Cantata (lost or unrealised), K. 678
ヴォルフガング・アマデウス・モーツァルト作
Mozart’s Cantata (K. 678) is a lost or unrealised work associated with Vienna in mid-1781, surviving only as a catalogue entry rather than a score. Although later writers have occasionally treated it as doubtful on practical grounds, the Köchel-Verzeichnis currently lists its authenticity as verified while confirming that its transmission is lost.
What Is Known
The Köchel-Verzeichnis lists Cantata, K. 678 as “lost or not realized”, with no surviving music and no known manuscript in circulation. Its dating is given as Vienna, July–September 1781, and the Italian poet Felice Rossi is named as the (mentioned) author of the text.[1]
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If the dating is correct, K. 678 belongs to a pivotal moment in Mozart’s life: he had recently broken with Salzburg’s Archbishop Colloredo and was beginning to establish himself in Vienna as a freelance composer and pianist. A small, occasional cantata—perhaps planned for a private commission—would fit the kinds of short-term projects Mozart pursued while securing contacts and income in the imperial capital.[1]
Musical Content
Because no score, incipit, or instrumentation is transmitted, the musical substance of K. 678 cannot be described responsibly beyond its designation as a “cantata” in the catalogue.[1]
[1] Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum: Köchel-Verzeichnis entry for KV 678 (status, dating, and text author Felice Rossi).