Mozart composed K515 and K516 concurrently in 1787, conceiving them as a contrasted pair, a technique he also used for some of his Piano Concertos.
Compositional Technique
The classic string quintet scoring, featuring two violins, two violas, and bass, appeared shortly after 1600, notably in Monteverdi's Orfeo of 1607.
Composition History
Mozart's first String Quintet, K173, was likely modeled on a Notturno by Joseph Haydn's brother Michael Haydn, written in Salzburg in February 1773.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mozart likely turned to the string quintet because he was dissatisfied with the string quartet, which he described as the fruit of 'long and laborious toil'.
Critical Reception
Mozart's last two Quintets, K593 and K614, have divided critical opinion; Eric Blom called K614 'the most superb', while Hans Keller found most of it a 'stylistic mystery and a textural failure'.
Compositional Technique
Adding a second viola to the string quartet allowed Mozart to expand musical resources, offering more textures and enabling operatic duets between the first violin and first viola.
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