Editions of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Works

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Overview of repertory:

In his short life Mozart composed a wealth of music in all the significant instrumental genres (sonata, concerto, symphony, duo, trio, quartet, quintet, and so forth). His operas and church music were better noticed during his own lifetime.

Method of identification of works:

We follow the title information given in the sources we use.

Overview of sources used:

Our encodings of Mozart's music are based chiefly on W. A. Mozarts Werke, edited by Köchel and others (Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1877-1910).

Reference catalogue:

The standard inventory of Mozart's works is Ludwig von Köchel's Chronologish-thematisches Verzeichnis sämtlicher Tonwerke Wolfgang Amade Mozarts (first edn., 1862; 7th rev. edn., 1965). The standard method for referring to this catalogue is by the use of the letter K (e.g., K 601). Over the course of six editions some numbers have changed. We use the numbers given in the musical sources we use (see above) but where we notice conflicts, we attempt to provide the equivalent number from the latest edition of the catalogue.

The Köchel system of numbering will undergo even more radical change when the next edition (now in course of preparation by Neal Zaslaw at Cornell University) is completed, since the attributions of roughly ten percent of the repertory are being re-examined.

Work titles/numbers:

The nomenclature used to describe Mozart's music is variable. Symphonies tend to be referenced by number (e.g., No. 37), although some have nicknames (e.g., the "Jupiter", No. 41). Concertos, on the other hand, are in common speech referenced both by Köchel number and by sequence within the genre (e.g., No. 15).

Movement titles/numbers:

There are few complications to the naminig and numbering of movements within Mozart's works.