Finale from Mozart's String Quartet, K. 387

Mozart closes K. 387 with a dazzling fugal finale, a tour‑de‑force of contrapuntal writing that simultaneously pays homage to Haydn and shows Mozart’s own effortless mastery. In a sonata‑form fugato Mozart blends strict counterpoint with Classical sonata architecture—exposition, development, recapitulation—while keeping the texture lively and transparent. A sharply profiled, energetic theme built from descending scale fragments and leaping intervals, is ideal for contrapuntal manipulation. It begins as a four‑voice fugue, each instrument entering in turn, but quickly expands into invertible counterpoint, stretto, and playful exchanges. The character is brilliant, witty, and athletic—this is Mozart showing how to write learned counterpoint without ever sounding academic. The development section ventures into bold chromatic regions, then snaps back with Classical clarity. It closes in a jubilant, high‑energy coda that feels like a burst of sunlight—perfectly balancing the more serious contrapuntal writing. This arrangement is on the Florida Bandmasters Association Contest List, grade 5.