Premiere of Mozart's Symphony No. 38
- When
- 1786–1787
- Where
- Mozart's working location (unspecified in sources); Prague; National Theatre (now Estates Theatre), Prague
- Episodes
- 3
Mozart's Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504, completed in late 1786, received its premiere in Prague on 19 January 1787 during the composer's first visit to the city. The invitation followed the enthusiastic Prague reception of Le nozze di Figaro, and the work's completion date is documented in Mozart's own thematic catalogue.
Episodes
- Invitation prompted by Figaro's Prague success
The success of Le nozze di Figaro in Prague's 1786–87 season led musicians and patrons to invite Mozart to the city.
- Completion of the symphony
Mozart finished Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504, in late 1786, recording completion on 6 December 1786.
- Premiere in Prague
Symphony No. 38 premiered in Prague on 19 January 1787, during Mozart's first visit to the city.
Background and detail
Background. The Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504, was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in late 1786; his autograph thematic catalogue records 6 December 1786 as the date of completion. Roughly contemporary works include the Piano Trio in B♭, K. 502, the Piano Concerto No. 25, K. 503, and the aria Ch'io mi scordi di te?, K. 505.
Invitation to Prague. Mozart was invited to Prague on the strength of the reception of his opera Le nozze di Figaro during the 1786–87 winter season of the National Theatre (now the Estates Theatre). A January 1787 letter from Leopold Mozart confirms that a group of musicians and patrons extended the invitation.
Premiere in Prague. The symphony premiered in Prague on 19 January 1787, during Mozart's first visit to the city. Although a performance at Vienna's Advent instrumental concerts in December 1786 has been suggested, it is certain only that the work was not heard in Vienna before its Prague performance.
People involved
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart · composer of the symphony
- Leopold Mozart · father, whose January 1787 letter documents the Prague invitation
Sources
- Symphony No. 38 (Mozart) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-05-23
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.