97. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Autograph manuscript of part of the Serenade in D major for orchestra (“Antretter”), K.185 (167a) the working manuscript of the third movement “Allegro” leaf 34, scored for an orchestra of two oboes, two horns and strings and solo violin, executed in brown ink on a single 8-stave system per page, containing a few corrections and alterations.

2 pages, small oblong 4to, (6.37 x 8.5 in.; 162 x 216 mm.) on 10-stave “Klein­ Querformat” paper. Tyson watermark 31, pagination number “79” and foliation number “34” in pencil, both possibly in the hand of Leopold Mozart, at the upper right-hand corner of the recto, [probably Salzburg, 1773]; in pristine condition.

A magnificent leaf from one of Mozart’s most attractive Salzburg works, the Serenade in D For Orchestra. K.185.

Neither the exact date of composition of the splendid seven–movement serenade K.185 nor the purpose for which it was written, has not been established beyond doubt, it is generally assumed that the work was intended as a summer Finalmusik for the graduation from Salzburg University of Judas Thaddaus van Antretter, a friend of the Mozart family. Preceded by the processional march K.189, the serenade would have been performed twice, once in front of the Mirabell Palace, the Archbishop’s summer residence in Salzburg, and again on the other side of the river, on the former Kollegienplatz in front of the assembled professors and students. The view expressed in the sixth edition of Kochel’s catalogue of Mozart’s works (1964), that the work was presumably written in Vienna between July and the beginning of August 1773 (Mozart visited the Austrian capital with his father Leopold between July and September of that year), is based, on a misinterpretation of a reference to the work in a letter of 21 July 1773 by Leopold Mozart. In his letter Leopold writes as follows: “I must close, for there is still time for me to write a few lines to young Herr van Andretter and to send him the beginning of the Finalmusik.” This reference to the “beginning” of the serenade undoubtedly means the March K.189, and not the beginning of the serenade proper, for already in a letter of 12 August 1773 we find Leopold commenting on news of a successful performance of the work in Salzburg. Clearly, given these time constraints, only the March K.189 could have been composed in Vienna and not the lengthy 116-page serenade itself.

The music contained on the present leaf of the Allegro third movement constitutes an ebullient Rondo is designed to show off the virtuosity of the solo violinist who races along in triplets and semi—quavers between the various reappearances of the main theme.

Mozart’s score of the Serenade K. 185 was made up of 58 leaves, of which the present manuscript is leaf 34. The serenade was originally bound together with the March K. 189 (167b) in one volume assembled by the composer’s father, Leopold Mozart, with a manuscript title on the original red marbled wrapper. This is the so-called Cranz volume no. 1, named after a former owner, the Hamburg publishing house of August Cranz. Another volume owned by Cranz contained nine symphonies by Mozart from 1773-1774 and is known as the famous Cranz volume no. 3, was sold at auction in 1987. In 1966, the Processional March, introducing the Serenade, was sold separately at auction and is now preserved in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek. K.185 was offered at auction in 1975, and subsequently dismembered; the exact whereabouts of much of the autograph being currently unknown. The present leaf was not examined by Alan Tyson whose catalogue of Mozart’s watermarks (1992) lists only 11 of K.185’s 58 leaves.

Reference: H.C. Robbins Landon (ed.). The Mozart Companion. (London. 1990); Alan Tyson. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke: Serie X, Supplement. (1992).
$200,000 - $300,000