Mozart

Biography

Born in Salzburg, Austria on Jan. 27, 1756; full name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Gottlieb Mozart; he was baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Mozart is named after his grandfather on his mother's side and after the Saint on his date of birth, Johannes Chrysostomus. Parents: Leopold Mozart - composer and violinist, concertmaster at the archiepiscopal court, and in 1763, vice-kapellmeister at Salzburg court; and Anna Maria Pertl, daughter of Wolfgang Nikolaus Pertl, an official from Sankt Gilgen Sibling: Maria Anna (Nannerl) Mozart Age 3: started to play the keyboard Age 5: started composing minuets 1763-1766 toured Europe with his father and sister played for Louis XV at Versailles and George III in London 1764 wrote his first three symphonies; also met Johann Christian Bach By his teenage years, he mastered the piano, violin, and harpsichord 1768 completed first opera, La finta semplice (The Simple Pretense) 1769-1773 made three trips to Italy In Rome, there was a myth that Mozart attended the performance of Allegri's Misere. He wanted the score but when no one agreed he wrote down the music from memory. 1770 Mitridate, re di Ponte (Mithridates, King of Pontus) performed in Milan was Mozart's first major opera 1772 appointed concertmaster in the orchestra of Archbishop of Salzburg. During this period, he wrote many sacred works. 1777 toured with his mother hoping to find a court position; traveled to Mannheim where he met and fell in love with Aloysia Weber 1778, July Anna Maria Mozart died 1779 unable to find a court position, Mozart went back to Salzburg; appointed as court organist to the Archbishop of Salzburg 1781 resigned from his position due to increasing tension and disagreements between Mozart and the Archbishop. Mozart stayed in Vienna instead of returning to Salzburg. Mozart's resignation and his move to Vienna put a strain in his relationship with his father. 1782 married Constanze Weber in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral. After Mozart's death, Constanze married Danish diplomat Georg Nikolaus von Nissen. In Vienna, Mozart supported his family by performing in public and private, teaching , and composing. His first opera written after his residency in Vienna, Abduction from Seraglio became a success. 1786 The Marriage of Figaro, the first of three operas Mozart collaborated with librettist, Lorenza da Ponte, premiered at the Burg Theater. 1787 became composer of Imperial and Royal Chamber with an annual salary of 800fl. His father, Leopold, died on May 28, 1787. Don Giovanni premiered in Prague at the National Theater. 1790 Cosi fan tutte premiered at Burg Theater. Mozart declined an opportunity to compose in London. 1791 composed dance music for the Vienna Court; publishers began to pay fees for the rights to publish his works; appointed assistant to the Cathedral Kapellmeister at St. Stephens with no pay. Mozart was already feeling ill in Prague while finishing La clemenza di Tito. Dec. 5, 1791, a few minutes before 1AM, Mozart died of rheumatic fever.

The Mozart family: Maria Anna, Mozart, painting of Anna Maria, and Leopold.

His Works

music in three stages: early 1761-1772 middle 1772-1781 late 1781-1791 best known works Mozart composed over 600 works including: 21 stage and opera works, 15 Masses, over 50 symphonies, 25 piano concertos, 12 violin concertos, 27 concert arias, 17 piano sonatas, 26 string quartets, and many other pieces. His style was very unique, unlike many of the musical styles of his time. People did not appreciate his radical music because they did not understand Mozart's complex and extraordinary music. In his later years, Mozart incorporates many musical elements and style from different countries into his works. His late works include three of his most famous operas, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte, written in collaboration with Lorenza da Ponte and his last three church pieces, Mass in C Minor, Ave Verum Corpus, and Requiem. Both the Mass in C Minor and Requiem remain unfinished.

Early Works:

La finta semplice (1768) Bastien und Batienne (1768) Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770)

Middle Works:

Missa in C, Coronation Mass (1779)

Late Works:

Idomeneo, re di Creta (1781) The Abduction from Seraglio (1782) Mass in C minor (1783) The Marriage of Figaro (1786) Don Giovanni (1787) Cosi fan tutte (1790) La Clemenza di Tito (1791) The Magic Flute (1791) Requiem (1791)

Mozart's Sacred Works

Masses and Kyries

K33 Kyrie in F (1766) K90 Kyrie in d (1772) K115 Missa brevis in C (incomplete) K116 Missa brevis in F K139 Missa solemnis in c ("Waisenhaus"-1768) K167 Missa in C ("Holy Trinity"-1773) K192 Missa brevis in F ("Little Credo"-1775) K220 Missa brevis in C ("Sparrow"-1773-1777) K257 Missa in C ("Credo"-1776-1777) K258 Missa brevis in C ("Piccolomini"-1775) K259 Missa brevis in C ("Organ solo"-1773-1777) K262 Missa longa in C (1775) K275 Missa brevis in B-flat (1773-1777) K296a-c Mass (fragments-1777-1778) K317 Missa in C ("Coronation"-1779) K337 Missa solemnis in C (1780) K341 Kyrie in d (1781) K427 Mass in C (1783)

