About this edition
Composed in May 1772 when Mozart was just sixteen, Symphony No. 18 in F Major, K. 130 stands among the most adventurous works of his Salzburg period. The symphony is notable for its unusual scoring — Mozart calls for four horns rather than the customary two, paired in different keys to expand the harmonic range — and for its expansive four-movement structure, including a remarkable Andantino grazioso whose lyrical poise prefigures the slow movements of his maturity. The exuberant 6/8 finale, with its driving tarantella character, ranks among the finest symphonic conclusions of his teenage years.
This edition reproduces the score as published in Mozarts Werke, the landmark first complete critical edition of Mozart's works issued by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig between 1877 and 1883. Symphony No. 18 appears in Serie VIII (Symphonien), Band 1, No. 18, pages 1–18 (215–232), bearing plate number W.A.M. 130, and was published in 1880. Prepared under the editorial supervision of leading nineteenth-century Mozart scholars including Johannes Brahms, Joseph Joachim, and Philipp Spitta, the Breitkopf Gesamtausgabe established the foundational scholarly text from which generations of conductors, performers, and editors have worked. It remains a touchstone reference even today.
About this edition:
- Format: full orchestral score (conductor's score)
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches, printed for clear reading at the podium or desk
- Source: reproduced from the 1880 Breitkopf & Härtel first complete edition, now in the public domain
- Publisher: Purple 4R Publishing
- Ideal for: conductors, orchestral musicians, students, scholars, and lifelong Mozart enthusiasts
This volume makes a historic edition of an underperformed Mozart symphony readily available in a clean, affordable printing. We're delighted to help bring this music — long in the public domain and free for all to enjoy — back into the hands of the musicians and listeners who love it.
