August 19, 2025 • 24 mins
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a name that resonates through the ages, a towering figure in the world of music whose genius continues to captivate audiences. From a tender age of 5, this child prodigy dazzled the world with his extraordinary talents, crafting masterpieces that remain unmatched. This collection of excerpts from his personal letters offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a musical legend. Was he simply mad, or was he a miraculous creator? Join us on a journey of discovery as we explore the thoughts and feelings of the boy wonder. (Summary by Aaron Elliott)
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Chapter nine of Mozart The Man and the Artist, as
Revealed in his own words. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or how to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Mozart The Man and the Artist As Revealed in his
(00:26):
own words by Friedrich Kirst, translated by Henry Edward Kreibil,
Chapter nine, Opinions concerning Others eighty one. Holtzspauer's music is
very beautiful. The poetry is not worthy of it. What
amazes me most is that so old a man as
(00:47):
Holtzpauer should have so much spirit. It is incredible the
amount of fire in his music. Mannheim, November fourteenth, seventeen
seventy seven to his father, Ignotz Holzbauer was born in
Vienna in seventeen eleven and died as Chapelmeister in Mannheim
(01:08):
on April seventh, seventeen ninety three. During the last years
of his life he was totally deaf. The music referred
to was the setting of the first great German Singspiel
Gunter von Schwarzburg eighty two. There is much that is
(01:28):
pretty in many of Martini's things, but in ten years
nobody will notice them, reported by Nissen. Martini lived in
Bologna from seventeen o six to seventeen eighty four. There
Mozart learned to know and admire him. In seventeen seventy
six he wrote a letter to him in which he
(01:50):
said that of all the people in the world, he loved,
honored and valued him most. Eighty three. For those who
seek only light entertainment in music, nobody better can be
recommended than Piecillo reported by Nissan. Pieciello was born in
(02:15):
Taranto in seventeen forty one. Composed over a hundred operas, which,
like his church music, won much applause. He died in
Naples in eighteen sixteen. Mozart considered his music transparent. Eighty four.
Jean Milie has his genre in which he shines, and
(02:38):
we must abandon the thought of supplanting him in that
field in the judgment of the knowing. But he ought
not to have abandoned his field to compose church music
in the old style, for instance, reported by Nissan. Jean
Millie was born in seventeen fourteen near Naples, where he
died in seventeen seventy four. He was greatly admired as
(03:02):
a composer of operas and church music. He was Court
Chapelmeister in Stuttgard from seventeen fifty three to seventeen sixty nine.
Eighty five. Wait till you know how many of his
works we have in Vienna. When I get back home,
I shall diligently study his church music, and I hope
(03:23):
to learn a great deal from it. A remark made
in Leipzig when somebody spoke slightingly of the music of
Gosmann in Imperial Court Chapelmeister in Vienna and much respected
by Maria Theresa and Joseph eighty six. The fact that
(03:45):
Godi the ass begged the archbishop for permission to compose
a serenade shows his worthiness to wear the title, where
I make no doubt he deserves also for his musical learning. Vienna,
October twelfth, seventeen eighty two. To his father, Gotti was
(04:05):
Cathedral Chapelmeister in Salzburg eighty seven. What we should like
to have, dear father, is some of your best church pieces,
For we love to entertain ourselves with all manner of masters,
ancient and modern. Therefore, I beg of you sent us
something of yours as soon as possible. Vienna, March twenty ninth,
(04:30):
seventeen eighty three, to his father Leopold Mozart in Salzburg,
himself a capable composer eighty eight. In a sense, Vogeler
is nothing but a wizard. As soon as he attempts
to play something majestic, he becomes dry. And you are
glad that he too feels bored and makes a quick ending.
(04:53):
But what follows unintelligible slipslop. I listened to him from
a distance. He began a fugue with six notes on
the same tone and presto. Then I went up to him.
