String Quartet in C major, K.465 (“Dissonance”) [1785]

String Quartet in C major K.465 “Dissonance” (1785)

Adagio - Allegro

Andante cantabile

Menuetto

Allegro molto

The famously dissonant introduction to K.465 is not there for its own provocative sake nor only to highlight the entry of radiant C major harmonies at the change of tempo from Adagio to Allegro. While it is not directly recalled, its unsettling influence persists, not least towards the end of the exposition and in the uneasy development section. The initially innocent Andante cantabile has similarly disturbing, achingly expressive episodes, just as the good humour of the Menuetto is offset by its plaintive trio section. It is only in the generously tuneful Allegro molto that anxiety is definitively dismissed.

the good humour of the Menuetto is offset by its plaintive trio section. It is only in the generously tuneful Allegro molto that the

When the six Quartets Mozart dedicated to Haydn were first issued in 1785 many copies were returned to the publisher because of alleged “printer’s errors.” If any one of them was the cause of this misunderstanding it can only have been the work now known as the “Dissonance” Quartet in C major, K.465. The Adagio introduction was distinctly provocative in its time and, however familiar the score as a whole, some of its harmonies are disconcerting even today.

Whatever the intention behind this disturbing beginning, its effect is that its influence spreads. It is not just a matter of anticipating melodic and rhythmic aspects of the first subject of the Allegro. By being associated with the introduction in this way the theme inevitably carries echoes of its wayward harmonic character - not in any audible way on its briskly cheerful introduction but more and more explicitly on its return at the end of the exposition and throughout the development.

The Andante cantabile has its similarly disturbing episodes. Although it begins innocently enough, the peculiarly insistent exchange of one short melodic motif between first violin and cello seems to suggest some tension between them. When the cello quietly converts that motif into an undulating ostinato and the other instruments successively add their not entirely consonant voices to it, there is more than a hint of underlying unease.

The harmonic and motivic reconciliation in the closing bars of the Adagio seems to be confirmed by the good humour of the Menuetto in C major. The C minor middle section, on the other hand, with its plaintive melodic line, is another area of uncertainty. That, however, is as far as the unsettling influence of the Adagio introduction extends. In the closing Allegro molto no more than one C minor shadow passes over a sonata-form construction so radiant in mood that nothing can inhibit its virtuoso brilliance or its generously melodious lyrical impulse.

When the six Quartets Mozart dedicated to Haydn were first issued in 1785 many copies were returned to the publisher because of alleged “printer’s errors.” If any one of them was the cause of this misunderstanding it can only have been the work now known as the “Dissonance” Quartet in C major, K.465. The Adagio introduction was distinctly provocative in its time and, however familiar the score as a whole, some of its harmonies are disconcerting even today.

Whatever the intention behind this disturbing beginning, its effect is that its influence spreads. It is not just a matter of anticipating melodic and rhythmic aspects of the first subject of the Allegro. By being associated with the introduction in this way the theme inevitably carries echoes of its wayward harmonic character - not in any audible way on its briskly cheerful introduction but more and more explicitly on its return at the end of the exposition and throughout the development.

The Andante cantabile has its similarly disturbing episodes. Although it begins innocently enough, the peculiarly insistent exchange of one short melodic motif between first violin and cello seems to suggest some tension between them. When the cello quietly converts that motif into an undulating ostinato and the other instruments successively add their not entirely consonant voices to it, there is more than a hint of underlying unease.

The harmonic and motivic reconciliation in the closing bars of the Adagio seems to be confirmed by the good humour of the Menuetto in C major. The C minor middle section, on the other hand, with its plaintive melodic line, is another area of uncertainty. That, however, is as far as the unsettling influence of the Adagio introduction extends. In the closing Allegro molto no more than one C minor shadow passes over a sonata-form construction so radiant in mood that nothing can inhibit its virtuoso brilliance or its generously melodious lyrical impulse.

When the six Quartets Mozart dedicated to Haydn were first issued in 1785 many copies were returned to the publisher because of alleged “printer’s errors.” If any one of them was the cause of this misunderstanding it can only have been the work now known as the “Dissonance” Quartet in C major, K.465. The Adagio introduction was distinctly provocative in its time and, however familiar the score as a whole, some of its harmonies are disconcerting even today.

Whatever the intention behind this highly distinctive beginning, the effect is that its disturbing influence spreads through much of the rest of the work. It is not just a matter of anticipating the melodic line and the accompanying rhythmic ostinato of the first subject of the Allegro. By being associated with the introduction in this way the theme inevitably carries echoes of its wayward harmonic character - not in any audible way on its briskly cheerful introduction but, on its return at the end of the exposition and throughout the development, more and more explicitly.

The Andante cantabile has its similarly disturbing episodes. Although it begins innocently enough in a lyrical F major, the peculiarly insistent exchange of one short melodic motif between first violin and cello seems to suggest some tension between them. When the cello quietly converts that motif into an undulating ostinato and the other instruments successively add their not entirely consonant voices to it, there is more than a hint of underlying unease.

The harmonic and motivic reconciliation in the closing bars of the Adagio seems to be confirmed by the good humour of the Menuetto in C major. The C minor middle section, on the other hand, with its plaintive melodic line, is another area of uncertainty. That, however, is as far as the unsettling influence of the Adagio introduction extends. The anxious passage in C minor at the beginning of the development section of the Allegro molto is no more than a shadow cast over a sonata-form finale so radiant in mood that nothing can inhibit its virtuoso brilliance or its generously melodious lyrical impulse.

