MOZARTS REQUIEM - Term Paper Example

? MOZART’S REQUIEM SUBMITTED TO- SUBMITTED BY- MOZART’S REQUIEM INTRODUCTION Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in the year 1756. Few composers have had such an impact on the music industry, as the likes of Mozart. He was one of the most influential and powerful composers in the Classical era of music. He had shown the amazing talent for composition at a very early age. He started composing music from the age of five and also played before the royalty. He travelled widely, with a penchant for performing. He had also performed before the European royalty at a very early age. There was always a search for a better position, leading him to change places and compos with a lot of regularity. While on a visit to Vienna in the year 1781, he faced dismissal from the position at Salzburg. He stayed on at Vienna, but the financial security was much lesser. The final years in Vienna were extremely productive, with the composition of a number of pieces. The part that we would concentrate on is the Requiem. It was one of his most important works, but was left in an unfinished state for most part. The situation that led to his death has been a subject of folklore, with a number of interpretations doing the rounds. Mozart learned the art from a lot of the other musicians, with the compositions straddling both worlds. Some of the compositions are very light in the constitution, while some of the others are extremely dark. The body of his work is very elaborate, with over six hundred pieces, and many of them have been taken as the best in symphony, concert ante and other forms of music. He had been an inspiration to some of the other leading lights, including Beethoven; who was inspired by him. He was the youngest one among seven, children; five of whom had died in infancy. His father, Leopold Mozart was a minor composer in the court of the Count of Salzburg. It can be noted that Leopold was a devoted teacher to his son, the young Mozart. It can be also said, that Mozart wanted to progress beyond the teaching given by his father. Alongside conventional music, he also taught Mozart academic subjects. He and his sister were considered to be child prodigies. All of the concerts began with the concerts at Munich, going on to the courts of Vienna and Prague. The tour lasted for almost three and a half years, ending through the cities of Zurich. Mozart was influenced by a number of composers during that period. Some of the most famous names include the individuals like Bach. The trips of the family were often done in the conditions, which were not conducive for travel. In the year 1769, Mozart and his father again left for travel, which took them through many places. They finished the travel by the year 1771. Leopold, his father had hoped for some kind of appointment in the courts of Italy, but it never materialized. In the year 1777, Mozart resigned from the position at Salzburg, and went in to travel in different parts of Europe like Munich and Paris. Mozart fell ill in the year 1791 during the premier of an opera, which was written as a part of the responsibilities for the emperor’s coronation. But, he kept on performing most of the functions, and also had the premiere of the play. The deterioration of health became more evident on the 20th November of same year, making him bedridden. He started to suffer from pain, vomiting and swelling in the joints. Mozart was looked after in the final times by his wife and her sister. He was also attended by the family doctor Thomas Franz Closset. During that period, he was occupied with the creation of Requiem, which was the last of his seminal works. This is one of the reasons, why it has been chosen for writing this paper. THE REQUIEM The Requiem written by Mozart was one of the finest works by the composer. The fact that it was written during the final years of his life, further makes it more important. It was left in an unfinished state by the composer, and was finished after the death of the composer on December 5. The completed copy was sent to Count Franz von Walsegg, who had commissioned the piece in an anonymous manner for commemorating the 14th anniversary of his wife’s death. The manuscript of the autograph has the introit in Mozart’s handwriting. But, the extent of the involvement of Sussamayr in the creation of this composition has not been checked in through detail. He also claimed that Sanctus and Agnus Dei as his own compositions. Walsegg my have tried to pass the composition as his own, but was unable to do so, as the event of a public benefit event for Mozart’s widow made matters difficult. The Requiem is designed for a combination of two basset horns, two  bassoons, two trumpets in D, 3 trombones (alto, tenor & bass), timpani (two drums),violins and basso continuo (the cello, the double bass, and also the organ). The vocal parts of the composition included the soprano, the contralto, the tenor, and also the presence of different bass soloists and also a mixed choir. During the period of death of Mozart in the year 1791, only the opening part of the movement was completed, and none of the parts in the vocals or orchestra were near completion. The Kyrie and most of the other sequences were in completion in their vocal aspects and the continuo. Some of the parts of orchestra were indicated in a brief manner, like the violin parts and also the parts of the musical bridge. The movements of the Offertorium were completed in a partial manner (Heartz 316). The vocal parts and continuo were also partial in nature. The Hostias were composed of the vocal parts alone. THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE REQUIEM The controversy surrounding the composition has been undying, with a number of stories floating around. These have shaped the conscience of