For most musicians, a long-forgotten piece written in their teens would only interest their most dedicated fans, and even then it would likely be for biographical reasons rather than as a standalone work. But that wasn’t the case with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He was composing advanced music at age five, and in fact completed the first act of his short life by adolescence, so audience appreciation for this piece is guaranteed. Serenade in C majora previously unknown work, was recently discovered in the holdings of the Leipzig City Library in Germany and made public display for the first time last week.
“While a library researcher was compiling the Köchel Catalogue, a comprehensive archive of Mozart’s work, he came across a mysterious bound manuscript containing compositions handwritten in brown ink.” Written by Sonja Anderson for Smithsonian.com.
Composed in the mid to late 1760s Serenade in C major “It consists of seven short pieces for string trio (two violins and one bass).” According to the scholar, the piece is “stylistically in keeping with” the compositions of Mozart’s time, when he was between 10 and 13 years old, and that within a few years Mozart had completely transcended this style of chamber music.
Can be seen and heard Serenade in C major in Top video of the postShortly after its premiere, earlier this month it was performed on the steps of the Leipzig Opera House by Vincent Gere, David Gere and Elisabeth Zimmermann of the Leipzig Conservatory’s Youth Symphony Orchestra. Ganz Kleine NachtmusikThis “new” Mozart work is included in the latest Köchel catalogue under the number K.648. Listening to it in the context of Mozart’s artistic evolution, one notices how it stands out in a period when he was writing mainly arias, symphonies and piano pieces. To what extent this work portends things to come is still early, and a question best left to Mozart scholars.
via Smithsonian
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Based in Seoul, Colin MaOnershall Writing and broadcastingHe has written papers on cities, languages, and cultures, and his projects include the Substack newsletter. Books about cities And books A city without a state: Walking through 21st-century Los Angeles. Follow us on Twitter CollinhamOnershall or Facebook.
