About this edition
Composed in late 1786 and premiered in Prague in January 1787 to rapturous acclaim, Mozart's Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504 stands apart in his symphonic output for its remarkable absence of a minuet — a three-movement structure that lends the work an unusual gravity and concentration. The expansive slow introduction to the first movement, with its chromatic tensions and almost operatic foreshadowing of Don Giovanni, gives way to one of Mozart's most contrapuntally inventive Allegros, while the finale crackles with the wit and brilliance that so endeared him to Prague audiences. It is a symphony of unusual scale, ambition, and dramatic weight.
This score is reproduced from the celebrated Mozarts Werke, the first complete critical edition of Mozart's works, published by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig between 1877 and 1883. Symphony No. 38 appears in Serie VIII (Symphonies), Band 3, No. 38, pages 97–136, issued in 1880 with plate number W.A.M. 504. Edited under the supervision of leading nineteenth-century Mozart scholars including Johannes Brahms, Joseph Joachim, and Philipp Spitta, this monumental edition served as the standard reference for performers, conductors, and scholars for nearly a century, and remains a touchstone of Mozart performance practice today.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score (conductor's score), all parts in standard transposition
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches — convenient for study, library shelving, and rehearsal use
- Faithfully reproduced from the 1880 Breitkopf & Härtel Mozarts Werke edition
- Sourced from a public domain historical printing
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
This edition reproduces a historical score that has entered the public domain, allowing us to bring this landmark of the symphonic repertoire to a new generation of musicians and scholars at an accessible price. We hope it serves you well in study, rehearsal, and performance.
