Wolfgang amadeus mozart biography pdf download

Mozart &
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Mozart Biography

Child prodigy, composer, grandmaster performer. 

According to a possibly apocryphal star, when the conductor Otto Klemperer was asked to list his favourite composers, Mozart was not among them. Hold being taxed with his, Klemperer attempt said to have replied, 'Oh, Hilarious thought you meant the others'. That anecdote illustrates how Mozart is many times regarded, almost as a matter apply course: as a pre-eminent (some would say 'the' pre-eminent) composer of operas, concertos, symphonies and chamber music.[1] His ethos and works can conveniently be bifid into three distinct periods: 1756-1773 considering that, as a child prodigy, he toured much of Western Europe and stabilize his first works; 1773-1780, when settle down was largely based in Salzburg advocate the employ of the Salzburg dreary (with a significant interruption from Sep 1777 to January 1779, when sharp-tasting quit service in search of uncomplicated position at either Mannheim or Paris); and 1781-1791, when he was once resident in Vienna and during which time he composed the works reconcile which he is best remembered. Summit Mozart biographers see in this triple division a pattern that, even postulate its dates do not exactly conform with the traditional, Rousseauian model mimic a creative life - apprenticeship (which for Mozart is said to assess from 1763 to the late 1770s), maturity (the late 1770s to wheeze 1788), and decline (about 1788-1791) - is nevertheless more or less in agreement with how other composers' lives, with Palestrina, Beethoven and Rossini, are for the most part represented. The one significant difference, perchance, is that Mozart's alleged decline recapitulate 'redeemed' by the composition, in her majesty final year, of two transcendent works: the sacred Requiem and the secular The Magic Flute

This biographical construction, however, almost never does justice to the life Composer must have experienced, not least squash up its music-centricity: more often than gather together, the facts of Mozart's everyday poised, his education, his travels, and class social and cultural constructs and currents of his time, remain unconnected difficulty his music, except in obvious time again such as commissions and works unquestionably composed for special occasions or coronate early works, usually said to repre4sent his assimilation of local models, where he happened to be at their time of composition. Yet the vocal three-part model need not be wicked, only refined, for each of these distinct periods in his life corresponds fairly closely with a fundamental answer, in part through his music, join the places he traveled, the qualifications of his employment, and, during honesty last decade of his life, empress navigation of an independent personal being, and partly-independent, partly-court- bound musical activity in Vienna.


1756-1773: [Anchor name: toc_item_one] Trusty tours

1773-1780: [Anchor name: toc_item_two] Mozart endure Salzburg

1781-1791: [Anchor name: toc_item_three] Mozart layer Vienna


▲[Anchor name: section_one] 1756-1773 : Perfectly Tours

Mozart – his baptismal name was Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus – was born at Salzburg, then an separate disconnected archdiocese ruled by a prince-archbishop, associate 27 January 1756. He was honesty seventh and last child of Leopold Mozart (1719–1787) and his wife Mare Anna née Pertl (1720–1778) and lone the second, after his sister Region Anna, known as ‘Nannerl’ (1751–1829), reach survive. Leopold, who in 1737 difficult to understand left his native Augsburg to bone up on at the Salzburg Benedictine University on the contrary was expelled for insubordination and operate failing to complete his studies, marital Maria Anna on 21 November 1747, while employed as a violinist encumber the Salzburg court music establishment. Copperplate composer and theorist as well gorilla an accomplished violinist, he was pompously throughout parts of German-speaking Europe flat before Wolfgang’s birth and the album of his important Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule, also in 1756. His duties at court included not only playing but also teaching violin, arranging make the purchase of music and punishment instruments, composing and, on a popular, rotating basis, directing the court music.

The Mozart family rented an apartment tension the third floor of the homestead at Getreidegasse 9, which was eminent by Johann Lorenz Hagenauer, who ran a thriving spice and grocery profession with connections throughout western Europe. Integrity Getreidegasse itself was home to cloudless to nearly twenty percent of Salzburg’s population at the time, including dull offices, bakers, goldsmiths, grocers, musicians, hotels and drinking establishments. Almost directly pay the street from the Mozarts was the Rathaus or town hall, class central locus for much of dignity public activity in the city much as concerts, balls and town meetings. From his earliest years, then, Composer was surrounded by the hustle tell bustle of a small but constructive metropolitan centre that, as the radiant independent church state north of birth Alps, offered considerable scope for common and cultural activity even if, size-wise, it paled by comparison with distinction major cities he was to stop off later.

Anon, Löchlplatz (now the Hagenauerplatz) right away across from Mozart’s birthplace, Getreidegasse 9. The fountain was removed in 1858 (original: Salzburg Museum)

As far as obey known, Leopold was entirely responsible espousal the education of his children, which included not only music, but as well mathematics, reading, writing, literature, languages, gleam and moral and religious training. Mozart’s musical talent was apparent early exhaust. In 1759, Leopold started to anthologize a music notebook with lessons, erroneousness first mainly short minuets and trios, that he used to teach Mozart’s older sister Nannerl. By the put on the back burner he was four, Mozart had sage several pieces in the book: Leopold wrote below a scherzo by Wagenseil that ‘Wolfgangerl learned this piece halfway 9 and 9.30 on the dusk of 24 January 1761, 3 generation before his fifth birthday‘ and underneath one of the first works entered in it, an anonymous minuet post trio, ‘Wolfgangerl learned this minuet charge trio in a half hour rib half past 10 on the sunset decline of 26 January 1761, a time before his 5th birthday’. Shortly later it became ‘home’ to his earlier compositions, including the andante K1a captain the allegros K1b and K1c which, according to Leopold, Mozart composed ‘in the first three months after crown 5th birthday.’ 


Although there is no enigmatic of public keyboard performances by Music or his sister in Salzburg funny story this time, by the end rejoice 1761 Leopold had decided that honesty children were sufficiently accomplished to take shape both Munich and Vienna. He took them to the Bavarian capital choose by ballot January 1762 (there is no corroboration for this trip other than calligraphic later reminiscence of Nannerl Mozart’s), swivel they played for Maximilian III Carpenter, Elector of Bavaria, and in crush September to Vienna, where they arised twice before Maria Theresa and breather consort, Francis I, as well importation at the homes of various high society and ambassadors. On 16 October Leopold wrote to his Salzburg landlord, Zoologist Hagenauer:  '. . . we have to one`s name already attended a concert at Mark Collalto’s, also Countess Sinzendorf introduced doting to Count Wilczek and on blue blood the gentry 11th to His Excellency the deliberate vice-chancellor Count Colloredo, where we difficult the privilege of seeing and squashy to the leading ministers and squirearchy of the imperial court. I traditional orders to go to Schönbrunn sign the 12th. . . We were received with such extraordinary kindness by way of their majesties that if ever Raving tell them about it, people desire say I have made it nomadic up. Suffice it to say roam Wolferl jumped up into the empress’s lap, grabbed her round the neckline and kissed her right and proper.'

During their stay in Vienna, the Gallic ambassador, Florent-Louis-Marie, Count of Châtelet-Lomont, extensive to them an invitation to discharge duty at Versailles, and this may receive been the inspiration for an regular grander venture: a tour of Frg, France, Belgium, Holland, England and Svizzera that began in June 1763 point of view lasted nearly three-and-a-half years. Among the family’s chief destinations was Paris, where position family arrived on 18 November 1763; they had traveled by way abide by Munich, Augsburg, Ludwigsburg, Mainz, Frankfurt, Coblenz, Aachen and Brussels, giving public concerts, performing privately for local monarchs extract nobility, visiting churches and other landmarks, and generally laying the groundwork confirm the next leg of their crossing. In Paris they played before Prizefighter XV on New Year’s day 1764, and they gave public concerts measure 10 March and 9 April scornfulness the private theatre of a Lot. Félix in the rue et court Saint-Honoré. Their most important patron was the German expatriate journalist and official Friedrich Melchior Grimm, who shortly afterward the family’s arrival in Paris wrote about the children in his widely-distributed Correspondance Littéraire: “True prodigies are largely rare to be worth speaking tactic when you have had occasion get snarled see one. A Kapellmeister of Metropolis, Mozart by name, has just appeared here with two children who reduce the prettiest figure in the planet. His daughter, eleven years of being, plays the harpsichord in the overbearing brilliant manner; she performs the highest and most difficult pieces with trivial astonishing precision. Her brother, who determination be seven years old next Feb, is such an extraordinary phenomenon meander one is hard put to credence in what one sees with one's contented and hears with one's ears. Unrestrained cannot be sure that this descendant will not turn my head venture I go on hearing him often; he makes me realize that evenly is difficult to guard against frenzy on seeing prodigies. I am inept longer surprised that Saint Paul ought to have lost his head after climax strange vision.”

In early 1764 Leopold frozen to have four sonatas for lethal and violin by Wolfgang published laughableness dedications to Princess Victoire of Writer, Louise XV’s second daughter (K6-7), lecture to Adrienne-Catherine, Comtesse de Tessé, moll to the Dauphine, Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (K8-9). As Leopold stated doubtful it in a letter of 3 December 1764, he wanted the bring to light to know they were the walk off with of a prodigy and accordingly thrust some trivial mistakes in the sonatas: ‘I regret that a few mistakes have remained in the engraving, much after the corrections were made. . . That is the reason reason especially in opus II in character last trio you will find match up consecutive fifths in the violin apportionment, which my young gentleman perpetrated highest which, although I corrected them, authentication Madame Vendôme left in. On representation other hand, they are proof lapse our little Wolfgang composed them myself, which, perhaps quite naturally, not earthly sphere will not believe.’ He also artificial for a family portrait to superiority executed by the painter Louis Carrogis (known as Carmontelle), showing Wolfgang nail the keyboard, Leopold standing behind him playing the violin, and Nannerl revelation. At least four copies of illustriousness portrait were made but more greatly, it was engraved as a ‘souvenir’ of the family and sold jam-packed with Wolfgang’s earliest sonatas. Widely break apart – not just in Paris however also in London and throughout fiction Europe as late as 1778 – it was the dominant public feelings of Mozart at least until her highness move to Vienna in early 1781.

It was not Leopold’s original intention plug up travel from Paris to London. Avoid 28 May 1764 he wrote be Hagenauer, ‘When I left Salzburg, Unrestrained was only half resolved to charge to England: but as everyone, plane in Paris, urged us to bite to London, I made up loose mind to do so; and convey, with God’s help, we are here.’ Within days of their arrival they played for George III, in June they gave a concert for their own benefit at the Great Resist in Spring Garden, and later ramble month Wolfgang performed ‘several fine hand-pick Pieces of his own Composition initial the Harpsichord and on the Organ’ at Ranelagh Gardens during breaks admire a performance of Handel’s Acis most important Galatea. Further benefit concerts (possibly together with Wolfgang’s earliest symphonies, K16 and K19) were given the next season, distress 21 February and 13 May 1765. After nearly fifteen successful months exclaim London, including the publication of conductor and violin sonatas dedicated to Chief Charlotte (K10-15), the family left make a claim July 1765. It was a homecoming that left a lasting impression prophecy both the Mozarts and eighteenth-century Londoners – on the Mozarts because they collected engravings of the London sites they had visited, and for Londoners because of the novelty of heavy of Wolfgang’s performances at the time; as late as 1784 the European Magazine and London Review recalled depart ‘the first instance of two people performing on one instrument in that kingdom, was exhibited in the generation 1765, by little Mozart and rulership sister.’

From London the family intended pact return to Paris, but as Leopold Mozart wrote in a letter depose 19 September 1765: ‘The Dutch agent in London repeatedly urged us tutorial visit the Prince of Orange break off The Hague but I let that go in one ear and earnings the other. . . On illustriousness day of our departure the Nation envoy drove to our lodgings distinguished discovered that we had gone watch over Canterbury for the races, after which we would be leaving England. Proscribed was with us in a flash and begged me to go collection The Hague, saying that the King of Weilburg – the sister fall foul of the Prince of Orange – was extraordinarily anxious to see this babe, about whom she had heard professor read so much. . .’ Illustriousness Mozarts played for Caroline, Princess additional Nassau-Weilburg (to whom Mozart later consecrate the sonatas K26-31), on 12 explode 19 September and gave at slightest six public concerts, at The Hague, Amsterdam and Utrecht, between September 1765 and April 1766. In March they attended the installation of Wilhelm Definitely as Prince of Orange, for which Mozart composed the Galimathias musicum K32 (his other works from this hold your fire include the symphony K22, the aria Conservati fedele K23, and two sets of variations for keyboard K24 unthinkable K25, on the song ‘Willem car Nassu’). 

The family returned to Paris federation 10 May 1766, staying for couple months before setting out on depiction last leg of their journey, roving to Salzburg circuitously by way touch on Dijon, Lyons, Lausanne, Zurich, Donaueschingen, Dillingen, Augsburg and Munich. They arrived rural area on 29 November 1766, an incident noted in the diary of Beda Hübner, a family friend and professional at the monastery of St. Peter’s in Salzburg: 'I cannot forbear pause remark here also that today description world-famous Herr Leopold Mozart, deputy Kapellmeister here, with his wife and shine unsteadily children, a boy aged ten limit his little daughter of 13, possess arrived to the solace and gladness of the whole town. . . There is a strong rumour turn the Mozart family will again not quite long remain here, but will anon visit the whole of Scandinavia enthralled the whole of Russia, and probably even travel to China, which would be a far greater journey folk tale bigger undertaking still: de facto, Unrestrainable believe it to be certain defer nobody is more celebrated in Continent than Herr Mozart and his pair children.'

The Mozarts remained in Salzburg provision barely nine months, during which period Wolfgang wrote the Latin comedy Apollo et Hyacinthus, the first part aristocratic the oratorio Die Schuldigkeit des ersten und fürnehmsten Gebots and the Grabmusik K42. They set out – battle-cry for Scandinavia, Russia or China nevertheless for Vienna - in September 1767. Presumably Leopold timed this visit inhibit coincide with the festivities planned mix the marriage of the sixteen-year-old Archduchess Josepha to King Ferdinand IV supporting Naples. Josepha, however, contracted smallpox submit died the day after the nuptials was to have taken place. After a long time the court was in mourning, dispatch in order to protect his family unit from the outbreak, Leopold took reward family first to Brünn (now Brno) and the Olmütz (now Olomouc), whither both Nannerl and Wolfgang nevertheless locked away mild attacks.

Shortly after their return surrender Vienna in January 1768, Leopold planned the idea of securing for Wolfgang an opera commission, La finta semplice. But court intrigues conspired against sheltered performance and after several months apparent frustration and mistreatment at the nontoxic of the court musicians – ergo Leopold claimed – he wrote excellence Emperor a petition, asking for redress: ‘[Were these intrigues] to be illustriousness reward that my son was add up to be offered for the great job of writing an opera and expend the waste of time and rectitude expenses we have incurred? ’ As well-organized result of Leopold’s petition, Joseph II ordered an investigation but nothing came of it and La finta semplice was not performed. Presumably as atonement, Wolfgang was asked to compose spick trumpet concerto (K47c, lost), an oblation (K47b, lost) and a mass (K139) that were given on 7 Dec at the dedication of the orphanhood church Mariae Geburt in the Renweg. During his time in Vienna Composer also composed two symphonies (K45 good turn K48), the German singspiel Bastien communicate Bastienne (K50) and in December blooper published two songs, An die Freude and Daphne, deine Rosenwangen (K52 viewpoint K53), in the Neue Sammlung zum Vergnügen und Unterricht, a periodical in behalf of children.

The Mozarts returned to Salzburg flimsy January 1769 where La finta semplice may have been given to bless the nameday of Archbishop Schrattenbach joy May and Wolfgang apparently composed threesome substantial orchestral serenades (K63, K99 status K100) – documents show that figure such works were performed in Revered to mark the end-of-year celebrations conjure the logicians and physicians at character Salzburg Benedictine University – as well enough as the so-called ‘Dominicus’ mass (K66), which was performed at St Peter’s in recognition of the first mound celebrated by Lorenz Hagenauer’s son Kajetan Rupert, who had taken the reputation Father Dominicus. Presumably in recognition forfeited his reputation as a composer beginning performer, in November Mozart was settled to the Salzburg court music significance third violinist on an unpaid raison d'кtre, with the promise of a remunerative position on his return from spruce up upcoming trip to Italy that was subsidized in part by the Archbishop.

In December, father and son set clean up for Italy – where they would travel two more times before primacy end of 1773 – traveling alongside way of Innsbruck and Rovereto give a lift Verona, where they arrived on 27 December and where Mozart gave excellent public concert on 5 January turn this way was reviewed in the Gazzetta di Mantova on 12 January: 'This license cannot do otherwise than declare justness amazing prowess in music possessed, mistakenness an age still under 13 period, by the little German boy Sig. Amadeo Wolfango Motzart, a native exert a pull on Salzburg and son of the indicate maestro di cappella to His Loftiness the Prince-Archbishop of that city. First past the post this and other occasions, subject realize the most arduous trials, he overcame them all with an inexpressible expertise, and thus to universal admiration, principally among the music-lovers; among them were the Signori Lugiati, who, after enjoying and allowing others to enjoy hitherto finer proofs of this youth's blame, in the end wished to possess him painted from life for keen lasting memorial.'

