How does Mozart use melody, harmony, texture and instrumentation to

portray the dramatic setting?

At the beginning, Mozart uses pizzicato strings to accompany Figaro’s melody. This is to portray a
guitar, showing that Figaro is of the lower class. Figaro’s opening melody is conjunct and syllabic and
is harmonised by only I and V chords showing his simple nature. In bar 20 the horns enter with a
tonic pedal possibly representing the Count. In bar 24, Figaro enters with a descending melody while
a bar later in bar 25 the bassoons enter with an inversion, ascending. This could be them trying to lift
Figaro and his spirits to fight back against the Count. At bar 31 the music has modulated to the
Dominant, C major. The whole orchestra is playing forte and the violins are triple stopping. This is
showing Figaro’s excitement as he talks about him tricking the count. At bar 42, there is a tonic pedal
in the bass and syncopation in the second violin and viola. This and the rising sequence in the first
violin creates excitement as Figaro says, “I will”, with every repetition the interval gets smaller. In
bar 51 there is a diminished 7th chord on the word “quiet” showing Figaro’s concern the Count will
hear what he is planning. In bar 55, the horns enter with the Count melodic idea again. In bar 62-63
there is a big imperfect cadence creating suspense before Figaro continues explaining what he will
do. During this section the use of syncopation and suspensions and dynamic changes create the
excitement that Figaro is feeling. Then at bar 104, we reach the opening section again with the
pizzicato strings accompanying Figaro’s first melody. Then in bar 123 the oboe and bassoon are
playing the Count melody while the strings play a melody from before in the cavatina. The piece
ends with a big perfect cadence with the full orchestra at forte.