As a matter of fact, I would rather watch him
than hear him. Mannheim, December eighteenth, seventeen seventy seven, to
(05:16):
his father Abbe. Vogler was trying the new organ in
the Lutheran church at Mannheim. Voegeler lived from seventeen forty
nine to eighteen fourteen and was the teacher of Karl
Maria von Weber, who esteemed him highly and Meyerbeer. Mozart's
(05:37):
criticism seems unduly severe. Eighty nine. I was at Mass
a brand new composition by Vogler. I had already been
at the rehearsal day before yesterday afternoon, but went away
after the kyrie. In all my life I have heard
(05:59):
nothing like this. Frequently everything is out of tune. He
goes from key to key, as if he wanted to
drag one along by the hair of the head. Not
in an interesting manner which might be worth the while,
but bluntly and rudely, as to the manner in which
he develops his ideas. I shall say nothing but this.
(06:21):
I will say that it is impossible for a mass
by Vogeler to please any composer worthy of the name. Briefly,
I hear a theme which is not bad. Does it
long remain not bad? You think? Will it soon not
become beautiful heaven? Forfend? It grows worse and worse in
a twofold or threefold manner. For instance, scarcely is it
(06:46):
begun before something else enters and spoils it. Or he
makes so unnatural a close that it cannot remain good,
or it is misplaced, or finally it is ruined by
the orchestration. That's Vogler's music. Mannheim, November twenty, seventeen seventy
seven to his father ninety Clemente plays well so far
(07:14):
as execution with the right hand is concerned. His forte
is passages in thirds. Aside from this, he hasn't a
pennyworth of feeling or taste. In a word, he is
a mere mechanician. Vienna, January twelfth, seventeen eighty two, to
his father. Four days later, Mozart expressed the same opinion
(07:38):
of Musio Clemente, who is still in good repute, after
having met him in competition before the Emperor. Clementi preluded
and played a sonata. Then the emperors said to me,
elons go ahead. I preluded and played some variations ninety one.
(08:00):
Now I must say a few words to my sister
about the Clementi sonatas everyone who plays or hears them
will feel for himself that he compositions they do not signify.
There are in them no remarkable or striking passages, with
the exception of those in sixth and octaves. And I
beg my sister not to devote too much time to these,
(08:23):
lest she spoil her quiet and steady hand and make
it lose its natural lightness, suppleness, and fluent rapidity. What,
after all, is the use. She is expected to play
the six and octaves with the greatest velocity, which no
man will accomplish, not even Clemente. And if she tries,
she will produce a frightful zigzag, and nothing more. Clemente
(08:48):
is a cuier Lantano, like all Italians. He writes upon
a sonata presto or even prestissimo and a la breva
and plays it allegro in four four time. I know
it because I have heard him. What he does well
is his passages and thirds, but he perspired over these
(09:08):
day and night in London. Aside from this he has nothing,
absolutely nothing, not excellence in reading, nor taste nor sentiment Vienna,
June seventh, seventeen eighty three, to his father and sister
ninety two. Handel knows better than any of us what
(09:32):
will make an effect. When he chooses, he strikes like
a thunderbolt. Even if he is often prosy. After the
manner of his time, there is always something in his music.
Mozart valued Handle most highly. He knew his masterpieces by heart,
not only the choruses, but also many Arias reported by
(09:55):
rochlitz H E k ninety three. Apropose I intended, while
asking you to send back the Rondo, to send me
also the six Fugues by Handel and the toccatas in
fughes by Iberlin. I go every Sunday to Baron von Sweeten's,
(10:18):
and there nothing is played except Handel and Bach. I
am making a collection of the fugues, those of Sebastian,
as well as of Immanuel and Friedeman Bach, also of Handels,
and here the six are lacking. Besides, I want to
let the Baron hear those of Iberlin. In all likelihood
(10:39):
you know that the English Bach is dead, a pity
for the world of music. Vienna, April tenth, seventeen eighty
two to his father, Johann Ernst Iberlin Ebel born in
seventeen o two died in seventeen six as arch episcopal
(11:02):
Chapelmeister in Salzburg. Many of his unpublished works are preserved
in Berlin. The English Bach was Johann Christian, son of
the Great Johann Sebastian. As a child. Mozart made his
acquaintance in London ninety four. I shall be glad if
(11:25):
Papa has not yet had the works of Eberlin copied,
for I have gotten them meanwhile and discovered, for I
could not remember that they are too trivial, and surely
do not deserve a place among those of Bach and Handel.
