How did wolfgang amadeus mozart die

1791 carnage of Austrian composer Mozart

On 5 December 1791, the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died at sovereignty home in Vienna, Austria, renounce the age of 35. Honourableness circumstances of his death hold attracted much research and thesis philosophy.

The principal sources of dissension are:

1. Whether Mozart declined bit by bit, experiencing great fear and mourning, or whether he was at bottom in good spirits toward honesty end of his life, subsequently felled by a relatively unanticipated illness;
2. Whether the cause of government death was from disease mean poisoning;
3. Whether his funeral arrangements were the normal procedures for coronet day, or whether they were of a disrespectful nature.

There recapitulate a range of views incite each of these points, several of which have varied at bottom over time.

The course faux Mozart's final illness

Traditional narrative

Mozart culture long followed the accounts accept early biographers, which proceeded jammy large part from the filmed memories of his widow Constanze and her sister Sophie Physicist as they were recorded satisfy the biographies by Franz Niemetschek and Georg Nikolaus von Nissen.

For instance, the important annals by Hermann Abert largely chases this account. The following recapitulate a summary of this outlook.

When in August 1791 Music arrived in Prague to control the performance of his another opera La clemenza di Tito (K. 621), he was "already very ill". During this pop in, Niemetschek wrote, "he was waxen and expression was sad, even though his good humour was habitually shown in merry jest consider his friends."^[3] Following his resurface to Vienna (mid September 1791), Mozart's condition gradually worsened.^[5] Matter a while, he was do able to work and organized his Clarinet Concerto (K.

622), worked toward the completion short vacation his Requiem (K. 626), turf conducted the premiere performance out-and-out The Magic Flute (K. 620) on 30 September. Still, forbidden became increasingly alarmed and disheartened about his health. An legend from Constanze is related toddler Niemetschek:

On his return on two legs Vienna, his indisposition increased noticeably and made him gloomily hollow.

His wife was truly unhappy over this. One day in the way that she was driving in character Prater with him, to emit him a little distraction snowball amusement, and they were hearing by themselves, Mozart began work stoppage speak of death, and apparent that he was writing significance Requiem for himself. Tears came to the eyes of ethics sensitive man: "I feel definitely", he continued, "that I wish not last much longer; Frenzied am sure I have back number poisoned.

I cannot rid of this idea."

Constanze attempted rescind cheer her husband by faction him to give up uncalledfor on the Requiem for practised while, encouraging him instead collide with complete the Freimaurerkantate (K. 623), composed to celebrate the breach of a new Masonic mosque for Mozart's own lodge. Picture strategy worked for a revolt – the cantata was undamaged and successfully premiered on 18 November.

He told Constanze prohibited felt "elated" over the premiere.^[8] Mozart is reported to maintain stated, "Yes I see Rabid was ill to have challenging such an absurd idea cancel out having taken poison, give hoist back the Requiem and Uncontrolled will go on with it."

However, Mozart's worst symptoms remind you of illness soon returned, together involve the strong feeling that explicit was being poisoned.

He became bedridden on 20 November, agony from swelling, pain and vomiting.^[9]

From this point on, scholars exchange blows agreed that Mozart was impressively very ill. He died transport two weeks later, at wreath home in Vienna, on 5 December, at 12:55 am.

Revisionist accounts

The view that Mozart was in near-steady decline and distrust during the last several months of his life has antique met with much skepticism place in recent years.

Cliff Eisen tipsy the reissue of Abert's history in 2007 in a advanced edition, supplementing it with frequent footnotes. While generally deferential outlook Abert, Eisen expresses sharp ban in the footnoting of integrity section leading up to Mozart's death:

in this context, primacy evidence cited by Abert decline selective and suits the witting trajectory of his biography.

Implements the exception of citations be bereaved Mozart's letters, all of nobleness testimony is posthumous and prompted by complicated motives both physical and financial. Although it survey 'authentic' in the sense drift it derives from those who witnessed Mozart's death, or were close to him, it psychoanalysis not necessarily accurate.

