Full Breakdown
Mozart’s 1778 Paris Notebook Discovered at National Library
6/20/2026, 10:24:50 PM
Discovery of Mozart’s Paris Notebook
A 44-page manuscript by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was identified in the National Library of France (BnF) in April 2026. Written between May and July 1778 while Mozart, then 22, taught harpist Marie-Louise-Philippine de Bonnieres de Guines, it contains daily exercises and seven flute-and-harp pieces. Curator François-Pierre Goy, reviewing anonymous documents before retirement, recognized the handwriting and confirmed the find.
Background & Context
Mozart’s 1778 Paris visit was brief; he tutored the daughter of the Duke of Guines, a flautist who later commissioned Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp. During the French Revolution, the Duke’s household was seized, and two bundles of music, including the notebook, were confiscated in 1794 and later entered the BnF’s collection.
Principal Individuals
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – composer, author of the notebook.
- Marie-Louise-Philippine de Bonnieres de Guines – Mozart’s harp student.
- Duke of Guines – flutist, patron, father of the student.
- François-Pierre Goy – BnF curator who discovered the manuscript.
- Armin Brinzing – Mozarteum Foundation director, authenticated the document.
- Gilles Pecout – BnF president.
- Mathias Auclair – BnF music-department director.
Data & Statistics
Manuscript length: 44 pages. Content: 12 daily exercises, 7 flute-and-harp pieces. Age at discovery: 248 years. Mozart’s age: 22. Confiscated 1794. Authenticated April 2026.
Significance for Musicians and Scholarship
The notebook expands Mozart’s pedagogical output and provides rare repertoire for harpists and flautists, whose solo literature is limited. It also offers concrete evidence of his teaching methods and interactions with French aristocracy, filling a gap in scholarship on his 1778 Paris stay.
Institutional Reactions
BnF President Gilles Pecout said the sheets “shed light on Mozart as a young teacher and documented his last stay in Paris in 1778, on which there is scant information.” Armin Brinzing confirmed the manuscript’s authenticity after comparison with Mozart autographs. Mathias Auclair called the discovery “almost unheard of” for a composer of Mozart’s stature, noting its importance for performers.
Financial Dispute with the Duke
Historical accounts indicate Mozart’s relationship with the Duke of Guines deteriorated over unpaid fees. The Duke’s head butler offered Mozart only half of the agreed remuneration, which Mozart reportedly refused, highlighting financial tensions in the patronage.
Uncertainties and Gaps
While the notebook confirms Mozart’s presence in Paris, the intended performance context of the seven pieces remains uncertain. Scholars lack comprehensive records of his 1778 activities, limiting full interpretation of the manuscript’s purpose.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I never imagined what I was about to find,” — François-Pierre Goy, BnF curator
- “The treble clefs are quite rounded and tilted slightly forward,” — François-Pierre Goy
- “Could it be him?” — François-Pierre Goy (thought)
- “Mozart's 'Deh vieni, non tardar' from The Marriage of Figaro The BnF said that the manuscript was “part of two bundles of music that were confiscated from the home of the Duke of Guines in 1794.” — National Library of France (BnF)
What’s Next
The BnF will host a public concert on Sunday, featuring the newly identified flute-and-harp works. Researchers plan further analysis of the notebook’s pedagogical material and its relation to Mozart’s broader oeuvre.