All respect to his four part writing, but his clavier
fugues are nothing but long drawn out their SETI Vienna,
(11:49):
April twenty ninth, seventeen eighty two to his sister nannerl
ninety five. Johann Christian Bach has been here Paris for
a fortnight. He is to write a French opera, and
is come only to hear the singers, whereupon he will
(12:10):
go to London, write the opera, and come back to
put it on the stage. You can easily imagine his
delight in mine when we met again. Perhaps his delight
was not altogether sincere, but one must admit that he
is an honorable man and does justice to all. I
love him as you know, with all my heart, and
(12:32):
respect him as for him. One thing is certain that
to my face and to others, he really praised me,
not extravagantly like some, but seriously and in earnest. Saint
Chermaan August twenty seven, seventeen seventy eight to his father.
(12:53):
Johann Christian Bach was the second son of Johann Sebastian
and born in seventeen thirty five. He lived in London,
where little Wolfgang learned to know him. In seventeen sixty four,
Bach took the precocious boy on his knee and the
two played on the harpsichord. Bach was music master to
(13:16):
the Queen. He liked to play with the boy, says
Jan took him upon his knee and went through a
sonata with him, each in turn playing a measure with
such precision that no one would have suspected to performers.
He began a fugue, which Wolfgang took up and completed
(13:37):
when Bach broke off h. E. K. Ninety six. Bach
is the father, and we are the youngsters. Those of
us who can do a decent thing learned how from him,
and whoever will not admit it is a a remark
(14:00):
made at a gathering in Leipzig the Bach referred to
as Philippe Emmanuel Bach, who died in seventeen eighty eight
ninety seven. Here at last is something from which one
can learn. Mozart's ejaculation when he heard Bach's motet for
(14:23):
double chorus sing a Dame ernin news lead at Leipzig
in seventeen eighty nine. Rochlitz relates scarcely had the choir
sung a couple of measures when Mozart started. After a
few more measures, he cried out, what is that? And
(14:43):
now his whole soul seemed to to be in his
ears ninety eight melt us two together and we will
fall short of making a haidn said to the pianist
Leopold Kozuluche, who had triumphantly pointed out a few slips
(15:05):
due to carelessness in Haydn's compositions ninety nine. It was
a duty that I owed to Heiden to dedicate my
quartets to him, for it was from him that I
learned how to write quartets. Reported by Nissen. Joseph Heiden
(15:27):
once said, when the worth of Don Giovanni was under discussion,
this I do know that Mozart is the greatest composer
in the world today one hundred. Nobody can do everything,
jest and terrify, cause laughter, or move profoundly like Yoseph Heiden,
(15:51):
reported by Nissan. The biographer who married Mozart's widow h E.
K One hundred one. Keep your eyes on him. He'll
make the world talk of himself someday, a remark made
by Mozart in reference to Beethoven in the spring of
(16:14):
seventeen eighty seven. It was the only meeting between the
two composers. The prophetic observation was called out by Beethoven's
improvisation on a theme from Lenozze di Figaro h. E. K.
One hundred two. Atwood is a young man for whom
(16:37):
I have a sincere affection and esteem. He conducts himself
with great propriety, and I feel much pleasure in telling
you that he partakes more of my style than any
scholar I ever had, and I predict that he will
prove a sound musician. Remarked in seventeen eighty six to
(16:58):
Michael Kelly, who has a friend of Atwood and a
pupil of Mozart at the time. Thomas Atwood was an
English musician born in seventeen sixty five. He was chorister
of the Chapel Royal at the age of nine, and
at sixteen attracted the attention of the Prince of Wales.
