Maurerische Trauermusik

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" must be considered in 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

Notes

1. Heartz (2009), p. 443
2. NMA IV/11/10 – Symphonies, vol. 10, p. IX (German)
3. Rosselli (1998), p. 116
4. Cliff Eisen (2006). The Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia, Cambridge University Press, Inc. p. 168
5. 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

External links

• Maurerische Trauermusik KV 477: Score and critical report (German) in the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe
• Mozart : Requiem, Musique maçonnique funéraire, KV 477 (Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan) on YouTube