Schubert Symphony n.5 – Part 2 [ANALYSIS]

Menuetto: Allegro molto

Should you need a score you can find one here.

In the first post dedicated to Schubert’s 5th symphony, we briefly touched on the Mozartian influences on Schubert’s musical upbringing and the similarities that Mozart’s G minor symphony, in particular, has with Schubert’s 5th. Well, if there was any more need for some proof in this respect, that would come with this 3rd movement.

From the G minor key to the opening triad in arpeggio to the chromatism, the similarities are under everyone’s eyes. Except for the tempo: Mozart’s is an Allegretto while Schubert’s is an Allegro molto. This, despite the title, gives it more the flair of a scherzo rather than an 18th-century courtly Menuet. 

The first section ends on a classic Bb. The second section starts naturally in the same key but the most interesting part here is the morphing of the theme. Its mood changes completely: we move from a very strong and assertive forte of the opening to a rather gentle and soft version of it

The 4+4 bars question and answer go on a couple of times, moving down a third