Klarinet Archive - Posting 000054.txt from 2011/01

From: "Dan Leeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Trombones in K. 626
Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2011 14:29:32 -0500

Before composing the Requiem, Mozart had written about 15 or so Masses for Salzburg performance, though none were Requiem masses. K. 626 was his first and last shot at music for a Requiem mass, though most of what you hear when it is performed is not by Mozart.

Trombones were an important part not only of his Salzburg masses, but of 18th century choral music in general even when written for by other composers. There were usually three trombones, but there is evidence that Mozart intended to use four trombones for K. 626. (More on this in a moment.)

As a common practice in 18th century church music that used a chorus, the alto, tenor, and bass trombones were used to support the alto, tenor, and bass voices of the chorus. It is unclear why Mozart used the tenor trombone (or trombone 2 if you prefer) other than the obvious fact that the character of that instrument is more stentorian than the bass trombone which should, in theory, have been his choice since the trombone solo immediately precedes the entrance of the bass singer.

But all of this analysis is complicated by the fact that that particular section of the Requiem is very sketchy. Mozart writes for only one trombone in the Tuba Mirum, and the others are presumed excluded. The tenor trombone's solo music is written out completely by Mozart for 18 measures but there is no indication of what the player should do beyond that point.

Mozart's autograph at the point in the opening section (the Requiem aeternam) where trombones first enter allows one the conclusion that he had four trombones in mind, the first instrument being a soprano trombone also called the slide trumpet. And whoever in an earlier posting said that Mozart did not use trumpets in the Requiem is incorrect. A pair are explicitly called for in the opening Requiem aeternam, but neither are requested for the tuba mirum.

However that does not mean he did not intend to trumpets for the tuba mirum. He also does not call for basset horns in the tuba mirum but they are present by virtue of the fact that basset horns 1 and 2 are used elsewhere to support the soprano and alto voices of the chorus (or the soprano and alto solo voices, which happens to be the case for the tuba mirum).

I want you to know that the matter of trombones is spoken of in the second edition of my book, "Opus Ultimum: The Story of the Mozart Requiem." I just submitted the manuscript, but it won't be out until June. Neal Zaslaw of Cornell University wrote:

"Disguise, death, debt, deceit, dispute -- and that's only the beginning of the bizarre story of the commissioning, creation, and conflict over the Mozart Requiem, much of which was not written by Mozart. Any layperson who wishes to explore this strange tale could hardly do better than to acquire a copy of Daniel N. Leeson's Opus Ultimum, which is written in the style of a detective novel unburdened by musicological bells and whistles. (Neal Zaslaw, Professor, Cornell University)

You can still get the first edition from Amazon.com, but the second edition has something that is beyond belief, namely a photograph, a real photograph (!!) of Constanze Mozart taken in 1840 using Daguerreotype photography, and the picture is in the book.

So make me rich. Buy the book, and if you have not bought or read "The Mozart Forgeries," (also on Amazon), you are definitely on the losing end of the stick.

Dan Leeson
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