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Background

• Commissioned by Count Franz von Walsegg to commemorate the first anniversary of his wife's death in February 1791.
• Composed in Vienna in late 1791, but left unfinished on his death on 5 December of the same year.
• Only the Introit finished; Joseph Eybler attempted a completion, but Franz Xaver Süssmayr finished it. At least 19 conjectural completions have been made.

Recordings

• Requiem
  Sandrine Piau (soprano), Sara Mingardo (contralto), Werner Güra (tenor), Christopher Purves (bass-baritone). Accentus Chamber Choir.
  Insula Orchestra
  Laurence Equilbey · Naive
  BBC Music Magazine (2014): Choral & Song Choice

• Requiem
  Christine Schäfer (soprano), Bernarda Fink (mezzo), Kurt Streit (tenor), Gerald Finley (baritone). Arnold Schoenberg Chor.
  Concertus Musicus Wien.
  Nikolaus Harnoncourt · Deutsche Harmonia Mundi

• Mozart’s Death in Words and Music.
  F. Murray Abraham, Jeanine De Bique (soprano), Catriona Morison (mezzo), Ben Bliss (tenor), Tareq Nazmi (bass).
  Westminster Choir, The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.
  Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
  Manfred Honeck.
  Reference Recordings.

• Requiem (Süssmayr/Dutron 2016 Completion)
  Sophie Karthauser (soprano), Marie-Claude Chappuis (mezzo), Maximilian Schmitt (tenor), Johannes Weisser (baritone)
  RIAS Kammerchor, Freiburger Barockorchester
  René Jacobs · Harmonia Mundi
  Presto Recording of the Week (2017).
  Presto Recordings of the Year (2017): Finalist
  BBC Music Magazine (2018): Choral & Song Choice

• Requiem & Mass in C Minor
  Ying Fang (soprano), Emily D'Angelo (mezzo-soprano), Stanislas de Barbeyrac (tenor), Michael Volle (bass), Helen Vollam (trombone), RIAS Kammerchor.
  Chamber Orchestra of Europe
  Yannick Nézet-Séguin · Deutsche Grammophon

• Requiem
  Chadi Lazreq (treble), Ying Fang (soprano), Beth Taylor (mezzo), Laurence Kilsby (tenor), Alex Rosen (bass)
  Pygmalion
  Raphaël Pichon · Harmonia Mundi
  Gramophone Magazine (2024)
  Presto Recording of the Week (2024).
  Presto Recordings of the Year (2024): Finalist
  BBC Music Magazine Awards (2025): Shortlisted Choral.
  Gramophone Awards (2025): Shortlist Choral.
  International Classical Music Awards (2025): Nominated Choral.

• Requiem
  Margaret Price (soprano), Trudeliese Schmidt (mezzo-soprano), Francisco Araiza (tenor), Theo Adam (bass)
  Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden
  Peter Schreier · Philips
  Gramophone Awards (1984): Winner Choral

About Coram Deo

Coram Deo — before the face of God. This blog reflects on Scripture, world events, science, music, psychology, and the human mind — always through the lens of Christian faith. All of life is lived before the face of God.