Posted by perihelions 10/27/2024
> While compiling the Köchel catalogue's newest edition – an authoritative list of all of Mozart's documented musical works – classical music researchers rediscovered the manuscript of the previously unknown piece from the Carl Ferdinand Becker collection in Leipzig's music library.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganz_kleine_Nachtmusik#Redisco... (Sept 2024)
On the other hand there is another piece of music "recovered" this year not by rediscovery but by recomposition/restoration, and it's quite a substantial piece that should provide quite a useful new perspective on the composer[1][2].
[1] https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68460 [2] https://doi.org/10.1093/em/caad055
How do they know they aren’t?
https://imslp.org/wiki/Broude_Brothers
In addition to all the publishing activities they also acted as verification service. Apparently it was common for Conductors to modify compositions which over time drifted from the original.
My understanding was that the family collection of sheet music stretched back in time so they could verify the modifications.
The building had about 12,0000 square feet stacked floor to ceiling sheet music.
Much of the sheet music ended up at the library of congress. I can believe things could be both archived and lost.