Orchestra 1756 devotes itself to the
interpretation of music between 1750 and 1800. The unique Mozart sound
originates from intensive occupation with the stylistics of the 18th
century, historic instruments and balanced formations of musicians.
The chorus is the Salzburger Konzertgesellschaft Chorus, and they give a splendid
performance. Not only are the soloists individually excellent but also their
emergence out of the orchestral fabric is otherworldly.
The ambience of St. Charles Church lends a
feeling of solemnity and yet also a spiritual uplifting.
The Requiem has a complex history, riddled
with deception and manipulation of public opinion. The work was
commissioned by Count Walsegg in July 1791 who wanted to pass off the
work as his own, so the circumstances of the commission were kept
secret. Upon Mozart's death, Constanze (Mozart's wife) had the work completed by other
composers, but to receive final payment, their assistance had to remain a
secret. When it became known that others besides Mozart had a
hand in writing the Requiem , Constanze insisted that Mozart
left explicit instructions for the work's completion.
With all of these levels of deceptions and secrets,
it is inevitable that many myths would emerge with respect to the
circumstances of the work's completion. One series of myths surrounding
the Requiem involves the role Antonio Salieri played in the
commissioning and completion of the Requiem and in Mozart's death
generally.
