Mozart original discovered in archives of French library

CLASSICAL music fans are reaching a crescendo of excitement following the discovery of a previously unknown piece of music handwritten by Mozart.

Found in a French museum, the 18th-century melody sketch may be missing the harmony and instrumentation but it is still regarded as an important find.

The head of research at the International Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg, Austria, said there is no doubt that the single sheet was written by the composer.

The work, described as the preliminary draft of a musical composition, was found by a library in Nantes in western France as staff were going through its archives.

There have been about 10 Mozart finds of such importance over the past 50 years. If sold, the single sheet would likely be worth around $100,000.

The sheet was bequeathed to the library by an autograph collector in the 19th century and was catalogued back then as part of the library’s collection.

But it was later forgotten, essentially becoming lost to scholars for more than a century, and was only rediscovered by the library as it re-catalogued its archives in recent years.

Circumstantial evidence, including the type of paper, suggests Mozart did not write it before 1787, Mozart died in 1791.

Mozart was interested in church music and at that time was planning to become the choir and music director of Vienna’s main cathedral, although he died before he could take up the post.

In all, about 100 such examples of musical drafts by Mozart are known about. Many are notes for works that he went on to complete.