Pablo Massa <[log in to unmask]>:

>Those four notes at Mozart's 41 are, as you know, the first notes of
>an entire theme, and they are not exactly the basis of the counterpoint
>(there are at least another 3 fugue subjects).  I think that Mozart used
>those four notes to simulate a sort of "second theme", perhaps in order to
>have more "breath" for long developmental sections, that's the reason why
>they are so conspicuous (i.e: due to a *formal* --rather than strictly
>contrapuntal-- reason).

Mozart seems to me to have had an affinity for four-note-figures in late
days.  The Requiem for instance is full of motives with four notes as base.
La-cry-mo-sa.  Be-ne-dic-tus.  Con-fu-tat-is/ma-le-dic-tis.  Di-es-ir-ae.
a.s.o.

Mats Norrman
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