Key Facts About Mozart’s Requiem Composition
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began composing his Requiem in early 1791 and worked on it intermittently until his death in December of that year. He accepted the commission under ambiguous circumstances and completed only two movements plus partial sketches for others. Below are the essential, evidence-based details that distinguish documented history from later mythmaking.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Commission Date | July or early August 1791 | Probable, from commissioning accounts |
| Commissioner | Count Franz von Walsegg (anonymous patron) | Probable, attested by contemporaries |
| Mozart’s Work Period | Early August to early December 1791 | Documented in correspondence and diaries |
| Movements Completed | Introit and ‘Dies irae’ fully scored; partial sketches for ‘Rex tremendae’ and ‘Lacrimosa’ | Autograph manuscripts and scholarly analysis |
| Method of Completion by Others | Franz Xaver Süssmayr finished the ‘Lacrimosa,’ ‘Sequentia,’ ‘Offertorium,’ and ‘Communio’ using Mozart’s drafts and stylistic cues | Süssmayr’s statements and manuscript evidence |
The Commission: Motives and Mystery
Count Franz von Walsegg, an amateur composer and patron, anonymously commissioned the Requiem through intermediaries. Payment was typically arranged per page or performance, creating a strong incentive for Mozart to undertake the work. The anonymity and vague contractual terms left Mozart uncertain about the requester’s identity and intentions, feeding early speculation. This ambiguity persists in historical records, though Walsegg’s authorship is widely accepted based on financial trails and testimonies from Mozart’s circle.
Mozart’s Working Process on the Requiem
Planning and Sketches
Mozart approached the Requiem systematically, preparing voice parts and continuo realizations for segments he fully scored. He relied on earlier liturgical and theatrical influences, integrating chromatic harmony and operatic drama into the sacred context. Scholars note that his sketches reveal iterative revisions, indicating an exploratory rather than purely linear compositional process.
Daily Routine and Constraints
By 1791, Mozart’s health was deteriorating, likely due to kidney disease. He composed in short bursts, balancing the Requiem with commissions, performances, and teaching duties. His workflow combined handwriting practice, draft scoring, and collaboration with copyists, which allowed parts to be prepared for rehearsals while he refined details.
Health Decline and Final Months
Mozart’s health declined through the autumn of 1791, limiting his ability to work for extended periods. Contemporary physicians described symptoms consistent with severe edema and infection. Despite his condition, he continued to refine the Requiem, dictating sections to his student Franz Xaver Süssmayr and revising earlier material. His reduced stamina shaped the surviving score, favoring concentrated expression over expansive development.
Completion by Franz Xaver Süssmayr
After Mozart’s death on 5 December 1791, Süssmayr used the completed movements, detailed sketches, and verbal instructions to finish the work. Süssmayr maintained the stylistic contour of Mozart’s drafts while supplying harmonies, orchestration, and formal continuity for the remaining sections. Modern editions often distinguish Mozart’s hand through ink studies and voice-leading analysis, confirming his authorship of the core musical argument.
- Introit: Mozart scored the opening movements completely; Süssmayr preserved their structural logic in the continuation.
- ‘Dies irae’: Fully composed by Mozart, showcasing dramatic intensity and rhythmic drive.
- ‘Rex tremendae’ and ‘Lacrimosa’: Mozart left substantial drafts; Süssmayr extended and polished them.
- ‘Offertorium’ and ‘Communio’: Süssmayr completed these largely from thematic cues and stylistic alignment.
Enduring Reputation and Interpretive Influence
The Requiem’s blend of theatrical intensity and spiritual introspection has made it one of the most recorded and performed large-scale choral works. Conventions such as historically informed performance practice have clarified scoring ambiguities, while period-instrument recordings highlight clarity of line and contrast. Contemporary staging and multimedia presentations continue to renew audience engagement, ensuring the Requiem remains a living part of concert repertoire rather than a museum piece.
Debunking Popular Myths
Several legends persist, including the claim that Mozart believed he was composing his own funeral music or that the Requiem carries a fatal curse. Historical evidence shows no reliable support for these stories; they emerged decades after his death and were amplified by romantic-era narrative. Scholarly work grounded in autograph sources, payment records, and contemporaneous diaries emphasizes the practical, professional context of the commission rather than supernatural intervention.