The ' (''Masonic Funeral Music'') in
C minor,
K. 477 (K. 479a), is an orchestral work composed by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1785
in his capacity as a member of the
Freemasons
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
.
History
Mozart's own entry into his catalogue under the heading "July 1785" may be an error; he most likely forgot to enter a new heading for November. It was performed during a
Masonic funeral In some masonic jurisdictions, a Masonic Funeral is a rite afforded to Master Masons in good standing with their Lodges. Under extenuating circumstances satisfactory to the Master of their Lodges, Masonic funerals may also be conducted in memory of ...
service held on 17 November 1785 in memory of two of Mozart's Masonic brethren,
Duke Georg August of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
, spouse = Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of Russia
, house = House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
, father = George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
, mother = Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel
, birth_date =
, birth_place = N ...
and
Count Franz Esterházy von Galántha, members of the Viennese aristocracy.
The work uses the
Gregorian chant psalm-tone, '. The work is scored for 2
oboes, 1
clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound.
Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...
, 3
basset horn
The basset horn (sometimes hyphenated as basset-horn) is a member of the clarinet family of musical instruments.
Construction and tone
Like the clarinet, the instrument is a wind instrument with a single reed and a cylindrical bore. Howeve ...
s, 1
contrabassoon
The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower. Its technique is similar to its smaller cousin, with a few notable differences.
Differences from the bassoon
The reed is consi ...
, 2
horns and
strings
String or strings may refer to:
*String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
. The basset horn parts were written for fellow Freemasons Anton David and Vincent Springer.
On 20 November 2021 a new
arrangement
In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orches ...
by Giulio Castronovo, created as to match the orchestration of Mozart's
Requiem in D minor, K. 626, (2
basset horn
The basset horn (sometimes hyphenated as basset-horn) is a member of the clarinet family of musical instruments.
Construction and tone
Like the clarinet, the instrument is a wind instrument with a single reed and a cylindrical bore. Howeve ...
s in F, 2
bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...
s, 2
trumpets in D, 3
trombones,
timpani and
strings
String or strings may refer to:
*String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
), was premiered in the by the baroque orchestra La Banda conducted by Sebastian Ruf as an introduction to a performance of the Requiem.
"Mozart Requiem"
Schlosskirchenmusik Bayreuth, November 2021 (in German)
See also
*Masonic music Masonic music has been defined as "music used in connection with the ritual and social functions of freemasonry". Two major types of music used in masonic lodges are lodge songs, played to keyboard accompaniment before or after meetings, or during m ...
*Mozart and Freemasonry
For the last seven years of his life Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a Freemasonry, Mason. The Masonic order played an important role in his life and work.
Mozart's lodges
Mozart was admitted as an Apprentice to the Viennese Masonic lodge called "Zur ...
References
Further reading
* Konrad, Ulrich (2020). ''Fragen zur Maurerischen Trauermusik KV 477'', Mozart Studien, 27, p. 155–176
External links
*
*
*, Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan
{{Authority control
Masonic compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Funerary and memorial compositions
1785 compositions
Compositions in C minor