The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-23

is obliged 10 write 10 distant points for the in
formation asked. Letters that do not bear the
name and address of the writer Will not be an
swered. 1he name is not desired for publica-
non, put 10 enable the Query Editor TO CORE
spohd with The writer i'll case question. as
ollen occurs, Is not clearly stated
MozART's TWELFTH MAss-M. E. F., al
lejo, CAL Ii has been asserted and never sue
cessfully contradicted, that that bright genius,
Mozart, did not write what is generally known
as "MoZarps Twelfth Mass in g." Not only
this, but other masses credited 10 Mozart. it is
asserted, were not written by him. Novelties
No. z, in fat, of which the score aud parts
were published by C. f. Peters at Liepsic as
by Mozart, Is believed by writer in the All
gemeine Musikalische Zeitung to be spurious,
which opinion is shared in by g. o. jain, who
states that there were no clarionettes in the
Salzburg orchestra when Mozart was there, TO
which hochel adds that 1--WE know enough of
Mozart's subsequent life in Mannheim, Munich
and Vienna TO be sure that be wrote no mass
except that in minor. To this must be added
the statement that this was written by Franz
Y. Sussmayer, which statement was made by
Mozarps widow. Koche says it is certain that
Mozart never wlote any requiem except his
celebrated last composition.
1.-The most important OF these spurious
! masses" says a writer for the Dictionary Of
Music and Musicians" is that which was pub
lisned in score by u. NJ. SimrOck at Bonn, in
1921, and by NOvello for organ and voice as
Mass No. u. This mass commences in q. but
is chiefly in { and its related KEYS, ending liz T..
The reviewer in the Allgemeine Muskalische
Zeitung declared that lie ha preserved it for
thirty years, and argued for its genuineness
Notwithstanding the style is rather snowy and
more calculated TO please the Archbishop of
SalZbuTg, than 10 satisfy Mozart himself). In
July, 1926, Ritter Ing. Won Seyfried opened a
controversy on the subject in the CaecIllia win
'Seruples concerning the mass in G, published
by Simrock in the name of Mozart in which
he enumerated especially weakness In part
writiD g, in tonaliiy and other faults. and pro-
nounced 1t spurious. In another volume OF the
same journal. The publisher OF the mass de-
clared that he received il from Carl Zuehner
VINO would doubtless explain how ne came into
tEe possession OF the manuscript, the hand
writing OF which was similar 10 that of Mozart,
but not his. But Zulehner made no answer TO
the challenge. (Zulehner Was a German must.
clan ana composer of mass and other works
| at MentZ, published in the latter part of the
| last century, very extensive collection
| OF the best Italian. French and German
! operas ana 0ratotlos, arranged for the
pianoforte9 jain agrees with Seyfried and
| adds that the treatment OF the Instruments
| especially the bassOOns, is quite different from
MoZarPs manner In the SalZburg mass and
| kOchel adds. This mass is declared by cor
nolsSeurs TO be decidedly SPURIOUS To this
another bit OF testimony can be added. The
! IN when he used 10 sing as boy IN a musical
school In his native country. Bohemia, where il
was known as Muler's Mass This would
| take IL back 10 about 1912, long before the
! publication by Simrock in 1921. II Muller
really did compose II, it ought 10 be possible TO
discover This. As regards his age. il might be
August Eb rhardt Muller, who is named In
hochePs catalogue, on the authority of a cata-
logue published by Brie kopf. as the composer
OF some variations published as MoZaTI's own,
but as musician Of the north he was perhaps
hardly likely to be known i'll manuscript COPIES
in Bohemia. WenZell Muller music COMPOSER
at the various tbeaters at Vienna from 1886,
and commonly known as the people's com.
poser on account OF his talent for introducing
| IN his operas in a clever and easy mann r the
themes OF national melodies and dances is
more likely IN the latter respect but his serious
music IS extremely unlmpOrtant. II the name
| Muller be discarded 1t ought to be asked If
Zulehner may nos have palmed of work OF his
own on SImrOck MoZari's. ZuIehner was
well acquainted with Mozart. and worked
for Simroek, VINO published two Choir.
