K. 19a, Symphony in F Major

K. 19a, Symphony in F Major

19a?  a? What’s that about?  Turns out, this work was discovered recently—1980—after the K⁶ catalogue was created.  I am amazed by those guys that discover the long lost works of ‘whoever.’  Can’t wait until they find the next peice.  So, how does someone find a lost work?  It takes immense focus.  Those scholars have to know the ins-and-outs of every letter and document with even slight relevance to Mozart’s life. They learn everyone’s handwriting.  If a letter from Mozart to his father mentions a Symphony that does have a K assignment… Well. Then they start digging. 

How old was Mozart when he wrote this work?  Again, scholars may disagree.  In the document discovered with the work, Leopold suggested that Mozart was nine.  But, we also know that father lied about his son's age at times.  Whenever we have to calculate the nature of humans into our theories, it is a bit problematic.  People from the past lie.  Scholars of the present have biases and agendas.  And, everyone wants to come up with something new.  Who's going to read an article by that historian who simply confirms what everybody knows?  (I am certainly not one to talk.)

The first thing I ask as I listen to the piece, “Was Mozart nine when he wrote this?”  I try to compare it to K. 19.  The inconsistencies in the movements’ lengths seem similar.  19a's first movement is over five minute, while the third is under two.  Both 19’s are around 10 minutes.  His mature symphonies stretch to nearly ½ an hour.  And, they have similar allegro, andante, presto setups.  19a starts with an allegro assai, with a more mature sound and more length than 19.  It plays with varied emotions as well.  Based on the allegro movements alone, one might say 19a comes from an older Mozart.  But 19’s andante is oodles more powerful to me. (Sure, more powerful does not necessarily equate with more mature.)  In addition, 19’s presto wins.  So, there are differences, but overall they are similar enough, that I am led to believe the two were written near the same time.