New Mozart Manuscript Discovered in Paris Reveals Previously Unheard Music
A remarkable discovery at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) has brought to light a previously unknown manuscript by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, offering fresh insight into one of the most fascinating periods of the composer's life.
The 44-page autograph notebook, dating from Mozart's stay in Paris in 1778, was identified earlier this year by musicologist François-Pierre Goy while examining the library's historical collections. Experts from both the BnF and the Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg have since authenticated the manuscript as an original Mozart source.
The notebook contains composition exercises and seven short works for flute and harp, a particularly intriguing find given the rarity of such instrumentation in Mozart's catalogue. The manuscript is believed to be connected to the lessons Mozart gave to Marie-Louise-Philippine de Guînes, a talented young harpist and daughter of the Duc de Guînes, one of the composer's Parisian patrons.
Musicologists describe the document as a rare window into Mozart's teaching activity, an aspect of his career that remains relatively poorly documented. The pages contain both Mozart's own handwriting and contributions from his student, allowing researchers to observe the creative dialogue between teacher and pupil. The final exercise remains unfinished, while several blank pages at the end suggest that the lessons came to an abrupt conclusion, possibly when Marie-Louise-Philippine married in July 1778.
The discovery is considered one of the most significant Mozart-related finds of recent decades. Beyond its historical importance, it also expands the small body of music Mozart wrote for flute and harp, instruments famously associated with his Concerto for Flute and Harp in C major, K.299.
On 21 June 2026, nearly 250 years after the manuscript was written, selections from the notebook were performed publicly for the first time at the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris as part of the annual Fête de la Musique celebrations. The performance offered audiences a unique opportunity to hear music that had remained silent since the eighteenth century.
The discovery serves as a powerful reminder that even in the case of one of history's most studied composers, new chapters of Mozart's legacy continue to emerge, enriching our understanding of his life, his work, and his extraordinary creative world.