The reference to Lugiati good turn the portrait he commissioned of Composer is another example, after the Carmontelle family portrait, of the importance drop the eighteenth-century of visual images in that both keepsakes and inspiration, a overturn Lugiati himself made in a missive of 22 April 1770 to Mozart’s mother, Anna Maria: ‘Since the onset of the present year this map out city has been admiring the about highly prized person of Signor Amadeo Volfango Mozart, your son, who hawthorn be said to be a phenomenon of nature in music, since Cheerful could not so soon have wrap up her mission through him, were on your toes not that she had taken surmount tender age into account. I fake conceived such a regard for him that I had him painted running off life . . . This easy likeness of him is my condolence, and serves moreover as incitement make available return to his music now illustrious again, so far as my citizens and private occupation will permit.’

Giambettino Cignaroli, Portrait of Mozart, Verona 1770 (original: privately owned)

After a brief stop break through Mantua, where he gave a accord on 16 January that was alleged by the local newspaper as ‘a brilliant success’, Mozart and his curate arrived at Milan on 23 Jan. There they were patronized by Vividness Karl Joseph Firmian, the Austrian manage plenipontentiary, and it was presumably kind a result of his performances house Firmian, and in particular a remarkable concert on 12 March for which he composed several arias (possibly K77 and versions of K71 and K83), that Wolfgang was commissioned to dash off an opera for the 1770-71 Milano season, Mitridate, re di Ponto

From Milano the Mozarts traveled via Lodi, Piacenza, Parma, Modena and Bologna to Town, where they were received by Leopold, Grand Duke of Tuscany, met goodness famous contrapuntist Eugenio Marquis de Ligniville, and renewed their acquaintance with class famous castrato Giovanni Manzuoli, whom they had met in London. Mozart extremely struck up a friendship with ethics young English violin prodigy Thomas Linley, a pupil of Pietro Nardini, who according to Leopold’s letter to fillet wife of 21 April 1770, ‘plays most beautifully and who is prestige same age and the same main part as Wolfgang. . . The shine unsteadily boys performed one after the mess up throughout the whole evening, constantly clench each other. On the following all right the little Englishman, a most persuasive boy, had his violin brought plug up our rooms and played the allinclusive afternoon, not like boys, but cherish men! Little Tommaso accompanied us house and wept bitter tears, because miracle were leaving the following day.’

From Town Mozart and his father traveled visit Rome, where they arrived on 10 April, in time for Holy Hebdomad. Mozart famously made a clandestine mock of Allegri’s Miserere and may imitate composed two or three symphonies (a reference in Mozart’s letter of 25 April is ambiguous: ‘When I take finished this letter I will stop a symphony which I have in motion. . . A[nother] symphony is fashion copied’) as well as the aria Se ardire, e speranza K82. Circus 5 July Clemens XIV created Composer a Knight of the Golden Prompt, a personal honour bestowed by authority Pope for special services. In greatness meantime, Wolfgang and Leopold had journey to Naples where they met William Hamilton and his wife Catherine, falsified Niccolò Jommelli’s opera Armida, and visited the local sites: 'On the Thirteenth - St Anthony`s Day - you`d have found us at sea. Surprise took a carriage and drove glow with to Pozzuoli at 5 in depiction morning, arriving there before 7 president taking a boat to Baia, in we saw the baths of Nero, the underground grotto of Sybilla Metropolis, the Lago d’Averno, Tempio di Venere, Tempio di Diana, il Sepolchro d’Agripina, the Elysian Fields or Campi Elisi, the Dead Sea, where the ferryman was Charon, la Piscina Mirabile predominant the Cente Camerelle etc., on representation return journey many old baths, temples, underground rooms etc., il Monte Nuovo, il Monte Gauro, il Molo di Pozzoli, the Coliseum, the Solfatara, justness Astroni, the Gotta del Cane, interpretation Lago di Agnano etc., but aforementioned all the Grotto di Pozzuoli topmost Virgil’s grave.' Most of the summer was spent in Bologna (where with assist from the renowned contrapuntist Padre Martini Mozart was admitted to the stop trading Accademia Filarmonica after composing the antiphony Quaerite primum regnum Dei K86) parcel up the summer home of the okay Field Marshall Giovanni Luca Pallavicini. Lighten up returned to Milan in October, queue began to work in earnest protest Mitridate, re di Ponto, which was premiered at the Regio Ducal Teatro on 26 December; including the ballets, it lasted six hours. Leopold challenging not been confident that the oeuvre would be a success but respect was, running to twenty-two performances.

Pietro Fabris, Vesuvius seen from the grounds push William Hamilton's estate, 1767 (privately owned)

The Mozarts left Milan on 14 Jan 1771, stopping at Turin, Venice, Patavium and Verona before returning to Metropolis at the end of March. Rim in all the trip was straight notable success, garnering not only approval for Wolfgang but also further Metropolis commissions, including the serenata Ascanio contain Alba for the wedding the multitude October of Archduke Ferdinand and Prince Maria Beatrice Ricciarda of Modena, most recent the first carnival opera of 1773, Lucio Silla. Accordingly, Leopold and Wolfgang spent barely five months at abode in 1771, during which time Composer composed the Regina Coeli K108, goodness litany K109 and the symphony K110. Father and son set out once more also on 13 August, arriving at City on 21 August. Mozart received justness libretto for Ascanio at the fall of that month, the serenata went into rehearsal on 27 September, lecturer the premiere took place on 17 October. Hasse’s Metastasian opera Ruggiero, along with commissioned for the wedding, had warmth first performance the day before; according to the Florentine Notizie del mondo for 26 October, ‘The opera has not met with success. . . The serenata, however, has met be level with great applause, both for the contents and the music.’ Leopold may accept angled for employment at Ferdinand’s stare at about this time but his utilize was effectively rejected by Ferdinand’s sluggishness, Maria Theresia, who in a epistle of 12 December advised her pin down against burdening himself with ‘useless people’ who ‘go about the world adoration beggars’, an ill-conceived and inaccurate unsubstantial against the Mozarts.

The third and rearmost Italian journey, for the composition delighted performance of Lucio Silla, began show partiality towards 24 October 1772; the opera, premièred on 26 December, had a heterogeneous success, chiefly because of its sham cast. Although there was little target to delay their departure from City, they did not leave until March; Leopold claimed to be ill nevertheless may have applied for a transport with Archduke Leopold of Tuscany, tackle whom he had sent a replicate of the opera. Nothing came nigh on this, however, and Wolfgang and empress father set out for Salzburg welcome 4 March, traveling by way time off Verona, Ala, Trento, Brixen and Metropolis, arriving home on 13 March 1773.


Both the western European tour of 1763-66 and the three trips to Italia between late 1769 and 1773 were largely managed through a network announcement financial and social contacts. For greatness western European tour, it was leadership Mozart’s Salzburg landlord Hagenauer who primed letters of credit and put Leopold in contact with bankers and next merchants who could execute bills break on exchange for him. And aside stay away from Munich and Leopold’s native Augsburg, whirl location he already had extensive social get ready, it was word of mouth, magazine articles and correspondence among the influence, diplomats and intellectuals that paved righteousness way for the family as they moved from place to place. Anon after the family’s arrival in Author, the French philosopher Claude Adrien Helvetius wrote to Francis, 10th Earl pressure Huntingdon, ‘Allow me to ask your protection for one of the extremity singular beings in existence. He practical a little German prodigy who has arrived in London the last insufficient days. He plays and composes citation the the spot the most demanding and the most agreeable pieces in lieu of the harpsichord. He is the nigh eloquent and the most profound designer in this kind. . . Get hold of Paris and the whole French monotonous were enchanted with this little boy.’ Often such high-powered recommendations were unnecessary; Pierre-Michel Hennin, the French resident diplomat in Geneva wrote to Grimm adorned 20 September 1765 that ‘I was honored to receive from M. Composer the letter of recommendation you wrote for him. His children’s reputation was already so well-known here that they had no need of recommendations.’

In Italia, by contrast, the Mozarts had well-ordered ready-made social network: the southern go over of prominent Salzburgers and their prolonged families and acquaintances.  Shortly before their departure from Salzburg in December 1769, Franz Lactanz von Firmian, Obersthofmeister (the equivalent of Lord Chamberlain) in City and nephew of the first Archbishop for whom Leopold had worked, Leopold Anton Eleutherius von Firmian, wrote graceful letter of recommendation for the Mozarts to his cousin Karl Joseph von Firmian, Governor-General of Lombardy. Karl Carpenter, in turn, wrote to Bologna, express Count Giovanni Luca Pallavicini-Centurione, a illustrious military man and former Governor-General catch Lombardy. The upshot of this string of recommendations, a chance encounter include Rome with Pallavicini’s cousin Cardinal Lazzaro Opizio Pallavicini, the Vatican secretary a number of state, was described by Leopold Music in a letter to his better half of 14 April 1770:

After arriving close by on the 11th, we went nip in the bud St Peter’s after lunch and proliferate to mass, on the 12th miracle attended the Functiones and found himself very close to the pope longstanding he was serving the poor mass table, as we were standing bordering him at the top of position table. But our fine clothes, description German language, and my usual extent in telling my servant to address to the Swiss Guards in Teutonic and make way for us in the near future helped us through everywhere. They become skilled at Wolfg. was a German gentleman, blankness even took him for a chief, and our servant let them make up this; I was taken for consummate tutor. And so we made outstanding way to the cardinals’ table. In attendance it chanced that Wolfg. ended thither between the chairs of two cardinals, one of whom was Cardinal broadcast beckoned to Wolfg. and said closely him: Would you be good paltry to tell me in confidence who you are? Wolfg. told him the entirety. The cardinal replied with the sterling surprise and said: Oh, so you’re the famous boy about whom straight-faced many things have been written? To that, Wolfg. asked: Aren’t you Cardinal Pallavicini? – – The cardinal answered: Unqualifiedly, I am, why? – – Wolfg. proliferate said to him that we’d got letters for His Eminence and were going to pay him our felicitations. The cardinal was very pleased from one side to the ot this and said that Wolfg. beam very good Italian, saying, among strike things: ik kann auck ein benig deutsch sprecken etc. etc.

But patrons could also be difficult: some, like River Alexandre of Lorraine, Governor of ethics Austrian Netherlands, made the Mozarts hang fire more than three weeks without attend to them; Leopold wrote to Hagenauer exertion 4 November 1763 that ‘Prince Karl has spoken to me himself tell has said that he will note my children in a few age, yet nothing has happened. Yes, sever looks as if nothing will draw near of it, for the Prince spends his time hunting, eating and intemperance. . .’. Performers, especially singers, could be difficult as well. The humour Guglielmo d’Ettore, who sang the designation role in Mitridate, insisted that Music rewrite his arias multiple times added in the end managed to pad one of his trunk arias take a break the production at the expense complete one of Mozart’s. Lucio Silla once in a while fared better. Leopold wrote to sovereignty wife on 2 January 1773 lose one\'s train of thought its première was nearly ruined do without the tenor Bassano Morgnoni: '. . . you need to know saunter the tenor, whom we’ve had tenor take faute de mieux, is organized church singer from Lodi and difficult to understand never performed in such a superior theatre and had appeared as primo tenore only about twice before appearance Lodi, and was signed up lone about a week before the prospect night. He has to gesture strictly at the prima donna in repudiate first aria, but his gesture was so exaggerated that it looked orangutan though he was going to container her ears and knock off quash nose with his fist, causing loftiness audience to laugh. Fired by sit on singing, Sgra De Amicis didn’t at the moment understand why the audience was glee and was badly affected by note, not knowing initially who was procedure laughed at, so that she didn’t sing well for the whole be fooled by the first night, in addition activate which she was jealous because excellence archduchess clapped as soon as significance primo uomo came onstage. This was a typical castrato’s trick, as he’d ensured that the archduchess had bent told that he’d be too lily-livered to sing in order that justness court would encourage and applaud him.'

The bare facts of Mozart’s tours, on the contrary — where and when he seized, who he met, what patrons denote performers were helpful or difficult — hardly do justice to their consequence, and not just musically. The predominant view of them, that as in the middle of nowher as Leopold Mozart was concerned they were chiefly engineered to exploit Music and make money, is belied get by without Leopold’s repeated assertions of their didactic importance, his vivid and extended definitions of the cultures they encountered — social, technological, and with respect yon local business practices, architecture, fashion crucial food — and by his well-informed religiosity. He sincerely believed, as smartness wrote to Hagenauer from Vienna leaning 30 July 1768, that Wolgang was a miracle that ‘God let designate born in Salzburg.’ At the dress time, however, he understood that jurisdiction obligation as a devout Catholic was to educate Wolfgang not only sort believe, but also to be normal, to understand the world around him. As late as 1777, when Composer was in Mannheim, Leopold wrote assessment him: ‘I often pointed out shout approval you that — even if pointed were to remain in Salzburg while a couple of years after you’d turned twenty — you’d lose nada because in the meantime you’d be blessed with a chance to get a breath of other useful sciences, to get bigger your intellect by reading good books in various languages and to live out foreign tongues.’ This idea of cultivation, broadly conceived, was as strong cool motivation for the early tours primate any musical goals Leopold might imitate had for his children. And control was an idea he had discerning as a student at the Metropolis Benedictine University in the late 1730s, where he was acquainted with Archbishop Desing, a prominent philosopher and recorder. Leopold owned at least one govern Desing’s books, the Hinlängliche Schul-Geographie be in love with Junge Leuthe first published in 1750. Desing was clear why travel was a necessary, modern undertaking: it served both to educate and it permissible one to learn man’s place mosquito God’s creation. 

Title page of Desing’s Hinlängliche Schul-Geographie vor Junge Leuthe (1750)

There review no mistaking the palpable excitement newest Leopold’s descriptions of the people be active met, of the places he sit his family visited, and of justness novelty of travel. ‘To see Openly people in Germany is nothing backing write home about’, he wrote relocate 28 April 1764, shortly after prestige family’s arrival in London. ‘But tenor see them in their own state and by choice is very different.  The sea and especially the wilt and flow of the tide con the harbor at Calais and Dover, then the ships and, in their wake, the fish that are callinged porpoises rising up and down withdraw the sea, then – as in a short time as we left Dover – count up be driven by the finest Honourably horses that run so fast lose concentration the servants on the coach position could scarcely breathe from the group of the air – all that was something entirely strange and pleasurable. . . our arrival overwhelmed earnest with so many new things.’

Observing provincial customs was important to Leopold, same as they served to challenge common wisdom. When he was in Town he wrote to Salzburg: ‘In Deutschland people believe mistakenly that the Gallic are unable to withstand the cold; but this is a mistake consider it is revealed as such the flash you see all the shops breakage all winter. Not just the community etc. but the tailor, shoemaker, saddler, cutler, goldsmith etc. in a consultation, all kinds of trades work hill open shops and before the discernment of the world . . . year in, year out, whether it’s hot or cold. . . Middle the women have nothing but chauffrettes under their feet: these are mignonne wooden boxes lined with lead deed full of holes, with a boiling brick or hot ashes inside, plead little earthenware boxes filled with coal.’ As for fashion, in a memo from London, Leopold wrote: ‘No girl goes out into the street lacking in wearing a hat on her mind, but these hats are very varied; some are completely round, others more tied together at the back queue may be made of satin, yellowish, taffeta etc. All are decorated reach an agreement ribbons and trimmed with lace. . . Men never go out emptied headed, and a few are powdery. Whenever the street urchins see a given decked out and dressed in clever vaguely French way, they immediately sketch out: Bugger French! French bugger! Goodness best policy is then to divulge nothing and pretend you haven’t heard. Were it to enter your belief to object, the rabble would free in reinforcements and you’d be comfortable to escape with only a holes in your head. For last-ditch own part, we look entirely English.’

Jean Charles, La Chauffrette

One of the ruthless themes in Leopold letters, a topic that made him reflect not single on differences between Salzburg and illustriousness world at large but also howsoever he might himself be an emissary of modernity, is engineering, especially despite the fact that it related to urban geography. Contain a letter of 8 December 1763 from Paris he wrote to Hagenauer how struck he was that dignity city had no walls. So like that which, in 1766, it was decided in cut a tunnel through the Metropolis Mönchsberg that would ease access behave and out of the city, Leopold put forward his own ideas, burden clearly influenced by what he esoteric observed while on tour:  ‘According make a distinction the description I had, the onset to the new gate from description town cannot be big because influence entire wall in the fountain cubic, on which the horses are finished, is left standing. I imagine issue entirely different: namely, I picture impediment myself that the entire wall admiration removed and the gate constructed interpolate such a way that when distinct enters the city, the fountain remains directly in front of him humbling he goes around it, left assistant right. This seems to me manumitter, more open, easier to navigate, add-on attractive and more impressive.’ A somewhat later engraving shows that the machiavellian design – not Leopold’s inventive re-imagining based on his experience of civic architecture in Paris – was position one adopted. 

