What is this piece of music?

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mystery piece.mp3 - 2.68MB

Sounds like one of Bach's fugues or something. Can't be bothered to look it up.

Did you write it Seraphim?

Busoni: Sechs kurze Stücke zur Pflege des polyphonen Spiels, "Nach Mozart" (The sixth one, I think).

Nach Mozart? Well Mr. Busoni, it was a nice try..
I thought it was somebody (eg Seraphim) imitating Bach rather than Mozart.

Well, I don't know why it's called "Nach Mozart" either. Could be some Mozart theme perhaps? No idea.

Originally Posted by Gardener

Busoni: Sechs kurze Stücke zur Pflege des polyphonen Spiels, "Nach Mozart" (The sixth one, I think).

You are correct in identifying the music as well as in linking it to Busoni. The composer, however, was actually Mozart. Busoni liked both Bach and Mozart and transcribed a lot of their music for piano.

This piece originally featured in the opera, the Magic Flute. It is used to magnificient effect as the armored men sing their lines above this piece in a manner very reminiscent of Bachs choral pieces.

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Originally Posted by almacg

Nach Mozart? Well Mr. Busoni, it was a nice try..
I thought it was somebody (eg Seraphim) imitating Bach rather than Mozart.

It was actually Mozart imitating Bach (in a fun and melodramatic way) so you were right that it was in Bach's style. Busoni recast the piece for the piano at a very slow pace.

I'm actually quite shocked that Mozart wrote this.. ! Maybe it's just the midi organ rendering, but I just didn't think it was good enough to have been produced by Mozart!

Any chance you can link us to a recording of the original version?

Originally Posted by almacg

I'm actually quite shocked that Mozart wrote this.. ! Maybe it's just the midi organ rendering, but I just didn't think it was good enough to have been produced by Mozart!

Any chance you can link us to a recording of the original version?

Yes, I know what you mean! To be fair, it wasn't meant to be a stand-alone piece and the organ rendering didn't do him any favors either.

Unfortunately I can't upload a standard recording but here's a computer rendition of the music in it's original context and orchestration.

helmetted men.mp3 - 4.73MB

And here's the midi if you want to look at it in a sequencing software.

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ps. Would you mind giving my music a listen? You obviously have a good ear and I'm curious to know your opinion.

My first Prelude and Fugue

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