Serenade No. 7 in D major, K.

250, Haffner
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Born January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria
Died December 5, 1791, in Vienna, Austria

This work was premiered on July 21, 1776, at the home of Sigmund Haffner in Salzburg.
It is scored for solo violin, pairs of flutes, oboes, bassoons, horns, and trumpets, with the
usual complement of strings.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart despised his hometown. This is easy to understand if one
considers his situation. As a musician in the court of Prince Archbishop Colloredo of
Salzburg, he was permitted little leeway in building his own career as a composer. The
two men were from different worlds. Colloredo viewed Mozart as servant within the
antiquated system of patronage, while Mozart saw himself as a composer with much to
express if given the opportunity. Only after leaving the court and moving to Vienna in
1781 did he begin to refine his genius and produce his greatest works. Unfortunately, he
was to live just ten more years.

During Mozarts childhood and young adult years in Salzburg, not all citizens had been
as oblivious to his talents as the Archbishop. Sigmund Haffner, the son of the Salzburg
mayor, had long appreciated Wolfgangs talents. The two men were the same age, played
as boyhood friends, and felt a fraternal link as such. Although it was unusual for families
of different social classes to be close friends, the Mozarts and Haffners had a special
affinity for one another. In 1776, when Haffners sister, Marie Elisabeth, announced her
engagement to marry a local shipping agent, Franz Xaver Spth, Sigmund asked
Wolfgang to supply music for a wedding eve party. Mozart composed eight short
movements, most likely so they could be interspersed with the other activities at the
event. This music is known today as the Haffner Serenade.

Mozarts Haffner Serenade reflects its festive origin and the wealth of the Haffner
family in its instrumentation. For a serenade, it uses a very large orchestra, including both
flutes and oboes. Inclusion of trumpets was usually reserved for major Church holidays,
but a pair of them are included here. No expense was spared.

The work begins with a stately introduction that likely accompanied the entrance of the
musicians. This movement continues with a high-spirited and lively Allegro molto that
provides an energetic and festive beginning to the party.

Mozarts second, third, and fourth movements constitute a short violin concerto in all but
name. Marked Andante, the second movement begins with a long orchestral introduction
after which the solo violin enters with a lovely melody. Although this is not the usual
allegro to which audiences have become accustomed as the opening movement of a
concerto, andante first movements were often used during Mozarts day. A minor-key
Menuetto follows with a contrasting major-key trio section, during which the violin
soloist is featured. A spirited Rondo follows in which the solo violin plays music of great
finesse and difficulty.
The fifth movement is a major-key Menuetto galante (Galant Minuet) that reflects the
stile galant a musical idiom that existed alongside late Baroque, Rococo, and early
Classical styles. Its aim was to simplify the complicated textures of music so that the
beauty of the melody became more apparent. In this movement, the texture is kept simple
and unobtrusive, allowing Mozarts melodic gift to shine.

Mozarts full-fledged Classical style returns in the sixth movement an exquisite
Andante that includes memorable passages for horns and oboe. Of particular interest here
is the elaborate ornamentation that Mozart used to vary the melodies each time they
appear.

The third Menuetto is in the bright and festive key of D major and includes the trumpets
in its orchestration. Mozart breaks with tradition here by writing two trios. Prominent
flute parts appear at the start of both trio sections and a surprising trumpet call, almost
martial in character, opens the second trio.

Mozarts finale begins with a solemn introduction in D major that includes some of his
most poignantly graceful music. The tempo soon changes to Allegro assai in a fast triple
meter. This music trips along with playful abandon and Mozarts simple, yet
sophisticated, sense of humor abounds.

Never forgetting Mozarts efforts, the Haffners would later commission him in December
of 1781 to provide music for a family function the following July the elevation of
Sigmund to the ranks of the nobility, therefore becoming Sigmund von Imbachhausen.
The result was the Haffner Symphony, in which some parts of the serenade were reused.

2010 Orpheus Music Prose & Craig Doolin
www.orpheusnotes.com