International Traetta Award

After a 12-year hiatus, the award returns to Italy!

The Traetta Society is delighted to announce that this year’s 14th International Traetta Award (Traetta Award) has been presented to Anna Trombetta and Luca Bianchini.

Mozart: The Fall of the Gods

This book offers a fresh and critical look at the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, challenging the myths that have surrounded him for centuries. We strip away the romanticised image of the “natural genius” and delve into the contradictions within Mozart’s extensive biographies. Backed by nearly 2,000 meticulously sourced citations, this work invites readers to explore a deeper, more complex understanding of Mozart. Perfect for those who wish to question the traditional narrative, this biography is a must-read for serious music lovers and historians.

"Leopold Mozart was the real composer behind many of Wolfgang and Nannerl’s early works, shaping their success while crafting his own legacy."

Mozart: The Fall of the Gods

They are being recognised for their “passion in musicological research on primary sources of the European musical repertoire, with significant contributions to the redefinition of 18th-century music historiography.”

The Traetta Prize (Italian: Premio Traetta) is an award assigned by the Traetta Society in recognition of achievements in the rediscovery of the roots of European music. The prize, conceived and promoted by the architect Gianfranco Spada, owes its name to the composer Tommaso Traetta (1727–1779) and is awarded each year during the Traetta Week, a festival dedicated to the composer that takes place during the eight days between the day of his birth to that of his death. (30 March – 6 April)

Traetta was one of the main composers of the Neapolitan School, who despite the huge success in life for his compositions has been unjustly unrecognised, along with other composers of the time, for his contribution to classical music by the music historiography of German origin, who founded the basics of classical music mostly on Germanic authors.

Statuetta di bronzo, opera dell'artista spagnolo Francisco Berndonces.

The objective of the Prize is to reward people who have committed themselves in expanding the knowledge of the musical production of the eighteenth century. The Prize borrows the name of Traetta as a symbol of a large list of composers unjustly forgotten such as Leonardo Vinci, Pasquale Anfossi, Antonio Sacchini, Nicola Vaccai, Leonardo Leo, Domenico Cimarosa or Vicente Martín y Soler among others.

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The Echo of the Pummerin Bell

The Echo of the Pummerin Bell

The powerful resonance of the Pummerin bell in Vienna may have influenced Mozart’s compositions, particularly Sarastro’s arias in The Magic Flute.

The Hidden Influence of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George

The Hidden Influence of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George

Joseph Boulogne, known as the “Black Mozart”, was shaping the future of music while Mozart was still struggling for recognition in Paris. But history has buried the significant influence Saint-George had on Mozart’s career, erasing his pioneering style from the narrative.

The Forgotten Viennese Quartets

The Forgotten Viennese Quartets

Attributing Offertorium K.34 to Mozart is not just misleading, it reflects the careless methods used by 19th-century scholars to inflate his legacy. Without an autograph or solid evidence, this work should not be considered part of his output.”

Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto: A Question of Authorship

Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto: A Question of Authorship

The Bassoon Concerto K.191 raises more questions than it answers. Long thought to have been composed for a Munich bassoonist, new evidence suggests Mozart had no clear performer in mind. The concerto’s disjointed movements and other dubious compositions attributed to Mozart add further complexity to his legacy

The Uncertain Origins of Mozart’s Early String Quartets

The Uncertain Origins of Mozart’s Early String Quartets

Mozart’s so-called “Milanese Quartets” (K.155, 158, and 159) have long been subject to debate, primarily due to their ambiguous instrumentation and structural weaknesses. Were these works part of a larger series of orchestral divertimenti, hastily repurposed as string quartets? The answer remains elusive, reflecting the young composer’s struggles to find his own voice.