September 2. Eight four-part and two three-part Canoni (553-562 K.).
September 27. Divertimento for violin, viola, and violoncello, in E flat major (563 K.).
October 27. Terzet for piano, violin, and violoncello, in G major (564 K.).
October 30, December 6, December 24. Tänze (565, 567, 568 K.).
1789. January. German air, "Ohne Zwang aus freiem Triebe" (569 K.).
February. Pianoforte sonata in B flat major (570 K.).
February 21. Tänze (571 K.).
The symphonies in E flat major, G minor, and C major, written in the three summer months of 1788, show that the inner strength was not slumbering; but Mozart's appointment as chamber-composer to the Emperor gave him no impulse to composition, and his official duties were limited to the preparation of music for the masked balls in the imperial Redoutensale.[ 2 ]
These Redoutensale are situated in the wing of the Hof-burg, which forms the right side of the Josephsplatz, and originally contained a theatre, where, upon festive occasions, operas and ballets were performed before the court; after the erection of the Burgtheater, in 1752, the old Hoftheater was MASKED BALLS. converted into the large and small Redoutensaal now existing, and concerts, balls, and other entertainments given there. The balls were masked, and took place on every Carnival Sunday, on Shrove-Tuesday, and on the three last days of Carnival. Joseph II. favoured them as a means of drawing different classes together, and frequently appeared at them with his court; all ranks mixed freely, and considerable license was allowed. The usual dances were minuets, country dances, and waltzes, in the last of which only the lower classes joined, on account of the crowding—just as is the case in "Don Giovanni" (p. 163). The management of the Redoute was generally in the same hands as that of the Opera-Theatre, the two being farmed out together. The court monopolised the Opera-Theatre in 1778 and the Kàrnthnerthortheater in 1785, and kept the control over them until August, 1794. Thus it came about that the court theatrical-director ordered the dance music, and although the pay was only a few ducats for a set of dances, the services of good composers were claimed for the purpose; Haydn, Eybler, Gyrowetz, Hummel, and Beethoven all composed for the Redoute, as well as Mozart.[ 3 ] During the years succeeding his appointment—1788, 1789, 1791—Mozart composed a number of different dances for the masked balls:—
1788. January 14. Country dance "Das Donnerwetter" (534 K.).