Mozart Requiem Renewal.

Did You know? Less than half of Mozart’s Requiem was drafted by MOZART himself…

It is hard to believe that so many notes from Mozart’s most beloved choral work are not his. When Mozart died, his Requiem, his famous Mass for the Dead, was left unfinished. The work fell into the hands of his wife, Constanze, and his two students Joseph Eybler and Franz Xaver Süssmayr.

Süssmayr, who wrote the bulk of the version we know today, felt unqualified for the task, writing to the music publisher

“I owe too much of the teaching of this great man to allow me to be silent when a work, which is largely of my composition, is to be published as his, for I am convinced that my part is unworthy of this great man. Mozart’s compositions are so unique, and I dare assert that they so far surpass those of almost all living composers, that any imitator, especially with direct falsifications, will fare much worse that the magpie who donned a peacock’s feathers.”

MOZART REQUIEM RENEWAL

Reimagined by classical conductor/composer, Dr. Emily Isaacson, Indie-rock singer-songwriter, Don Mitchell, and film composer, Joel Lindberg, Mozart: Requiem Renewal uses every note that Mozart penned but realizes the rest to create a 21st-century celebration of life. Using the score with Mozart’s written material, our aim is to engage Mozart in an artistic dialogue, to make him a collaborator, using his and our musical aesthetic.

WHAT: Mozart Requiem Renewal is designed to bring Mozart’s works back into social spaces and to be enjoyed by everyone, while adding a little modern twist to it. Events include, but are not limited to: 

• Performance at PMA Third Thursday - Short performances at Portland Museum of Art’s Third Thursday, where the third Thursday of the month is free admission!

• Move to the Music - Join Artistic Director Dr. Emily Isaacson and Portland Bach Experience musicians to form a human orchestra! Children use movement and song to learn about rhythm, pitch, tempo, and dynamics. 

• Mozart Sing-A-Long - Come sing with us! After an hour of rehearsal with conductor Emily Isaacson, and a Mozart-inspired cake party, amateur singers and music lovers perform alongside our soloists.

• Performance- Experience the magic of a classical reenvisioned in a series of captivating performances in Portland, Brunswick, and at the Gracie Theatre at Husson University in Bangor.

WHO:

• String Orchestra

• Percussion: TBD: vibraphone, timpani, bass drum

• Soloists: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass

• Symphonic Choir 

• Music Director and Conductor Dr. Emily Isaacson – 2018 Maine Artist of the Year; 2022 American Prize Winner

• Indie-rock singer-songwriter Don Mitchell

• Film composer Joel Lindberg

Rules of the Game:

Written by Mozart: If Mozart wrote it, we keep it. This includes the material that Mozart wrote, specifically the voice parts and continuo through the Hostias, using the Latin text.

Nothing Written by Mozart: Where Mozart didn't write anything, newly written material will be created following guide rules. The Requiem structure will be maintained, and the Requiem text will be used as it is ecumenical. The aim is not to re-write the Requiem but to engage Mozart in an artistic dialogue, to make him a collaborator, in reimagining the Requiem as a 21st century musical celebration of life.

Artistic Process: From January to June 2024, the project focused on historical research and locating or creating digital scores of Mozart’s material. Then, the following months from June to August 2024, were spent adapting the score.

To learn more, please fill out the form below and our staff will be in touch.