Unknown Mozart manuscript discovered in Paris

A previously unknown manuscript attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has been discovered in Paris.

The manuscript consists of a 44-page notebook containing materials linked to composition lessons the composer gave to French harpist Marie-Louise-Philippine de Guînes. It also includes seven pieces for flute and harp.

The document was found in February 2026 during work with anonymous 18th-century music archives. Experts noticed a distinctive handwriting style, which was later identified as belonging to Mozart, according to the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Researchers link the discovery to Mozart’s period in Paris, a time when he was actively teaching and working on commissions for the local aristocracy. Historians suggest the manuscript may have entered library collections after the confiscation of the de Guînes family’s property during the French Revolution, remaining uncatalogued ever since.

The newly found works are scheduled for their first public performance on 21 June in Paris. The concert will take place in the Oval Room of the National Library of France, and a recording will later be broadcast by France Musique.