Life of Mozart

COMMISSION FOR THE REQUIEM. 287no endeavour to discover his mysterious patron, an endeavourwhich would certainly prove in vain.It is now proved beyond doubt that Count Franz von Walseggof Stuppach was the patron in question, and that heordered the Requiem in memory of his late wife, AnnaEdlen von Flammberg ; the mysterious messenger was hissteward Leutgeb, whose personal appearance has beendescribed to me by Grillparzer. Count Walsegg was azealous lover of music, a good flautist, and a moderately goodvioloncello-player; he had quartet parties every Tuesday andThursday, and theatrical performances every Sunday, in whichhis family and retainers took active part. But he was alsoambitious to figure as a composer. He used to order quartetsfrom different composers, always anonymously and with theoffer of handsome payment ;'^'^these he would then copy withhis own hand, and have the parts written out from this score.After performance he would set the players to guess thecomposer ; they, fully aware of the mystification, invariablyflattered his weakness by guessing himself, and he with adeprecating smile would tacitly admit the imputation. Thisexplains the mysterious origin of the Requiem. He rewroteMozart's score, gave the parts to be copied from hisduphcate (with the title of " Requiem composto del ConteWalsegg "), and himself directed the performance of it onDecember 14, 1793.Before Mozart had set himself in earnest to this task, hereceived in the middle of August a fresh commission whichbrooked of no delay. A festival opera was to be performedat the approaching coronation of Leopold II. as King ofBohemia in Prague. The subject chosen was Metastasio's" Clemenza di Tito," and again it was the people of Praguewho made good the deficiencies of the Viennese : the Statescalled upon Mozart to compose the opera. For reasons whichdo not appear their decision was so long delayed that thereremained only a few weeks for the composition and rehearsal83 Niemetschek (p. 52) saw a short note from the Unknown, in which Mozartis urged to send the Requiem, and to name a sum for which he would undertaketo supply annually a certain number of quartets.