Litanies and Vespers

K109 Litaniae Lauretanae BVM (1771) K125 Kitaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento in B-flat (1772) K193 Dixit and Magnificat (1773-1777) K243 Kitaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento (1773-1777) K321 Vesperae de Dominica (1779) K339 Vesperae de solennes de Confessore (1780)

Short Sacred Works

K34 Offertory ("Scande coeli limina") K85 Miserere (1770) K86 Antiphon ("Quaerite primum regnum Dei"-1770) K108 "Regina coeli" in C (1771) K127 "Regina coeli" in B-flat (1772) K165 Motet, "Exsultate, jubilate" (1773) K222 Offertory, Misericordias Domini (1773-1777) K260 Offertory in D, "Venite, populi" (1773-1777) K273 Sancta Maria in F (1773-1777) K277 Offertory, "Alma Dei creatoris" (1773-1777) K618 Motet, "Ave verum corpus" (1791)

Church Sonatas

K67 Church Sonata in E-flat (1772) K68 Church Sonata in B-flat (1772) K69 Church Sonata in D (1772) K328 Church Sonata in C (1779) K329 Church Sonata in C (1779) K336 Church Sonata in C (1779)

Historical Setting of the Requiem

Mozart and Constanze

During the late 1790, Mozart had many financial problems contributed by the following factors. i. decline in popularity from 1788 in Vienna ii. subscription concerts - from success in 1785 to only one subscriber iii. no savings from his most successful years 1785-86 iv. steady increase in popularity in foreign countries. "His music was now circulating via performances and publications throughout Europe, especially in German-speaking regions and in France, where his words were frequently listed on the programs of the Concert Spirituel." (Maynard Solomon) However, there were no performance rights or copyright laws. Composer paid only for his service of physically playing or conducting what he composed. v. Constanze's numerous pregnancies and her health vi. numerous expenses for appearances at court functions vii. supported a household of six including his son, Karl Thomas, the expected baby, Franz Xaver Wolfgang, and two servants.

Karl and Franz Xaver Mozart: 1798-99.

However, during his last year, he slowly began to experience a reversal of fortune. i. gradually middle class society and Schikaneder theatre vs. court opera and aristocratic salon ii. relationship with his wife - loving, affectionate, and concerned with Constanze's health iii. an offer to go to London by British opera manager Robert May O'Reilly iv. May - became unpaid assistant to the cathedral kapellmeister at St. Stephen's. If Mozart lived for more than two years, he would have been the next kapellmeister with salary of 2000 fl. v. late 1791, offers from Dutch and Hungarian nobility to compose a few works vi. fees were received by Mozart for the publication and manuscript rights to some of his works

History of the Requiem (timeline)

Feb. 14, Herr Franz, Count von Walsegg's wife passed away at the age of 20. mid July, messenger (Franz Anton Leitgeb, Count's steward) arrived with note asking Mozart to write a Requiem Mass; fee and time; response by messenger bring the advance fee mid July, commission from Domenico Guardasoni, Impresario of the Prague National Theater to compose the opera, La clemenza di Tito, for the festivities surrounding the coronation on Sept. 6 of Leopold II as King of Bohemia August, works mainly on La clemenza di Tito; complete by Sept. 5 in 18 days Aug. 25, Mozart leaves for Prague; messenger reappears; in Prague already started felling ill Sept. 6, Mozart conducts premiere of La clemenza di Tito mid Sept. to Sept. 28 revision and completion of The Magic Flute Sept. 30, premiere of The Magic Flute Oct. 7, completed Concerto in A for Clarinet Oct. 8 - Nov. 20, worked on the Requiem and a Cantata Nov. 20, confined to the bed due to his illness Dec. 5, shortly after midnight Mozart died of acute rheumatic fever Dec. 7, officially the 6th, buried in St. Marx Cemetery Dec. 10, Requiem performed in St. Michael for a memorial for Mozart by Freihaus theater early Mar. 1792, probably the time Sussmayer finished the Requiem evidence: Constanze signed a contract on Mar. 4, 1792, giving King Frederick William II a copy of the Requiem Jan. 2, 1793, performance of Requiem for Constanze's benefit arranged by Gottfried van Swieten early Dec. 1793, the Requiem was delivered to the Count Dec. 14 1793, Requiem performed in the memory of his wife in the church at Wiener-Neustadt Feb. 14, 1794, Requiem performed again in the memory of his wife in Patronat Church at Maria-Schutz on Semmering 1799, Breitkopf & Hartel published the Requiem 1825, Gottfried Weber wrote an article saying the Requiem was complete forgery based on Sussmayer's 1801 letter to the newspaper 1825-present, debates about who contributed what 1833, Eybler died of a stroke while conducting a performance of Mozart's Requiem

