String Quintet in G minor, K. 516, K. 516

The String Quintet in G minor (1787) stands alongside the great G minor Symphony as one of Mozart's most impassioned minor-key statements. Written for two violins, two violas, and cello -- Mozart's preferred quintet scoring, which allows the extra viola to enrich the middle register -- it combines the pathos of the G minor key with extraordinary melodic invention. The first movement's questioning main theme unfolds with an urgency that seems to reach beyond the Classical period, while the serene G-major Minuet and the rondo finale -- which begins ominously in G minor before dissolving into G major -- create a journey from darkness toward acceptance. The first viola writing is among the most demanding and rewarding in the entire chamber repertoire.