About this edition
Composed in Salzburg in March 1773, Mozart's Symphony No. 26 in E-flat Major, K.184/161a is one of the most theatrical of the young composer's symphonic works, betraying the unmistakable influence of the Italian opera overture. Its three movements unfold without pause, opening with a fanfare-like Molto presto, descending into a richly scored G minor Andante, and concluding with a buoyant Allegro — a continuous dramatic arc that would later see the work pressed into service as theater music for Tobias Philipp von Gebler's play Thamos, König in Ägypten. The brilliant scoring for paired oboes, flutes, bassoons, horns, trumpets, timpani, and strings makes this a particularly colorful entry in the early symphonies.
This score is reproduced from the historic Mozarts Werke, the first complete critical edition of Mozart's works, issued by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig between 1877 and 1883. Symphony No. 26 appears in Serie VIII (Symphonien), Band 2, published in 1880 under plate number W.A.M. 184. Edited by a distinguished panel including Johannes Brahms, Joseph Joachim, and Philipp Spitta, the Breitkopf Gesamtausgabe established the textual foundation for Mozart performance for nearly a century and remains a touchstone reference for scholars and conductors today, prized for its careful engraving and editorial rigor.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score (conductor's score), all instrumental parts in score format
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches, suitable for desk study and rehearsal use
- Faithfully reproduced from the 1880 Breitkopf & Härtel Mozarts Werke edition (Serie VIII, Bd. 2)
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing, specialists in carefully prepared reprints of historic orchestral scores
This volume reproduces a historical edition that has entered the public domain, allowing us to bring this cornerstone of the classical symphonic repertoire to a new generation of conductors, performers, students, and music lovers at an accessible price. We hope it serves you well in study, rehearsal, and performance.
