Mozart?

When the dancer comes to the party and she plays a wrong note, she is playing Mozart. Then its the same song she sings when she misses the audition. Mozart-Oboe Concerto in C Major(K. 314)

I think Mozart in the Jungle translates to a prodigious classical musician fighting to be noticed among his competitive peers.

Mozart in the Jungle is based on the memoir "Mozart in the Jungle" by Blair Tindall. There may be some truth to the Oboe Concerto theory suggested earlier, but there is another explanation.

Mozart is a very common composer that many people know about, regardless of whether one has had classical music training or not. Apart from this, Mozart is, for many, the epitome of refined classical music, and many consider it highbrow, proper, sophisticated, etc. This is juxtaposed with the image of a jungle, which many associate with more primal urges, and many consider it a fierce environment that only a few can survive in. Think of how primates fight over potential mates so that their species can survive, but yet their particular genes can dominate. Also think of the various species of Poison Dart Frogs that live in rain forests, which can easily kill humans. Now consider the fact that there is a huge array of different species just as deadly to humans. The basic idea is that life in the jungle is not easy, and to spend your life there is a decision not to be taken lightly.

Now, with that in mind, think of many of the common stereotypes of classical musicians by the general public. When the general public goes to a symphony concert, many do not necessarily think of the seedier side of the business. For many, it may never occur to them that many of the musicians onstage may have won their position by being the best, but others may have slept with someone for the job. This is, in part, where the title comes from. It takes an archetype, and puts it in an environment that not many people see; an environment where drugs are much more common than others outside might think (cocaine and other stimulants are common in the "perpetual gigging" scene. Alcohol and tobacco are common drugs that many classical and jazz musicians use, though the extent of the use varies from none to light to heavy. You also often encounter Marijuana and other psychedelics, though Marijuana is the most common outside of Alcohol and Tobacco), and where people will sleep with other people for gigs (or to get an advantage over another person).

On a similar note, classical music is considered to be one of the most competitive fields in the world, because there are not many good paying jobs, but many great musicians. Because of this, the most minute details in a person's playing (or who they know, or who they've slept with...hopefully the last one doesn't come into account often, but unfortunately it does on occasion) can make the difference between making a living with a major symphony, or barely making ends meet, and having a day job flipping burgers, or something comparable. Not only that, but new jobs in major orchestras do not open up often, and there are between 15-25 max full time orchestras in the US. That means, for oboes, only roughly 30-75 (absolute max) jobs available, but they are almost always filled for years at a time. Now think about how many conservatories/music schools there are in this country alone, and how many oboe students graduate with a degree every year. That is why it was such a big deal in the pilot of the show when Hailey found out that the NY Symphony was holding auditions, and that someone high on the food chain was telling her she needed to take the audition.

Not only that, but for many musicians, particularly full time musicians, being in music vs. anything else is like life vs. death. For many, the idea of being in any other field is equivalent to asking them to shovel poop for the rest of their life. Nothing else gives the kind of personal satisfaction that music gives.

All these aspects (believe me, I could go on for days about this...) give the image of a jungle-like environment, with musicians occasionally acting like animals over the limited resources available to them, and some willing to do whatever it takes to get those resources. This is where the title, "Mozart in the Jungle", comes from. It is the juxtaposition of two very contrasting ideas: that of civility, high society, refinement, etc. and the other of vice, backstabbing, and the basic need to survive...It's all so delightful...

Most people can't differentiate between Mozart and Haydn and Beethoven and don't even care much about it. Mentioning Mozart or Picasso serves to show how "cultured" they want to appear.

Mozart in the Jungle is based on a book called, well, "Mozart in the Jungle," by oboist Blair Tindall, who is also a consultant and actor on the show. For purposes of the show, think of it as "Mozart" being shorthand for classical music, and the "Jungle" translating into the "concrete jungle" of NYC in modern times.

In the book, which focused on history and funding of the arts in the late 20th century, the meaning was more intricate. "Mozart in the jungle" was a double entendre and a chapter title too. It described, literally, a disastrous concert presented by a few members of the New York Philharmonic in the remote Argentine Jungle. The airline had removed the cello and double bass trunks from the plane, and they found themselves in a very remote place without music, instruments, or formal clothing -- most were in the trunks left behind in Rio. The concert was to honor top producers of Citibank, which was sponsoring the group's South American tour. Without cello or bass, most of the concert was impossible, but they were able to put together a performance that included Mozart -- in the Jungle.

At the same time, this happened in 1987, the year that corporate entities largely stopped funding the arts. It was a real turning point for classical music, which had come to enjoy a certain culture of entitlement and was now scrambling for money. Anyway, easier to just think of it as the "concrete jungle!"

Mozart ends up appearing in an episode of season 1 looking very much like Tom Hulce who played him in Amadeus.

http://crewdtees.com/category/theatre

These are all excellent reasons for the title of the show. Of course the real reason was that "Mozart In the Jungle" was the best of the list.

Other proposed and rejected titles were:
Mahler in the Car Wash
Beethoven in the Deli
Schubert in the Trailer Park

Mozart was an easy choice

There are some other references to Mozart later in the series. Constanze (the name of Mozart's wife) is what Claire, Thomas' wife, calls Cynthia. Later, Thomas also calls her that.

In season 3, while in Venice a young Mozart appears to Rodrigo and Nannerle, Mozart's sister, later appears to Hailey.

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