Gerald Larner ©2003

When Mozart’s six “Haydn” Quartets were first issued in 1785 many copies were returned to the publisher because of alleged “printer’s errors.” If any one of them was the cause of this misunderstanding it can only have been the work now known as the “Dissonance” Quartet in C major, K.465. The Adagio introduction was distinctly provocative in its time and, however familiar the score as a whole, some of its harmonies are disconcerting even today.

Why Mozart took such risks here can only be a matter for conjecture. Even Beethoven, in a similar situation at the beginning of his Quartet in C major, Op.59, No.3, is less adventurous in his defiance of harmonic convention. But, whatever the intention behind this highly distinctive Adagio introduction, the effect is that its disturbing influence spreads through much of the rest of the work. It is not just a matter of anticipating the melodic line and the accompanying rhythmic ostinato of the first subject of the Allegro. By being associated with the introduction in this way the theme inevitably carries echoes of its wayward harmonic character - not in any audible way on its briskly cheerful introduction but, on its return at the end of the exposition and throughout the development, more and more explicitly.

The Andante cantabile has its similarly disturbing episodes. Although it begins innocently enough in a lyrical F major, the peculiarly insistent exchange of one short melodic motif between first violin and cello seems to suggest some tension between them. When the cello quietly converts that motif into an undulating ostinato and the other instruments successively add their not entirely consonant voices to it, there is more than a hint of underlying unease. Mozart makes little of it at this point but later in the movement, in an extended recapitulation, he draws a clear parallel between this material and the dissonant Adagio introduction.

The harmonic and motivic reconciliation in the closing bars of the Adagio seems to be confirmed by the good humour of the Menuetto in C major. The C minor Trio, on the other hand, with its plaintive melodic line and its exchanges between violin and cello set against an ostinato in the inner parts, is another area of uncertainty.

That, however, is as far as the unsettling influence of the Adagio introduction extends. The anxious passage in C minor at the beginning of the development section of the closing Allegro molto is no more than a shadow cast over a sonata-form finale with an extraordinarily generous in lyrical impulse. To offset the virtuoso brilliance of the second subject there is a third theme as engagingly melodious as it is unexpected in its E flat major harmonies. The extended recapitulation of that irresistible theme in A flat major requires a whole coda to restore the balance. third theme as engagingly melodious as it is unexpected in its E flat major harmonies. The extended recapitulation of that irresistible theme in A flat major requires a whole coda to restore the balance.

When Mozart’s six “Haydn” Quartets were first issued in 1785 many copies were returned to the publisher because of alleged “printer’s errors.” If any one of them was the cause of this misunderstanding it can only have been the work now known as the “Dissonance” Quartet in C major, K.465. The Adagio introduction was distinctly provocative in its time and, however familiar the score as a whole, some of its harmonies are disconcerting even today.

Why Mozart took such risks here can only be a matter for conjecture. If it was to impress the admired dedicatee of the work with his daring - and there are passages in at least some of the five earlier Quartets in the set that suggest he was not above that kind of thing - his prominently featured false relations were surely asking too much of Haydn’s benevolence. If it was to offset the radiant entry of the first subject of the Allegro in C major - and this certainly has something to do with it - the dissonant means are surely disproportionate to the structural purpose. Even Beethoven, in a similar situation at the beginning of his Quartet in C major, Op.59, No.3, is less adventurous in his defiance of harmonic convention.

Whatever the intention behind Mozart’s highly distinctive Adagio introduction, the effect is that its disturbing influence spreads through much of the rest of the work. It is not just a matter of anticipating the melodic line and the accompanying rhythmic ostinato of the first subject of the Allegro. By being associated with the introduction in this way the theme inevitably carries echoes of its wayward harmonic character - not in any audible way on its briskly cheerful introduction but, on its return at the end of the exposition and throughout the development, more and more explicitly. The comparatively conventional second-subject material, which plays no part in either the development or the extended coda, is no more than a temporary diversion from the main issue.

The Andante cantabile has its similarly disturbing episodes. Although it begins innocently enough in a lyrical F major, the peculiarly insistent exchange of one short melodic motif between first violin and cello seems to suggest some tension between them. When the cello quietly converts that motif into an undulating ostinato and the other instruments successively add their not entirely consonant voices to it, there is more than a hint of underlying unease. Mozart makes little of it at this point but later in the movement, in an extended recapitulation, he draws a clear parallel between this material and the dissonant Adagio introduction.

The harmonic and motivic reconciliation in the closing bars of the Adagio seems to be confirmed by the good humour of the Menuetto in C major. The C minor Trio, on the other hand, with its plaintive melodic line and its exchanges between violin and cello set against an ostinato in the inner parts, is another area of uncertainty.

That, however, is as far as the unsettling influence of the Adagio introduction extends, in spite of an anxious passage in C minor at the beginning of the development section of the closing Allegro molto. That is no more than a shadow cast over a sonata-form finale so generous in its lyrical impulse as to offset the virtuoso brilliance of its second subject with a third theme as engagingly melodious as it is unexpected in its E flat major harmonies. The extended recapitulation of that irresistible theme in A flat major requires a coda to restore the balance.