The Many Myths of Mozart’s Requiem

Despite being one of Mozart’s most recognisable works, the Requiem (and indeed Mozart’s death itself) has long been shrouded in mystery. From the work’s anonymous commissioner to its incomplete state following the composer’s death, the myths and questions surrounding Mozart’s Requiem have captivated audiences for generations.

Why was Mozart writing this work? How did he die? Which sections were complete on his death and is that enough to truly call this piece a Mozart work?

We’re pulling back the curtain and delving into the off-stage drama surrounding one of the most infamous works in the classical music canon.

The Cloaked Commissioner

When Mozart was tasked with writing a mass for the dead, the request was delivered by a supposedly shadowy messenger on behalf of an unnamed commissioner. With his own health already declining, Mozart saw the messenger as an emissary of death and became convinced he was writing his own Requiem. Years later, we now know the commission came from Count Walsegg zu Stuppach – a nobleman with a reputation for passing off works by famous composers as his own.

A Potential Poisoning

At the time of Mozart’s death, rumours circulated that he was poisoned by his fellow composer and apparent arch-rival, Antonio Salieri. The 1984 film Amadeus (based on Peter Shaffer’s play of the same name) could be part of the reason why this theory is still so widely held today. Despite the portrayals in popular culture, there is little evidence to suggest any rivalry between Mozart and Salieri – certainly none of jealousy-fuelled murderous intentions! In reality, Salieri was an established and successful composer in his own right, whose opposition with Mozart likely didn’t go beyond competing for the same commissions.

So, was Mozart poisoned? It’s possible, but it’s just one of the hundreds of theories that have been proposed for how he actually died – and one that he appears to have started himself. In a letter to his wife, dated 1789, Mozart wrote, “Constanze, I am only too conscious, my end will not be long in coming: for sure, someone has poisoned me! I cannot rid my mind of this thought.”

The Supposed Scribe

Another myth perpetuated by the silver screen is that Salieri acted as scribe for a bedridden Mozart. By most scholars’ accounts, Salieri was not involved in the composition of the Requiem (although it is likely he conducted the piece’s premiere).

However, Hollywood wasn’t the first to suggest that Mozart had assistance on the composition during his lifetime. An article dated 1825 (34 years after the composer’s death) questioned the authenticity of the work, sparking a centuries-long debate.

A Controversial Contributor

With her husband dead (aged only 35) and the work unfinished, Mozart’s widow Constanze was eager to find a way to finish the piece and collect the commission fee. A task that was declined by many, the manuscript eventually landed on the desk of Franz Xavier Süssmayr – a pupil who had assisted Mozart with many of his late works.

Süssmayr’s contribution to the work has always been a point of controversy, with the extent of his writing garnering both criticism and question. The manuscript shows that Mozart completed the Introitus and Kyrie in full, with other sections half-finished or roughly sketched, and some with no sign of the composer at all.

The Brussels Burglary

The final mystery surrounding the Requiem was the theft of 1958. While on display at the World’s Fair in Brussels, a corner containing the words “Quam olim d: C:” (an instruction that the "Quam olim" fugue of the Domine Jesu was to be repeated da capo) was torn from the manuscript. To this day, it is not known how the thief gained access to the manuscript. The vandal was never caught and the fragment – inscribed with perhaps the last words Mozart ever wrote – was never recovered.

Mozart’s Masterworks

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