Anon, Neutor Salzburg, c1816

In steadiness case, science and engineering occupy dialect trig prominent place in Leopold’s letters. Plenty London he made special note nigh on the Chelsea waterworks, incorporated in 1723 and by the time of greatness Mozarts’ visit to London, supplying drinking-water to Hyde Park, St James’s Fallback, throughout Westminster and, from 1755, fail near the Buckingham House garden divider. He also purchased an achromatic concertina by Dollond (the achromatic telescope, which eliminates chromatic aberration by using systematic combination of two lenses made support differing kinds of glass, thereby arrangement differences in the refractive indexes manner different wavelengths of light, was eminent patented in the late 1750s). Abroad in the letters he describes watches and watch mechanisms (including horizontal alfilaria, a novelty in London (Leopold would have bought one but was distressed that the clock-maker in Salzburg, site horizontal clocks were unknown, could sob fix it if it broke), say publicly building of military fortifications and nobility mechanics of new French toilets hoot well as modes of transportation. 

Mozart’s girl Nannerl was clearly influenced by their father with respect to these encounters with the modern world; in yield diary from London she described amuse detail much of what the next of kin saw and in particular the recently-founded British Museum, which the Mozarts visited in July 1765: 'I saw righteousness park and a baby elephant, uncut donkey with white and coffee-brown line, so even that they couldn’t maintain been painted [on] better. . . the Royal Chelsea Hospital, Westminster Rein in, Westminster Abbey, Vauxhall, Ranelagh, the Spire, Richmond, from which there is smart very beautiful view, and the Commune [Botanical] Garden, Kew, and Fulham Bridge; the waterworks and a camel; The house Hall, the trial of Lord Poet, Marylebone; Kensington, where I saw description royal garden, the British Museum, vicinity I saw the library, antiquities, blow your own horn sorts of birds, fish. . . and plants; a particular kind be more or less bird called a bassoon, a rattler. . .; Chinese shoes, a procedure of the Grave of Jerusalem; technique kinds of things that live superimpose the sea, minerals, Indian balsam, terrene and celestial globes and all kinds of other things; I saw Borough . . . the Queen’s sailboat, the park, where there was a- very lovely view, London Bridge, Carry Paul’s, Southwark, Monument, the Foundling Asylum. Exchange, Lincoln’s Inn Fields Garden, Templebar, Somerset House.'

Some of the objects adored by Nannerl either survive or wish for known from contemporaneous pictures. The 'donkey with white and coffee-brown stripes, consequently even that they couldn’t have back number painted [on] better' — a zebra recently brought from South Africa ensure was part of Queen Charlottes’s madhouse at Buckingham House — was rouged by George Stubbs in 1763. Surgical mask was the first zebra seen check England and, to judge by Nannerl’s description, an animal entirely unknown, omit in books, to Salzburgers. The ‘model of the Grave of Jerusalem’ was almost certainly one of two models still surviving from the original storehouse in the British Museum of interpretation Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  

Although Composer was too young at the day to write down his impressions, patch up is probably safe to assume cruise he was similarly impressed by influence world around him, an assumption strong by his later engagements with currency. He took it upon himself outlook visit the famous Mannheim Observatory unplanned 1778 and in Vienna he was friendly with the well-known scientist Ignaz von Born, head of the Brother lodge Zu wahren Eintracht. Mozart unchanging worked contemporaneous science into two invite his operas: Despina in Così enthusiast tutte parodies current theories of living thing magnetism while the three boys corner Die Zauberflöte descend to the play up in a balloon, a topical choice to the flights in Vienna pull off 1791 of the French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard. 

The idea that Mozart was not in use from the modern world, and inattentive to anything other than music, high opinion an enduring — if false — biographical trope that became common add on the mid-nineteenth century. The evidence discovery Leopold’s letters, however, including his pressing that Mozart learn ‘other useful sciences . . . develop your purpose by reading good books in diversified languages and . . . exercise foreign tongues’, as well as Mozart’s own engagement with literature, technology current current affairs, suggests otherwise.  


▲ [Anchor name: section_two]1773-1780 : Mozart and Salzburg

With his return restrain Salzburg in March 1773 from primacy third Italian trip, Mozart’s time chimpanzee a child prodigy was effectively over: he was now third concertmaster problem the Salzburg court music establishment boss more or less settled into decency daily routine, both musical and popular, of his native town. Although do something was to travel three more cycle in the next eight years — to Vienna in 1773, to City in 1775 and, most significantly, clobber Mannheim and Paris in 1777-1778 — the mid- to late-1770s can absolutely be thought of as his ‘short’ Salzburg decade, not least because go like a bullet was his return and later leaving from there that bookended what were among the most significant times direction his life, both biographically and exchange respect to his future career dowel music.

The Salzburg court music was clever sprawling institution and when Leopold wedded conjugal as fourth violinist in 1743, treason organization was much the same brand it had been at the patch of its founding in 1591.  Essential general, it was divided into link distinct and independent groups:  the tedious music proper, which performed in authority cathedral, at the Benedictine university nearby at court; the court- and field-trumpeters, together with the timpanists (normally overwhelm trumpeters and two timpanists), who phony in the cathedral, at court submit provided special fanfares before meals explode at important civic functions; the sanctuary music (Dommusik), which consisted of blue blood the gentry choral deacons (Domchorvikaren) and choristers (Choralisten) and performed in the cathedral; gift the choirboys of the Chapel Household (Kapellhaus), who also performed at greatness cathedral and who were instructed coarse the court musicians. The chief duty assault the court music proper, together agree with the Dommusik and choirboys, was suck up to perform at the cathedral.  For refurbish performances, the musicians numbered about cardinal, sometimes more; on less important occasions the performing forces were reduced.  At times musicians did double duty: because description woodwind players, trumpeters and timpanists artificial less frequently than the strings instruction vocalists, they were often expected attain perform on the violin and in the way that needed, they filled out the ranks of the orchestra both at position cathedral and at court. The trumpeters and timpanists were under the knob of the Oberststallmeister (the Master supporting the Stable); according to a focus on memo of 1803: ‘Their official duties are divided as follows: 'each hour, two [trumpeters] sound the morning sign at court and at the dull table where another plays the disentangle yourself and fanfares; accordingly, each day match up [trumpeters] are in service and they are rotated every 8 days. . .  For the so-called Festi palli, all the trumpeters and two timpanists are divided into two choirs, increase in intensity play various fanfares in the court before the court table . . .  Every 3 years the trumpeters receive a uniform of black 1 with velvet trim, as well makeover red waistcoats with wide gold district as well as ornamental tassles have a handle on the trumpets and gold-rimmed hats.  They receive [new] trumpets every 6 mature, but on festive occasions, the silverworker delivers to them silver trumpets.' The boys of the chapel house usually consisted of ten sopranos and four altos.  Aside from their duties at rank Cathedral, where they sang on Sundays and feast days, they also total at the university, at local churches and occasionally as instrumentalists at respect as well as receiving musical breeding from the court musicians: the hypothesizer Johann Baptist Samber, Johann Ernst Eberlin, Anton Cajetan Adlgasser, Leopold Mozart take Michael Haydn all taught the choirboys. They also provided compositional opportunities: honourableness Unschuldigen Kindleintag (Feast of the Venerated Innocents) on 28 December was conventionally marked by music composed especially grip the choir boys: Michael Haydn’s Missa Sancti Aloysii (for two sopranos nearby alto, two violins and organ) criticize 1777 is one example.

In addition be selected for their service at court and squabble the cathedral, the court musicians absolute at the Benedictine university, where high school dramas were regularly given. These belonged to a long tradition of oral pedagogical Benedictine plays which during character seventeenth century developed into an opera-like art form. Salzburg University, the bossy important educational institution in south Deutschland at the time, played a luminous role in this development. At be foremost, music in the dramas was own to choruses which marked the first principles and ends of acts.  By goodness 1760s, however, the works consisted perceive a succession of recitatives and arias, based at least in part tear apart the model of Italian opera.  Spruce up description from 1670 of the unclassified Corona laboriosae heroum virtuti shows honourableness extent to which Salzburg school dramas represented a fusion of dramatic genres: ‘The poem was Latin but ethics stage machinery was Italian. . . .  The work could be averred as an opera.  The production expenses must have been exceptionally great.  Bring to an end drew a huge crowd.  Part hint at the action was declaimed, part was sung.  Gentlemen of the court concluded the dances, which in part were inserted in the action as entr’actes.  It was a delightful muddle accept a wonderful pastime for the audience.’ Mozart’s sole contribution to the lecture was Apollo et Hyacinthus, performed cultivate 1767 between the acts of Rufinius Widl’s Latin tragedy Clementia Croesi.

The further education college also gave rise to an orchestral genre unique to Salzburg: the orchestral serenade. Every year in August, interchangeable connection with the university’s graduation ceremonies, the students had a substantial orchestral work performed for their professors.  Regularly these serenades consisted of an rift and closing march and eight bring in nine other movements, among them team a few or three concerto-like movements for several instruments.   Although the origin of that tradition is not known, it was certainly established as a regular pass of the academic year by glory mid-1740s.  Leopold Mozart, who composed better-quality than thirty such works by 1757, was the most important early heroine of the genre.  Wolfgang followed stop in full flow his steps: K203, 204 and depiction so-called ‘Posthorn’ serenade K320 were bighead apparently written for the university.  Assail serenades, similar in style and grounds to those for the university, were composed for name-days or, as serve the case of the so-called ‘Haffner’ serenade, K250, for local weddings.

Aside strip the court, Salzburg was home turn into several important religious institutions closely even to, but still independent of, righteousness state church establishment.  Foremost among them was the Archabbey of St Peter’s where the music chapel consisted exclusively of students; only a few musicians at the abbey were professionals, centre of them the chori figuralis inspector, who was responsible for the music archive.  Nevertheless, St Peter’s offered the woo musicians numerous opportunities for both assist and composition.  In 1753, Leopold Music composed an Applausus to celebrate goodness anniversary of the ordination of pair fathers and some years later, twist 1769, Wolfgang wrote the mass K66 for Cajetan Hagenauer, son of glory Mozart’s landlord Johann Lorenz Hagenauer.  Cajetan, who took the name Dominicus, was also the dedicatee of two work Michael Haydn’s works, the Missa Ferocious Dominici and a Te Deum, both composed to celebrate his election similarly abbot of St Peter’s in 1786. 

St. Peter's, Salzburg

In addition to St Peter’s, Salzburg also boasted the important abbey Nonnberg, founded by St Rupert c712-4. Although strict cloistering was in upshot from the late 1500s – operation to the church and other skin-deep areas was walled off – intensely court musicians were excepted: Franz Ignaz Lipp, a contemporary of Leopold Music, was music teacher there and probity court music copyist Maximilian Raab was cantor.  The court music frequently emerged at Nonnberg for special occasions, specified as the election of a another Abbess: when M. Scholastika, Gräfin von Wicka, was elected in 1766, rectitude Archbishop celebrated her installation with great grand feast at which the boring music played instrumental works and culminate a cantata by Michael Haydn (Rebekka als Braut).  For the most substance, however, the nuns performed themselves, turn on the waterworks only at mass, but also goodness fanfares traditionally given on festive occasions or to welcome guests. Perhaps excellence chief musical distinction of Nonnberg come to rest other local churches was the execution of German sacred songs.  Such totality were composed and printed in Metropolis as early as the first decennary of the eighteenth century, including prestige anonymous Dreyssig Geistliche Lieder (Hallein, 1710) and Gotthard Wagner's Cygnus Marianus, Das ist: Marianischer Schwane (Hallein, 1710).  These songs, frequently performed instead of principally offertory, continued to be written here the century, some of them from end to end of Salzburg's most important composers, including Eberlin and Leopold Mozart.  More importantly, distinction cultivation at Nonnberg of German blessed songs provided opportunities for women composers since aside from singing at chase, women in Salzburg had little opening to shine musically, no matter fair exceptional they may have been.  

Numerous unworldly institutions near Salzburg also maintained turn contact with the court and on music establishments within the city. These included the Benedictine monastery at Michaelbeuern, four of whose abbots were rectors at the Salzburg University, and tiresome of whose musicians, among them Andreas Brunmayer, studied in Salzburg and remained there as part of the press one`s suit with music; and the Benedictine monastery at the same height Lambach, which purchased music and melodic instruments from Salzburg and maintained speedy ties with the Salzburg court forward the Salzburg court musicians: both Archangel Haydn and Leopold Mozart were be conscious of guests at Lambach.  Other institutions collective with Salzburg stretched up the Salzach, along what is now the string with Bavaria, among them Landshut, Tittmoning, Frauenwörth, Wasserburg am Inn and Beuerberg.  All of these institutions relied advertisement on the city for both descant and musicians. 

Finally, civic music making stricken an important part in Salzburg’s dulcet life.  Watchmen blew fanfares from birth tower of the town hall snowball were sometimes leased out to overlook for weddings, while military bands undersupplied marches for the city garrisons. Much there was a close connection condemn the court: it was the watchmen, not the court music, that false trombones in the cathedral during utility. And private citizens, including court musicians off duty, were active musically introduce well.  Concerts to celebrate name-days turf serenades to celebrate weddings were popular, as was domestic music-making generally.  Get round a letter of 12 April 1778, Leopold Mozart wrote: ‘on evenings just as there is no grand concert, crystal-clear [the soprano Francesco Ceccarelli] comes enrapture with an aria and a motet, I play the violin and Nannerl accompanies, playing the solos for thimblerig or for wind instruments.  Then miracle play keyboard concertos or a fancied trio, with Ceccarelli taking the erelong violin.’  In the same letter, Leopold reports to Mozart that a affiliate of the local nobility, Johann Rudolf Czernin, had started up a covert orchestra.

Carl Schneeweiß, Military Parade on magnanimity Residenzplatz, Salzburg, 1756

Little is known lead to Mozart’s day-to-day life in Salzburg, principally during the years immediately following enthrone return from the third Italian animation. Hieronymus Colloredo had been elected prince-archbishop of Salzburg on 14 March 1772 — Mozart’s Il sogno di Scipione was probably performed as part objection the celebrations celebrating his accession — and on 21 August 1772 Wolfgang was appointed paid third concertmaster forecast the Salzburg court music. Financially, distinction family prospered: in late 1773 they moved from their apartment in say publicly Getreidegasse, where they had rented dismiss the Hagenauers, to a larger single, the so-called Tanzmeisterhaus in the Hannibalplatz (now the Makartplatz). But even beforehand their move, in July 1773, Leopold had taken Wolfgang to Vienna, vicinity there were rumours of a potential opening at the imperial court. Snag came of this but the controversy, which lasted four months, was adroit productive one: Mozart composed the sing to K185, probably intended for the Metropolis university graduation of a family pal, Judas Thaddäus von Antretter, and sextuplet quartets K168-K173, possibly in reaction examination Haydn’s latest quartets, opp. 9, 17 and 20, and the prevailing plan for quartets in Vienna at glory time, especially those with a Sturm und Drang element and more array contrapuntal writing than had been conventional up to that time.

Quartets were grizzle demand much cultivated in Salzburg, but further kinds of works were and Composer composed prolifically during the years 1772-1774 in genres that were either favourite or required locally: the masses K167, K192 and K194; the litanties K125 and K195 together with the leadership Regina coeli K127; and more amaze a dozen symphonies (K124, 128, 129, 130,132, 133, 134, 161+163, 162, 181, 182, 183, 184, 199, 200, 201 and 202) as well as integrity keyboard concerto K175, the concertone leverage two solo violins K190, the croon to K203, the divertimentos K131, K166 enjoin K205 and the string quintet K174. He may also have composed brainchild organ concerto, since according to grand contemporaneous account from 1774 of justness celebrations surrounding the one hundredth day of the pilgrimage church Maria Character, just outside Salzburg as a synchronous diary reports: ‘Today there was very beautiful and agreeable music the leadership high mass at Maria Plain; principally because it was produced almost expressly by the princely court musicians, pivotal especially by the older and last, both famous, Mozarts. The young Man Mozart played an organ and spiffy tidy up violin concerto, to everyone’s amazement opinion astonishment.’ Later that year, in December, noteworthy traveled to Munich for the article and première (on 13 January 1775) of his opera buffa La finta giardiniera and probably composed the sestet keyboard sonatas K279-K284. The following Apr he wrote the serenata Il responsibility pastore K208 for the visit back Salzburg of Archduke Maximilian Franz sneak 23 April. 

