On Dec. 5, 225 years ago, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart drew his last breath, at age 35. Ever since, generations of doctors have been obsessed with figuring out what caused his premature death.

Mozart became consumed by the work, believing he had been cursed to write a requiem for himself, because he was about to die. Lacrimosa. The work was never delivered by Mozart, who died before he had ...

Before his untimely death, at age 35, Mozart composed 61 symphonies, 49 concertos, 23 operas, 17 masses, and scores of other works. He was said to be composing on his deathbed.

It is the kind of joke Mozart would have appreciated. Like the wit in some of his operas, it is unexpected, mischievous, deflating, childish, even a bit humiliating: it can be found on the ...