes that sounds dark or sad
- Minuet: a dance with three beats in a bar
- Accompaniment: the part that supports the tune
Print and play
Use a listening journal page for the first movement. Read Mozart for kids and Classical era music for kids.
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This article is part of Classical music listening guides for kids: famous pieces, one at a time.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.