Afterward George, who sent him to Italy to study. He
(17:23):
studied two years in Naples and one year in Vienna
with Mozart, returned to London. He first composed for the
theater and afterward largely for the church. He and Mendelssohn
were devoted friends h e k. One hundred three. If
(17:45):
the oboist Fisher did not play better when we heard
him in Holland seventeen sixty six, then he plays now.
He certainly does not deserve the reputation which he has
yet between ourselves. I was too young at the time
to pronounce a judgment. I remember that he pleased me
exceedingly and the whole world. It is explained easily enough
(18:09):
if one but realizes the tastes have changed mightily since then,
you would think that he plays according to the old school.
But no, he plays like a wretched pupil. And then
his concertos, his compositions. Every ritornello lasts a quarter of
an hour. Then the hero appears, lifts one leaden foot
(18:31):
after the other, and plumps them down alternately. His tone
is all nasal, and his tenuto sounds like an organ tremulent. Vienna,
April fourth, seventeen eighty seven. To his father, Johann Christian
Fisher seventeen thirty three to eighteen hundred was a famous
(18:55):
oboist and composer, for his instrument was probably the original
of the many artists of whom the story is told that,
having been invited by a nobleman to dinner, he was
asked if he had brought his instrument with him replied
that he had not, for that his instrument never ate.
(19:18):
Kelly tells the story in his Reminiscences and makes Fisher
the hero h e k. One hundred four. I know
nothing new except that Gellard has died in Leipzig and
since then has written no more poetry. Milan, January twenty sixth,
(19:43):
seventeen seventy. Wolfgang was on a concertur with his father,
who admired Gellard's writings and had once exchanged letters with him.
The lad seems to have felt ironical one hundred five.
Now I am also acquainted with hair Wiland. But he
(20:06):
doesn't know me as well as I know him, for
he has not heard anything of mine. I never imagine
him to be as he is. He seems to me
to be a little affected in speech, has a rather
childish voice, a fixed stare, a certain learned rudeness. Yet
at times a stupid condescension. I am not surprised that
(20:30):
he behaves as he does here and as he would
not dare do in we Maar or elsewhere, For the
people look at him as if he had fallen directly
from Heaven. All stand in awe. No one talks, everyone
is silent, Every word is listened to when he speaks.
It is a pity that he keeps people in suspense
(20:51):
so long, for he has a defect of speech, which
compels him to speak very slowly and pause after every
six words. Otherwise he is, as we all know, an
admirable brain. His face is very ugly, pock marked, and
his nose rather long. He is a little taller than
(21:13):
Papa Mannheim December twenty seventh, seventeen seventy seven, to his father.
On November twenty two, Mozart had reported in the coming Carnival,
Rosamund will be performed new poetry by Hair Wiland, new
music by Herr Schweitzer. On January tenth, seventeen seventy eight,
(21:38):
he writes, Rosamund was rehearsed in the theater today. It
is good, but nothing more. If it were bad, you
could not perform it. At all, just as you can't
sleep without going to bed. One hundred six. Now that
hair Wiland has seen me twice, he is entirely enchanted.
(22:01):
The last time we met, after lauding me as highly
as possible, he said, it is truly a piece of
good fortune for me to have met you here and
pressed my hand Mannheim, January tenth, seventeen seventy eight. One
(22:21):
hundred seven. Now I give you a piece of news
which perhaps you know already. That godless fellow and arch
Rascal Voltaire is dead, died like a dog, like a beast.
That is his reward Paris, July three, seventeen seventy eight,
(22:42):
to his father, who, like the son, was a man
of sincere piety and abhorred Voltaire's atheism. One hundred eight.
