Posted online by Chattanooga Times Free Press:

CSO officials describe the work as “tragic in tone [and] intensely emotional.”
In online program notes for Utah’s Symphony of the Canyons, researcher Geoff Kuenning says the 40th “seems to embody Mozart’s own unhappiness at his circumstances in its opening movements, yet at the finish erupts with the irrepressible ebullience that characterizes so much of his music and that has brought so much joy to those who have suffered far less than he did.”

“Transcendent and masterful – this is Mozart at his best.” – Insurrection, via Sputnikmusic.com

“The opening theme, in sonata form, sets a tone of urgency that carries through the entire work. ” – Beryl McHenry, ASO Program Notes

My personal review:
In conclusion, Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 first movement paints a very detailed picture of a tumultuous time.  The beginning is FAST, unexpected, choppy and dark.  An abrupt change seems as though the sun is back out and shining; everything seems normal and okay again.  The tumultuous episode has ended for now. 
Music possess colors, and as I described, the first movement is fast and dark, then something changes and it goes bright for a brief period.  Personally, I can almost connect to Mozart and his emotions during the Summer of 1788. He seemed sad, scared, mad, but deep down knew that the clouds would lift, the storm would pass and he would feel the sun shining down once more.  As John Lennon once said, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”