W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626

W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626 – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Mus. Hs. 17.561 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)

Vienna (Austria) — 1791

Mozart's legendary last composition, created on his deathbed: an unfinished requiem for a mysterious anonymous patron and one of the most famous masterpieces in the history of music

  1. This is the last composition created by the dying Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91)

  2. Mozart received a mysterious, anonymous commission for a funeral mass in late 1791

  3. He died before it was finished and his widow had the work completed in secret by others

W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626

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  1. Description
  2. Facsimile Editions (3)
Description
W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626

The Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91) is one of the most famous musical compositions of all time. It is not only a masterpiece of classical music, but a work whose origins are shrouded in myth. The musical genius received a mysterious, anonymous commission for a funeral mass in late 1791, which he composed as he himself was dying. These circumstances became fodder for numerous myths and gossip, even finding expression in the 1979 play Amadeus, which was adapted for film in 1984. The story of Mozart’s Requiem is a fascinating glimpse into European cultural history at the end of the 18th century.

W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626

A musical work so famous, so controversial, that even those who are not connoisseurs of classical music are familiar with it: Mozart’s Requiem was famously composed as the musical genius was dying in 1791. He was working at the behest of an anonymous patron, Count Franz von Walsegg (1763–1827), an amateur musician who had a habit of commissioning works from composers and then passing them off as his own. Although the first two movements were complete upon his death on December 5th, the last two were incomplete and had to be finished by Joseph Leopold Eybler (1765–1846) and Franz Xaver Süßmayr (1766–1803) under the direction of his widow Constanze (1762–1842). She then sent it to von Walsegg with a counterfeit signature so as to collect the commission, which she badly needed at the time. Maintaining this illusion, she claimed Mozart had composed the piece for his own funeral and had been poisoned, contributing to the various myths that immediately sprung up regarding the circumstances of both his death and the composition of the Requiem. The mythologizing of Mozart during the 19th century, a common occurrence in the era of Romanticism when details were lacking.

The Life of a Musical Genius

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91) is perhaps the most famous composer of all time, his life has been the subject of novels and films. He began composing at the age of 5 with his first symphony coming at the age of 8, making him a sensation overnight as a child prodigy, and went on to create over 600 pieces of music. Although achieving tremendous success, Mozart struggled financially, like many musicians, and was impoverished upon his death. Although he was not buried in a common grave as is falsely believed, he was buried in a commoner’s grave, which was subject to excavation after ten years unlike an aristocratic one, thus leaving no lasting tomb for the great composer. Memorial services and concerts in his honor were well-attended in Vienna and Prague, and his reputation only increased following his death.

Codicology

Size / Format
200 pages / 32.5 × 24.3 cm
Origin
Austria
Date
1791
Genre
Patron
Franz von Walsegg
Artist / School

Available facsimile editions:
W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626 – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Mus. Hs. 17.561 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)
Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Graz, 1990
Limited Edition: 2000 copies

W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626 – Bärenreiter-Verlag – Mus. Hs. 17.561 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)
Bärenreiter-Verlag – Kassel, 2015

Gesellschaft für graphische Industrie – Vienna, 1913
Facsimile Editions

#1 W.A. Mozart: Requiem, KV 626

Limited Edition: 2000 copies
Binding: Both facsimile parts are sewn in soft covers reproducing their original bindings.
Commentary: 1 volume (40 pages) by Günter Brosche
Languages: English, German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Commentary volume: in german and english, 40 pp. with 9 illustrations.
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €
(under 1,000€)

#2 Requiem K. 626

Bärenreiter-Verlag – Kassel, 2015

Publisher: Bärenreiter-Verlag – Kassel, 2015
Commentary: 1 volume by Günter Brosche
Languages: English, German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €
(under 1,000€)

#3 Mozarts Requiem

Publisher: Gesellschaft für graphische Industrie – Vienna, 1913
Commentary: 1 volume by Alfred Schnerich
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €€
(1,000€ - 3,000€)
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