Dang! It's entirely possible you are right, but it's not what I was thinking about. Was this work really modified upon the news of the death or was it's composition begun as a reaction to the news? I don't know.

I suggest people kee trying to find "my" solution: It is a large orchestral work, which was far advanced when the news came. Upon receiving the news, the composer made major changes in a key passage in the work.

If no solution appears, the ball's in your field, of course.

__________________
Non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem.