A manuscript by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, containing seven pieces for flute and harp, has been rediscovered at the French National Library in Paris, where it will be performed for the first time on Sunday.
The document, described as a "major discovery" by experts, sheds light on Mozart as a young instructor interacting with his student and offers insight into his final stay in Paris in 1778.
It contains twelve “composition lessons” given by the Austrian composer daily between May and July 1778 to Marie-Louise-Philippine de Bonnières de Guînes, daughter of the Duke of Guînes and an accomplished harpist.
The forty-four-page notebook also includes seven pieces for flute and harp, with the final piece left unfinished, noted François-Pierre Goy, the curator who identified the manuscript within a cache of anonymous documents.
These compositions are said to reveal Mozart’s collaborative process with his pupil, blending their contributions in varying proportions, according to the library’s statement.
The document was discovered on 2 February and, after thorough examination, its authenticity and attribution were confirmed at the end of April by the Bibliotheca Mozartiana in Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace.
On Sunday, the seven pieces will debut as part of France’s Fête de la Musique, performed by Mathilde Calderini (flute) and Nicolas Tulliez (harpist) of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France for an invited audience.
The performance, lasting approximately 20 minutes, was recorded earlier this week and will be broadcast on France Musique at 15:00 on Monday.
The original manuscript will be publicly displayed during Sunday’s concert event.
