Life of Mozart — Key Ideas to Explore

CHILDHOOD AND EARLY TRAVELS.

Mozart’s Parentage--Early Development of his Genius--Character as a Child--Travels at the Age of Six--Received by Maria Theresa and Marie Antoinette--Mozart and Goethe--Meeting with Madame de Pompadour--The London Bach’s Opinion of Young Mozart--Asked to Write an Opera by Joseph II--Assailed by Envy--Padre Martini--Notes Down the Celebrated Miserere from Ear--The Pope Confers on him the Order of the Golden Spurs--A Member of the Philharmonic Society of Bologna--First Love--Personal Appearance--Troubles with the Archbishop, 7-41

THE GREAT PARISIAN ARTISTIC JOURNEY.

Disgusted with Salzburg--In Vienna Again--Salzburg Society--Character of Musicians in the Last Century--Jerome Colloredo, Archbishop of Salzburg--Mozart’s Letter to Him--The Father’s Solicitude for His Son--Paternal Advice--New Compositions--Incidents of his Journey--Meets with Opposition--Secret Enemies--His Ambition to Elevate the Character of the German Opera--Disappointments--His Description of German “Free City” Life--Meeting with Stein--In his Uncle’s Family--“Baesle”--Meeting with the Cannabichs--Attachment for Rosa Cannabich--Influence of this Attachment on his Music--The Weber Family--The _Non so d’Onde Viene_--Circumstances of its Composition, 42-82

New Disappointments--Opposition of the Abbe Vogler--Mozart and the Poet Wieland--Wieland’s Impressions of Mozart--German Opera and Joseph II--The Weber Family--Aloysia Weber--Mozart’s Plans--His Father Opposes them and his Attachment for Aloysia--Mozart’s Music and Heart-trials--In Paris--Disappointments there--Contrast Between Parisian and German Life--New Intrigues Against Him--Invited Back to Salzburg--“Faithless” Aloysia--Meeting of Father and Son--Reception in Salzburg--“King Thamos”--Character of Mozart’s Music Composed at this time--Invitation to Compose the Idomeneo--Its Success--Effect on the Italian Opera, 83-117

ELOPEMENT FROM THE SERAGLIO--FIGARO--DON GIOVANNI.

Opinions on the Idomeneo--Tired of Salzburg--Goes to Vienna--The Archbishop Again--Mozart Treated by Him with Indignity--Paternal Reproaches--Assailed by Slander--He Leaves Salzburg--Experiences in Vienna--Austrian Society--The German Stage--The Emperor Expresses a Wish that Mozart might Write a New Opera--Mozart’s Love for Constance Weber--Description of Constance--The New Opera--Mozart’s Marriage--The Emperor’s Opinion of Mozart’s Music--Mozart’s Interest In the Figaro--Its Composition--Its Success--Mozart’s Poverty--In Bohemia--His Popularity in Prague--Meaning of the Don Giovanni--Richard Wagner on Mozart, 118-180

THE MAGIC FLUTE--TITUS--THE REQUIEM.

Haydn’s Opinion of Mozart--Made Court Composer by Joseph II--Don Giovanni in Vienna--Mozart’s Extreme Poverty--His Cheerfulness under Adverse Circumstances--“The Song of the Swan”--Other Compositions--Mozart’s Opinion of Handel--Acquaintance with Sebastian Bach--Mozart’s Opinion of Church Music--Mozart’s Characteristics--Audience with the Emperor--Petition to His Imperial Majesty--His Religious Feelings--Joins the Free Masons--History of the Magic Flute--The Mysterious Stranger--The Requiem--Success of the Magic Flute--Mozart as Reflected in his Music--His Industry--Last Illness--Strange Fancies--His Last Days--His Death, 181-236

CHILDHOOD AND EARLY TRAVELS.

Mozart’s Parentage--Early Development of his Genius--Character as a Child--Travels at the age of Six--Received by Maria Theresa and Marie Antoinette--Mozart and Goethe--Meeting with Madame de Pompadour--The London Bach’s Opinion of Young Mozart--Asked to Write an Opera by Joseph II--Assailed by Envy--Padre Martini--Notes Down the Celebrated Miserere from Ear--The Pope Confers on him the Order of the Golden Spurs--A Member of the Philharmonic Society of Bologna--First Love--Personal Appearance--Troubles with the Archbishop.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in the city of Salzburg, on the 27th of January, 1756. His father, Leopold, was descended from a family of the middle class of the then free imperial city of Augsburg, and had come to Salzburg, the domicile of a prince-bishop and the seat of an excellent university, to study law. But as he had to support himself by teaching music, even while pursuing his legal studies, he was soon compelled to enter entirely into the service of others. He became _valet de chambre_ to a canon of the Roman church, Count Thurm; afterwards court-musician and then _capellmeister_[1] to the archbishop. He had married in 1747 a young girl, educated in a neighboring convent. Himself and wife were considered the handsomest couple in Salzburg in their day. Of seven children born to them, they lost all but two, Maria Anna, known by the pet-name of Nannerl, and our Wolfgang, most frequently called Wolferl. Anna was about five years older than Wolfgang, and both gave evidence, from the time they were little children, of an extraordinary talent for music.

An old friend of the family tells us how, from the moment young Mozart had begun to give himself to music, he cared neither to see nor hear anything else. Even his childish games and plays did not interest him unless accompanied by music. “Whenever,” says our informant, “we carried our toys from one room to another, the one of us who had nothing to carry was always required to play, or sing a march,” ... and further: “He [Mozart] grew so extremely attached to me because I kept him company and entered into his childish humors, that he frequently asked me ten times in a day, if I loved him; and when I sometimes said no, only in fun, the tears instantly glistened his eyes, his little heart was so kind and tender.”