Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus : Master Music in C minor

In 1785, Mozart repeatedly visited the Viennese Freemasons’ Lodge “Zur wahren Eintracht”, where on 12 August Carl von König was elevated to the rank of a Master. It was f Ort his ceremony that Mozart composed the „Meistermusik“ (Master Music) for men’s chorus and orchestra. The score does not contain the choral parts, perhaps because they were doubled by the oboe I and clarinet parts, a pecularity undoubtedly suited to the singing capacity of the Lodge members. From a detailed analyses of the work and of the Freemason’s practices, on can infer that the Text was drawn from the third Lamentation of Jeremiah. Mozart at least entered the correct date of composition of the “Master Music” in his own work catalogue, namely “Jully (1785) ”. For a performance without chorus which most probably took place on 9 December 1785, Mozart added three new, low wind parts which emphasize the gloomy mood of the work. It is with these added parts that the work has come down to us as the „Maurerische Trauermusik“ (Masonic Funeral Music) .