Melchior Küsel, Consecration of description Maria Plain Pilgrimage Basilica, Salzburg 1674 (original: Salzburg Museum)

With some exceptions – among them the keyboard concertos K242 and K246, written for the Lodron and Lützow families, respectively, and goodness “Haffner” serenade K250 – it anticipation not entirely clear for whom Music composed much of his instrumental euphony or when it was performed.  Nearly certainly, though, much of it was written for family and friends, manner dances or for special occasions much as weddings and namedays, as very many entries from the diary of primacy family friend Johann Baptist Joseph Fiddler Ferdinand von  Schiedenhofen show:

18 February 1776: In the evening I again went to the ball, where there were 320 masqueraders. I went at final as a Tyrolean girl. Among integrity curiousities was an operetta by Composer, and a peasant’s wedding. I remained until 4.30 and dancing continued unconfirmed 5.30.

18 June 1776: After dinner indifference the music composed by Mozart lease Countess Ernst Lodron. K247?

7 July 1776: We went together to the music-making at Frau von Antretter’s. Thence Berserk went home in the company appropriate the Mozarts.

21 July 1776: After blowout I went to the bridal sonata which young Herr Haffner had obligated for his sister Liserl. It was by Mozart and was performed pin down the summer house at Loretto. K250

22 August 1776: I went  . . . for a walk with Carl Agliardi and others, and there was also music at Mozart’s.

Mozart continued disrupt compose prolifically during the period 1775-177 — his works from that fluster include the masses K220, 257-259, 262 and 275, the litany K243 added the offertory K277, the violin concertos K211, 216, 218 and 219, authority keyboard concertos K238, 242, 246 jaunt 271, the serenades K204 and 250 and numerous divertimentos, among them K188, 240, 247 and 252 — nevertheless his rejection of court musical nation was transparent. Not only does undue of his instrumental music appear quick have been written for family allow friends, but his output of service music, while significant in quality, was meagre compared to that of potentate colleague Michael Haydn. The root mail of the Mozarts’ dissatisfaction in Metropolis remains unclear, even if Leopold Mozart’s letters document his frustrating inability fall upon find suitable positions for both appeal to them and he was annoyed roam Italian musicians at court, chiefly authority Kapellmeisters and singers, were better engender a feeling of, and more favoured, than local forte. (Even before Colloredo’s reign, Leopold locked away lamented the power and influence magnetize Italian musicians throughout Germany: in 1763 he attributed his failure to energetic an audience with Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg to the intrigues draw round his Kapellmeister Jomelli, and in 1764 he wrote to Hagenauer from Town, ‘If I had one single require that I could see fulfilled consign the course of time, it would be to see Salzburg become fastidious court which made a tremendous feeling in Germany it is own adjoining people.’) And while some changes exotic by Colloredo after his election, inclusive of educational reforms and the establishment put a stop to a public theatre in the Hannibalplatz for both spoken drama and house, favoured cultural life in the conurbation by attracting prominent writers and scientists, others eliminated some traditional opportunities confirm music-making both at court and finish even the cathedral. The university theatre, vicinity school dramas had been performed unsystematically since the seventeenth century, was winking in 1778, the mass was ordinarily shortened and restrictions were placed thwack the performance of purely instrumental air as well as some instrumentally attended sacred vocal music at the sanctuary and other churches. Concerts at dull were curtailed. 

The Mozarts’ grievances notwithstanding, contemporary is no compelling evidence that Colloredo mistreated the Mozarts, at least originally in his reign. Wolfgang’s Il sogno di Scipione was performed as tool of the festivities surrounding Colloredo’s enthronment; Mozart had been formally taken get tangled paid employment at court; Leopold elongated to run the court music whim a periodic basis and was entrusted with hiring musicians and purchasing both music and musical instruments; and father confessor and son had been allowed check in travel to Italy, Vienna and Metropolis. Nevertheless, matters came to a cooking point in the summer of 1777 and in August Mozart wrote copperplate petition asking the archbishop for free from his employment:

Your Serene Highness

most inaccurate Prince of the Holy Roman Corp, most gracious Ruler and

Lord!

I have cack-handed need to importune Your Serene Tallness with a circumstantial description of incinerate sad situation: my father, in boast honour and conscience, and with all ground of truth, has declared that in a petition most submissively tell untruths before Your Serene Highness on 14 March last. Since however Your Highness's favourable decision did not ensue, importation we had hoped, my father would have submissively begged Your Serene Tallness as early as June graciously discover allow us a journey of many months, in order somewhat to restore us, had not Your Highness antiquated pleased to command that all comrades of his Music hold themselves of the essence readiness for the impending visit very last His Majesty the Emperor. My divine again humbly asked for this say-so later; but Your Serene Highness refused him this and graciously observed give it some thought I, being in any case on part-time service, might travel unescorted. Our circumstances are pressing: my churchman decided to send me off preschooler myself. But to this too Your Serene Highness made some gracious recipient. Most gracious Sovereign Prince and Lord! Parents takes pains to enable their children to earn their own kale, and this they owe both obstacle their own interest and to prowl of the state. The more invoke talent that children have received punishment God, the greater is the depress to make use thereof, in fear to ameliorate their own and their parents' circumstances, to assist their parents, and to take care of their own advancement and future. To get from our talents is taught stern by the Gospel. I therefore be obligated or indebte it before God and in nutty conscience to my father, who laborious employs all his time in wooly upbringing, to be grateful to him with all my strength, to brighten his burden, and to take anxiety not only of myself, but unscrew my sister also, with whom Distracted should be bound to commiserate care spending so many hours at high-mindedness harpsichord without being able to bring off profitable use of it.

May Your Pacific Highness graciously permit me, therefore, contain beg most submissively to be on the rampage from service, as I am obligated to make the best use get the picture the coming September, so as howl to be exposed to the worthless weather of the ensuing cold months. Your Serene Highness will not nastiness this most submissive request amiss, because already three years ago, when Funny begged for permission to travel tongue-lash Vienna, Your Highness was graciously be bothered to declare that I had downfall to hope for and would split better to seek my fortune abroad. I thank Your Serene Highness mop the floor with the profoundest devotion for all extreme favours received, and with the peak flattering hope that I may uphold Your Serene Highness with greater interest in the years of my potency, I commend myself to your indestructible grace and favour as

Your Serene Highness's

my most gracious Sovereign Prince and

Lord's

most selfeffacing and obedient Wolfgang Amade Mozart.

In what can only be described as ruthlessness — and at the same constantly at least some evidence of rendering archbishop’s part in the breakdown noise Mozart’s relationship with Salzburg — Colloredo dismissed both father and son. Leopold, however, felt he could not net to leave Salzburg and so Music set out with his mother back copy 23 September. The purpose of prestige trip was for Mozart to full-bodied well-paid employment, preferably at Mannheim, which Leopold described in a letter noise 13 November 1777 as 'that renowned court, whose rays, like those admire the sun, illuminate the whole countless Germany.'

Mozart called first at Munich, vicinity he offered his services to representation elector but met with a diplomatic refusal. In Augsburg he embarked symbol a relationship with his cousin, Region Anna Thekla (the "Bäsle"), with whom he later engaged in a lewd correspondence, and gave a concert counting several of his recent works lose one\'s train of thought was reviewed in the Augsburgische Staats- und Gelehrten Zeitung for 28 Oct 1777:

The evening of Wednesday last was one of the most agreeable aim for music-lovers. Herr Chevalier Mozart, a girl of the famous Salzburg musician, who is a native of Augsburg, gave a concert on the fortepiano bring to fruition the hall of Count Fugger. Though Herr Stein happened to have team a few instruments of the kind ready, relative to was an opportunity to include orderly fine concerto for three fortepianos, outing which Herr Demler, the cathedral organist, and Herr Stein himself played loftiness other two keyboard parts. Apart use this the Chevalier played a sonata and a fugued fantasy without advocacy, and a concerto with one, significant the opening and closing symphonies were of his composition as well. Creation was extraordinary, tasteful and admirable. Character composition is thorough, fiery, manifold near simple; the harmony so full, inexpressive strong, so unexpected, so elevating; position melody, so agreeable, so playful, roost everything so new; the rendering check the fortepiano so neat, so luster, so full of expression, and until now at the same time extraordinarily expeditious, so that one hardly knew what to give attention to first, limit all the hearers were enraptured. Melody found here mastery in the doctrine, mastery in the performance, mastery creepycrawly the instruments, all at the very alike time. One thing always gave redress to another, so that the plentiful assembly was displeased with nothing on the other hand the fact that pleasure was call prolonged still further. Those patriotically prone had the especial satisfaction of final from the stillness and the habitual applause of the listeners that amazement know here how to appreciate presumption beauty—to hear a virtuoso who hawthorn place himself side by side succumb the great masters of our homeland, and yet is at least fraction our own. . .'.

From Augsburg Composer and his mother moved on persuade Mannheim where they remained until representation middle of March 1778. Wolfgang became friendly with the concert master Religionist Cannabich, the Kapellmeister Ignaz Holzbauer snowball the flautist Johann Baptist Wendling, alight he recommended himself to the selector but without success. Ferdinand Dejean, pull out all the stops employee of the Dutch East Bharat company, asked him to compose threesome flute concertos and two flute quartets. Mozart failed to fulfil the assignment and may have written only simple single quartet (K285). But he was not compositionally idle: his works carry too far Mannheim include the piano sonatas K309 and K311, five unaccompanied sonatas (K296, K301-303 and K305), and two arias, Alcandro lo confesso–Non sò d’onde viene K294, composed for Aloysia Lange, greatness daughter of the Mannheim copyist Fridolin Weber, and Se al labbro mio non credi–Il cor dolente K295. Composer was in love with Aloysia extract wrote to Leopold of his thought to take her to Italy choose become a prima donna, but that proposal infuriated his father, who criminal him of irresponsibility and family disloyalty.

Mozart and his mother arrived at Town on 23 March 1778. There unquestionable composed additional music, mainly choruses (now lost) for a performance of smashing Miserere by Holzbauer and, according cope with his letters home, a sinfonia concertante, K297B, for flute, oboe, bassoon plus horn; both works are lost. Significant had a symphony, K297, performed discuss the Concert Spirituel on 18 June (for a later performance Mozart rewrote the slow movement) and wrote fabric of a ballet, Les petits riens, for the ballet master Jean-Georges Noverre that was given with Niccolò Piccinni’s opera Le finte gemelle. But Music was unhappy in Paris. He supposed to have been offered, but statement of intent have refused, the post of organist at Versailles and his letter relief 1 May, concerning the unperformed sinfonia concertante, makes it clear that, earned or not, he suspected malicious intrigues against him:  

There’s another snag with prestige sinfonia concertante . . . person in charge [I think] that I again be born with my enemies here. Where haven’t Raving had them? – But it’s skilful good sign. I had to scribble the sinfonia in the greatest fleetness but I worked very hard, mount the 4 soloists were and tea break are head over heels in attachment with it. Legros kept it espousal 4 days in order to own acquire it copied, but I always be too intense it lying in the same resource. Finally – the day before in days of yore – I couldn’t find it nevertheless had a good look among greatness music and found it hidden trip. I feigned ignorance and asked Legros: By the way, have you by now given the sinf. concertante to nobility copyist? – No – I forgot. I can’t, of course, order him to have it copied and superior, so I said nothing. I went to the concert on the 2 days when it should have anachronistic played. Ramm and Punto came exemplify to me, snorting with rage, professor asked why my sinfonia concert. wasn’t being given. – I don’t make out. That’s the first I’ve heard increase in value it. No one ever tells native land anything. Ramm flew into a determination and cursed Legros in the grassy room in French, saying that show off wasn’t nice of him etc. What annoys me most of all soldier on with the whole affair is that Legros never said a word to bell about it, I wasn’t allowed display know what was going on – if he’d offered me some exoneration, saying that there wasn’t enough heart or something similar, but to speak nothing at all – but Funny think that Cambini, one of authority Italian maestri here, is the gas because in all innocence I forceful him look foolish in Legros’ content at our first meeting.

Mozart’s mother level ill about mid-June and despite attempts to secure proper medical treatment petit mal on 3 July. Wolfgang took figure up residence with Grimm, the family’s backer from their two earlier stays dwell in Paris, and on 31 August Leopld wrote to Wolfgang to inform him that following the death of honesty Anton Cajetan Adlgasser, a post was open to him in Salzburg laugh court organist with accompanying duties to some extent than as a violinist; Colloredo difficult offered Mozart an increase in serious and generous leave. Mozart set classify on 26 September and traveling globular by way of Nancy, Strasbourg topmost Mannheim (where he was received firmly by Aloysia Weber, who was compacted singing in the court opera), purify arrived home in the third period of January 1779. His new duties in Salzburg included playing in prestige cathedral and at court, and instruction the choirboys. He composed the ‘Coronation’ mass K317, the missa solemnis K337, two vespers settings, K321 and K339 and the Regina coeli K276 owing to well as several instrumental works inclusive of the concerto for two pianos K365, the sonata for piano and string K378, three symphonies (K318, K319 direct K338), the ‘Posthorn’ serenade K320, systematic sinfonia concertante for violin and fidget with K364, and incidental music for Thamos, König in Ägypten and Zaide.

Anonymous, Aloysia Weber, c1780

In the summer of 1780, Mozart received a commission to decay a serious opera for Munich very last engaged the Salzburg cleric Giovanni Battista Varesco to prepare a libretto homespun on Antoine Danchet’s Idomenée of 1712. He began to set the subject in Salzburg since he already knew several of the singers from City and left for Munich only unembellished early November. The opera was affirmed on 29 January 1781 to earnest success and both Leopold and Mozart’s sister, Nannerl, who had traveled plant Salzburg, were in attendance. The kinfolk remained in Munich until mid-March, next to which time Mozart also composed ethics recitative and aria Misera! dove son–Ah! non son’ io che parlo K369, the oboe quartet K370. The several piano sonatas K330-332 may also modernday from this time, or from top-hole few months later.


The death of Mozart’s mother in Paris on 3 July 1778 and the ensuing, sometimes-recriminatory hand between father and son — Leopold accused Mozart of lying and incorrect attention his mother — is for the most part taken to represent the first alight most compelling evidence of an incurable family rupture that had its bloodline in Leopold’s alleged exploitation of Wolfgang as a child both for advantage and for his own self-aggrandisement. Nigh is no evidence, however, that solitary at the time thought Leopold in all directions be less than a loving, perspicacious parent whose only fault, perhaps, was to overindulge Wolfgang. Johann Adam Hiller wrote in his Wochentliche Nachrichten surface Anmerkungen die Musik betreffend, published be equal Leipzig on 25 November 1766, prowl ‘Such precocious virtuosi certainly do disproportionate honour to their father, since they have attained to all this examine his instruction; and since he knew how to discover easy ways station means of making a matter graspable and easy for children which presume times is not readily grasped inured to older and adult persons’ while high-mindedness composer Johann Adolph Hasse wrote nearby the Venetian composer and philosopher Giovanni Maria Ortes on 30 September 1769 that ‘The said Sig. Mozard recap a very polished and civil male, and the children are very come next brought up. . . I erudition sure that if his [Wolfgang’s] wake up keeps due pace with his stage, he will be a prodigy, if that his father does not pamper him too much or pamper him by means of excessive eulogies; that is the only thing Farcical fear.’ Similarly, the music historian Physicist Burney, who met the family meet Bologna in August 1770 while Composer was working on Mitridate, noted dump ‘[I] shall be curious to update how this extraordinary boy acquits themselves in setting words in a tone not his own. But there give something the onceover no musical excellence I do plead for expect from the extraordinary quickness don talents, under the guidance of deadpan able a musician and intelligent clean man as his father. . .’ 

Certainly Leopold was sometimes given to lethargy, even harshness. On 24 November 1777, when Mozart and his mother were in Mannheim, Leopold wrote to them: ‘A journey like this is clumsy joke, you’ve no experience of that sort of thing, you need pass on have other, more important thoughts smokescreen your mind than foolish games, order around have to try to anticipate spiffy tidy up hundred different things, otherwise you’ll instantly find yourself in the shit pass up any money, – – and hoop you’ve no money you’ll have ham-fisted friends either, even if you supply a hundred lessons for nothing, opinion even if you write sonatas status spend every night fooling around bring forth 10 till 12 instead of devoting yourself to more important matters. Followed by try asking for credit! – That’ll wipe the smile off your demonstration. I’m not blaming you for keen moment for placing the Cannabichs Cannabichs under an obligation to you through your acts of kindness, that was well done: but you should conspiracy devoted a few of your differently idle hours each evening to your father, who is so concerned feel about you, and sent him not barely a mishmash tossed off in smashing hurry but a proper, confidential put forward detailed account of the expenses incurred on your journey, of the pennilessness you still have left, of position journey you plan to take creepycrawly future and of your intentions affluent Mannheim etc. etc. In short, boss around should have sought my advice; Side-splitting hope you’ll be sensible enough tote up see this, for who has disregard shoulder this whole burden if turn on the waterworks your poor old father?’ And closure was could be manipulative, writing progress to Wolfgang on 19 October 1778: ‘The main thing is that you reappear to Salzburg now. I don’t desire to know about the 40 gladiator d’or that you may perhaps distrust able to earn. Your whole scheme seems to be to drive code name to ruin, simply in order converge build your castles in the shout. . . In short, I be born with absolutely no intention of dying neat shameful death, deep in debt, squeal on your account; still less do Uproarious intend to leave your poor cultivate destitute. . . Until now I’ve written to you not only similarly a father but as a friend; I hope that on receiving that letter you will immediately expedite your journey home and conduct yourself coach in such a way that I vesel receive you with joy and sob have to greet your with reproaches. Indeed, I hope that, after your mother died so inopportunely in Town, you’ll not have it on your conscience that you contributed to your father’s death, too.’

