New Mozart composition discovered in Germany
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is perhaps the most famous classical composer of all time: he lived from 1756 until just 1791. But during his short life, he had a profound impact on Western classical music. Even now more than 200 years after his death, his music is performed around the world—from the largest opera houses to the most intimate dinner parties .
Mozart’s symphonies , chamber music , concertos , and operas were lauded at the time and set an example for composers who followed , from Beethoven to Tchaikovsky. His music evokes a wide range of emotions . “The Magic Flute” is a joyful opera; his Turkish March is playful ; his Requiem in D minor is dark and haunting .
Now, Mozart fans have something new to listen to. Researchers at Leipzig Municipal Libraries in Germany discovered a previously unknown Mozart composition while updating the Köchel catalog. The Köchel catalog is the official archive of Mozart’s work.
Here’s what they found. They found a hand-written manuscript on off-white color , handmade paper . The ink was dark brown, but it wasn’t written in Mozart’s handwriting . They believe the manuscript was a copy that was made sometime around 1780. And they think it was preserved by Mozart’s sister.
What was on the manuscript? It was a piece of music that had previously been lost to history: in other words, a new Mozart composition.
The composition is an example of chamber music—music written for a small number of instruments and intended to be played in a small room (a chamber), rather than in a large concert hall . It’s written for a string trio : two violins and a bass . And it lasts approximately eleven minutes.
The Köchel catalog named the composition, “Ganz kleine Nachtmusik,” which translates to, “A very little night music.” The name is a playful echo of a much more famous Mozart serenade called, “A little night music.”
How is it possible to know for sure that Mozart composed this newly-discovered work ? It’s not possible to know with one hundred percent certainty . But nevertheless there is strong evidence to support Mozart’s authorship .
The first clue is the most obvious; his name was printed on the manuscript. The name was written as “Wo[l]fgang Mozart,” which is how he signed his manuscripts early in his life. (He added “Amadeus,” his middle name, to his signature in later years.)
It’s not unusual that the manuscript was written in someone else’s hand : mass production of musical manuscripts was only just developing around this time. And the document was found in a well-regarded and well-preserved library , which would likely have authentic sources .
Next, experts can look to other documentary evidence from Mozart’s lifetime . His father kept a comprehensive catalog of the son’s compositions during his lifetime. That catalog includes compositions that don’t survive today, including one piece that is supposed to be stylistically similar to the one that was recently discovered.
And then finally, there is an analysis of the music. Musicologists say the style is consistent with Mozart’s music from the 1760s, when he was about 10 to 13 years old.
Put it all together , and there is strong evidence to support the claim that Mozart composed this piece.
The composition was first played publicly on September 19 in Salzburg, Austria, Mozart’s home for much of his life. The German premiere came just days later at the Leipzig Opera. The musicians played to a packed house —and then they went outside and played it again for all the people who couldn’t get a ticket .
Jeff’s take
And now you can tell your grandkids that you’re so old, you heard the premiere of a new Mozart composition.
You can listen to it. In the section of the transcript called “Jeff’s take,” I’ll link to a YouTube video of the premier in Leipzig . And it sounds like Mozart. It sounds just like Mozart. I am far from a Mozart expert, or a classical music expert; but I think it fits very well with what I recognize as his style.
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