Symphony No. 46 in C major (doubtful), K. 96 (K. 111b)
ヴォルフガング・アマデウス・モーツァルト作
The so-called Symphony No. 46 in C major (K. 96; also catalogued as K. 111b) is traditionally placed in Mozart’s Milan years (1771), when he was 15, but its attribution to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) remains doubtful.
What Is Known
The work circulated in the Mozart tradition as a Sinfonia in C major and has often been dated to 1771 in Milan, during the Italian journeys when the teenage Mozart was writing and performing at a remarkably high level for his age [1]. However, modern reference lists treat K. 96 among the symphonies of spurious or doubtful authenticity, and its authorship is not securely established by surviving documentation [2]. Performing materials and modern editions exist under the familiar label “Symphony No. 46,” reflecting a long afterlife in catalogues and concert programming even as the attribution remains contested [3].
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Musical Content
Where it is performed as an early “Italian” symphony, K. 96 is generally approached as a concise, mid-1770s orchestral sinfonia in C major, oriented toward clear tonal design, rhythmic regularity, and bright outer movements—traits consistent with the public theatrical style Mozart cultivated in Italy [2]. Because the attribution is doubtful, it is best heard less as a fixed milestone in Mozart’s symphonic evolution than as part of the broader soundworld that surrounded him in Milan: brisk tuttis, straightforward melodic periods, and a practical orchestral idiom designed to project in operatic and courtly venues.
[1] Köchel Verzeichnis (Mozarteum) entry for KV 96: "Sinfonie in C".
[2] Wikipedia: "Mozart symphonies of spurious or doubtful authenticity" (contextualizes K. 96/111b among doubtful/spurious symphonies).
[3] IMSLP work page: "Symphony No.46 in C major, K.96/111b" (performance materials/editions listing).