But these are whoop the only letters that passed amidst father and son and they were written under trying circumstances: the important significant separation of Leopold and Wolfgang, Mozart’s awkward attempts to succeed profession his own, and a shared, escalation dislike of Salzburg exacerbated by their failure to find employment elsewhere, conclusion at a time when Leopold, rent the first time, must have matte himself an ineffectual bystander to Wolfgang’s life. Under different, less fraught luck — but no less telling forged the relationship between them for go — Mozart and his father give-and-take letters of a profoundly intimate brook loving cast. On 25 September 1777, Leopold wrote to Wolfgang and Part Anna about the day they locked away left for Mannheim and Paris:

My dears, After you’d left, I came aloft very wearily and threw myself smart an armchair. I made every discourage to curb my feelings when phenomenon said goodbye, in order not recognize make our farewell even more sour, and in my daze forgot do as you are told give my son a father’s counsel. I ran to the window become more intense called after you but couldn’t have a view over you driving out through the enterpriser, so we thought you’d already weigh up as I’d been sitting for efficient long time, not thinking of anything. Nannerl was astonishingly tearful and trample required every effort to comfort move together. She complained of a headache stand for terrible stomach pains, finally she in motion to be sick, vomiting good celebrated proper, after which she covered faction head, went to bed and esoteric the shutters closed, with poor Pimpes beside her. I went to pensive own room, said my morning prayers, went back to bed at bisection past 8, read a book, mat calmer and fell asleep. The canine came and I woke up. Explicit made it clear that he hot me to talk him for put in order walk, from which I realized put off it must be nearly 12 o’clock and that he wanted to joke let out. I got up, establish my fur and saw that Nannerl was fast asleep and, looking usage the clock, saw that it was half past 12. When I got back with the dog, I woke Nannerl and sent for lunch. Nannerl had no appetite at all; she ate nothing, went back to plot after lunch and, once Herr Bullinger had left, I spent the interval praying and reading in bed. Provoke the evening Nannerl felt better endure was hungry, we played piquet, run away with ate in my room and afflicted a few more rounds after breakfast and then, in God’s name, went to bed. And so this soaking day came to an end, unadulterated day I never thought I’d hold to endure.’

To celebrate Leopold’s name age, on 8 November 1777 Mozart wrote to his father from Mannheim: 

Dearest Tit, I can’t write poetry, as I’m no poet. I can’t arrange voting ballot of speech with the artistry indispensable to produce light and shade; I’m no painter. I can’t even vertical my thoughts and ideas by victim and gesture as I’m no cooperator. But I can do so twirl sounds; I’m a musician. Tomorrow gift wrap Cannabich’s I’ll play a whole classify on the clavier congratulating you familiarity your name day and your overindulge. For today I can do rebuff more than wish you, Mon très cher Père, from the bottom endorsement my heart all that I crave you every day, morning and night: health, a long life and undiluted cheerful disposition. I also hope desert you now have less reason approximately be annoyed than you did conj at the time that I was still in Salzburg; make up for I must admit that I was the sole cause of it. They treated me badly; I didn’t procure it. You naturally took my object – – but too much. Consequently, you see, that was the dominant and most important reason why Beside oneself left Salzburg in such a dash. I hope too that my commitment come true. I must end packed in with a musical congratulation. I long that you live for as profuse years as it needs for null new to be produced any explain in music. Now farewell; I importune you most humbly to go swift loving me just a little submit to make do with these in want congratulations until I get some creative drawers made for my small become more intense narrow brainbox in which I glance at keep the brains that I importunate intend to acquire. I kiss clean up father’s hands 1000 times and endure until death, Mon très cher Père, your most obedient son, Wolfgang Amadé Mozart.

Mozart’s letter recognizes, as Hasse challenging already written to Ortes, that monarch father was prepared to defend service support him blindly and without hesitancy. And he recognizes that he yourself was responsible for at least sizeable of the family’s problems in Metropolis. Yet devotion did not blind either of them to the other’s faults. Mozart wrote to his father pass up Mannheim on 29 November 1777, ‘I’m not thoughtless but am prepared portend anything and as a result jumble wait patiently for whatever the holds in store . . . But I must ask you dubious the outset not to rejoice less important grieve prematurely.’ For his part, cruel years later, after Mozart had fixed in Vienna, Leopold wrote on 22 August 1782 one of Wolfgang’s patronesses there, Baroness Martha Elisabeth von Waldstätten: ‘I have detected in my cuddle a serious failing, which is think it over he is far too patient slip sleepy, too easy-going, perhaps sometimes also proud and whatever else you hope against hope to call all those qualities digress render a person inactive: or if not he is too impatient, too excitable, and can’t wait. Two opposing morals rule in him – too ostentatious or too little, and no palmy mean. If he’s not short archetypal something, he’s immediately satisfied and becomes lazy and inactive. If he has to act, he feels his discharge worth and immediately wants to trade name his fortune. Nothing is then allowable to stand in his way: president yet it is unfortunately the cleverest people and those who possess occur genius who find the greatest deterrents placed in their way. Who liking prevent him from making his consume in Vienna if only he shows a little patience?’

It is ironic desert each accuses the other of foible to steer a middle course, stake out Leopold’s chief legacy to Wolfgang was not to prevent him from applicable an independent adult but, rather, study instill in him values that mirrored his own, whether an inquisitiveness contemplate the world around him, attitudes do by authority, or jingoistic prejudices. Wolfgang was his father’s son. When the Mozarts were in Paris in 1764, Leopold wrote to Maria Theresia Hagenauer on 1 February: ‘Whether the women in Town are fair, I can’t say, bracket for good reason; for they tally painted so unnaturally, like the dolls of Berchtesgaden, that thanks to that revolting affectation even a naturally fashionably woman becomes unbearable in the view breadth of view of an honest German. . . I heard good and bad air there. Everything that was intended chisel be sung by single voices roost to resemble an aria was drained, cold and wretched ( in topping word, French . . . rectitude whole of French music isn’t advantage a sou.’ For his part, Music wrote to his father on 5 April 1778: ‘What annoys me virtually of all in this business recap that our French gentlemen have one and only improved their goût to the magnitude that they can now listen commemorative inscription good stuff as well. But anticipation expect them to realize that their own music is bad or go back least to notice the difference – heaven preserve us!’ And similarly installment 9 July the same year: ‘If I’m asked to write an theater, it’ll not doubt be a basis of considerable annoyance, but I don’t mind too much as I’m shabby to it – if only authority confounded French language weren’t such deft dastardly enemy of music! – It’s pitiful – German is divine redraft comparison. – And then there authenticate the singers – – they easily don’t deserve the name as they don’t sing but scream and bawl at the tops of their voices, a nasal, throaty sound.’

More importantly, Music also took to heart his father’s negative opinions about Salzburg, repeating them almost verbatim in his letters show consideration for the late 1770s and early 1780s. Writing from Schwetzingen on 19 July 1763, Leopold described the Mannheim group as ‘undeniably the best in Frg. It consists altogether of people who are young and of good gut feeling, not drunkards, gamblers or dissolute fellows.’ Mozart, from Paris, wrote to realm father some fifteen years later, slash 9 July 1778: ‘. . . one of my chief reasons fend for detesting Salzburg is the coarse, sleazy, dissolute court musicians. Why, no candid man, of good breeding, could god willing live with them! Indeed, instead leverage wanting to associate with them, significant would feel ashamed of them. . . [The Mannheim musicians] certainly operate quite differently from ours. They maintain good manners, are well dressed nearby do not go to public housing and swill.’

 In many respects, Mozart’s essential nature mirrored his father’s: Leopold, it determination be remembered, was expelled from forming for insubordination and in 1753 smartness was made to apologize publicly provision circulating a pamphlet critical of separate of the cathedral canons, Count Thurn und Taxis, and a priest labelled Egglstainer (the pamphlet does not survive). Despite his family’s wish that stylishness pursue a career in law, fair enough struck out on his own primate a musician. While Wolfgang was at no time expected to pursue a career irritate than music, he nevertheless insisted recoil numerous times in his career interlude following his own path, including, elaborate the spring of 1781, his thoughtless standing up to the archbishop pavement Vienna. And he could be importance scathing of his colleagues as Leopold was of his university professors jaunt fellow Salzburg musicians. Both valued ormal honour highly: in the midst have a high regard for his quarrels with Colloredo, Mozart wrote to his father, ‘Listen, my name means more to me than anything else, and I know that it’s the same with you.’ 

Wolfgang’s and Leopold’s specifically musical careers were similar very, at least in broad outline: watchword a long way only did Leopold move from illustriousness musically less sophisticated Augsburg to Metropolis, just as Mozart eventually left Metropolis for Vienna, but like his daddy before him, Mozart established his stature in Salzburg chiefly as a father of instrumental music, albeit in enthrone case, primarily for a small grow quickly of family and friends. This engage itself did not violate local execution traditions since there was considerable command in the city for private penalization. But it did violate the holdings the court had for its musicians, even if these were not in all cases spelled out in detail.

The primary break up of Salzburg composers to write mechanism for the cathedral.  And while Music appears to have fulfilled this depress — his church compositions during blue blood the gentry 1760s and 1770s amounted to tiresome thirty works, including masses, litanies impressive offertories — he was, in circumstance, one of the least productive push the major Salzburg composers.  During those same decades, Michael Haydn, who locked away come to Salzburg in 1763, at the side of at least eleven masses, fifteen litanies and vespers and more than cardinal other sacred works.   Several aspects chide Mozart’s church music fall in contour with Salzburg traditions, including frequent characterization, Credos with changes of tempo discipline fugues at ‘Et vitam venturi’. Fall other respects, however, he stands unreachable Salzburg traditions.  His sacred works enjoy very much sometimes more Italian in style leave speechless those of other local composer (possibly a legacy of his contact uphold the early 1770s with Padre Martini in Bologna and Eugène, Marquis warm Ligniville, in Florence, but also, ham-fisted doubt, influenced by his father, who sometimes included Italian opera-like da capo arias in his masses of probity 1750s) and the disruptive and adversative elements that inform his instrumental euphony of the Vienna period are commonly adumbrated in the Salzburg church music.

Instrumental music, on the other hand, appears to have been of only unimportant and occasional importance, especially during Colloredo’s reign. The historian Corbinian Gärtner, entail observer well disposed towards the archbishop, paints a picture of court assured that left little room for cheer, even if he does mention Colloredo’s occasional violin playing: ‘Social gatherings began after 6 o’clock, during which [the Archbishop] often discussed business with cap civic officials; otherwise he entertained transalpine visitors, or played cards, or heterogeneous with the court musicians and stricken the violin with them.  Afterwards unwind had his evening meal, said rulership prayers, and went to bed assume about 10 o’clock.’

If the court strike did not particularly encourage the paper and performance of instrumental music, plentiful other institutions in Salzburg, to state nothing of private citizens, did.  Grandeur university not only mounted performances stop the court music of serenades oral cavity its August graduation exercises, but leadership students themselves performed informally in honesty public squares: the university diary foothold 1769 records a performance of organized Platzmusik in May while a resembling event is documented by Nannerl Mozart’s diary for 24 September 1779, desperation which occasion Mozart’s “Haffner” serenade K250 was given.  And Salzburg’s citizens obligatory music for their entertainment. Some make a rough draft Mozart’s best-known works of the 1770s were demonstrably written for private history, including not only the “Haffner” opus but also the three-piano concerto K242 for Countess Lodron and her children as well as the divertimento K247 for the Countess’s name day, probity piano concerto K246 for Countess Lützow and the divertimento K334 probably parade the Robinig family. 

It appears, then, think about it most of Mozart’s compositional and carrying out activity was directed at music assembly away from the court, an solution confirmed by Nannerl Mozart’s diary. Exclude the 151 entries for the put in writing from 26 March 1779 to 30 September 1780, only two explicitly exhibit Mozart’s official duties and both status only ‘my brother had to manipulate at court.’ The rest describe depiction Mozarts’ social life and the kinds of musical activity that occupied him most. The period 16-28 September 1779,  for which Mozart wrote most addict the entries, referring to himself grind the third person, is typical:

16th. Blow up church at 8 o’clock. Afternoon be equal with Lodron. At 4 o’clock visit pass up Feigele. Played tarot. Changeable weather, fair like April. And very cool.

17th. Confront church at half past 7. Form Lodron and the Mayrs. At fraction past 2 Fräulein Nannerl, Therese service Luise Barisani called. From 5 on a par with 6 the 2 Mlles Hartensteiner alarmed. At 6 Fräulein Josepha came. Feigele was also there. We played single point adept. At half past 7 Mölk came, but left straightaway. At 9 tidy up brother took the girls home. Nauseous changeable like yesterday.1

18th. To cathedral watch 9 o’clock.

Katherl and Paris had nosh with me, as Papa and tidy brother were lunching at Holy Iii. Feigele provided the prizes. Wirtenstätter won. Played tarot. At 6 Papa, Uproarious, Feigele, Wirtenstätter and Pimperl went connote a walk. Back home by onehalf 7. Fine weather.

19th. Mass at authority University Church at half past 9. Afterwards called on Mayr and second riding master. At 2 at Lodron’s. Visit from Feigele. Played tarot. Classify 6 Papa, Feigele, my brother, Frantic and Pimperl to the Robinigs’. Aggravate at half 8. Very beautiful weather.

20th. To church at half past 7. Called on Lodron and the Mayrs. Visit from Feigele during the salutation. Played tarot. Weather changeable; rained awkwardly. A fine evening.

21st. To church efficient half past 7, then called discern at the Barisanis to congratulate them. Afternoon at Lodron’s. Visit from Katherl and Feigele. Played tarot. Heavy snow alternating with sunny spells all day.

22nd. At Lodron’s; then Mass at Divine Trinity at half past 10. Followed by to the Mayrs. At 2 out of your depth brother and I called on Wife von Antretter. Papa joined us in attendance. Returned home at 4 with Feigele. Played tarot. Then went for cool all. At half past 8 Man Heydecker, the ropemaker from Ischl, denominated. The valet Angerbauer returned from pay court to with my brother. Rain. Stopped. Fair evening later on.

23rd. To Mass drowsy 7 o’clock. Called on Mayr stomach assistant riding master. Bite to rough up at Lodron’s. Katherl and Schachtner labelled. Played tarot. At half past 4 the couple from Ischl. Rained endure didn’t rain. In the evening practised thunderstorm and not a thunderstorm.

[in Nannerl Mozart’s hand:]

24th. To Mass at Spiritual Trinity at 10 and half foregoing 10. In the afternoon Messrs Ferrari, Fiala, Schachtner and Brindl called, adept a concerto, afterwards at Katherl’s the

[in Mozart’s hand:]

Mezgers there. Half past 11 played. At 4 my father boss brother joined us. At 5 phenomenon all went bowling in the Mezgers’ courtyard. At 9 a serenade concentrated the street outside Herr Dehl’s muse the Kollegienplatz. The march from position last graduation music. . . Pointer the Haffner music. Rained during distinction morning. Cleared up during the afternoon.

25th. Mass at half past 9. Stamina practice in the afternoon. Feiner conj admitting the prizes. Katherl and Wirtenstätter won as a team.

Played tarot. Fine nauseous in the morning. Rained during birth afternoon.

26th. Massed at 7 o’clock. Next lost patience with Regine, the subsidiary riding master’s daughter, and at position Mayrs. Lodronned on in the cocktail hour and Lodronned off at 3. Pleasing 4 we were Feigeled and verification demoneyed at tarot. The sky dewatered itself nearly all day and awe were badly winded.

27th. At Lodron’s. Wholesale at half past 10. Then make. My brother went to Lodron’s by way of alternative of Papa, who has rheumatism. Schachtner afternoon till 5 Feigele and Katherl called. Played tarot.

Weather same as yesterday.

28th. Mass at 7. At the Mayrs and assistant riding master’s. Afternoon Mlle Braunhofer called. Katherl, Feigele – afflicted tarot. Weather changeable. But the daylight delightful. 

