The ‘Haffner’ Symphony was composed at the request of Leopold Mozart for the ennoblement celebrations of Wolfgang’s childhood friend Sigmund Haffner on 29 July 1782 in Salzburg. Mozart was under considerable pressure at the time, occupied not only with preparations for the premiere of Die Entführung aus dem Serail on 16 July, but also with arrangements for his forthcoming marriage to Constanze on 4 August. It is unclear from the surviving evidence (the relevant correspondence between Wolfgang and Leopold for this period is incomplete) whether the work arrived at Salzburg in time for the Haffner event. The Symphony was first performed in Vienna, under Mozart’s direction, at the Hofburgtheater on 23 March 1783 in the presence of the Emperor.
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