... Stopper be sure, Mozart was be submerged the weather in Prague. Nevertheless there is no evidence cruise he was 'very ill' cranium it is not true digress his health 'continued to deteriorate'. As Abert himself notes afterward in this chapter, Mozart's prosperity improved in October and inconvenient November.

In the main biography piece of the Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia, Ruth Halliwell writes of greatness decline-and-despair account:

While later large quantity describe [Mozart] as working off-the-wall on [his Requiem], filled friendliness premonitions of his own inattentive, these accounts are hard ingratiate yourself with reconcile with the high hooch or hootch of his letters from ascendant of November.

Constanze's earliest margin, published in Niemetschek's biography pageant 1798, states that Mozart 'told her of ... his hanker to try his hand jab this type of composition, blue blood the gentry more so as the finer forms of church music challenging always appealed to his genius.' There is no hint stroll the work was a effort to him.

As for why Constanze might have been "prompted unreceptive complicated motives both personal existing financial" (Eisen), Halliwell contends lose one\'s train of thought "Constanze and Sophie were throng together objective witnesses, because Constanze's in progress quest for charity gave move up reasons to disseminate sentimental come to rest sensationalist views."^[10] By "charity" Halliwell may be referring to character many benefit concerts from which Constanze received income in distinction years following Mozart's death, whilst well as, perhaps, the allowance she received from the Emperor; see discussion below as convulsion as Constanze Mozart.

Christoph Anatomist, in a 2012 book advantaged Mozart at the Gateway bring out his Fortune, disputes the viewpoint that Mozart's last years supposititious a steady slide to discouragement and the grave; he very disagrees with interpretations of decency music as reflecting late-life discouragement (for example) "the hauntingly goodlooking autumnal world of [Mozart's] strain written in 1791".^[11]

Cause of death

Theories involving homicide

An early rumor was that Mozart had been poisoned by his colleague Antonio Salieri; however, this has been potent untrue because the symptoms displayed by Mozart's illness did battle-cry indicate poisoning.^[12] Despite denying ethics allegation, Salieri was greatly overweening by the accusations and rife public belief that he confidential contributed to Mozart's death, which contributed to his nervous breakdowns in later life.

Beyond the Salieri theory, other theories involving matricide by poison have been assign forth, blaming the Masons, Jews, or both.

One such shyly was the work of Mathilde Ludendorff, wife of the European general Erich Ludendorff (who were both anti-Semitic). Historian William Stafford describes such accounts as unbelievable conspiracy theories.

Theories involving disease

Stafford averred the effort to determine what disease killed Mozart:

What blunt he actually die of?

Mozart's medical history is like interrupt inverted pyramid: a small capital of primary documentation supports swell large body of secondary belleslettres. There is a small weight of direct eyewitness testimony towards the last illness and attain and a larger quantity observe reporting of what eye witnesses are alleged to have put into words.

Altogether it would not make a comeback ten pages; some of site is vague, and some open unreliable. All too often succeeding writers have used these details uncritically to support pet theories. They have invented new symptoms, nowhere recorded in the essential sources.

In the parish register, prestige entry concerning Mozart's death states he died of "severe miliary fever"^[16] – "miliary" referring exchange the appearance of millet-sized bumps on the skin.

This does not name the actual illness.

Mozart had health problems from start to finish his life, suffering from pox, tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, typhoid fluster, rheumatism, and gum disease.^[17] Bon gr these played any role move his demise cannot be dogged.

Conjectures as to what fasten Mozart are numerous.

The later survey is arranged in boorish chronological order.

Some ascribe Mozart's death to medical malpractice expulsion the part of his medic, Dr. Closset. His sister-in-law Sophie Weber, in her 1825 elucidation, makes the implication. Borowitz summarizes:

When Mozart appeared to happen to sinking, one of his doctors, Dr.

Thomas Franz Closset, was sent for and finally come to pass at the theater. However, according to Sophie's account, that drama-lover "had to wait till honourableness play was over." When grace arrived, he ordered cold compresses put on Mozart's feverish top acme, but these "provided such put in order shock that he did bawl regain consciousness again before dirt died.^[18]

A 1994 article in Neurology suggests Mozart died of simple subdural hematoma.

A skull held to be Mozart's was redeemed by the successor of primacy gravedigger who had supervised Mozart's burial, and later passed the wrong way to anatomist Josef Hyrtl, influence municipality of Salzburg, and righteousness Mozarteum museum (Salzburg). Forensic recovery of soft tissues related explicate the skull reveals substantial accord with Mozart's portraits.

Examination endorse the skull suggested a early closure of the metopic sew up, which has been suggested secret the basis of his phiz. A left temporal fracture professor concomitant erosions raise the problem of a chronic subdural intumescency, which would be consistent accommodate several falls in 1789 captain 1790 and could have caused the weakness, headaches, and fainting Mozart experienced in 1790 celebrated 1791.

Additionally, an episode carry aggressive bloodletting used to error suspected rheumatic fever on significance night of December 4, 1791, could have decompensated such smart lesion, leading to his litter on the following day.^[19]

In fine 2000 publication, a team have two physicians (Faith T. Poet, Philip A. Mackowiak) and on the rocks musicologist (Neal Zaslaw) reviewed position historical evidence and tentatively opted for a diagnosis of paralytic fever.

The hypothesis of trichinosis was put forth by Jan Thoroughly.

Hirschmann in 2001.^[21]

A suggestion comment that Mozart died as precise result of his hypochondriasis direct his predilection for taking indisputable medicines containing antimony. In reward final days, this was compounded by further prescriptions of metal to relieve the fever oversight clearly suffered.

A 2006 article worship a UK medical journal ostensible several theories for Mozart's swallow up and, based on his hand from his last year, dismisses syphilis and other chronic diseases.

The attending physicians wrote sand died with fever and fine rash, and a physician they consulted wrote later "this complaint attacked at this time dexterous great many of the citizenry and not for a seizure of them it had nobility same fatal conclusions and interpretation same symptoms as in authority case of Mozart." The article's conclusion was "death came by the same token a result of an insightful infectious illness."^[23]

In 2009, British, Viennese and Dutch researchers performed epidemiologic research combined with a recite of other deaths in Vienna at the time of Mozart's death.

They concluded that Music may have died of boss streptococcalinfection leading to an clear nephritic syndrome caused by poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. In Austria this ailment was also called "Wassersucht" (dropsy/edema).

In a journal article from 2011, it was suggested that vitamin D deficiency could have pretentious a role in Mozart's lurking medical conditions leading to fulfil death.^[25]

Funeral

The funeral arrangements were uncomplicated by Mozart's friend and benefactor Baron Gottfried van Swieten.

Unfolding his funeral, the Grove Lexicon of Music and Musicians states, "Mozart was buried in regular common grave, in accordance expanse contemporary Viennese custom, at primacy St. Marx Cemetery outside high-mindedness city on 7 December." Otto Jahn wrote in 1856 put off Salieri, Süssmayr, van Swieten view two other musicians were present.^[26]

The common belief that Mozart was buried in a pauper's mausoleum is without foundation.

The "common grave" referred to above review a term for a sever belonging to a citizen shout of the aristocracy.^[27] It was an individual grave, not practised communal grave; but after make a start years the city had glory right to dig it elate and use it for unblended later burial. The graves submit the aristocracy were spared much treatment.^[28]

Another reason why Mozart was buried in this manner further Viennese custom was Mozart's dislike for complex burials and rites he viewed as "superstitious".^[27]

A collection of Mozart's funeral, attributed sort Joseph Deiner, appeared in greatness Vienna Morgen-Post of 28 Jan 1856:

The night of Mozart's death was dark and stormy; at the funeral, too, crossing began to rage and tempest.

Rain and snow fell stroke the same time, as venture Nature wanted to shew squash up anger with the great composer's contemporaries, who had turned formalities extremely sparsely for his cash. Only a few friends esoteric three women accompanied the 1 Mozart's wife was not impinge on. These few people with their umbrellas stood round the bier, which then taken via say publicly Grosse Schullerstrasse to the Thoughtless.

Marx Cemetery. As the pass on grew ever more violent, uniform these few friends determined stain turn back at the Stuben Gate, and they betook yourselves to the "Silver Snake". Deiner, the landlord, was also existent for the funeral.

As Slonimsky keep details, the tale was widely adoptive and incorporated into Mozart biographies, but Deiner's description of glory weather is contrary to annals kept of the previous time off.

The diarist Karl Zinzendorf canned on 6 December that nearby had been "mild weather alight frequent mist".^[31] The Vienna Construction kept weather records and historical for 6 December a climate ranging from 37.9 to 38.8 degrees Fahrenheit (2.8 °C–3.8 °C), with "a weak east wind at mount ... times of the day".

Aftermath

Following her husband's death, Constanze addressed the issue of providing capital security for her family; rectitude Mozarts had two young lineage, and Mozart had died meet outstanding debts.

She successfully appealed to the Emperor on 11 December 1791 for a widow's pension due to her by reason of a result of Mozart's team to the Emperor as natty part-time chamber composer. Additionally, she organized a series of concerts of Mozart's music and representation publication of many of lead husband's works. As a emulsion, Constanze became financially secure be too intense time.^[33]

Soon after the composer's attain a Mozart biography was in operation by Friedrich Schlichtegroll, who wrote an early account based bin information from Mozart's sister, Nannerl.

Working with Constanze, Franz Niemetschek wrote a biography as follow. Much later, Constanze assisted rebuff second husband, Georg Nikolaus von Nissen, on a more utter biography published in 1826. Photograph Biographies of Mozart.

Mozart's euphonious reputation rose following his death; 20th-century biographer Maynard Solomon describes an "unprecedented wave of enthusiasm"^[33] for his work after forbidden died, and a number admit publishers issued editions of rulership compositions.

What may have back number Mozart's skull was exhumed get the message 1801,^[34] and in 1989–1991 advantage was examined for identification vulgar several scientists.^[35][36]

Remembrances of Mozart's death

Individuals present at the time think likely Mozart's death eventually committed their memories to writing, either expend their own or through interviews by others.

The stories they told are often contradictory, which may be due in accredit to some of the fairy-tale not being recorded until honourableness 1820s, when the witnesses' recollections might have faded.

Benedikt Schack, Mozart's close friend for whom he wrote the role allround Tamino in The Magic Flute, told an interviewer that dominate the last day of Mozart's life, he participated in nifty rehearsal of the Requiem look onto progress.

Schack's account appeared flash an obituary for Schack which was published in the 25 July 1827 issue of decency Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung:

On rendering very eve of his dying, [Mozart] had the score chide the Requiem brought to her highness bed, and himself (it was two o'clock in the afternoon) sang the alto part; Schack, the family friend, sang probity soprano line, as he confidential always previously done, Hofer, Mozart's brother-in-law, took the tenor, Gerl, later a bass singer enviable the Mannheim Theater, the sonorous.

They were at the control bars of the Lacrimosa what because Mozart began to weep piercingly, laid the score on susceptible side, and eleven hours ulterior, at one o'clock in distinction morning (of 5 December 1791, as is well known), dead this life.

Biographer Niemetschek relates unembellished vaguely similar account, leaving side a rehearsal:

On the offering of his death he on purpose for the score to promote to brought to his bedside.

'Did I not say before, give it some thought I was writing this Requiem for myself?' After saying that, he looked yet again look after tears in his eyes jab the whole work.^[40]

The widely recurrent claim that, on his concluding, Mozart dictated passages of dignity Requiem to his pupil Süssmayr is strongly discounted by Wise man, who notes that the soonest reference for this claim dates to 1856.

However, Süssmayr's share is in the original holograph of the Requiem and Sophie Weber did claim to reminisce over that Mozart gave instructions nip in the bud Süssmayr.^[41]

An 1840 letter from excellence composer Ignaz von Seyfried states that on his last of the night, Mozart was mentally occupied reach a compromise the currently running opera The Magic Flute.

Mozart is spoken to have whispered the mass to Constanze in reference chance on her sister Josepha Hofer, nobility coloratura soprano who premiered honesty role of the Queen objection the Night:

Quiet, quiet! Hofer is just taking her good thing F;—now my sister-in-law is musical her second aria, "Der Hölle Rache"; how strongly she strikes and holds the B-flat: "Hört!

hört! hört! der Mutter Schwur" [Hear! hear! hear! the mother's oath].

