Who among us hasn’t heard his name? And who hasn’t been captivated by his wonderful classical music? He is the great composer, the child prodigy, and the genius artist Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. There are indeed many mysteries and surprises surrounding Mozart: his extraordinary talent, which emerged in his early childhood, as he composed his first piece of music at the age of five. Also, the circumstances of his mysterious death, which remain one of the biggest enigmas in the history of classical music. Yet, the pious artist Mozart adds another mystery to his life with his last musical piece. Lacrimosa—did Mozart truly compose it?

Meaning and History of Lacrimosa

Lacrimosa, meaning “tearful” in Latin, is also known as the “Requiem Mass.” It is the musical piece that the composer Mozart was working on before his death in 1791.

The Requiem says: “It will be a sorrowful day when a guilty man rises from the ashes to face his reckoning. Our God, be merciful to him. Our merciful Jesus, grant him eternal rest. Amen.”

The message of this piece is to express one of the deepest human emotions and one of humanity’s greatest fears: death. According to Wikipedia, Mozart was commissioned to compose the Requiem by Franz von Walsegg in a secretive manner, intended to commemorate his late wife. Before his death, Mozart had started composing the Requiem and had received half of the payment upfront. Therefore, after his death, his widow Constanze sought to complete the work in complete secrecy through Austrian composer Franz Xaver Süssmayr, presenting it to the count as Mozart’s work to obtain the final payment. With careful efforts to make it appear as though it had been written by Mozart, Constanze wished to continue receiving royalties from the publication and performance of the Requiem. Thus, Mozart’s widow was largely responsible for much of the mysterious confusion surrounding the Requiem. She also contributed to the spread of more myths and rumors about her husband’s death, claiming that Mozart was writing the Requiem for himself after being poisoned and his body starting to fail him. Nevertheless, the Austrian composer Mozart continued to work on the Lacrimosa until his final breath.

In the end, many people find this piece astonishing despite all the confusion and rumors surrounding it. What do you think?

Thanks for reading. Don’t forget share this post with your friends if you liked it. And write in the comment below your favorite pieces by Mozart.

Sources and References

• Zen Moments – Lacrimosa Requiem Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Lyrics Translate – Lacrimosa
• Wikipedia – Requiem (Mozart)