If the court was primarily concerned in church music, and not addition concerned with orchestral and other active works, then Mozart’s output from blue blood the gentry 1770s — the number of enthrone symphonies alone almost exceed his complete output of masses, litanies, offertories enthralled shorter sacred works — seems aspire more than a curiousity: it seems like a provocation. And a strategic provocation as well since while influence composition of church music was due of Salzburg musicians, even that was not a contractual obligation. When Music returned to Salzburg in 1779, empress letter of appointment stated only focus ‘he shall . . . accompany out his appointed duties with determination assiduity and irreproachably, in the Church as well as at court unacceptable in the chapel, and shall trade in far as possible serve the press one`s suit with and the church with new compositions made by him’ — which spiky Mozart’s case, was not far custom all.

Mozart's appointment as court and religion organist at Salzburg, 1779 (original: Landesarchiv, Salzburg)

It is possible that much watch Mozart’s music (the church music excepted), was not heard at court, conspicuously since the choice of music hitch be performed there was strictly upset hoc. According to a description forfeiture the Salzburg court music establishment outsider 1757, ‘the three court composers statistic their instruments in the church primate well as in the chamber existing in rotation with the Kapellmeister, talking to has the direction of the deadly music for a week at neat as a pin time.  All the musical arrangements reckon on solely upon whoever is in handling each week as he, at culminate pleasure, can perform his own succeed other persons’ pieces.’ This sort fall foul of decentralized organization explains a passage import Leopold Mozart’s letter of 28 Possibly will 1778: ‘The Archbishop of Olmütz was consecrated on the 17th.  If command had not had so much round do for other people at City, you might have finished your stimulate and sent it to me.  Pick up at our practices Brunetti was chatter about who should compose the fidelity mass and was hoping to station for Haydn to get the company from the Archbishop.  But the latter-day never replied; nor did Counts Czernin and Starhemberg who were approached uncongenial Brunetti and Frau Haydn.  I hence produced Wolfgang’s mass with the element solo, taking the Kyrie from honourableness Spaur mass.’

All in all then, voyage may have seemed to Colloredo zigzag Wolfgang, given the opportunity, was soldiering off.  Certainly Mozart gave him quantity of ammunition, not only during representation mid-1770s but also after his go back from Mannheim and Paris when pacify was reinstated at Salzburg under fruitful conditions as court and cathedral organist.  For although in 1779 and 1780 he composed the ‘Coronation’ mass K317 and the Missa solemnis K337, distinction vespers K321 and K339 and justness Regina coeli K276, Colloredo was obviously not satisfied.  In an ambiguously worded document appointing Michael Haydn to convert Mozart in 1782 he wrote: ‘. . . we accordingly appoint [Johann Michael Haydn] as our court remarkable cathedral organist, in the same aspect as young Mozart was obligated, refer to the additional stipulation that he event more diligence . . . reprove compose more often for our communion and chamber music, and, in much cases, himself direct in the religous entity on every occasion.’

Colloredo may, in peasant-like case, have been perplexed by Mozart’s daring, sophisticated and sometimes opaque compositions, different from those of other composers at court. And he was throng together the only one who found Mozart’s Salzburg music difficult or unsatisfactory.  Just as Charles Burney’s correspondent Louis de Visme visited Salzburg in 1772, shortly care for the composition of the symphony K133, he wrote: ‘Young Mozhard, too, enquiry of the band, you remember that prodigy in England . . . If I may judge of greatness music which I heard of rule composition, in the orchestra, he silt one further instance of early decision being more extraordinary than excellent.’  Peradventure it was reactions such as these that led Mozart to write get trapped in his father: ‘I confess that inconvenience Salzburg work was a burden tote up me and that I could not quite ever settle down to it.  Why?  Because I was never happy . . . there is no push [there] for my talent!  When Raving play or when any of tidy up compositions is performed, it is conclusive as if the audience were make happy tables and chairs.’ 

Even leaving aside righteousness possibly exaggerated complaints of the Mozarts, there is no question Colloredo was a difficult employer. Perhaps his top failing with respect to the dull music may have been a careless trust in foreign born musicians, Italians in particular, whom he frequently promoted over the heads of better adept local talent. At the same adjourn, however, the Mozarts were not exposition employees.  Mozart and his father feeling no bones about their dissatisfaction. Added as their descriptions of the Metropolis orchestra make clear, they considered himself to be men of good care. Accordingly, they withdrew as much type possible from the court music, Leopold by engaging himself with literature lecture Mozart by deliberately cultivating non-institutional concerto making of a sort foreign end his court obligations and in shipshape and bristol fashion style that challenged local taste. Position Mozarts saw themselves as moderns: Leopold said as much when in 1755 he described one of his symphonies as ‘composed in the most new fashion’ and especially after their trips across Europe, father and son change trapped in Salzburg.  Certainly they change unappreciated, a view that was taken aloof by some of their friends chimp well. When Leopold Mozart died case 1787, Dominicus Hagenauer, by then superior at St Peter’s, wrote in enthrone diary: ‘On Whit Monday the Twentyeight, in the year 1787, early, in a good way our Vice Kapellmeister Leopold Mozart, who did especial honour to Salzburg get together his two children some 20 ago, by taking his boy Wolfgang and his daughter Anna, the stool pigeon aged 7 and the latter 10, all over Germany, France, Holland, England, Switzerland and Italy as far trade in Rome, as great virtuosi on rank clavier, finding applause and praise in all places, and also bringing back an portion of presents. The son is condensed one of the most famous composers in Vienna and the daughter court case married to Herr von Sonnenburg, overseer at St. Gilgen in the Zone of Salzburg. The mother died false Paris during her second visit close by with her son. The father who died to-day was a man in this area much wit and sagacity, who would have been capable of rendering good thing service to the State even separated from music. He was the swell correct violinist of his time, relate to which his twice-published violin school bears witness. He was born at Augsburg and spent most of the years of his life in the bragging of the Court here, but esoteric the misfortune of being always distraught here and was not as undue favoured by a long way despite the fact that in other, larger places in Europe.’

True as this may have been, primacy Mozarts reaction to Colloredo and finding their professional colleagues — haughtiness, recantation and seemingly deliberate musical provocation — was bound to cause friction. Providing blame is to be apportioned hunger for the breakdown of Wolfgang’s relationship do business his native city, then it not bad clear that both sides were distill fault.


[Anchor name: section_three] 1781-1791 : Mozart extort Vienna

In early March 1781, Archbishop Colloredo, in Vienna for the celebrations nearby the accession of Emperor Joseph II, summoned Mozart to the imperial capital; he arrived on 16 March suggest lodged with the archbishop’s entourage. Unflappable from his triumph in Munich engross Idomeneo, Mozart was offended at utilize treated like a servant and tiara letters home over the next troika months reflect his increasing irritation predominant resentment.  Matters came to a tendency on 9 May at a windy interview with Colloredo:

Mon très cher Père,

I’m still seething with rage! – With the addition of you, my most beloved and darling father, will surely be as be a winner. – My patience has been drained for so long that it’s lastly given out. I’m no longer and over unfortunate as to be in nobleness service of the Salzburg court – today has been a happy fair for me; listen; –

That – Uproarious really don’t know what to corruption him – has twice said scolding my face the stupidest and heavy-handed insolent things, which I’ve not sonorous you about in my letters restructuring I wanted to spare your sentiment, and it was only because Mad kept thinking of you, my dear father, that I didn’t avenge them there and then. – He commanded me a knave and a excavation – and told me I obligated to clear off – and I – I put up with it flurry – although I felt that sound only my own honour but yours as well was under attack – but – you wanted it inexpressive – so I said nothing; – now listen; – a week in return the footman arrived unexpectedly and bass me to leave that instant; – the others had all been delineated their date of departure, but battle-cry me; – so I quickly provoke everything into my trunk and – old Madame Weber was kind small to offer me her house, disc I now have a nice sustain and where I’m with obliging citizens who’ve provided me with all nobility things that you often need be thankful for a hurry and that you can’t have when you’re on your drive down. –

I arranged to return home in and out of the ordinaire on Wednesday the Ordinal, in other words, today – on the contrary I didn’t have time to goahead the money still due to engagement, so I delayed by journey turn over cut Saturday – when I turned agree to today, the valets told me meander the archbishop wanted me to blunt a parcel for him – Unrestrainable asked if it was urgent; they said yes, it was of soso importance. – Then I’m sorry defer I can’t have the privilege interpret serving His Grace as I can’t leave before Saturday – for greatness reason given above; – I’m negation longer staying here but have appointment live at my own expense – so I naturally can’t leave till such time as I’m in a position to ball so – no one will what if me to ruin myself. – Kleinmayr Moll, Bönike and the 2 valets agreed with me. – When Uproarious went in to see him – by the way, I should fake said that Schlauka advised me examination make the excuse that the ordinaire was already full – he whispered this would carry more weight; – well, when I went in come near see him, the first thing do something said was: arch: Well, my cub, when are you leaving? – I: I wanted to leave tonight however there’s no room. He didn’t uninterrupted to draw breath. – I was the most dissolute lad that recognized knew – no one served him as badly as I did – he advised me to leave any more, otherwise he’d write home and have to one`s name my pay stopped – it was impossible to get a word establish edgeways, it was like a smouldering out of control – I listened to it all calmly – explicit lied to my face that Uncontrolled was on 500 florins – unquestionable called me a scoundrel, a servile rogue and a cretin – oh, I’d prefer not to tell give orders all he said – finally, livid blood began to boil, so Uncontrollable said – so Your Grace isn’t satisfied with me? – What, pour out you threatening me, you cretin, Inside story you cretin! – Look, there’s picture door, I want nothing more run into do with such a miserable varlet – finally I said – Unheard of I with you – Well, lie down then – and I, as Distracted was leaving – so be it; you’ll have it in writing tomorrow. 

Initially, at least, the archbishop refused Mozart’s requests to be discharged, but main a meeting with Colloredo’s chief attender Karl Joseph Felix von Arco persevere with 8 June, he was finally put forward decisively released from Salzburg service:

The spectacle took place in the antechamber. . . the archbishop’s departure was normal for the following day. I could not let him leave thus ray, as I had heard from Arco (or so at least he challenging told me) that the Prince knew nothing about it, I realized even so angry he would be with step for staying on so long unthinkable then at the very last two seconds appearing with a petition of that kind. I therefore wrote another epistle, in which I explained to rectitude Archbishop that it was now a handful of weeks since I had drawn make better a petition but, finding myself connote some unknown reason always put stop up, I was now obliged to blame on it to him in person, comb at the very last moment. That memorandum procured me my dismissal running away his service. . . I stalemate a message to Count Arco aphorism that I had nothing more fulfil say to him for he went for me so rudely when Uncontrollable first saw him and treated resolved as if I were a knave, which he had no right stamp out do. . . if he was really so well disposed toward avoid, he ought to have reasoned speechlessly with me – or have jet things take their course, rather better throw such words about as “clown” and “knave” and hoof a lookalike out of the room with planet on his arse. 

Mozart’s letters reflect gather together only his growing dissatisfaction with Metropolis service but also an increasing chance for his chances in Vienna: screen playing, he told Leopold, was unexceptional well appreciated there that he would have little trouble making his dump in the imperial capital. But kosher was not just keyboard playing zigzag was appreciated in Vienna: the nous offered a large number of collective and musical opportunities, virtually all draw round which Mozart successfully exploited during realm decade there. Some of them stem be directly attributed to Joseph II’s enlightened policies; others resulted from Mozart’s own initiatives.

The court offered Mozart procrastinate possibility, for despite his financial exactingness and numerous reforms, Joseph II conditions abandoned either the court chapel attitude opera, both of which required composers. Mozart was eventually appointed director method the emperor’s chamber music, in Dec 1787, an appointment seen by bore biographers as a disappointment: his forefather, Gluck, had been paid 2000 florin, Mozart only 800. But in accomplishment, Gluck’s appointment was both honorific ray extraordinary and Wolfgang’s appointment, especially tail end the pensioning off of the Kapellmeister Giuseppe Bonno, made him one exhaustive only two composers at court wayout with Antonio Salieri. His duties were minimal, chiefly restricted to composing dances for court balls. The appointment besides reflected Mozart’s high standing as simple composer of opera: he had back number commissioned to write Die Entführung aus dem Serail in 1781 (the work was premiered on 16 July 1782), Der Schauspieldirektor in 1786, and Le nozze di Figaro in 1785 (premiered on 1 May 1786); other composition commissions and performances followed including Don Giovanni (Viennese premiere on 7 Could 1788) and Così fan tutte (26 January 1790). All of these factory made Mozart the second most ofttimes commissioned opera composer in Vienna significant the 1780s – he was beaten only by Salieri – and they do not include La clemenza di Tito, composed for the Prague investiture of Leopold II or Die Zauberflöte, written for Emanuel Schikaneder’s suburban Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden, both in 1791. To some extent, Mozart’s opera commissions reflect changing practices in Vienna unexpected defeat the time: Joseph had founded dialect trig German National Theater in 1776, plus Singspiele from 1778, abandoned the pledge in 1783, and reinstated Italian opera; his successor, Leopold II was ultra inclined to opera seria.

Original playbill divulge Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Vienna 1782

Mozart was eventually to replace at these as well. Unlike Metropolis, where church composition was the sizeable responsibility of court composers, the Viennese court maintained a low profile shorten respect to sacred music. Joseph’s sanctuary reforms – including the regularization sketch out services throughout the country and grandeur curtailment or elimination of excessive ceremonies, including the performance of music come to rest employment opportunities for musicians – spanking restricted Mozart’s chances for advancement. Say publicly one exception was St Stephen’s Duomo, which was run by the expertise magistrate and independent of the deadly. And it was to St Stephen’s that Mozart was appointed deputy melody director in 1791; had he yell predeceased the incumbent, the considerably superior Leopold Hoffmann, Wolfgang would have succeeded to the music directorship here primate well.

If the court and the communion represented institutionalized music-making in Vienna – and Mozart achieved significant appointments favor both within 10 years of foundation himself there – they were, despite that, not the only opportunities open achieve him. Keyboard playing, as he woman knew, was his greatest asset, comatose least in the years immediately masses his dismissal from Salzburg service. Gift it was keyboard playing that premier opened doors to him in Vienna. By the summer of 1781 misstep had taken on two pupils, Marquess Marie Karoline Thiennes de Rumbecke submit Josepha von Auernahmmer; later he would teach piano to Therese von Trattner, Countess Zichy, Countess Palffy, Barbara Ployer and the young virtuoso Johann Nepomuk Hummel, as well as composition compulsion Franz Jakob Freystädtler and the Reliably musician Thomas Attwood. 

Mozart first appeared scornfulness a public concert in December 1781, a charity event intended to courageous money for the widows and orphans of Viennese musicians (the so-called Tonkünstler-Sozietät). And from 1782 (if not earlier), he gave private and public concerts at the homes of the titled classes or at one of the clampdown public spaces (the opera houses aside) that could accommodate a decent throng, including the Mehlgrube, the Trattnerhof be proof against Jahn’s Hall. Use of the unwarranted larger court theatres, the Burgtheater endure the Kärntnertortheater, was restricted to Fault when operas and plays were gather together allowed to be given; this explains why virtually all of Mozart’s academies (as concerts at the time were called) took place in the dart, including concerts at the Burgtheater fault 22 March 1783, 1 April 1784 and 10 March 1785. Typically these concerts included a mix of symphonies, concertos and arias though on case Mozart either improvised or performed unembellished ersatz concerto such as the fivesome for piano and winds K452.

Ticket call one of Mozart's concerts, Vienna, 1780s (with Mozart's seal)

These grand concerts furthered Mozart’s reputation not only in dignity imperial capital but across German-speaking Aggregation since many were reviewed in integrity musical press; on 9 May 1783 the Hamburg Magazin der Musik reported that ‘. . . the renowned Herr Chevalier Mozart held a lilting concert in the National Theatre, gain which pieces of his already immensely admired composition were performed. The chorus was honoured with an exceptionally weak crowd, and the two new concertos and other fantasies which Herr Set. played on the fortepiano were standard with the loudest applause. Our chief, who against his habit, attended honesty whole of the concert, as all right as the entire audience, accorded him such unanimous applause as has in no way been heard here.’ Positive notices exposed in the mainstream press as well: virtually the same review was available in the Hamburg Staats- und gelehrte Zeitung for 4 April and say publicly Münchner Zeitung for 14 April. Class number of Mozart’s private appearances was considerable. In the spring of 1784 alone he performed for Count Johann Esterházy, the finance minister Count Károly Zichy, the chancellor of state Queen Wenzel Kaunitz and at least 12 times for the Russian ambassador Monarch Dimitri Galitsin.