the common public regarding the Requiem and its eventual importance in the life of the composer. The count known as Franz von Walsegg had commissioned the work from Mozart through a number of intermediaries. The count had a reputation of commission work from others and passing them as own work. He was an amateur chamber musician and wanted the opportunity to work on a similar system. He wanted the composition of a Requiem mass, which could be passed as his won. This would in turn play a vital part in establishing his credentials as a writer. This was meant to play a part in the passing off, of his wife. Mozart had only composed half of the composition before his death, and so his wife was keen to finish rest of the composition. Joseph von Eybler was one of the first composers, who were asked to finish the composition. He had worked on all the movements from the the Dies irae and onto the Lacrimosa. There are also similarities in the later sections that suggest that he may have looked at the later sections .However, after this he was unable to work on the later sections and gave it back to the wife of Mozart. After that the task was give to another person called as Franz Xaver Sussmayr. He had borrowed from some of the work of Eybler and also added some of his own variations to that. He had finished the last parts by adding the first two parts of composition that he had one. The view is, Mozart may not have done the same to these sections. He had been helped by some other composers in the creation of this composition. The critics are of the popular view, that the Agnus Dei is based on the instructions given by Mozart. This has been commented by some due to the similarities to a section from Gloria, which was done as a part of previous mass. There is another point of view, which is based on the Meta debate that of the work is of high quality; it is based on the works of Mozart and the low quality is based on other composers. Some of the critics have opposed the idea, leading to the opinion that , it is unfair to judge the composition in parts. Another controversy regarding the completion has been the rumour that Mozart had left behind exclusive instruction on pieces of paper, for the composers to complete it. This claim was made by Constanze Mozart to increase the authenticity of the composition, and also lend a greater credibility to Mozart. Many other versions have been turning up, which have been providing with logical and compelling solutions to the endings. The confusion in a large part was the creation of the wife of Mozart. She was faced with a difficult task, an act of fine balancing. She could not let the cunt know that Requiem was unfinished at the time of death of Mozart. This could jeopardize the compete project. She had to keep it secret, until the work had been delivered to Count Walsegg. After receiving the commission, she had the task of promoting the work as Mozart’s. This was necessary so that she could receive money from the publishing and the performance. She had to accept that it was composed by Mozart, so that larger sums of money could be earned. According to her, Mozart had intended the Requiem to be performed after his own death, and he was writing it for himself. He was of the belief, that he was being poisoned. He was having swelling and had left instructions for finishing the composition. There are a lot of discrepancies in her words, as being seen by the later historians. MYTHS SURROUNDING THE COMPOSITION There are curious layers to the stories surrounding the creation of Requiem and the eventual completion. As a result of this, a lot of mythology has been created regarding the Requiem. One of the common myths seems to involve the role played by Antonio Salieri. There are wide spread speculations about his role in the death of Mozart and the commissioning of the Requiem. CONCLUSION The music of Mozart, like the one of Haydn is the example of Classical music. He changed the working patterns of European music. The music was undergoing a silent revolution against the Baroque style. It has being heralded in a large part by Mozart himself. The complexities of the Baroque were moderated by Mozart and disciplined in a better manner. He was an extremely versatile composer and wrote in a majority of the genres like symphony, the opera and the concertos. None of the forms were new in their constitution, but he changed their complexion to a more mature level. The classical form of the piano concerto was popularized by Mozart almost in a single handed manner. He also composed a large amount of religious music. Along with that, he also composed other lighter forms of music. The main factors in his work include the central components like balance, clarity and the transparent nature. But the delicate natures of the compositions mask the finer aspects of the composition. There is an intrinsic aspect of violence and also an inbuilt feling of sensuality in the body of Mozart’s work (Halliwell 123). The understanding of the structures can only be done, if the sensuality can be unravelled. Dissecting all the inner feelings of Mozart, under the terror and the suffering, most of the compositions are very voluptuous. His music was based on the exploitation of the chromatic harmony. It was also done to a degree, which was extremely rare for that time. It was done with a great deal of assurance and also involved artistry. Mozart was one of the first true international stars who had the ability to absorb different kinds of music and influences. His contribution to the music industry has been tremendous. WORKS CITED Halliwell, Ruth. The Mozart Family: Four Lives in a Social Context. New York City: Clarendon Press, 1998: Print. Heartz, Daniel . Music in European Capitals: The Galant Style .New York City: W. W. Norton & Company, 2003. Print. Read More