Minuet in A (fragment), K. 571a — what survives and what it suggests
di Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart’s Minuet in A (K. 571a) is a small, unfinished dance fragment associated with Vienna in 1789, when the composer was 33. Despite its seemingly straightforward title, its transmission is problematic, and modern catalogues distinguish it carefully from other nearby “K. 571” entries.
What Is Known
Mozart’s Menuett in A is listed in the Digital Köchel Catalogue as K. 571A: an unfinished minuet in A major, dated to Vienna, 1789, whose autograph source is described as lost (verschollen) and which is explicitly labelled a fragment for Tanzensemble (“dance ensemble”) [1]. The same catalogue links this lost fragment to the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe volume devoted to fragments (NMA X/30/4) [1].
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A point of confusion is the adjacent entry K. 571a in the same database: “Caro mio Druck und Schluck”, a (likely) fragmentary vocal quartet with keyboard that is marked doubtful in authenticity and in E♭ major, and dated to Vienna, 1790 in that record [2]. In other words, the Digital Köchel Catalogue itself separates the A-major minuet fragment (K. 571A) from the vocal “K. 571a” item [1] [2].
Musical Content
Because the autograph is reported lost and the entry provides no surviving bars or thematic incipit, the musical substance of the minuet cannot be described securely from the available catalogue data beyond its identity as a minuet (a courtly dance type normally in triple meter) and its key (A major) [1].
[1] Digital Köchel Catalogue (Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum), work entry: KV 571A “Menuett in A” — fragment, A major, Vienna 1789; transmission listed as lost; NMA fragments reference.
[2] Digital Köchel Catalogue (Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum), work entry: KV 571a “Caro mio Druck und Schluck” — doubtful authenticity; vocal quartet with keyboard; E♭ major; Vienna 1790; autograph noted.