Eine kleine Nachtmusik (K525) – Serenade in G

Serenade in G Major (K525) by W.A. Mozart
“Eine kleine Nachtmusik” – includes Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Romance, Menuetto, Trio, Rondo
For Flute and Piano
Edited by Kurt Walther

Nearly all of the thirty-odd Serenades by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) were composed during his youth in Salzburg, however, the Serenade in G for String Orchestra (K525) is a later Viennese work and takes the penultimate place in this splendid series; an inspired echo of the divertimento-spirit from the days of youth. This work acquired its world-renowned title from Mozart himself, as testified by an entry in his own handwriting, dated 10 August 1787, in the thematic catalogue. This entry also shows that the time of composition of “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” coincided with the time he was working on the second act of Don Giovanni.

According to the thematic catalogue the Serenade originally consisted of five movements, but the first Minuet and Trio were removed from the manuscript apparently during Mozart's lifetime and, despite much searching, have never again been found. The manuscript itself also disappeared ca. 1860 and was rediscovered in private ownership by Manfred Gorke in 1943. As was customary at the time, “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” was commissioned for some festive occassion; however, nothing is known today of the occasion itself.

In the following transcription, it was a simple matter to entrust the first violin part to the flute; the few double-stops have mostly been represented by short grace notes. The texture of the remaining string parts has had to be “translated” into a texture appropriate to the piano, (this particularly applies to the fourth movement.)

As no other instrumental work Mozart, “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” was an intermediate triumph throughout the world and became, greatly loved, the common property of mankind. Through this “miracle of perfection in miniature, with its irresitable melodic charm” (Alfred Beaujean) many people have been introduced to Mozart's music, the unique greatness of which ultimately remain beyond our comprehension.