When God gives a man an office, he also gives
him sense. That's the case with the arch Duke. Before
(23:03):
he was a priest, he was much wittier and intelligent,
spoke less, but more sensibly. You ought to see him now,
Stupidity looks out of his eyes. He talks in chatters eternally,
and always in falsetto. His neck is swollen. In short,
he has been completely transformed Vienna November seventeenth, seventeen eighty
(23:28):
one to his father. The person spoken of was Archduke Maximilian,
who afterward became Archbishop of Cologne and was the patron
of Beethoven. The ambiguity of the opening statement is probably
due to carelessness in writing or Mozart's habit of using
(23:49):
double negatives. H e. K. End of chapter nine. This
recording by Aaron Elliot it Saint Louis, Missouri,
Chapter nine of Mozart The Man and the Artist, as
Revealed in his own words. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or how to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Mozart The Man and the Artist As Revealed in his
(00:26):
own words by Friedrich Kirst, translated by Henry Edward Kreibil,
Chapter nine, Opinions concerning Others eighty one. Holtzspauer's music is
very beautiful. The poetry is not worthy of it. What
amazes me most is that so old a man as
(00:47):
Holtzpauer should have so much spirit. It is incredible the
amount of fire in his music. Mannheim, November fourteenth, seventeen
seventy seven to his father, Ignotz Holzbauer was born in
Vienna in seventeen eleven and died as Chapelmeister in Mannheim
(01:08):
on April seventh, seventeen ninety three. During the last years
of his life he was totally deaf. The music referred
to was the setting of the first great German Singspiel
Gunter von Schwarzburg eighty two. There is much that is
(01:28):
pretty in many of Martini's things, but in ten years
nobody will notice them, reported by Nissen. Martini lived in
Bologna from seventeen o six to seventeen eighty four. There
Mozart learned to know and admire him. In seventeen seventy
six he wrote a letter to him in which he
(01:50):
said that of all the people in the world, he loved,
honored and valued him most. Eighty three. For those who
seek only light entertainment in music, nobody better can be
recommended than Piecillo reported by Nissan. Pieciello was born in
(02:15):
Taranto in seventeen forty one. Composed over a hundred operas, which,
like his church music, won much applause. He died in
Naples in eighteen sixteen. Mozart considered his music transparent. Eighty four.
Jean Milie has his genre in which he shines, and
(02:38):
we must abandon the thought of supplanting him in that
field in the judgment of the knowing. But he ought
not to have abandoned his field to compose church music
in the old style, for instance, reported by Nissan. Jean
Millie was born in seventeen fourteen near Naples, where he
died in seventeen seventy four. He was greatly admired as
(03:02):
a composer of operas and church music. He was Court
Chapelmeister in Stuttgard from seventeen fifty three to seventeen sixty nine.
Eighty five. Wait till you know how many of his
works we have in Vienna. When I get back home,
I shall diligently study his church music, and I hope
(03:23):
to learn a great deal from it. A remark made
in Leipzig when somebody spoke slightingly of the music of
Gosmann in Imperial Court Chapelmeister in Vienna and much respected
by Maria Theresa and Joseph eighty six. The fact that
(03:45):
Godi the ass begged the archbishop for permission to compose
a serenade shows his worthiness to wear the title, where
I make no doubt he deserves also for his musical learning. Vienna,
October twelfth, seventeen eighty two. To his father, Gotti was
(04:05):
Cathedral Chapelmeister in Salzburg eighty seven. What we should like
to have, dear father, is some of your best church pieces,
For we love to entertain ourselves with all manner of masters,
ancient and modern. Therefore, I beg of you sent us
something of yours as soon as possible. Vienna, March twenty ninth,
(04:30):
seventeen eighty three, to his father Leopold Mozart in Salzburg,
himself a capable composer eighty eight. In a sense, Vogeler
is nothing but a wizard. As soon as he attempts
to play something majestic, he becomes dry. And you are
glad that he too feels bored and makes a quick ending.
(04:53):
But what follows unintelligible slipslop. I listened to him from
a distance. He began a fugue with six notes on
the same tone and presto. Then I went up to him.
