Knight versus Higham - part 8 - Mozart`s Death

BBC Radio 4'S Tuesday Call
13 November 1984

In this live radio broadcast, listeners phoned in to Tuesday Call to ask questions about Freemasonry, under the chairmanship of Sue Macgregor. In the transcript below, her words are printed in italic, and those of the two participants are prefixed with

(K) - Stephen Knight author of `The Brotherhood ` or
(H) - Commander Michael Higham, Grand Secretary of the UGLE

to differentiate them from the questioners.

....continued from part 7


Now let`s talk to Alexander Myers who's in Brentwood. Hullo Mr Myers.

[MOZART'S DEATH]

(Mr Myers) Hullo Miss MacGregor. There was a broadcast last year which was a mock inquest about the death of Mozart, and the verdict was that he was murdered by poisoning for having given away masonic secrets, so I wondered if your team would agree that, A, that he had given away masonic secrets, and B, that he was murdered for it?

This would be Masonic secrets as given away in the opera The Magic Flute?

(Mr Myers) I should have said that, that's right, yes.

Yes. Stephen do you have a view on this at all?

(K) No, I don't. I mean it's a long standing story that one. I haven't looked into it, I don't know anything in great detail about Mozart, and so I can't say either way. All I know is that there were strange circumstances surrounding Mozart's death, but whether they were anything to do with masons or not I don't know. I would somewhat doubt it. Certainly masons acting officially, I mean they may have been masons and also murderers but that's another matter.

Anyone who saw the play or the film Amadeus might know a little bit more abut what Mr Myers is talking about. But do you have a view on this Commander Higham?

(H) I didn't see the film. No. I think it's very unlikely that a Freemason acting as a Freemason, in fact I could say it's absolutely certain ....

Be extraordinary if you said it was likely in the circumstances!

(H) Well, I don't think you'll get me to admit it! No, we've got some lurid penalties in the obligations but they've never been inflicted.

(K) As far as you know!

So you don't have a view really one way or the other. Mr Myers, I'm afraid you're not ....

(H) If you find the evidence I'll look at it!

... going to get a very satisfactory answer. I'm sure if anyone does have firm evidence on that it would make a great, it would be a find of great historical significance. Thank you for your question.

...continued in part 9