Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Requiem Mass in D minor, K. 626

Left unfinished at the time of his death, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's (1756-1791) REQUIEM MASS in D minor, K. 626 remains among the composer's most recognizable works and is a major part of the choral repertoire. Clouded by the circumstances of a possible anonymous commission by Count Franz von Walsegg-Stuppach, who likely intended to pass the work off as his own, and the need by Mozart's widow Constanze to collect the full commission fee from the count, the work was believed for some time to be whole and completed by the young composer prior to his death. In truth, the music was secretly completed by Mozart's student Franz Xaver Süssmayr at Constanze's request. At the time of his death, Mozart had completed the "Introit" movement entirely, and he had sketched the "Kyrie," "Sequence," and "Offertorium." The "Benedictus," "Agnus Dei," and "Communio" remained unwritten. Süssmayr's completion (finished in 1792) remains the version most performed today by far, though some few other attempts to complete the mass have been attempted in the 20th century. Instrumentation in set: 0.0.2BstHns(sub2Cls).2: 0.2.3.0: Timp: Org: Str (4-4-3-3-3): Soli SATB.Mix Chor. While the work was written to include two bassett horns, clarinets are frequently substituted for those parts. Both the bassett horn and clarinet parts are included. The vocal/choral score is available separately.