The Maurerische Trauermusik (Masonic Funeral Music) in C minor, K. 477 (K. 479a), is an orchestral work composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1785[1] in his capacity as a member of the Freemasons. Mozart's own entry into his catalogue under the heading "July 1785" may be an error; he most likely forgot to enter a new heading for November.[2] It was performed during a Masonic funeral service held on 17 November 1785 in memory of two of Mozart's Masonic brethren,[3] Duke Georg August of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Count Franz Esterházy von Galántha,[4] members of the Viennese aristocracy.
The work uses the Gregorian chant psalm-tone, tonus peregrinus. The work is scored for strings; woodwind instruments including two oboes, a clarinet, three basset horns and a contrabassoon; and two horns.[5] The basset horn parts were written for fellow Freemasons Anton David and Vincent Springer.[1]
See also
- Masonic music
- Mozart and Freemasonry
References
- ^ a b Heartz (2009), p. 443
- ^ "Symphonies: Series IV — Orchestral Works" (PDF). Neue Mozart-Ausgabe. 10 (11): IX. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
- ^ Rosselli (1998), p. 116
- ^ Cliff Eisen (2006). The Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia, Cambridge University Press, Inc. p. 168
- ^ Score
References
- Heartz, Daniel (2009). Mozart, Haydn and Early Beethoven: 1781–1802, W. W. Norton & Co., New York
- Rosselli, John (1998). The Life of Mozart, Cambridge University Press
- Konrad, Ulrich (2020). Fragen zur Maurerischen Trauermusik KV 477, Mozart Studien, 27, p. 155–176
External links
- Maurerische Trauermusik KV 477: Score and critical report (in German) in the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe
- Maurerische Trauermusik, K. 477/479a: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Audio on YouTube, Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan