The story of the composition of Mozart's Requiem has a strange, fabulous quality that is entirely typical of the events of his life. Whether we are considering his amazing exploits and achievements as a youthful virtuoso andmaestro, or the depth of his financial misfortunes in Vienna in the late 1780s, there is little that is mundane about the main biographical facts.

It comes as no surprise, then, to find that these facts have often beencoloured and embroidered, to enhance their emotio...