The Story Of Mozart S Requiem

"'When was the score of the Requiem completed?' is a question that everyone has asked; . . .but Wolff goes on to ask: 'Where do the technical and stylistic premises for the Requiem lie, and to what extent could these be taken into account after Mozart's death?' This question is rich in implications, central to the uniqueness of the work, and virtually undiscussed in the Mozart literature."—Thomas Bauman, co-author of Mozart's Operas

Presenting a fresh interpretation of Mozart's Requiem, Simon P. Keefe redresses a longstanding scholarly imbalance whereby narrow consideration of the text of this famously incomplete work has taken precedence over consideration of context in the widest sense. Keefe details the reception of the Requiem legend in general writings, fiction, theatre and film, as well as discussing criticism, scholarship and performance. Evaluation of Mozart's work on the Requiem turns attention to the autograph score, the document in which myths and musical realities collide. Franz Xaver Süssmayr's completion (1791–2) is also re-appraised and the ideological underpinnings of modern completions assessed. Overall, the book affirms that Mozart's Requiem, fascinating for interacting musical, biographical, circumstantial and psychological reasons, cannot be fully appreciated by studying only Mozart's activities. Broad-ranging hermeneutic approaches to the work, moreover, supersede traditionally limited discursive confines.

The haunting beauty of Mozart's Requiem and the tragic circumstances surrounding its composition have made it a favorite among performers and listeners alike. But how much of it actually Mozart's - and how do we know? Who wrote the missing pieces? What role did his wife, Constanze, play - and what about the man who secretly commissioned the work? Who tricked whom, and who had the last laugh in this grim tale? The author, an internationally recognized expert on Mozart, traces the complex web of events and intrigue surrounding the composition of the Requiem and how it was completed after Mozart's death. In an easy-to-read style, he presents an accurate, precise, complete narrative of the dramatic story; and with a spoonful of sugar, he introduces newcomers to some of the technical problems, clues, and terminology used in reconstructing such histories.

"Mike Bartlett's funny and poignant play for one actor tells a story of desire, control, raised blinds and lowered boundaries."--Publisher's website.

When Mozart died in 1791, he left unfinished the score of his Requiem. At the request of his widow, the work was completed by Mozart's pupil and assistant, Franz Xaver Süssmayr. Unfortunately, Süssmayr was a musician of limited technique and ability--his poor orchestration has frequently been criticized, and considerable controversy has surrounded the question of whether the movements missing from Mozart's autograph were entirely Süssmayr's work, or whether he might have based them on Mozart's sketches or oral instructions. This book is an intensive new study of the background to the Requiem and the music itself. Maunder, who after many years' research has recently completed a new edition of the Requiem that attempts to be more faithful to Mozart's original intentions, presents detailed arguments concerning the authenticity of the doubtful movements, the editorial decisions he faced in preparing the new edition, the settings by other composers that may have influenced Mozart, and the problems of performance practice. He concludes that Süssmayr probably did write the disputed movements, but may have used a now-lost Mozart sketch in composing the Agnus Dei. This fascinating new study of one of classical music's best-loved works will interest a wide range of music students and scholars, and general readers.

Om Constanze Mozarts (1762-1842) liv efter ægtefællen Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts (1761-1826) død