Bernstein: Mozart and Symmetry / Norton Lectures: Musical Syntax

The Unanswered Question: Six Talks at Harvard
II. Musical Syntax - Mozart and Symmetry
In this excerpt, Bernstein explains musical syntax and Mozart's use of symmetry through the example of his Symphony No. 40 in G Minor.
Written and narrated by Leonard Bernstein, Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry, 1972
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Executive Producer: Harry Kraut
Consulting Producer: Humphrey Burton
Producer: Douglas Smith
Originally produced by Amberson Video in cooperation with WGBH-TV Boston, 1973.
Available on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Unanswered-Que...
© 1992 Video Music Education, Inc.

[@corneliamuller8659]

Bernstein, the timeless genius. A teacher of the highest grades.

[@beethovenlovedmozart]

All the music geniuses after mozart, recognize and admire his talent with awe. The man was unbelievable and it stems mainly from his amazing memory and being able to recall everything he heard or wrote. Definitely 1b to bach but if he wouldve lived to 55 or 60, it wouldve been extremely hard to keep Bach at the top. Mozart was amazing. As every music genius will tell you.

[@debwebbowsky]

I see Joseph Silverstein and Harry Ellis Dickson . They used to come and conduct us at GBYSO back in the day.

[@loganfruchtman953]

This is what I wanted music education in college to be. I was very disappointed so I switched to marketing

[@sergeruffles1380]

what is the symmetry here? Is it the identical rhythm of the phrasing from bar to bar? I'm lost

[@apextimbs244]

Symmetry is supposed to the same structure or “identical rhythm of the phrasing” but reversed or opposite pitch of the first phrasing. Just like a right triangle’s symmetrical half (or any geometric structure’s half) is the same but reversed. And then is resolved by the last bars.

[@matthiascheah3519]

Symmetry is not necessarily balance, equality is never equity. my random takeaway.

[@maartenvandam344]

Symetry is boring, yet necessary.

[@nikolavlah9199]

Like structure and order

[@beethovenlovedmozart]

Mozart made it exciting. But not everyone can do it. Transitioning to a different key and or a different theme in a controlled structure state, oddly, takes a lot of talent. This is the very thing Beethoven struggled with which is why it was easier for him to not have order or structure and be more random. That's how he was able to complete works. Also the fact he couldn't hear anymore, are the main reasons he went "off script" and just ignored most forms. He didn't have the talent, the patience, or even the hearing to make up for some of it. And here we thought he just wanted to be different. Lol. He did so out of necessity

[@archangecamilien1879]

0:33 - 34 - ish, I wonder if he could have said that today, haha..."our maleness and our femaleness"...not that I agree with that, I mean...it's not really a duality (and it's not even like we are truly symmetrical)...

[@villain7140]

Female and male are the two biological sexes. Gender you can argue is a social construct, a different thing. So if you're looking at the occurence of duality in nature, you should be looking at sex not gender

[@lb3598]

this was transphobic, he must be cancelled

[@neil7137]

Why was he a transphobic? Or is it a joke/troll?

[@wolfie8748]

@@neil7137 I hope this was a joke

[@Sh.moon.]

you must be joking right?

[@joshuamouth]

This is clearly a joke

[@phoebusapollo4677]

What a piss head you are