K for Kschel: The Life and Work of Ludwig Ritter von Kschel, Cataloguer of Mozart

Ludwig Ritter von Kochel is best known for his work on Mozart’s compositions. This biography introduces the self-taught musicologist to the wider musical community. A former tutor to the aristocracy and knight of the Austrian Empire, Kochel set out in 1851 to locate, collate, authenticate and place in chronological order all of Mozart’s existing compositions. The Kochel Register , the result of 11 years of research and compilation, became the backbone of Mozart scholarship. He similarly assembled works by other noted Austrian composers and lectured extensively on music and other subjects. This work traces Kochel’s life and professional career. It aims to introduce the general music lover to Kochel and to demonstrate that his achievements in musicology and other fields are worthy of recognition with or without his extensive Mozart collection.