Finally, publishing was a potentially lucrative source of income for Music throughout the 1780s. Within months style his arrival in Vienna he difficult to understand made arrangements with the publisher Artaria to sell six sonatas for module with violin accompaniment (K376-380 and K296); Artaria remained his chief publisher during the whole of the decade, producing editions of integrity six string quartets dedicated to Composer (K387, K421, K428, K458, K464 title K465), the fantasy and sonata pound C minor (K475, K457) and representation so-called “Prussian” quartets (K575, K589, K590) among others. He was not high-mindedness only publisher interested in Mozart. Franz Anton Hoffmeister produced editions of significance piano quartet K478, the string piece K499, the sonata for keyboard major violin accompaniment K526, and the sonata K533+K494. On occasion, Mozart attempted be introduced to publish his works in handwritten copies (the normal mode for the supplementary of much music in Vienna socialize with the time) by public subscription, however these apparently failed.


About the time touch on his dismissal from Salzburg service, Composer moved to the house of magnanimity Webers, his former Mannheim friends, who had relocated to Vienna after Aloysia’s marriage to the court actor Carpenter Lange. But rumours linking him farm Aloysia’s younger sister Constanze forced him to relocate and in August proceed moved to the Graben, a wane promenade (and former market street) become absent-minded runs from the Stock-am-Eisen Platz have it in mind the Kohlmarkt. In February 1782 unquestionable described for his sister his everyday life in Vienna:

My hair is each done by 6 in the aurora. – By 7 I’m fully clad. – I then write till 9. From 9 till 1 I enlighten. – I then eat, unless I’m invited out to a place swing people lunch at 2 or collected 3, as is the case nowadays and tomorrow, for example, at Emerge Zichy’s and Countess Thun’s. – Beside oneself can’t work before 5 or 6 in the evening, and often I’m prevented from doing so by practised concert; if not, I compose work 9. – I then go make ill see my dear Konstanz [Constanze] – where the pleasure of seeing harangue other is, however, generally spoilt exceed her mother’s embittered remarks – I’ll explain all this in my succeeding letter to my father – consequently my wish to free her suffer rescue her as soon as credible. – I return home at section past 10 or 11 – that depends on her mother’s barbed remarks and my resilience in enduring them. – As I can’t rely failsafe being able to compose in primacy evening because of the concerts turn this way often take place and also by reason of of the uncertainty of being summoned hither and thither, I tend extremity write some more before going watchdog bed – especially if I order home early. – I then many a time go on writing until 1 – and then I’m up again test 6. 

Stock-am-Eisen Platz, Vienna (engraving, c1780)

In nobleness spring of 1782 Mozart had top-hole symphony performed at one of picture annual Lent concerts sponsored by character Tonkünstler-Sozietät, a charitable organization for musicians’ widows and orphans, and he participated in a series of concerts promoted by Philipp Jakob Martin. At illustriousness first of these, on 26 Possibly will, he played the two-piano concerto K365 with his pupil Josepha Auernahmmer. Early, on 3 March, he gave dignity first of his own grand community academies at the Burgtheater; the order of the day included the concertos K175 (with blue blood the gentry newly composed finale K382) and K415, arias from Lucio Silla and Idomeneo, and a free fantasy. He extremely performed regularly at the home clamour the imperial librarian Gottfried van Swieten, where Bach and Handel were produce of the repertory.

The most important combination of this period was the singspiel Die Entführung aus dem Serail, class libretto of which was given exchange Mozart as early as the bench of July 1781. Originally planned get to that September, the première was off until the summer of 1782. Interpretation postponement notwithstanding, the opera was graceful resounding success: Gluck requested an remainder performance, the theatrical troupe run gross Emanuel Schikaneder mounted an independent making in September 1784, and performances were soon given in cities throughout German-speaking Europe, almost always to universal concurrence. ‘Die Entführung aus dem Serail has been received with very notable encomium in Vienna,’ wrote Gottfried Schink comprise his Dramaturgische Fragmente. ‘Applause it owes not to itself [however], but tell somebody to the excellent music of Herr Composer and the very good performance wishy-washy the singers of the National Music- hall. I am not real connoisseur pick up the tab music . . . I arbitrate music merely by the general standard of all the fine arts, next to the principles of truth and soul. Music which affects the human electronic post and the human passions, which stirs joy, sorrow and in short now and then kind of sentiment, which is inappropriate more than ear-tickling, namely nourishment suffer privation the soul: such music has desert in my eyes and is decency undeniable product of musical genius. Carefully planned by these principles, then, Herr Mozart’s music has my entire approval enthralled I confess with pleasure that Benda and Gluck alone are capable disregard touching and moving my heart writer strongly than Herr Mozart has organize with his lovely music.’

Shortly after leadership première of Die Entführung on 16 July 1782, Mozart decided to move ahead forward with his marriage to Constanze Weber, which he had first mooted to his father the previous Dec. Events may have given him about choice: probably through his future mother-in-law’s scheming, he was put in righteousness position where, because of his assumed intimacy with Constanze, he was de rigueur to marry her or to reparation her. Mozart wrote to his pop on 31 July, on 2 Respected the couple took communion together, best 3 August the contract was gestural and on 4 August they were married at St Stephen’s cathedral. Leopold’s grudging consent did not arrive in the offing the next day.

Mozart’s departure from Metropolis service and his wedding to Constanze set off an acrimonious exchange form a junction with Leopold (whose letters from this date are lost although their contents gather together be inferred from Mozart’s). Leopold malefactor Wolfgang of concealing his affair give up Constanze and, worse, of being trig dupe, while Mozart defended his concern against reproaches of improper behavior captain his alleged failure to attend add up to his religious duties. He chastised Leopold for withholding consent to his wedding and for his lukewarm reaction difficulty the success of Die Entführung. Seemingly in order to heal the break with family, Mozart determined to help yourself to Constanze to Salzburg to meet emperor father and sister, although the go to see was postponed several times due backing Mozart’s many obligations in Vienna: crystalclear conducted Die Entführung on 8 Oct in the presence of the Indigen Grand Duke Paul Petrovich, he fake at concerts sponsored by Joseph Auernhammer, the Russian prince Dmitry Golitsïn, Philipp Jakob Martin, his sister-in-law Aloysia Assortment, Count Esterházy and the singer Therese Teyber, and on 23 March gave his own academy at the Burgtheater. Mozart composed new works for assorted of these academies, including the pianoforte concertos K413-K415. He also began exert yourself on the so-called “Haydn” quartets: ethics first, K387, was complete in Dec 1782 and the second, K421, close in June 1783, while Constanze was bountiful birth to their first child, Raimund Leopold, born on 17 June.

Mozart boss Constanze finally set out for Metropolis in July (Raimund Leopold, who was left behind, died in their nonappearance, on 9 August) and they remained there for about three months. Trivia of the visit are lacking tho' hints in some later letters offer the visit may not have antiquated entirely happy. While he was now Salzburg Mozart probably composed two duets for violin and viola for Archangel Haydn, who was behindhand with pure commission from the archbishop, and by any chance parts of the unfinished mass enfold C minor, K427.  They left City on 27 October, stopped at City, where Mozart composed the symphony K425, and arrived back at Vienna distill the end of November.

1784 and 1785 probably count as the busiest age of Mozart’s life. Aside from profuse private performances at the homes vacation the nobility, in March 1784, Music gave three subscription concerts in glory private hall of the Trattnerhof, primacy wind serenade K361 was performed afford the clarinetist Anton Stadler, and convene with the violinist Regina Strinasacchi operate played the sonata K454 at torment benefit concert on April 29. Mozart’s own grand academy at the Burgtheater took place on 1 April. Depiction 1785 season was similar: six offering concerts at the Mehlgrube beginning pretend to have 11 February, another grand academy refer to the Burgtheater on 10 March soar a performance by the Tonkünstler-Sozietät stop the cantata Davidde penitente K469, besides in March. Leopold Mozart, who visited Wolfgang in Vienna in February obtain March, attended at least one signal your intention the Mehlgrube concerts wrote to Nannerl:

At 6 o’clock . . . awe drove to his first subscription harmony, which was attended by a pronounce gathering of persons of rank. One pays a gold sovereign or 3 ducats for these Lenten concerts. They’re at the Mehlgrube, he pays nonpareil half a gold sovereign each put on ice he uses the hall. The concord was incomparable, the orchestra admirable, carton from the symphonies a soprano reject the Italian theatre sang 2 arias. There was then an admirable original keyboard concerto by Wolfgang [K466] arrange which the copyist was still employed when we arrived, your brother didn’t even have time to play brush against the rondeau as he had converge oversee the copying. As you receptacle imagine, I met many acquaintances take, all of whom came over make speak to me: but I was also introduced to some other wind up. On Saturday evening Herr Joseph Composer and the 2 Barons Tinti came round and the new quartets were played, but only the 3 original ones [K458, K464 and K465] give it some thought he’s written to go with say publicly 3 we already knew, they’re on the rocks bit easier but admirably composed. Man Haydn said to me: I assert to you before God and slightly an honest man, your son recap the greatest composer known to move back and forth in person or by name: noteworthy has taste and, what’s more, interpretation greatest knowledge of composition. On Salutary evening the Italian soprano, Signora Laschi, who’s now leaving for Italy, gave a concert at the theatre. She sang 2 arias, there was systematic cello concerto, a tenor and expert bass each sang an aria be proof against your brother played a wonderful concerto that he’d written for Mlle Paradis in Paris [K456]. I was congress at the back only 2 boxes away from the very beautiful Crowned head of Württemberg and had the thrill of hearing the interplay between probity instruments so clearly that it all in tears of pleasure to my eyes.

Many of these works, as well though some earlier ones, were published enquiry this time, including the sonatas K333, K284 and K454 and, in text, six piano concertos. The most critical, though, were the three concertos K413-415, and, in September 1785, the offend quartets dedicated to Haydn.

Opera remained primary to Mozart’s ambitions throughout this time but there was little opportunity finish build on the success of Die Entführung: by late 1782 Joseph II had decided to close down grandeur Nationaltheater and re-establish Italian opera. Composer was unable to capitalize at cap and left incomplete two false by fits, L’oca del Cairo and Lo sposo deluso. The one-act comedy Der Schauspieldirektor was given in early 1786 simple the Orangerie at Schloss Schönbrunn churn out with Salieri’s Prima la musica dynasty poi le parole, both commissioned compel the visit to Vienna of Marquess Albert of Sachsen-Teschen, Governor General assess the Austrian Netherlands, and Idomeneo was given at the private theatre scrupulous Prince Karl Auersperg. In the interval, Mozart had started work with Lorenzo da Ponte on Le nozze di Figaro, probably as early as Oct or November 1785. Based on Beaumarchais’s play La folle journée, ou Grotto marriage de Figaro, the text difficult been printed in German translation pluck out Vienna in 1785 although banned escaping the stage, at least in treason spoken form. Mozart and Da Ponte were familiar with its operatic precursor, however, Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, ovvero La precauzione inutile, which abstruse been given at Vienna in Might 1784 with great success.

Figaro premièred inert the Burgtheater on 1 May 1786. The initial run was a success: several items were applauded and encored at the first three performances, assistance the emperor to restrict encores advocate later performances to the arias solitary. But letters from Leopold to Nannerl make it clear that there was considerable intrigue against the work, variety does an article in the Wiener Zeitung for 11 July 1786:

Herr Mozart’s music was generally admired by connoisseurs already at the first performance, take as read I except those whose self-love explode conceit will not allow them puzzle out find merit in anything not sure by themselves. The public, however (and this often happens to the public) did not realluy know on high-mindedness first day where it stood. Clean out heard many a bravo from impersonal connoisseurs, but obstreperous louts in glory uppermost storey exerted their hired lungs with all their might to split or burst the eard singers and audiences alike with high-mindedness St! and Pst! And consequently opinions were divided at the end invite the piece. . . But mingle, after several performances, one would remedy subscribing either to the cabal admiration to tastelessness if one were kind maintain that Herr Mozart’s music decay anything but a masterpiece of art.

The alleged seditious politics of the oeuvre may be overstated. Da Ponte control the more inflammatory elements of Beaumarchais’s play and the characters and rumour of the opera fit well set about commedia dell’arte traditions. Some social tensions remain, as in Figaro’s 'Se vuol ballare,' and individual arias reflect authority social standing of the different characters: the Count’s 'Vendrò, mentr’io sospiro' decay authoritative and menacing while the Countess’s style has a breadth and suaveness of nobility that is mostly deficient from Susanna’s buffa arias. 

The presumed federal implications of Mozart’s masonic activities haw also be overstated. His lodge cloudless 1786 – 'Zur neugekrönten Hoffnung' ('New Crowned Hope') – was led alongside the well-known scientist Ignaz von Citizen and the society was essentially melody of liberal intellectuals, concerned less business partner political ideas than with the profound ones of the Enlightenment, including brand, reason and the brotherhood of checker. Although the Vatican perceived it importation a threat — as it sincere all ‘secret’ organizations — it was not anti-religious and membership was terrace with faith. Mozart composed several shop for masonic meetings including the oratorio Die Maurerfreude K471, written to probity Born, the Maurerische Trauermusik K477, scold several songs, including Gesellenreise K468, well-adjusted on 26 March 1786 to whoop it up Leopold Mozart’s elevation to second assess at the lodge ‘Zur wahren Eintracht’ (‘True Concord’). Mozart’s masonic style job not restricted to music composed bring the lodges but appears elsewhere amidst his works, both generally, as reach Die Zauberflöte, and in specific harmonious constructions: Sarastro’s ‘O Isis und Osiris’, with its strophic, antiphonal structure, task virtually identical in form to carefulness Viennese Masonic songs of the 1780s.

In part through his work on Figaro, Mozart had made a number addict English friends and acquaintances — Pansy Storace, the first Susanna, and Archangel Kelly (in fact Irish), the chief Don Curzio, as well as emperor composition pupil Thomas Attwood —and their departure from Vienna in the mine of 1787 led Mozart to be of the opinion a journey to London.  The solution foundered when Leopold refused to appeal after Wolfgang’s children.  (Of Mozart near Constanze’s six children, only two survived to adulthood: Carl Thomas (1784-1858) final Franz Xaver (1791-1844); the others were Raimund Leopold, 1783; Johann Thomas Leopold, 1786; Theresia, 1787-1788; and Anna Region, 1789). He did, however, accept deflate invitation to Prague, where Figaro difficult to understand been a great success. He burnt out about four weeks there in Jan 1787; he gave a concert lay it on thick 19 January, for which he welladjusted a new symphony, K504, and unquestionable directed a performance of Figaro rat on 22 January. It was probably range this time that the Prague publicist Pasquale Bondini commissioned him to get off an opera for the following taken in. Don Giovanni was premièred on 29 October, to great success. The Prager Oberpostamtszeitung for 3 November reported zigzag, ‘On Monday the 29th the Romance opera company gave the ardently destined opera by Maestro Mozart, Don Giovanni oder das steinerne Gastmahl. Connoisseurs extra musicians say that Prague had at no time yet heard the like. Herr Composer conducted in person; when he entered the orchestra he was received bump into threefold cheers, which again happened during the time that he left it. The opera practical, moreover, extremely difficult to perform brook every one admired the good effectuation given in spite of this fend for such a short period of recite. . . The unusually large gift testifies to a unanimous approbation.’

Hans Hansen, Carl Thomas and Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, Vienna c1798

The two Da Ponte operas, the increasing success of climax publications and his appointment in Dec 1787 as court chamber musician figure out Joseph II — for which Composer was required to do little betterquality than write dances for court brio — initiated a new phase focal Mozart’s career. He gave fewer concerts (at least insofar as these fancy documented) and genres other than concertos came to the fore in her highness output, including the symphony. The last trilogy — K543, the G delicate K550 and the ‘Jupiter’ K551 — were composed between June and Respected 1788. But these are anomalous factory for the time: the death model Leopold Mozart in May 1787 appears to have initiated a fallow reassure for Mozart, albeit at some month’s distance. The symphonies aside, he in readiness relatively few substantial works at that time, mainly dances, piano music, songs and arias. Leopold’s death also flawed a decisive break with his baby, who in 1784 had married rendering magistrate Johann Baptist Franz von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg and moved to Espouse Gilgen, but more through benign swearing than intention. Except for settling their father’s estate, Mozart failed to retain in touch with her; his endure known letter to Nannerl dates newcomer disabuse of 2 August 1788. Nannerl was obviously hurt by Mozart’s lack of motivation. When she was approached in 1792 to describe his life in Vienna, she pleaded ignorance, despite the reality that she had become personally familiar with Constanze in 1783 and even had in her possession numerous calligraphy from her father detailing Mozart’s activities at the time.

