Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart counts as one of the most influential composers in history, leaving behind beloved works such as A Little Night Music and The Magic Flute. His catalogue of roughly 800 compositions has been studied and performed around the world for centuries.
Now, that legacy has unexpectedly grown. The Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) has announced the discovery of a previously unknown Mozart manuscript hidden within its archives in Paris. The 44-page notebook contains composition exercises and lesson materials dating to the composer's stay in the French capital in 1778, offering a rare glimpse into how he taught music.
“In the view of specialists, this is one of the most important discoveries in recent decades,” said Gilles Pécout, president of the BnF, in a press statement.
Excerpts from the newly discovered work, written for flute and harp, will be performed publicly for the first time on June 21, 2026.
Discovering Mozart’s Handwriting in an Anonymous Notebook
The find was made on Feb. 2, 2026, when François-Pierre Goy, curator of the BnF's pre-1800 music collections, was inspecting an anonymous and untitled music notebook from the late 18th century. While reviewing the manuscript, he recognized what appeared to be Mozart's handwriting.
To verify the identification, Goy consulted musicologist Laurence Decobert, a specialist familiar with Mozart's manuscripts, who confirmed the attribution. The document was later authenticated by Armin Brinzing, director of the Bibliotheca Mozartiana at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, who also underscored its importance.
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A Testament of Mozart’s Composition Lessons
Researchers suggest the notebook preserves lessons Mozart gave to Marie-Louise-Philippine de Bonnières de Guînes, daughter of Adrien-Louis de Bonnières de Souastre, Duc de Guînes, a celebrated flautist who was convinced his daughter possessed exceptional musical talent.
Several clues point to this conclusion. The manuscript is written on French paper and contains composition exercises alongside seven pieces for flute and harp. The flute parts are particularly revealing, as they were written for an instrument capable of reaching a low C acquired by Duc de Guînes in London, which is a rare feature in Paris at the time, where most flutes could only descend to a low D.
The notebook also captures a collaborative learning process. While a handful of exercises appear entirely in Mademoiselle de Guînes' handwriting, much of the manuscript contains contributions from both teacher and student, often intertwined on the same pages.
“It sheds light on Mozart’s final stay in Paris,” added Pécout. “It reveals the day-to-day activities of Mozart as a young teacher in dialogue with his pupil.”
Apparently, the lessons ended when Mademoiselle de Guînes married on July 26, 1778, followed by Mozart’s departure from Paris in September the same year.
First Concert of New Mozart Music
Beyond the excitement of the discovery itself, scholars view the notebook as an invaluable record of Mozart's teaching methods. It represents the earliest known evidence of how the composer approached instruction and composition training.
Intriguingly, the final exercise was left unfinished, leaving the notebook's last six pages blank. Researchers believe this could mean the manuscript preserves the final lessons Mozart ever taught.
Following the discovery, the new music will already be performed publicly on June 21, 2026, in the Salle Ovale at the BnF's Richelieu site by musicians from the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
“It is an exceptional [honor] for any musical ensemble to bring a forgotten work by Mozart back to life,” said Sibyle Veil, president and chief executive of Radio France.
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- This article references information from the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)
