Mozart the Freemason: The Masonic Influence on His Musical Genius

by Jacques Henry

An exploration of Mozart’s strong ties to Freemasonry and how its principles profoundly shaped his musical work

• Reveals how Mozart structured his music on Masonic ritual and ceremony to provide a musical lexicon of Masonic symbols

• Shows that Freemasonry plays the same role in Mozart’s work as Lutheran Christianity plays in that of Bach

Thanks to recently discovered documents, we now have a fuller picture of the esoteric influences on the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Musicologist Jacques Henry shows that the Masonic influence on Mozart goes beyond those pieces, such as The Magic Flute , that fulfilled a ritual purpose for the composer. His works actually provide a complete musical lexicon of Masonic symbols inspired by the principles of the craft and the spirit of the Masonic quest. Mozart constructed his Masonic compositions by creating auditory correspondences to the symbols present in the rituals, choosing keys and tempos that transpose their content into harmony. His understanding of the use of symbol allowed him to create music that would lead the listener into a harmony that transcended earthly existence.

A number of musicologists believe that the place of the Masonic spiritual vision in Mozart’s work is comparable to that held by Lutheran Christianity in the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. Mozart wed his deep understanding of music to the esoteric wisdom he gained as a Freemason. He shows that when we lose ourselves in the expression of pure harmony, it is the same as the symbol being lost in what it symbolizes. Jacques Henry provides a rigorous and original analysis of Mozart’s works that reveals their inner meaning as shaped by the composer’s profound embrace of the spiritual principles of Freemasonry.

Genres: Biography

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Benjamin Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightening and informative! I'll never hear Mozart in the same way again. He embedded his ideals and inspirations from inside and outside of the Craft of Freemasonry in his music. An interesting read for both the initiated and uninitiated, I'd strongly recommend this to any classical music connoisseur as they would understand some of the references on a much deeper level.

[Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, not exactly this edition of the book, since I don't read French, but . . . .

Finally, we have an examination of Mozart's music as influenced by Freemasonry by someone who is an actual Freemason! Imagine that. Henry pretty much ignores the "official list" of Mozart's Masonic music (that music written especially for Lodge meetings, ritual, or processions) and deals with other pieces written after he was initiated in 1784 and looks for musical symbology tied to Masonry. He takes other authors' claims about the music to task, stating there is not Masonic evidence to back up what they are saying, while expanding the repertoire of Mozart's Masonic music to include those pieces representing Masonic ideals or having to do with any of a number of ways Masonry can be represented in music. A fascinating study, if a bit too musically technical for someone who isn't that well-versed (read: semi-illiterate) in music.

[Tom Bouwman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read. The subject of Mozart as a Freemason and every aspect of his masonic works is explained in the richest detail and no myth or misunderstanding concerning this hyped subject is left unexplained.