uses from Ihamos, arranged for four
Zulehner, which are quite different from those
IN MoZ2rts Thames 10 the same words
and are, therefore. placed by KocheI i'm tbe
list OF spurious works. Moreover, Zulehner
was In possession OF manuscript in bearing
MoZarPS name and called The Coronation
MASS. ms was mere pasuccio of pieces
taken from Cosi fan tutte,' transposef, altered
aud Joined together by intervening chords
Zulebner Is said 10 have maintained that this
mass was Inc original one, and that Mozart
piundeTed from his own work TO produce the
opera. This Is perhaps the most damaging
TACT yet ascertaineG against Zulenner's reputa.
ZION. jam says that the mass is pieced to-
gether oy some church musician, and this is
proved by the existence of some passage NOT
| belonging TO the opera, and by The mode In
which the borrowed treasure is ennloved No
musician TO whom have shown this doubts it.
III is interesting 10 note that the only really
strong movement In the mass is tie great
tugue, Cum saneto spirltu,' which would be
worthy of Mozart, is expressly stated by Sim
rock IN his answer TO Seyfried TO have been
performed long before the publication of the
mass, in the chapel Of the Elector of Cologne.
by mozart, ana lie gave no such testimony of
any olner part OF the mass. Ii may, there
fore be possible 10 cling to the belief that this
single movement is genuine"
In July, 1871, before Mozart had completed
ms last opera, ode Zaubr tiote," he was not In
the best Of bealth and fear that he would NOT
be able to complete certain work he had
planned anected him TO such degree that he
became bypochondracal. While he was In that
stat a stranger called at his home presenting
a letter 10 which there was an anonymous re-
quest TO the great composer TO write a requiem
and a Few lines III which the writer EXPRESSED
his great admiration OF the works OF Mozart
In answer To questions the stranger declined
10 say anything about the writer of the letter
further than that lie was a person OF high
standing who wished to have a requiem writ
ten, as one OF his friends was suffering from
fatal illness, and he wished the requiem so
that IL might be performed when that friend
passed into eternal rest. Not long thereafter
The stranger returned. ordered the requiem
written aud paid down a sum OF money 100
ducais, stating that he would call In a month
Tor the score. In he meantime Mozart re-
celYed commission TO compose an OPERA TO
be performed on the occasion OF Tie coronation
or the Emperor at Prague on the 9th of Sen
TENDER. He divided his time and talents be-
tween this and The order from The stranger, but
the latter had such an air of mystery about il
that II worried the musician. He became su-
perstltious. and told bis wife that he fell
sure that the requiem lie was asked TO write
was TO be Tor his own funeral. He prepared
part Of the score, and in this he surpassed him
self, but he cOnld not find the strength or the
courage TO finish IL. He, however made rough
notes and explained III the fullest TO Suss-
mayer, his pupil, who had carefully studied
him and had no difficulty in understanding his
every wish In the matter. Then he continued
work on his opera and finished il In time for
him 10 start on journey TO Prague In August
just as he took his seat in a carriage aud his
wife was about TO follow she felt some
one pull at the skirt OF her dress. She turned
for the requiem. Mozart excused himself for
not having the WORK done as promised. He
said that IL had grown beyond his original de-
Sign and that he would require at least one
mont more o finish il. The stranger accepted
the excuse offered and declared that he would
call at the end of q month, adding, as he handed
Mozart another so ducats, This you must
action nlystified Mozart still more, and sum-
monlng servant, he ordered him TO follow the
stranger ana md out where lie went. In
snort Time the servant returned, stating that ne
Dad lost the stranger In a crowd and had been
unable 10 IND him again. This latest incident
SO worked upon the mind OF Mozart that he de-
cialed That he fully believed that the stranger
was me ssenger from the unknown world sent
10 warn HIN OF his approaching end. Mozart
went on MS journey and his opera was pro-