KöchelVerzeichnis

The KöchelVerzeichnis, often abbreviated as KV, is a chronological catalog of the musical compositions of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was compiled by Ludwig von Köchel, an Austrian scientist and musicologist, and first published in 1862. The catalog lists over 600 of Mozart's works, assigning each a unique number based on the order in which Köchel believed they were composed.

The KöchelVerzeichnis is crucial for musicologists and performers as it provides a standardized way to identify and refer to Mozart's vast output. While Köchel's original dating was not always precise, subsequent revisions and scholarship have refined the chronological order and accuracy of the KV numbers. The catalog is divided into various categories, such as symphonies, concertos, operas, chamber music, and keyboard works, and includes details like the work's title, key, instrumentation, and approximate date of composition.

The system of KV numbers has become an indispensable tool for understanding Mozart's development as a composer and for organizing his musical legacy. It is widely used in music dictionaries, scholarly articles, concert programs, and record liner notes. The KöchelVerzeichnis remains the most authoritative and widely recognized method for cataloging Mozart's compositions.

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