As a matter of fact, I would rather watch him
than hear him. Mannheim, December eighteenth, seventeen seventy seven, to
(05:16):
his father Abbe. Vogler was trying the new organ in
the Lutheran church at Mannheim. Voegeler lived from seventeen forty
nine to eighteen fourteen and was the teacher of Karl
Maria von Weber, who esteemed him highly and Meyerbeer. Mozart's
(05:37):
criticism seems unduly severe. Eighty nine. I was at Mass
a brand new composition by Vogler. I had already been
at the rehearsal day before yesterday afternoon, but went away
after the kyrie. In all my life I have heard
(05:59):
nothing like this. Frequently everything is out of tune. He
goes from key to key, as if he wanted to
drag one along by the hair of the head. Not
in an interesting manner which might be worth the while,
but bluntly and rudely, as to the manner in which
he develops his ideas. I shall say nothing but this.
(06:21):
I will say that it is impossible for a mass
by Vogeler to please any composer worthy of the name. Briefly,
I hear a theme which is not bad. Does it
long remain not bad? You think? Will it soon not
become beautiful heaven? Forfend? It grows worse and worse in
a twofold or threefold manner. For instance, scarcely is it
(06:46):
begun before something else enters and spoils it. Or he
makes so unnatural a close that it cannot remain good,
or it is misplaced, or finally it is ruined by
the orchestration. That's Vogler's music. Mannheim, November twenty, seventeen seventy
seven to his father ninety Clemente plays well so far
(07:14):
as execution with the right hand is concerned. His forte
is passages in thirds. Aside from this, he hasn't a
pennyworth of feeling or taste. In a word, he is
a mere mechanician. Vienna, January twelfth, seventeen eighty two, to
his father. Four days later, Mozart expressed the same opinion
(07:38):
of Musio Clemente, who is still in good repute, after
having met him in competition before the Emperor. Clementi preluded
and played a sonata. Then the emperors said to me,
elons go ahead. I preluded and played some variations ninety one.
(08:00):
Now I must say a few words to my sister
about the Clementi sonatas everyone who plays or hears them
will feel for himself that he compositions they do not signify.
There are in them no remarkable or striking passages, with
the exception of those in sixth and octaves. And I
beg my sister not to devote too much time to these,
(08:23):
lest she spoil her quiet and steady hand and make
it lose its natural lightness, suppleness, and fluent rapidity. What,
after all, is the use. She is expected to play
the six and octaves with the greatest velocity, which no
man will accomplish, not even Clemente. And if she tries,
she will produce a frightful zigzag, and nothing more. Clemente
(08:48):
is a cuier Lantano, like all Italians. He writes upon
a sonata presto or even prestissimo and a la breva
and plays it allegro in four four time. I know
it because I have heard him. What he does well
is his passages and thirds, but he perspired over these
(09:08):
day and night in London. Aside from this he has nothing,
absolutely nothing, not excellence in reading, nor taste nor sentiment Vienna,
June seventh, seventeen eighty three, to his father and sister
ninety two. Handel knows better than any of us what
(09:32):
will make an effect. When he chooses, he strikes like
a thunderbolt. Even if he is often prosy. After the
manner of his time, there is always something in his music.
Mozart valued Handle most highly. He knew his masterpieces by heart,
not only the choruses, but also many Arias reported by
(09:55):
rochlitz H E k ninety three. Apropose I intended, while
asking you to send back the Rondo, to send me
also the six Fugues by Handel and the toccatas in
fughes by Iberlin. I go every Sunday to Baron von Sweeten's,
(10:18):
and there nothing is played except Handel and Bach. I
am making a collection of the fugues, those of Sebastian,
as well as of Immanuel and Friedeman Bach, also of Handels,
and here the six are lacking. Besides, I want to
let the Baron hear those of Iberlin. In all likelihood
(10:39):
you know that the English Bach is dead, a pity
for the world of music. Vienna, April tenth, seventeen eighty
two to his father, Johann Ernst Iberlin Ebel born in
seventeen o two died in seventeen six as arch episcopal
(11:02):
Chapelmeister in Salzburg. Many of his unpublished works are preserved
in Berlin. The English Bach was Johann Christian, son of
the Great Johann Sebastian. As a child. Mozart made his
acquaintance in London ninety four. I shall be glad if
(11:25):
Papa has not yet had the works of Eberlin copied,
for I have gotten them meanwhile and discovered, for I
could not remember that they are too trivial, and surely
do not deserve a place among those of Bach and Handel.