Solomon, while noting that Mozart's biographers often left out birth "crueler memories" surrounding his death,^[41] stated, "Constanze Mozart told Nissen that just before the all the way through Mozart asked her what [his physician] Dr.

Closset had vocal. When she answered with a-one soothing lie, he said, 'It isn't true,' and he was very distressed: 'I shall euphemistic depart, now when I am helpless to take care of prickly and the children.^[42] Ah, instantly I will leave you unprovided for.' And as he radius these words, 'suddenly he vomited—it gushed out of him cut down an arc—it was brown, with he was dead.'"^[41] Mozart's old, seven-year-old, son Karl was indicate at his father's death be proof against later wrote, "Particularly remarkable esteem in my opinion the deed that a few days beforehand he died, his whole protest became so swollen that significance patient was unable to build the smallest movement, moreover, contemporary was stench, which reflected clean up internal disintegration which, after fixate, increased to the extent prowl an autopsy was impossible."^[41]

See also

Notes

References

• Abert, Herrmann (2007) [1923]. W. A. Mozart. Translated by Stewart Spencer. with pristine notes by Cliff Eisen. New-found Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN .
• Borowitz, Albert I. (April 1973). "Salieri and the "Murder" of Mozart". The Musical Quarterly.

  59 (2): 263–284. doi:10.1093/mq/LIX.2.263. ISSN 0027-4631. OCLC 483432356.(subscription required)

• Davies, Peter J. (August 1984). "Mozart's Illnesses and Death: 1. Greatness Illnesses, 1756–90". The Musical Times. 125 (1698): 437–442. doi:10.2307/963386. ISSN 0027-4666. JSTOR 963386.

  OCLC 484935994.(subscription required)

• Deutsch, Otto Erich (1965). Mozart: A Documentary Biography. Peter Branscombe, Eric Blom, Jeremy Noble (trans.). Stanford: Stanford Lincoln Press. ISBN . OCLC 8991008.
• Eisen, Cliff ray Simon P. Keefe (2006) The Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia.

  Cambridge: University University Press.

• Emsley, John (2005). Elements of Murder: A History trap Poison. Oxford: Oxford University Plead. ISBN . OCLC 57380570.
• Fitzgerald, Faith T.; Zaslaw, Neal; Mackowiak, Philip A. (2001). "Noble heart". The American Magazine of Medicine.

  110 (110): 633–640. doi:10.1016/S0002-9343(00)00745-2. PMID 11382372.

• Niemetschek, Franz (1798). Leben des K. K. Kapellmeisters Wolfgang Gottlieb Mozart (in German). Herrlische Buchhandlung. ISBN . OCLC 165616753.
• Jahn, Otto (1867). W.A. Mozart (in German).

  Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Breitkopf & Härtel. Give onto Wikisource for more versions.

• Sadie, Discoverer, ed. (1988). "Mozart". The Newborn Grove Dictionary of Music folk tale Musicians. London: Macmillan Publishers. ISBN . OCLC 611992375.
• Schildkret, David (2008).

  "Still negation Rest for the Requiem: Ending Enigma Reconsidered". Mount Desert Season Chorale. Archived from the contemporary on 8 February 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2010.

• Solomon, Maynard (1995). Mozart: A Life (1st ed.). Contemporary York: HarperCollins. ISBN . OCLC 31435799.
• Slonimsky, Nicolas (January 1960).

  "The weather mock Mozart's funeral". The Musical Quarterly. 46 (1): 12–21. doi:10.1093/mq/XLVI.1.12.

• Stafford, William (1991). The Mozart Myths: Well-organized critical reassessment. Stanford, California: University University Press. ISBN .
• Wolff, Christoph (2012).

  Mozart at the Gateway check his Fortune: Serving the prince 1988–1791. New York: Norton.

• Zegers, Richard H. C.; Weigl, Andreas; Steptoe, Andrew (2009). "The Death comprehensive Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: An Medicine Perspective". Annals of Internal Medicine. 151 (4): 274–8, W96-7. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.689.7708.

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