MOZART'S LAST GREAT WORKTHE REQUIEM.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2853, 6 April 1878, Page 4

MOZART'S LAST GREAT WORKTHE REQUIEM.

One day an unknown messenger appeared—a tall, haggard.man, dressed ip, -grey, with a sombre expression of jjqu.afce*--Dance—a most singular figure, quite calculated to make a strange impression. This man brought Mozart an anonymous letter, in which, after a Tery flattering recognition of his artistic productions, he .was asked for what sum he would undertake to write a mass for the dead, and in how short a time it could be completed. Mozart consulted Iris wife about the proposal, without whose advice he never took any step of importance, and declared* that such a commission was jmost welcome, for he longed to write something in this style, and to compose a work which after his death might be .studied both by his friend.3 and foes. The limits set to Chure,h music by Joseph, 11. had been abolished. Constanze agreed with her husband, and the more willingly as, pn account of her health, a considerable expense was likely to ensue, and such a prospect of ecaolamciit was moit welcome. H>>, therefore, declared himself ready to a.ceesii the off*"but declined fixing any pyecise- tin- », the completion of l!be wcwrk. "" .^e for dem^nqkjij'was fifty chic*"* I'he sum messenger, {jboijlly lei**" *i.s. The same ijj advance,, and - paid the sum payipcnti wJ»' promised an additional tiletiedi j ' .on the Itequiem was comVri*' ue likewise instructed him to .n the music entirety according to his - own mood and lmmor, and to spftre.lmnself the trouble of trying to discover the name of the person, who gave him this commission, as all such attempts would certainly be quite fruitless. Many romantic fables were current about the mystery attached to this occurrence; but, commonplace as it proved to be, it was of vast importance to Mozart's work. He wrote it with all the force of mystery dwelling in his mind, which at tbe time wns nlmoat exclusively engrossed with .-.those corceptiohs that stretch far beyond the grave. The conviction of an early death dwelt deep and unconquerable in his soul. The strains of the "Zauberflote " already breathed an elevation of scnil scarcely in harmony with an earthly existence. His soul ■ was entirely absorbed by heavenly things. He undoubtedly believed that a message from above called him to undertake a work in which it was his duty, by means of his art, to speak from his heart, and with ell the powers of his mind, of those subjects which soar far beyond an earthly''existence. These conceptions were impressed on his soul in all their strength*, and hejregarded the " Bequiero " as the peculiar mission of his life. Is it, then* surprising that old Adam Ifiller, , ot -Leipzig, wrote' tn the transcription made by himself of this work, these ■words—*' Opius summus summi viri"? (The greatest work of the greatest man). Ho continued to work on the "Requiem" ns long as his failing powcispcrmittcd, and with tears in his eyes, he said," I/well ]i now that I am writing the 'Ecquiem' for myself." And so it proved. His ' last words to his beloved wife were from the grand trio of Zauberflote —" The

hour strikes, Farewell! We shall meet again." Ho died Nov. 5, 1791, at tho early age of 35. For economy's sake a grave was purchased which was to* contain 15 or 20 other bodies, and even to this day all efforts to discover tho spot where he was laid to rest have failed. "He was a man whose mission in this world seems lolmve been entirely fulfilled, to whom it was given to link together the godlike with humanity, tho mortal with the immortal—a man whose footprints not all tho storms of timo can efface —a man ! who amid all his lofty aims, esteemed the loftiest >of all to be the elevation of humanity."