All respect to his four part writing, but his clavier
fugues are nothing but long drawn out their SETI Vienna,
(11:49):
April twenty ninth, seventeen eighty two to his sister nannerl
ninety five. Johann Christian Bach has been here Paris for
a fortnight. He is to write a French opera, and
is come only to hear the singers, whereupon he will
(12:10):
go to London, write the opera, and come back to
put it on the stage. You can easily imagine his
delight in mine when we met again. Perhaps his delight
was not altogether sincere, but one must admit that he
is an honorable man and does justice to all. I
love him as you know, with all my heart, and
(12:32):
respect him as for him. One thing is certain that
to my face and to others, he really praised me,
not extravagantly like some, but seriously and in earnest. Saint
Chermaan August twenty seven, seventeen seventy eight to his father.
(12:53):
Johann Christian Bach was the second son of Johann Sebastian
and born in seventeen thirty five. He lived in London,
where little Wolfgang learned to know him. In seventeen sixty four,
Bach took the precocious boy on his knee and the
two played on the harpsichord. Bach was music master to
(13:16):
the Queen. He liked to play with the boy, says
Jan took him upon his knee and went through a
sonata with him, each in turn playing a measure with
such precision that no one would have suspected to performers.
He began a fugue, which Wolfgang took up and completed
(13:37):
when Bach broke off h. E. K. Ninety six. Bach
is the father, and we are the youngsters. Those of
us who can do a decent thing learned how from him,
and whoever will not admit it is a a remark
(14:00):
made at a gathering in Leipzig the Bach referred to
as Philippe Emmanuel Bach, who died in seventeen eighty eight
ninety seven. Here at last is something from which one
can learn. Mozart's ejaculation when he heard Bach's motet for
(14:23):
double chorus sing a Dame ernin news lead at Leipzig
in seventeen eighty nine. Rochlitz relates scarcely had the choir
sung a couple of measures when Mozart started. After a
few more measures, he cried out, what is that? And
(14:43):
now his whole soul seemed to to be in his
ears ninety eight melt us two together and we will
fall short of making a haidn said to the pianist
Leopold Kozuluche, who had triumphantly pointed out a few slips
(15:05):
due to carelessness in Haydn's compositions ninety nine. It was
a duty that I owed to Heiden to dedicate my
quartets to him, for it was from him that I
learned how to write quartets. Reported by Nissen. Joseph Heiden
(15:27):
once said, when the worth of Don Giovanni was under discussion,
this I do know that Mozart is the greatest composer
in the world today one hundred. Nobody can do everything,
jest and terrify, cause laughter, or move profoundly like Yoseph Heiden,
(15:51):
reported by Nissan. The biographer who married Mozart's widow h E.
K One hundred one. Keep your eyes on him. He'll
make the world talk of himself someday, a remark made
by Mozart in reference to Beethoven in the spring of
(16:14):
seventeen eighty seven. It was the only meeting between the
two composers. The prophetic observation was called out by Beethoven's
improvisation on a theme from Lenozze di Figaro h. E. K.
One hundred two. Atwood is a young man for whom
(16:37):
I have a sincere affection and esteem. He conducts himself
with great propriety, and I feel much pleasure in telling
you that he partakes more of my style than any
scholar I ever had, and I predict that he will
prove a sound musician. Remarked in seventeen eighty six to
(16:58):
Michael Kelly, who has a friend of Atwood and a
pupil of Mozart at the time. Thomas Atwood was an
English musician born in seventeen sixty five. He was chorister
of the Chapel Royal at the age of nine, and
at sixteen attracted the attention of the Prince of Wales.
Afterward George, who sent him to Italy to study. He
(17:23):
studied two years in Naples and one year in Vienna
with Mozart, returned to London. He first composed for the
theater and afterward largely for the church. He and Mendelssohn
were devoted friends h e k. One hundred three. If
(17:45):
the oboist Fisher did not play better when we heard
him in Holland seventeen sixty six, then he plays now.
