Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem
The last composition of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (born January 27, 1756) was the Requiem, K 626, Mass in D minor, one of his masterpieces and most popular works. While ailing and confined to bed, he tirelessly worked on it. He left the Requiem unfinished as he died almost an hour after midnight of December 5, 1791.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem Facts
In form, the work is in eight parts and contains fourteen musical numbers, as completed by Franz Xaver Süssmayr, Mozart’s pupil. The text is “Mass for the Dead” from the Catholic liturgy, missa pro defunctis.
Original Title: Requiem
Original Language: Latin
Date of Writing: July to December 4, 1791
First Performance: Neuklusterkirche in Wiener Neustadt, December 14, 1793, two years after Mozart’s death.
Structure of Mozart’s Requiem divided into 14 movements
I. Introitus: Requiem aeternam (Choir)
II. Kyrie eleison (Choir)
III. Sequenza:
- Dies irae (Choir)
- Tuba mirum (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass Solo)
- Rex tremendae (Choir)
- Recordare, Jesu pie (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass Solo)
- Confutatis (Choir)
- Lacrimosa (Choir)
IV. Offertorium:
- Domine Jesu (Choir with Solo Quartet)
- Versus: Hostias (Choir)
V. Sanctus:
- Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth (Choir)
VI. Benedictus (Solo Quartet then Choir)
VII. Agnus Dei (Choir)
VIII. Communio:
- Lux aeterna (Choir)
History of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem
In 1791, Mozart and his wife, Constanze, were to journey to Prague, where his opera La Clemenza di Tito, was to have its premiere. Shortly before their departure, at the end of August, a mysterious “messenger” came to him asking if he could compose a requiem. The name of the man turned out later to be Leutgeb, who was acting on behalf of Count Franz von Walsegg-Stuppach. He wanted it performed in his palace on his wife’s first death anniversary, passing it off as his own. He wanted the best composer, and who could provide it but Mozart.
Whether Leutgeb was the messenger referred to as “all in gray” on the day he visited Mozart, nobody knows, but Mozart, in telling Constanze of his own premonitions, included the vision of a messenger all in gray who came from the next world to tell him of his impending death. For anyone familiar with biographies on Mozart, among the numerous rumors relating to his death, one absurd rumor claims that Antonio Salieri murdered him, and another one held that the Freemasons poisoned him, rather preposterous the fact that the Freemasons considered him their dear and faithful brother Mozart.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Writes the Requiem
Confined and dying in his bed, Mozart worked feverishly on the Requiem. A few days before his death, he showed his finished pages to visiting friends: his brother- in-law Hofer, Benedikt Schack (the first who performed the role of Tamino), and the singer Franz Gerl, who was singing the role of Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte in the nearby Theater auf der Wieden. They sang from Mozart’s manuscript while the weak Mozart hummed along and managing to give the beat. After the eight bar of the Lacrimosa, the manucript broke off.
In the evening of December 4, his youngest sister-in-law, Sophie Weber, who visited fetched a doctor nearby. Mozart passed away on December 5, 1791, before one o’clock in the morning. He left an incomplete Requiem and a grieving wife. Constanze took charge to complete the Requiem.
Completion of Wolfgang A. Mozart’s Unfinished Requiem
Constanze Weber Mozart looked after completing Mozart’s Requiem. She contracted two composers: Joseph Eybler (1765-1846) and Franz Süssmayr (1766-1803).
Eybler was a good musician who later became Hofkapellmeister. He orchestrated the “Dies irae” as the “Lacrimosa” but stopped working on it. Franz Süssmayr worked on the most contemporary performances of the Requiem including his own supplements to Mozart’s original composition.
Through the years there have been debates of the extent of Süssmayr’s work to complete Mozart’s Requiem. Suffice to say that he was the closest among Mozart’s friends, pupils and assistants who knew the style of his endeared master.
Süssmayr’s Work Integrated into Mozart’s Requiem
Mozart certainly composed the first two parts of the Requiem – the Introitus and the Kyrie – as well as their instrumentation right down to the last detail.
All the music in the third part, the Sequence, is also by Mozart.
Lacrimosa – the first 8 measures are by Mozart. Süssmayr composed the continuation from measure 9 and in addition, the instrumentation for the preceding numbers of the Sequence.
Offertorium (with the two numbers “Domine Jesu Christe” and “Hostias”) – comes from Mozart. Süssmayr provided the orchestration.
Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei – Of these three following numbers, there is no evidence in Mozart’s own handwriting. These parts are regarded as Süssmayr’s.
Süssmayr composed nothing for the closing Communio. Instead, he returned to the beginning of Mozart’s work and used parts of the Introitus and the Kyrie, both composed completely by Mozart. He used it with the text of Communio’s, “Lux aeterna luceat eis.”
Resources About Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography: Works, Timeleine, Resource
Requiem K. 626 Composition from Mozart Project
Mozart Requiem from muzyka,interia.pl, presented at YouTube
The World of Oratorio; Kurt Pahlen; 1990
Tel Asiado is a writer, author, and business consultant, previously, IT manager & consultant. Her articles reflect her interests, from small business, biographies & histories, to classical music especially Mozart, art & literature, biographies, and Christian writings. Tel has produced non-fictions, e-books and anthologies. Her education is MBA in Computer Management, BSc Chemistry, Diploma in Small Business & Internet Mktg, and Cert IV Training and Assessment (TAA). Her small office/home site is homebizideasnow.com, and numerous information of Mozart and classical music, mozartandclassicalmusic.com.
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