Autograph score (facsimile published by Gottfried Weber)
"Difficile lectu", K. 559, is a canon composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The music, in F major, is set for three singers. The words are most likely written by Mozart himself.[1]
The work was entered by the composer into his personal catalog on 2 September 1788 as part of a set of ten canons; it was probably written some time during the years 1786–87.[2]
^Preface to Neue Mozart Ausgabe edition (External link below)
^Source: Preface to the NMA edition. The honoree of the canon, Johann Nepomuk Peierl (see below) lived in Vienna only between late 1785 and 1787.
"Difficilelectu", K. 559, is a canon composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The music, in F major, is set for three singers. The words are most likely...
wir in d' Hetz", K. 558, for four voices. (Score). 1788 or earlier. Difficilelectu mihi Mars, K. 559, for three voices. (Score). C. 1786–1787. O du eselhafter...
be sung immediately following "Difficilelectu". For the tale of how these two canons originated, see "Difficilelectu". Mozart later transposed "O du...
error about the Goethe source: the line occurs in the third act. "Difficilelectu" – a canon with a disguised Latin version of the same text "Bona nox"...
mondegreen. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart produced a similar effect in his canon "DifficileLectu" (Difficult to Read), which, though ostensibly in Latin, is actually...
Mozart also entered on the 2 September 1788 into his catalogue are: "Difficilelectu mihi Mars" K. 559, and "O du eselhafter Peierl" K. 560a; other canons...
librettist Metastasio. Mozart enjoyed singing canons with his friends (see "Difficilelectu"), and particularly liked canons with humorous scatological lyrics...
("Lick my arse") or variations thereof (including the pseudo-Latin Difficilelectu mihi mars). While the term "Leck mich am Arsch", when literally translated...
F. Warner, Boston: Oliver Ditson, 1846). He died in Bad Kreuznach. Difficilelectu (Mozart)#First performance—a tale Weber told about Mozart in the pages...
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