In the last few years Mozart has overtaken Beethoven as the most frequently performed classical composer in the world. Whether the play “Amadeus” by Peter Shaffer and the movie based upon it have contributed to this increased popularity, I am not certain, however the play has a lot to answer for in promulgating various myths about Mozart’s prodigious talents, supposedly uncultured behaviour, and tragically early death, allegedly by poisoning – the truth is of course much less romantic, but just as involving. As a teenager I appreciated Mozart less than Beethoven, as the latter speaks to the listener more directly in his compositions; however with maturity I have come to equally appreciate Mozart’s gentility and subtlety.
K 427 (417a), “Great” Mass in C, excerpts
Here are some parts of the “Great” Mass in C, which Mozart wrote in 1782 and 1783 as a thanks-offering after his marriage to Constanze Weber. At the time of composition, in the reign of Emperor Joseph II, orchestral masses had fallen out of favour in Austria and therefore Mozart left the work incomplete. Mozart made only one partial performance of the work, omitting the Credo (incomplete) and Agnus Dei (unwritten), which took place in Salzburg in late 1783. Some of the remains of the work were re-used as an oratorio, whilst other portions unfortunately became partially lost.
The completion of the missing vocal parts of the Sanctus is my own, and is copyright © Philip Legge. As a consequence it is incompatible with various other completions (such as the Robbins Landon, or Richard Maunder editions). Acrobat format vocal scores are available from the Choral Public Domain Library; currently the eight movements comprising the Kyrie and Gloria.
| [1] Kyrie |  Scorch |
 Sibelius |
(32 KB) |  Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [2] Gloria in excelsis Deo | Scorch |
Sibelius |
(24 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [3] Laudamus te | Scorch |
Sibelius |
(28 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [4] Gratias | Scorch |
Sibelius |
(16 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [5] Domine Deus | Scorch |
Sibelius |
(22 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [6] Qui tollis | Scorch |
Sibelius |
(30 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [7] Quoniam | Scorch |
Sibelius |
(30 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [8] Jesu Christe – Cum sancto spiritu | Scorch |
Sibelius |
(45 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [9] Credo in unum Deum |  Scorch 3 |
(54 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | ||
| [10] Et incarnatus est | Acrobat (CPDL) | ||||
| [11] Sanctus – Osanna | Scorch |
Sibelius |
(45 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
| [12] Benedictus – Osanna | Scorch 3 |
 Sibelius 3 |
(56 KB) | Acrobat (CPDL) | |
Great Mass in C: This is a fuller essay explaining my editorial decisions in completing the Mass.
K 543, Symphony No. 39 in E flat, 1st movement: Adagio – Allegro (44 KB)
A sample movement from my favourite Mozart symphony – the first of the last three symphonies which he composed in Vienna beginning in June 1788. Particularly of note is the use of rapid descending scale passages played by the violins during the introduction, which are recalled even more vigorously than before in the bridge passage of the main sonata movement (p. 17 and following).
K 626, Requiem in D minor
The Requiem is probably Mozart’s most oft-performed choral work, although there are no less than six different completions of Mozart’s work that I am aware of. I am currently writing a couple of pages comparing the multitude of conflicting chorus scores available, as well as a brief history of the genesis of these disparities.
List of performing scores: currently this compares the Bärenreiter (NMA), Breitkopf und Härtel (AMA), Novello (W.T. Best), and Oxford University (C.R.F. Maunder) scores and suggests remedies to standardise on what the choir should sing.
Historical aspects of Requiem editions: This page forms the background for the discussion of differences in the various performing scores.