An unpublished piece of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, likely composed during his adolescence, has been discovered in a German library by researchers.
Dating to the mid- to late-1760s, the piece is a string trio of about 12 minutes, divided into seven short movements. The manuscript was not written directly by the composer, but is believed to be a copy made around 1780.
The discovery was made during the compilation of the latest edition of the Köchel catalogue, the definitive archive of his works. Until now, the young Mozart was known primarily for his piano compositions, arias, and symphonies. However, a list left by his father indicated the existence of many chamber music compositions, thought to be lost, until the discovery of this string trio.