Opus ultimum

The haunting beauty of Mozart's Requiem and the tragic circumstances surrounding its composition have made it a favorite among performers and listeners alike. But how much of it is actually Mozart's - and how do we know? Who wrote the missing pieces? What role did his wife, Constanze, play - and what about the man who secretly commissioned the work? Who tricked whom, and who had the last laugh in this grim tale? The author, an internationally recognized expert on Mozart, traces the complex web of events and intrigue that produced the Requiem and miraculously preserved it for posterity. Here is an accurate, precise, complete narrative of the dramatic story, minus the difficult terms and musicological obscurities; with a spoonful of sugar, the author introduces some of the technical problems, clues, and terminology used in reconstructing such histories.