For this reason, the first has often been called “the little g minor.” Written shortly after the success of his opera seria Lucio Silla, it was supposedly completed in Salzburg on October 5, a mere two days after the completion of his Symphony No. 24, although this remains unsubstantiated.
It was premiered in the Haffner House in Salzburg on 7 July 1787, with Mozart himself conducting. With its wide-leap melodic lines and syncopation, this symphony is characteristic of the Sturm und Drang style. It shares certain features with other Sturm and Drang symphonies of this time, and is likely inspired by Haydn's Symphony No. 39, also in G minor as Mozart was a keen student of Haydn's symphonies.
The first movement plays over the opening credits of Amadeus, the 1984 Oscar-winning biographical film about Mozart. This version was recorded by The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Neville Marriner. Beginning in the 1990s, the Titan Company (an Indian manufacturer of fashion accessories) released several television advertisements for their Quartz line of watches. Oglivy & Mather, the agency that produced the advertisements, selected a phrase from Allegro con brio as the theme music. These advertisements became iconic and helped popularize the brand.
