Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, K. 626 was left incomplete at his death in 1791, and ever since, there have been multiple attempts to finish it.
As Simon P. Keefe writes in is book “Mozart’s Requiem: Reception, Work, Completion”:
“At any rate, by 5 December he had completed the Introit in full score, and had written the vocal parts, continuo and sporadic instrumental passages for the Kyrie, the Sequence (the Lacrymosa only to bar 8) and the Offertory. Following Mozart’s death on 5 December, Constanze move quickly to have the Requiem completed by his Viennese associates, enlisting the services of first Joseph Eybler (1765-1846) and then, once Eybler had given up after orchestrating most of the Sequence, Fraz Xaver Süssmayr (1766-1803), who finished the work by the end of February 1792. The score given to Walsegg to fulfil the commission comprised the Introit and Kyrie from Mozart, with instrumental additions to the Kyrie in an unknown hand; the Sequence and Offertory in Süssmayr’s hand, incorporating Mozart’s work and Süssmayr’s own orchestration partly based on Eybler’s; and Süssmayr’s Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Deu followed by a partial reprise of Mozart’s Introit and Kyrie for the Communio, all again in Süssmayr’s hand.”
Here are the main completions and editions (you can click on the author’s name to access the recording list):
Author
Date
General Approach
Treatment of Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei
Treatment of Amen Fugue
Notes & Reception
Joseph Eybler
1792
Early orchestrator; abandoned task partway
Not attempted
Not included
Faithful orchestration from Dies irae to Confutatis; valued for sensitivity; unfinished.
Here is a movement-by-movement map (Introitus, Kyrie, Sequence, etc.) showing exactly what Mozart wrote, what Süssmayr added, and how each later completer treated it. That would give the full picture of where each edition diverges.
Introitus & Kyrie
Movement
Mozart left
Süssmayr (1792)
Eybler (1792)
Beyer (1971)
Levin (1993)
Introitus: Requiem aeternam
Complete in Mozart’s hand (vocal parts, orchestration, continuo).
Minor copying/finishing only.
Not applicable.
Light orchestration/textural adjustments.
Kept Mozart intact, with balance refinements.
Kyrie (double fugue)
Vocal parts with indications of instrumental scoring.
Copied/standardized parts.
Not applicable.
Slight orchestration clean-up.
Kept; refined orchestration and counterpoint clarity.
Completions
MOZART’S REQUIEM COMPLETIONS
Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, K. 626 was left incomplete at his death in 1791, and ever since, there have been multiple attempts to finish it.
As Simon P. Keefe writes in is book “Mozart’s Requiem: Reception, Work, Completion”:
Here are the main completions and editions (you can click on the author’s name to access the recording list):
Spectrum of approaches:
Note: For a comprehensive list please see here.
Movement-by-movement map
Here is a movement-by-movement map (Introitus, Kyrie, Sequence, etc.) showing exactly what Mozart wrote, what Süssmayr added, and how each later completer treated it. That would give the full picture of where each edition diverges.
Introitus & Kyrie
Sequence (Dies irae – Lacrimosa) & Amen Fugue
Offertorium (Domine Jesu, Hostias)
Sanctus, Benedictus (& Osanna), Agnus Dei, Communio