The development of the first movement of Haydn's String Quartet Op. 64, No. 3 shares several similarities with an extended harmonic pattern in Mozart's "Voi che sapete" from Le Nozze di Figaro. This may reveal that Mozart's arietta is a concealed model. Both the Mozart and Haydn excerpts can be analyzed using an interrupted Schenkerian Urlinie of 3-2 // 3-2-1 that begins on the dominant minor (F minor). A half cadence on C major is reached via an augmented sixth on D-flat, and this is followed by descending motion from C to A-flat major. Although Haydn emphasizes the tonal area of A-flat longer than Mozart, both excerpts move from A-flat to C minor and then cadence in G minor. The tonal complexity in "Voi che sapete" seems more sophisticated than the character singing the arietta (Cherubino), which may indicate that the music is aimed to appeal to musical connoisseurs. This target audience for the arietta, alongside Haydn's documented familiarity with Le Nozze di Figaro, strengthens the possibility that aspects of Mozart's arietta were incorporated into Haydn's quartet.

Works: Haydn: String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 64, No. 3.

Sources: Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro, "Voi che sapete."

Index Classifications: 1700s

Contributed by: Laura B. Dallman