Mozart's Bologna Accademia Filarmonica test piece K86

[dennis]

Mozart's test piece for the Bologna Accademia Filarmonica is K86/73v "Quaerite primum regnum Dei". There are actually 4 "autographs" of this work. First is Wolfgang's actual test piece, dated October 9, 1770. Then there is a second "autograph", which is actually a different setting by Padre Martini, but with the misleading heading "Del Sig. Cav. Gio. Amadeo Wolfgango Mozart fatta per l'ingresso nella Accademic de Filarmonici". Then there are 2 further "autographs", which are Wolfgang's copies of Martini's setting. {These are all listed in K6 under K86/73v--but I believe the 2 copies by Wolfgang of Martini's should be listed separately in the Anh A section.} If Wolfgang's original composition or Martini's falsely attributed work was submitted will probably never be settled. "However Martini's arrangement showed no violations of the 'strict style' while such violations frequently occurred by Wolfgang", according to experts of this style, which I am certainly not. In short it appears Wolfgang's composition might not have met the Accademia's strict style requirements, and Martini helped his pupil.

I have two recordings of K86. One is on the 5-CD set of Litanies and Vespers Etc. (Philips Complete Mozart Edition v.20). This is for male chorus and instruments. The other recording is on Harnoncourt's Small church works on Teldec (4509-98928-2) for SATB voices.

Dennis Pajot