In late September, researchers unearthed a composition made by a teenage Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Discovered at Germany’s Leipzig Municipal Libraries, the unknown piece was named “Serenade in C.”
The piece was found while researchers from the library were organizing the Köchel Catalogue according to CBS News. The Köchel Catalogue is a comprehensive list of all of Mozart’s symphonies. The catalogue lists more than 600 works that were written throughout Mozart’s career. The composer was mostly known for his works being simple, balanced, and symmetrical.
According to the Smithsonian, researchers believe the piece to have been written by a young Mozart because of its attribution. The piece was attributed to “Wolfgang Mozart,” missing the “Amadeo” which Mozart started adding to his work around 1769. The piece was most likely written when Mozart was between the ages of 10 and 13.
The composition is a 12-minute piece for a String Trio. The “Serenade in C” was stylistically similar to many other pieces written during Mozart’s youth. During his youth, Mozart worked on many chamber pieces like “Serenade in C,” but most of them are lost to history. The piece itself is believed to be a copy of the original, dated back to the 1780s. The institute credits the preservation of the piece to Mozart’s sister, who researcher Ulrich Leisinger believes wanted to keep it as a memento of her brother.
The piece was renamed for publication to “Ganz kleine Nachtmusik,” which translates to “Quite Little Night Music” according to Fox News. It was first performed in Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg, Austria.
The composition was performed for an excited crowd in Leipzig Opera on Sept. 21. The public’s reaction to the discovery was positive. Internet netizens joked about Mozart dropping a track from the grave and mused about streaming the piece to hit the Billboard Hot 100.