In a remarkable discovery, a Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composition for a string trio, long presumed lost, has surfaced in the archives of a library in Leipzig, Germany. The 12-minute piece, believed to have been written in the 1760s when Mozart was still in his early teens, received what may have been its debut performance in Salzburg, Austria, on September 19, according to Agence France-Presse.
The manuscript is thought to be a copy made in the 1780s of the original composition. It was uncovered as archivists worked on an updated Köchel catalog of Mozart’s works, listed as Ganz kleine Nachtmusik in reference to its chamber music style. Researchers have long suspected the existence of many yet-undiscovered works by the composer, based on a list kept by Mozart’s father. This recent find adds to the growing number of Mozart’s compositions that have come to light in modern times, further enriching his already vast legacy.
