For the funeral rites after the death of King Augustus I. of Saxony (“Augustus the Strong“), Zelenka composed the Requiem in D (ZWV 46) and the Officium Defunctorum (ZWV 47), both integral parts of the exequies for the Saxon-Polish ruler. Zelenka had to finish this work in a great hurry, and implemented – suitable to the occasion – an impressing abundance of sound colors and inventiveness: muted trumpets and horns, chalumeau, obligate fagotti as well as extremely virtuoso solo parts and fully developed counterpoints in the choral settings. With the present Urtext edition David Erler is closing one of the last gaps in the series of large-scale sacred works of Zelenka in Breitkopf & Härtel’s catalog.