He certainly does not deserve the reputation which he has
yet between ourselves. I was too young at the time
to pronounce a judgment. I remember that he pleased me
exceedingly and the whole world. It is explained easily enough
(18:09):
if one but realizes the tastes have changed mightily since then,
you would think that he plays according to the old school.
But no, he plays like a wretched pupil. And then
his concertos, his compositions. Every ritornello lasts a quarter of
an hour. Then the hero appears, lifts one leaden foot
(18:31):
after the other, and plumps them down alternately. His tone
is all nasal, and his tenuto sounds like an organ tremulent. Vienna,
April fourth, seventeen eighty seven. To his father, Johann Christian
Fisher seventeen thirty three to eighteen hundred was a famous
(18:55):
oboist and composer, for his instrument was probably the original
of the many artists of whom the story is told that,
having been invited by a nobleman to dinner, he was
asked if he had brought his instrument with him replied
that he had not, for that his instrument never ate.
(19:18):
Kelly tells the story in his Reminiscences and makes Fisher
the hero h e k. One hundred four. I know
nothing new except that Gellard has died in Leipzig and
since then has written no more poetry. Milan, January twenty sixth,
(19:43):
seventeen seventy. Wolfgang was on a concertur with his father,
who admired Gellard's writings and had once exchanged letters with him.
The lad seems to have felt ironical one hundred five.
Now I am also acquainted with hair Wiland. But he
(20:06):
doesn't know me as well as I know him, for
he has not heard anything of mine. I never imagine
him to be as he is. He seems to me
to be a little affected in speech, has a rather
childish voice, a fixed stare, a certain learned rudeness. Yet
at times a stupid condescension. I am not surprised that
(20:30):
he behaves as he does here and as he would
not dare do in we Maar or elsewhere, For the
people look at him as if he had fallen directly
from Heaven. All stand in awe. No one talks, everyone
is silent, Every word is listened to when he speaks.
It is a pity that he keeps people in suspense
(20:51):
so long, for he has a defect of speech, which
compels him to speak very slowly and pause after every
six words. Otherwise he is, as we all know, an
admirable brain. His face is very ugly, pock marked, and
his nose rather long. He is a little taller than
(21:13):
Papa Mannheim December twenty seventh, seventeen seventy seven, to his father.
On November twenty two, Mozart had reported in the coming Carnival,
Rosamund will be performed new poetry by Hair Wiland, new
music by Herr Schweitzer. On January tenth, seventeen seventy eight,
(21:38):
he writes, Rosamund was rehearsed in the theater today. It
is good, but nothing more. If it were bad, you
could not perform it. At all, just as you can't
sleep without going to bed. One hundred six. Now that
hair Wiland has seen me twice, he is entirely enchanted.
(22:01):
The last time we met, after lauding me as highly
as possible, he said, it is truly a piece of
good fortune for me to have met you here and
pressed my hand Mannheim, January tenth, seventeen seventy eight. One
(22:21):
hundred seven. Now I give you a piece of news
which perhaps you know already. That godless fellow and arch
Rascal Voltaire is dead, died like a dog, like a beast.
That is his reward Paris, July three, seventeen seventy eight,
(22:42):
to his father, who, like the son, was a man
of sincere piety and abhorred Voltaire's atheism. One hundred eight.
When God gives a man an office, he also gives
him sense. That's the case with the arch Duke. Before
(23:03):
he was a priest, he was much wittier and intelligent,
spoke less, but more sensibly. You ought to see him now,
Stupidity looks out of his eyes. He talks in chatters eternally,
and always in falsetto. His neck is swollen. In short,
he has been completely transformed Vienna November seventeenth, seventeen eighty
(23:28):
one to his father. The person spoken of was Archduke Maximilian,
who afterward became Archbishop of Cologne and was the patron
of Beethoven. The ambiguity of the opening statement is probably
due to carelessness in writing or Mozart's habit of using
(23:49):
double negatives. H e. K. End of chapter nine. This
recording by Aaron Elliot it Saint Louis, Missouri,
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