New joint composition by Mozart, Salieri and Cornetti

[MineralMan]

discovered in Poland. You can hear it on the harpsichord below. It was written to commemorate the recovery of a female singer at the time, and has been lost for a couple of centuries. the first movement is by Salieri, the second by Mozart, and the third by the relatively unknown Cornetti. Listen:

[malthaussen]

1. Ah, thanks, I was waiting to hear this.

Now I want them to find one from Mozart and Clementi.

But why are all the chairs empty?

-- Mal

[MineralMan]

2. I found it after hearing a news blivet on CBS radio just now.

It took some searching to find the video, which was linked from a Spanish newspaper.

It's not a particularly inspired piece of music, but that it was a collaboration is fascinating.

We're missing the vocal part, as it is a cantata for soprano voice.

As for the empty chairs, I assume it was played just to make this video so people could hear it after its rediscovery.

[malthaussen]

3. The movements by Salieri and Cornetti seem to have more in common with each other...

... than Mozart's bit. As you say, not breathtaking, but pleasant enough.

-- Mal

[MineralMan]

4. It's all pretty standard stuff, really.

I'm sure it was dashed off by all three, composed at the keyboard almost in real time. I don't know about Cornetti, but both Mozart and Salieri were pretty good at improvisation on the spot. The standard musical forms of the day made it rather simple to sit down and play something new on an impromptu basis.

I remember sitting an exam in a Composition class. The demand was for a minuet in the style of Mozart. We didn't have keyboards, and had to write it on score paper in an hour. At the end of the hour, the professor played all of the compositions on a harpsichord.

Not surprisingly, they all sounded rather similar, although some students had great difficulty with the challenge. Mine got an "A." None were masterpieces of composition, though, by any means.

[malthaussen]

5. Ah! I had no idea you had a musical education.

It would have been pretty shocking if someone had come up with a masterpiece under those conditions, although I suppose as with the other arts lightning can strike any time. Just never when you want it to.

-- Mal

[MineralMan]

8. Always an amateur. I was mostly an oboist, although

I could play almost all woodwinds, save the bassoon. I dabbled in keyboards, brasses and even the banjo at one time or another. I had electives in college, so music theory and composition were a couple of the courses I took.

I did play in a woodwind quintet on a semi-pro basis for about eight years. These days, I'm trying to teach myself to play euphonium at a level that will let me join some community band, but am struggling a bit with the transition to a brass instrument. My advanced age is getting in the way of getting the reading and fingerings down well enough. It was easier when I was younger, I guess.

[pangaia]

6. Having looked around a bit and not yet found answers...

It would, of course, be a much more useful recording if the soprano part was included. While the light is so bright it is difficult to see the score for sure. it LOOKS like in the Mozart, at least, there IS in fact a vocal line, right hand harpsichord and maybe figured bass. Can't be sure. I could be totally wrong about that. Maybe you can see it better than I can...

1985.. Mozart was 29.. This was just about a year before Figaro...

[MineralMan]

9. I'll keep an eye on YouTube. Someone will do it soon, I'm sure.

If I find it, I'll post it.

[MineralMan]

10. Here's a fragment of the score:

Source: http://www.olyrix.com/artistes/2391/lorenzo-da-ponte/photos/4196/cantate-per-la-recuperata-salute-di-ofelia-de-mozart-salieri-et-da-ponte

[pangaia]

11. Yes, basically vocal line and figured bass.. w/o the figures. :>))

You know, I am no musicologist, but if Da Ponte DID write this, as your link suggests, it came before Figaro, Don, and Cosi. Could this possibly be the first collaboration btw Mozart and da Ponte? Certainly one of the first..

Or perhaps Mozart et al just used three of da Ponte's poems

Interesting

[MineralMan]

12. I think the theory is that Da Ponte contributed just the lyrics.

[pangaia]

13. Yes. of course. That's what I mean.

Da Ponte was writing libretti for Salieri and Mozart had to wait for him to finish before Da Ponte could start on Figaro...

Da Ponte was the librettist for The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutte.. Figaro was in 1786. So-- this little ditty was just before.

[KatyMan]

7. I thought they broke up in the 60s...

The swore they wouldn't work together again....