Requiem's Commissioner

The Requiem was commissioned by Count Walsegg. The true and accurate details of his request for a Requiem did not surface until 1964 when Otto Erich Deutsch found the manuscript by Anton Herzog, who at the time of the commission was under the services of the Count. Herzog describes the Count as a very loving husband and as a man with great interests in music. "He was a passionate lover of music and the theatre; hence every week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, each time fully three hours' long, quartets were played and on Sundays theatre, in which latter Herr Count himself, and Madame Countess and her unmarried Madame Sister, took part, as did all the officials and the entire, numerous household, all of whom had to play roles, each according to his or her capacities."(Herzog Anton) Since private concerts were held so often, the Count wanted many different musical pieces to be performed during his Tuesday and Thursday sessions. The Count obtained many of these works by commissioning well known composers. After receiving the commissioned work he would recopy it in his own handwriting never noting the true composer. "The secretly organized scores he generally copied out in his own hand, and presented them for the parts to be copied out. We never saw an original score. The quartets were then played, and we had to guess who the composer was. Usually we suggested it was the Count himself, because from time to time he actually composed some small things; he smiled and was pleased that we (as he thought) had been mystified; but we were amused that he took us for such simpletons. We were all young, and thought this an innocent pleasure which we gave our lord. And in such fashion the mystifications continued among us for some years."(Herzog Anton) After Count Walsegg's wife died, he wanted to have two special memorials in her honor. One was a sculpture. The other was the Requiem, which was to be played annually on the anniversary of his wife's death. The Requiem was finally performed in a memorial for the Count's wife on December 14, 1793.

Requiem Mass

text from the Requiem Mass in Latin 15 movements A. Requiem 1. Requiem - chorus, soprano solo, chorus B. Kyrie 2. Kyrie - choral C. Sequence 3. Dies irae - choral 4. Tub mirum - bass, tenor, alto, soprano, four soloists together 5. Rex tremendae - choral 6. Recordare - solo quartet 7. Confutatis 8. Lacrimosa - choral D. Offertory 9. Domine Jesu - choral 10. Domine Hostias - choral E. Sanctus 11. Sanctus - choral F. Benedictus 12. Benedictus - solo quartet G. Agnus Dei 13. Agnus Dei - choral H. Communion 14. Lux aeterna - solo soprano, choral 15. Cum sanctis tuis - choral four vocal parts: soprano, contralto, tenor, bass -Mozart produces a new kind of sacred music where the focus is on the vocal parts. -"He deals with the four-part setting as a whole, he lets it unfold in phrases and sections, he never singles out one voice over a longer period."(Christoph Wolff) instruments: 2 basset horns, 2 bassons, 2 trumpets, timpani, 3 trombones, strings (included violins I and II, violas, cellos, and contrabasses), and organ total time: approximately 50 minutes many different versions 1. Mozart & Sussmayer's version 2. Franz Beyer's version - editted the first version According to Robin Golding, Beyer "cleansed the score of Sussmayer's faulty harmonic realisations and his often insensitive scoring." 3. Richard Maunder's version - Sanctus and Benedictus are omitted, Lacrimosa from measure 9 to 30 is replaced by music from the Requiem movement starting from the solo soprano part, and an Amen fugue discovered a few decades ago is added after the Lacrimosa.

Autograph draft scores

(in Mozart's handwriting) - all donated to Imperial Library in Vienna

Autograph score of the Requiem:Kyrie.

early 1830's, Abbe Stadler - All five of the six movements for Sequence except Lacrimosa claims to have received it from 'Jemand' as a gift 1833. Joseph Eybler - Lacrimosa, Domine Jesu, Domine Hostias claims to have received it from Georg Nikolaus Nissen 1838, Count Walsegg - 'original' full score of the complete Requiem First two movements are Mozart's handwriting, while the rest is in Sussmayer's handwriting, quite similar to Mozart's received from Constanze

Autograph score of Requiem: Dies irae.

Compositional process

After Mozart's death, Constanze tried to find composers to finish the Requiem. The order in which Constanze asked the composers are as follows: 1. Freystadtler (30 yrs old) 2. Eybler (26 yrs old) - Dec. 21, 1791 receives material from Constanze 3. Stadler (43 yrs old) - an old family friend, not a student 4. Sussmayer Sussmayer's version the story - Before Constanze gave the score to him, she had already asked several other composers, but they all had other obligations or did not want to work on the piece. - Constanze finally gave it to Sussmayer because Mozart had discussed in detail the finished movements, including the orchestration, with Sussmayer. They had also played and sang what was completed before Mozart's death. - Mozart finished the four-part vocal score, the instrumental bass all the way to the end of the Offertory, except Lacrimosa, which was only finished through the eighth measure, and the motivic portions of instrumentation. - Sussmayer stated that he finished the Lacrimosa and composed Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. - For the last two movements, he used the music from the first two movements. After Sussmayer finished the piece, two copies were made. One was sent to Breitkopf & Hartel, for publishing. The other copy remained in Constanze's possession. The 'original' with only the first two movements in Mozart's handwriting was sent to Count Walsegg.