Symphony No. 43 in F major (doubtful), K. 76
ヴォルフガング・アマデウス・モーツァルト作
Symphony in F major (K. 76) is a four-movement orchestral work traditionally placed among Mozart’s juvenile symphonies and sometimes labeled “No. 43,” but its authorship remains doubtful. No autograph survives, and what is known of the work depends on a fragile and incomplete transmission history.[1][2]
What Is Known
The Mozarteum’s Köchel Verzeichnis lists K. 76 as a work of doubtful authenticity, extant in transmission, in F major, and scored for oboes, bassoons, horns, and strings.[1] Although the piece is often associated with Mozart’s time in Vienna as an 11-year-old (1767), the work’s dating is not securely documented; modern reference accounts stress instead that the autograph is lost and that the symphony’s historical source situation is unusually precarious.[2]
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
In older numbering schemes, K. 76 is sometimes called “Symphony No. 43,” but this label is editorial rather than Mozart’s own.[2] It is also routinely included in modern lists of Mozart symphonies of spurious or doubtful authenticity, underlining that attribution remains disputed.[3]
Musical Content
As transmitted, K. 76 follows the familiar four-movement Classical plan:[2]
- I. Allegro maestoso (F major)
- II. Andante (B♭ major; oboes tacet)
- III. Menuetto – Trio (Trio in D minor)
- IV. Allegro
The scoring is for 2 oboes, 2 horns (in F), 2 bassoons, and strings, with the common 18th-century expectation that a keyboard might reinforce the bass line as basso continuo when available.[1][2] In style, the work belongs to the world of Mozart’s earliest symphonic essays—compact, overture-like outer movements framing a lighter-textured slow movement and a courtly minuet—yet the combination of youthful mannerisms and later-sounding touches is one reason scholars have questioned whether the music is wholly by Mozart or reflects another hand.[4]
[1] Köchel Verzeichnis (Mozarteum): work entry for KV 76 (status, key, instrumentation)
[2] Wikipedia: Symphony, K. 76 (movement list, scoring notes, transmission summary, editorial numbering context)
[3] Wikipedia: Mozart symphonies of spurious or doubtful authenticity (context listing K. 76 among doubtful works)
[4] Music & Letters (Oxford Academic): article abstract on authenticity problems in early symphonies, including K. 76 (42a)