Mozart’s Lost Symphony Found in Malta?

Imagine, if you will, a dusty, forgotten manuscript tucked away in a quiet corner of the National Library of Malta. It’s been gathering dust for centuries, its yellowed pages filled with musical notation that, to the untrained eye, might seem little more than chicken scratch. But to the trained ear of French curator and Mozart specialist, Jean-Pierre Marty, it was a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered.

Mozart’s Lost Symphony?

Marty, who has been painstakingly poring over the library’s collection of anonymous manuscripts, believes he may have stumbled upon a previously unknown symphony by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The manuscript, dated 1773 and written in Mozart’s own hand, has been languishing in the library’s collection for years, miscatalogued and overlooked.

“It’s incredibly exciting,” Marty told Hot Malta in an exclusive interview. “The musical style, the handwriting, it’s all consistent with Mozart’s work from that period. If this is indeed a lost symphony, it would be a major discovery.”

Unraveling the Mystery

The manuscript, titled “Sinfonia in D Major,” was found among a collection of anonymous scores donated to the library in the 19th century. Marty, who has been working in Malta for the past year, was drawn to the library’s collection due to its rich musical history. He started his search in the library’s main branch in Republic Street, Valletta, and has since expanded his hunt to the library’s regional branches.

“The cataloguing system in the 19th century wasn’t as rigorous as it is today,” Marty explained. “Many manuscripts were simply logged as ‘anonymous’ and then forgotten. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack, but when you find that needle, it’s absolutely thrilling.”

Verifying the Find

While Marty is confident in his initial assessment, he’s quick to point out that the manuscript will need to be verified by other Mozart scholars. “This is just the first step,” he said. “The next step is to present our findings to the international Mozart community. If they agree with our assessment, then we’ll have a lost symphony on our hands.”

Marty also hopes to organize a concert in Malta to debut the symphony, should it be verified. “Malta has such a rich musical heritage,” he said. “It would be fitting to premiere this symphony here, if possible.”