Mozart Believed He Was Poisoned, and the Truth Is Stranger

In the summer of 1791, an anonymous stranger commissioned Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to write a Requiem, on the condition that he never ask who had ordered it. Five months later Mozart was dead at thirty-five, convinced he had been writing the Requiem for his own funeral and that someone had poisoned him. The real client was Count Franz von Walsegg, who planned to pass the work off as his own in memory of his young wife; after Mozart's death, his widow Constanze had it completed in secret by Franz Xaver Süssmayr and delivered with a forged signature. We look at Mozart's final weeks, the eight bars of the Lacrimosa he left behind, the truth about his common grave, how the Salieri poisoning myth was born, and what modern medical research suggests really killed him. (Sources: Mozart's letters, 1791; Annals of Internal Medicine, 2009; Czech Museum of Music, 2016.) If you enjoyed this story, you can explore the books, audiobook, workbook, and guides from The Midnight Library here: 🕯️📚 👉 https://themidnightart.com/collections/books-audiobooks-guides If you'd like to support the continuation of this work, you can become a member or leave a Super Thanks. 👉 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwGYQ1Lgt_i4pEK0JOdUSzQ/join Support is never expected — but always deeply appreciated. ❤️ Thank you for being here, and for spending this time in the library. 🕯️✨ For those who resonate with the visual world of The Midnight Library, a curated collection of art and apparel inspired by these themes is available here: 👉 https://themidnightart.com/ For ambient, chant, and cinematic music inspired by ancient traditions, visit The Midnight Library Music: 👉 / @themidnightlibrarymusic For intimate and emotional musical compositions, explore The Romantic Guy: 👉 / @theromanticguy Every story in The Midnight Library opens another door. 🕯️🔑 #Mozart #MozartRequiem #Salieri #HistoricalMysteries #ClassicalMusic #TheMidnightLibrary