A Questionable Canon
The Misattribution of Mozart’s K.2 89a (K.6 73i)
K.2 89a (K.6 73i) is no grand work of genius, but rather a simple canon exercise for four sopranos. Its problems range from missing voices and unresolved harmonies to a lack of text, suggesting it’s a poorly copied version of an earlier work.
Modern editors have tried to patch it up, but can we really still call this a work by Mozart? It’s time to question whether it belongs in his catalogue at all.
Mozart: The Fall of the Gods
This book compiles the results of our studies on 18th-century music and Mozart, who has been revered for over two centuries as a deity. We dismantle the baseless cult of Mozart and strip away the clichés that falsely present him as a natural genius, revealing the contradictions in conventional biographies. In this work, divided into two parts, we identify and critically analyze several contradictory points in the vast Mozart bibliography. Each of the nearly 2,000 citations is meticulously sourced, allowing readers to verify the findings. This critical biography of Mozart emerges from these premises, addressing the numerous doubts raised by researchers.
"A copy with missing voices and incomplete harmonies—Mozart would have known better."
Mozart: The Fall of the Gods
K.2 89a (K.6 73i), attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is a simple canon exercise in A major for four sopranos in unison. This piece closely resembles the Kyrie K.89, which is also written for four sopranos in unison. However, unlike the Kyrie, which serves a clear liturgical purpose, K.2 89a (K.6 73i) seems more like an incomplete experiment.
In this supposed composition, Mozart wrote only six measures for four voices. The piece is stagnant, with no modulations as it remains firmly in A major throughout. There is an overwhelming amount of repetition, suggesting a lack of imagination, even if one were to excuse it as a contrappuntal exercise.
This is where things become problematic. Although Wolfgang arranged the piece for four voices, the canon actually requires five to achieve complete harmonies. Without a fifth voice, the piece sounds incomplete, leaving discordant gaps that Mozart, if he had composed it, would surely have recognized.
The fifth voice is not indicated in the original manuscript, yet modern editors, including the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe (NMA), have added it in parentheses. This fifth voice logically enters at measure 13, filling the incomplete harmonies that otherwise sound weak. Curiously, Mozart left the final three measures filled with pauses, which suggests he may not have fully solved the harmonic puzzle presented by the canon.
Moreover, Amadé didn’t bother writing out any text, leaving many notes in a disjointed state, as though he were copying from an original source that had syllables of text he ignored. In an attempt to fill this void, modern editions have introduced whimsical verses, such as:
“Hei, wenn die Gläser klingen, so lasst uns alle fröhlich sein, und lasst uns lustig singen, ja singen ja lustig singen, am Tisch beim kühlen Wein.”
(“Hey, when the glasses clink, let’s all be merry and sing happily, sing sing joyfully, at the table with cool wine.”)
Breitkopf’s edition, unlike the NMA, corrected the canon by discreetly adding the fifth voice without explicitly saying so, transforming the piece into a Kanon für 5 Stimmen (canon for five voices) to make it more marketable.
Given that this is clearly a poorly resolved copy of a canon by an anonymous author, with Mozart forgetting the fifth soprano’s entrance, it should neither be considered an original composition nor included in his official catalogue.
You May Also Like
Mozart’s K 71: A Fragment Shrouded in Doubt and Uncertainty
Mozart’s K 71, an incomplete aria, is yet another example of musical ambiguity. The fragment’s authorship, dating, and even its very existence as a genuine Mozart work remain open to question. With no definitive evidence, how can this fragment be so confidently attributed to him?
Unpacking Mozart’s Early Education
The story of Ligniville illustrates the pitfalls of romanticizing Mozart’s early life and education, reminding us that the narrative of genius is often a construct that obscures the laborious aspects of musical development.
The False Sonnet of Corilla Olimpica
Leopold Mozart’s relentless pursuit of fame for his son Wolfgang led to questionable tactics, including fabricating a sonnet by the renowned poetess Corilla Olimpica. This desperate attempt to elevate Wolfgang’s reputation casts a shadow over the Mozart legacy.
Mozart’s K 73A: A Mystery Wrapped in Ambiguity
K.143 is a prime example of how Mozart scholarship has turned uncertainty into myth. With no definitive evidence of authorship, date, or purpose, this uninspired recitative and aria in G major likely originated elsewhere. Is it time to admit this is not Mozart’s work at all?
A Farce of Honour in Mozart’s Time
By the time Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart received the Speron d’Oro, the once esteemed honour had become a laughable trinket, awarded through networking and influence rather than merit. Far from reflecting his musical genius, the title, shared with figures like Casanova, symbolised ridicule rather than respect.
The Legend of Mozart’s Miserere
The enduring popularity of the narrative surrounding Mozart’s Miserere highlights the allure of the prodigy myth, but as we peel back the layers, we uncover a more nuanced picture of his life and the musical landscape of the time. The reality often contrasts sharply with the romanticized tales that have shaped our understanding of his genius.