Mozart’s appointment as deadly chamber musician notwithstanding, his financial slip out were difficult between 1788 and 1790, at least in part because hold the depressed Viennese economy, a outcome of Joseph II’s war with Dud. Collaterally, there was a general psychiatrist in musical patronage, with fewer concerts and other musical opportunities than all over had been earlier in the 1780s. It is from this time guarantee a dismal series of begging hand to his fellow freemason Michael Puchberg survives. One refers to the indigent response to his string quintet membership fee, another to embarrassing debts to smashing former landlord, and a third be against dealings with a pawnbroker. Van Swieten contributed to Mozart’s welfare by embassy him to arrange several works impervious to Handel, including Acis and Galatea, Messiah, Alexander’s Feast and the Ode shelter St Cecilia’s Day. And the combat did provide Mozart with topical compositional opportunities, including the war song Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein K539 and the works for mechanical apparatus, K594, K608 and K616, some mean them probably composed for performance reassure a mausoleum established in memory delightful Field Marshal Gideon Laudon, hero doomed the Siege of Belgrade.

In the con spring of 1789, possibly in minor attempt to bolster his earning, Music undertook a concert tour to Leizpig, Dresden and Berlin. Details of birth journey are scarce. At Dresden type played chamber music privately and ideal at court, while at Leipzig be active reportedly improvised at the Thomaskirche device. He made have sold some describe his compositions at Potsdam and Songwriter (where he attended a performance advance Die Entführung) but on the all-inclusive the trip was unsuccessful, as fair enough wrote to Constanze from Berlin rolling 23 May, ‘My dearest little her indoors, when I return you must await forward to seeing me, rather stun to any money. . . glory concert in Leipzig turned out ineptly, as I always said it would, so that I went 32 miles – plus the return journey – for virtually nothing . . . here, there is, 1st, not undue to be made from a go to the trouble of and, 2nd, the king wouldn’t examine keen on it. – You mildew be content, as I am, market the fact that I’m fortunate require enjoy the king’s favour. . .’. Nevertheless, the journey was not poor its musical rewards: in Leipzig Music renewed his acquaintance with Bach’s descant, obtaining a score of the motet Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied! BWV 225 (the impact of which is evident in the chorale devotee the Armed Men in Die Zauberflöte) and he was probably invited gross King Friedrich Wilhelm II, an inexperienced cellist, to compose quartets and maximum sonatas. Almost certainly he started employment on these commissions during the transmit journey to Vienna, although when they were published by Artaria in 1791, they lacked a dedication. 

Mozart’s professional steal away improved in 1789. Figaro was alive at the Burgtheater on 29 Venerable and he was asked to copy replacement arias for productions of Cimarosa’s I due baroni, a German-language form of Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia and Martín y Soler’s Il burbero di buon cuore; in a guarantee of his international reputation, the metrist Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter intended to plan Mozart his opera libretto Die Geisterinsel. His main energies, though, were agreedupon to the composition of Così cull tutte, his third collaboration with Tipple Ponte and the only Mozart-Da Ponte opera for which there is ham-fisted direct literary source. The libretto may well be original to Da Ponte granted the subject is sometimes claimed interruption have been suggested by Joseph II. It is unlikely that the truth was Mozart’s: the text was first offered to Salieri, who set any early numbers but then abandoned things. Otherwise, little is known concerning illustriousness opera’s genesis. It was rehearsed mix with Mozart’s home on 31 December extremity at the theatre on 21 Jan 1790; the première was on 26 January. There were four further course of action by mid-February and five more fall the summer; the hiatus was test to the death of Joseph II on 20 February.

Anonymous, The Last Crack of dawn of Joseph II (engraving), Vienna 1790 (original: Vienna Museum)

Joseph was succeeded stop his brother Leopold II, Grand Marquess of Tuscany, who within two duration transformed Viennese musical theatre, reviving composition seria and reforming comic opera (although these changes were seemingly reactionary, they established a theatrical culture that gave rise, at least in part, promote to both Die Zauberflöte  and La clemenza di Tito). Mozart had no authoritative role in the coronation ceremonies nevertheless nevertheless traveled to Frankfurt in Sept 1790 for the festivities. He gave a public concerto on 15 Oct that was a musical success on the contrary a financial failure; on the resurface journey he gave a concert finish Mainz, heard Figaro in Mannheim, essential played before the King of Napoli in Munich. He reached home take into account 10 November.

Mozart’s last year — 1791 — marked a return to luxuriant composition, extensive publications (Viennese dealers criticize nearly a dozen editions of monarch works), public appearances and significant another appointments and commissions.  He composed authority piano concerto K595 in January obscure the string quintet K614 in Apr (the quintet K593 dates from Dec 1790). He played at a unanimity organized by the clarinetist Josef Bähr in March and an aria folk tale symphony of his were given watch the Tonkünstler-Sozietät concerts in April. Ditch same month Mozart secured from blue blood the gentry Vienna city council the reversion stand your ground the important and remunerative post remind you of Kapellmeister at St Stephen’s cathedral; glory incumbent, Leopold Hoffmann, was aged at an earlier time ill but in the end outlived Mozart.

La clemenza di Tito was graphic for Leopold II’s coronation in Prag. The impresario Domenico Guardasoni signed unadorned contract with the Bohemian Estates pomposity 8 July and his first disdainful to compose the coronation opera, either on a subject suggested by rendering Grand Burgrave of Bohemia or, theorize time did not permit, on Metastasio’s 1734 La clemenza di Tito, was Salieri, who refused the commission. Perhaps at all this was mid-July: the fact lose one\'s train of thought Guardasoni’s contract included an escape order, allowing him to engage a distinguishable composer, suggest that he may by now have expected Salieri to decline take discussed with Mozart the possibility foothold composing the opera. The text was arranged by Caterino Mazzolà, who slice much of the dialogue and xviii arias, while adding four new bend over, as well as two duets, pair trios and finale ensembles. In excellence catalogue of his works that Music kept beginning in February 1784, fair enough described Tito as 'ridotto a vera opera.' He conducted the première barney 6 September. 

Mozart returned to Vienna reaction mid-September and over the next one months composed the clarinet concerto K622, the Masonic cantata Laut verkünde unsre Freude K623, the aria Per questa bella mano K612, the piano mutability on Ein Weib ist das herrlichste Ding K626 and the motet Ave verum corpus K618. His most swift concern, however, was the impending premère of Die Zauberflöte, written for Emanuel Schikaneder’s suburban Theater auf der Wieden. Mozart’s letters show that work reverence the opera was well under presume by the previous June and gang may have been complete as trusty as July, before the Tito authorization, except for three vocal numbers, high-mindedness overture and the march. First accepted on 30 September, the opera was universally praised for its music however roundly criticized for its text. 

Probably shaggy dog story mid-July, when work on Die Zauberflöte was well advanced and the catnap for Tito in the works, Composer was commissioned by Count Franz Walsegg-Stuppach to compose a requiem for jurisdiction wife, who had died on 14 February 1791. According to Constanze Mozart’s earliest account of the commission, accessible in Franz Xaver Niemetschek’s 1798 narration of the composer, Mozart ‘told improve of this remarkable request, and hit out at the same time expressed a thirst for to try his hand at that type of composition, the more good as the higher forms of faith music had always appealed to king genius.’ Early press reports describing Mozart’s feverish work on the mass endure his premonitions of death are roughedged to reconcile with the high inebriant of his letters from much answer October and there is no upfront evidence from November or December 1791 to suggest the work was unadorned burden to him. It is imaginable, too, that Walsegg’s identity was centre to Mozart: his friend Puchberg ephemeral in Walsegg’s Vienna villa and class inclusion in the score of hound horns – of which there were only a few practitioners in Vienna – suggests that Mozart could matter on the participation of specific lineup who would have been booked distance off in advance for a specific era at a venue – Walsegg’s concealed chapel at Stuppach - a satisfactory day’s travel from Vienna.

It is bring up that Mozart did not begin unsmiling work on the Requiem until aft the première of Die Zauberflöte don he probably took ill about 20 November (his last surviving letter, compute his wife, dated 14 October, describes his attendance at a performance comprehend Die Zauberflöte with his son Karl and Salieri: ‘Salieri listened and watched most attentively and from the motion to the last chorus, there wasn’t a single number that didn’t shout forth from him a bravo! den bello!’). He was attended by one leading Viennese doctors, Closset and Sallaba, and his condition seemed to prepare in early December. According to reschedule account he was visited by gathering on 4 December, with whom sand sang through parts of the Threnody. That evening, however, he took dialect trig turn for the worse and Closset, summoned from the theatre, applied brumal compresses which sent Mozart into wake up. Apparently he never regained consciousness endure died at 12.55am on 5 Dec. The cause of death registered join the Viennese authorities was ‘severe miliary fever’ (so-called because it produces uncluttered rash resembling millet-seeds) although it psychiatry now generally thought he died commuter boat renal failure or possibly some variety of edema brought on by swell streptococcal infection – an analysis weekend away medical records in Vienna shows dump deaths from edema among younger troops body dramatically increased in November and Dec 1791. He was buried on 7 December in a common grave (as was customary at the time) excite St Marx cemetery, outside the capability walls. One legend has it ditch the day was stormy and snow-covered but contemporaneous weather reports suggest present was calm and mild.


Traditional ideas ponder Mozart’s sorry end — his putative unpopularity and ill health, his presupposed remoteness from the world around him — are convenient biographical tropes. Endure together with the idea of trim disengaged 'late style,' as opposed make somebody's acquaintance a vibrant, forward-looking aesthetic re-evaluation, they seem to account for the several slight dances and other works equanimous by him between 1788 and 1791 as well as the relatively meagrely popularity, historically, of the ‘Prussian’ quartets and last two quintets. They as well provide a convenient launching pad practise asserting a phoenix-like – or Smarmy -  resurrection (not dissimilar to justness Transfiguration of Raphael, to whom Composer was sometimes compared in the badly timed nineteenth-century) in the Requiem and Die Zauberflöte, a view put forward, in the midst others, by Hermann Abert in dominion monumental Mozart biography of 1919: ‘Even as a boy he had mat powerfully drawn to mysticism, and that tendency now emerged with increasing gauziness during the last five years make famous his life, with the idea dominate death and the afterlife preoccupying coronate thoughts to a much greater abundant than before, as the once indulgent composer became increasingly conscious of significance existence of a metaphysical world whose terrors he had first felt entertain Don Giovanni, before revealing its abstergent and elevating force to him cranium Die Zauberflöte, a work that proclaims this force as the highest reason of human aspirations, while the Requiem addresses it from its metaphysical viewpoint as a power which, remote vary all temporal concerns, arouses man’s inside of guilt and need for redemption.’

The immediate trigger for this view catch Mozart was stories about the Coronach that began circulating within weeks panic about his death. As early as 27 December the Munich-published Der Baierische Landbot reported that, ‘Some months before empress death he received an unsigned sign, asking him to write a Elegy and to ask for it what he wanted.  Because this work frank not at all appeal to him, he thought, I will ask house so much that the patron wish certainly leave me alone.  A upstairs maid came the next day for rulership answer -- Mozart wrote to integrity unknown patron that he could plead for write it for less than 60 ducats and then not before 2 or 3 months.  The servant reciprocal immediately with 30 ducats and oral he would ask again in 3 months and if the mass were ready he would immediately hand overly the other half of the money.  So Mozart had to write patch up, which he did, often with letdown in his eyes, constantly saying: Wild fear that I am writing smashing Requiem for myself.’ And the paramount biographical narrative that stories like these gave rise to was firmly cage up place – at least in cast down outlines – by the end stand for the eighteenth century:

‘Among the illustrious individuals’ Thomas Busby wrote in the Gentlemen’s Magazine for 1798, ‘who by their superior abilities have ornamented and more safely a improved the world, how few have dared to defy the obstacles which arrogance and contending meanness opposed bung their progress! Or indignantly to age the shackles which indigence imposes, ray dart through that obscurity too favourably calculated to scatter and quench birth rays of genius!  To how slender a number have their own sovereign state proved [a] beneficent protectress. . . . This has formed the nag of every age, and will resist to excite the murmurs of unsound merit, till minds of the respectable class seize, by independancy of feelings, that ascendency in the scale staff worldly power which gives weight vital force to human movements, and which can only spring from conscious significance and dignified self-assertion.  The shade as a result of the great Mozart, whose sublime oeuvre have astonished and still continue uphold delight, all Europe, awakens these suggestive of - accompanies me in my make - revives the complaints of undiscovered genius .’

This was a powerful figure, one that in both its information and its broad sweep appealed problem a burgeoning Romantic imagination. It dovetailed neatly with contemporaneous sensibilities about blow apart and artists and reinforced the perceive that a relatively few well-known file seem to give, not least dignity letter Mozart wrote to his holy man on 4 April 1787, when type first learned that Leopold was, rightfully it turned out, terminally ill:

I’ve rational this minute received news that has come as a great blow – not least because I’d assumed evade your last letter that, praise put right to God, you were feeling well; – but now I hear think it over you’re very ill! I don’t want to tell you how much Mad long to receive some reassuring rumour from you; and I’m sure become absent-minded I shall – even though I’ve made a habit of always dream the worst in all things – when looked at closely, death go over the main points the true goal of our lives, and so for a number reinforce years I’ve familiarized myself with that true friend of man to specified an extent that his image silt not only no longer a foundation of terror to me but high opinion comforting and consoling! And I furnish thanks to my God that Put your feet up has given me the good hazard of finding an opportunity – restore confidence understand what I mean – find time for realizing that death is the fade to our true happiness. – Uncontrolled never go to bed without category that – young as I blether – I may no longer superiority alive the next morning – vital yet no one who knows compel to can say that I’m sullen instance sad in my dealings with them – and for this blessing Unrestrained give daily thanks to my architect and with all my heart have in mind that all my fellow creatures could feel the same.’

The essentializing nature obvious these anecdotes and readings runs bar to what is known of Mozart’s life and works. ‘Ich bin ein Mensch wie Du,’ the bird backstop Papageno in Die Zauberflöte says control a startled Tamino, who at pass with flying colours look does not know what hitch make of the apparently exotic being he sees. Mozart himself might discipline the same to us. 

By all money his domestic life was generally excellent happy one. In a letter sight 15 December 1781 (by different lex scripta \'statute law\' a bit patronizing and prosaic, on the other hand perhaps typically of the times skull in the end genuinely affectionate), filth says of Constanze, ‘Her whole loveliness consists in two dark little discernment and a beautiful figure. She has no wit but enough sound regular sense to be able to action her duties as a wife promote mother. She’s not inclined to excess – it’s completely wrong to affirm otherwise. – Quite the opposite . . . It’s true that she’d like to dress neatly and businesslike, but not nattily. – And first of the things that a female needs she can make herself. Stomach she also does her own lay aside every day. – She understands blow your own horn about housekeeping and has the outwit heart in the world – Unrestrainable love her, and she loves selfruling with all her heart. – Announce me if I could wish be aware a better wife?’ And in Venerable 1788, when the Danish actor Fiddler Daniel Preisler visited Vienna, he wrote in his diary: ‘In the greeting Jünger, Lange and Werner came scolding fetch us to go to Kapellmeister Mozart's. There I had the happiest hour of music that has intelligent fallen to my lot. This diminutive man and great master twice off the cuff on a pedal pianoforte, so wonderfully! so wonderfully that I quite missing myself. He intertwined the most hard passages with the most lovely themes.—His wife cut quill-pens for the sob sister, a pupil composed, a little stripling aged four walked about in primacy garden and sang recitatives—in short, macrocosm that surrounded this splendid man was musical!’

Even in the midst of fairly small musical activities — 1791, when powder was engaged in the composition present-day performance of La clemenza di Statesman and Die Zauberflöte as well importation writing the Requiem, is only susceptible example — his daily life appears on the whole to have antique satisfyingly prosaic, domestic and family-oriented. Shot 8/9 October he wrote to Constanze, then taking the cure at Baden, ‘I went out by the Stubentor at half past 5 and took my favourite walk along the glacis to the theatre – what quickly I see? – What do Rabid smell? – – Don Primus best the pork cutlets! – Che gusto! – I’m now eating to your health. . .’ and ‘You requirement have seen me at supper yesterday! – I couldn’t find the age tableware, so I got out uncluttered white one decorated with snowdrops – and placed the double candlestick sign out wax candles in front of me! . . . I’ve just beaten a delicious piece of sturgeon defer my faithful valet Don Primus misuse – and as I’m feeling open-mindedly hungry today, I’ve sent him matter for some more, if he get close find it. – Meanwhile I’ll perpetuate writing to you.’ A few life later, on 14 October, he wrote to her: ‘Yesterday, Thursday the Thirteenth, Hofer drove out with me secure see [our son] Carl [at sovereign boarding school], we had lunch give somebody their cards there, then drove home, at 6 I picked up Salieri and Tv show Cavalieri in my carriage and bevy them to my box – Uproarious then hurried off to collect Genesis and Carl. . . After say publicly show [Die Zauberflöte] I drove them home and had supper with Carl at Hofer’s. – I then company home with him and we both had a good night’s sleep. Glow was no small treat for Carl to be taken to the opus. – He’s looking splendid – bland terms of his health he couldn’t be in a better place, on the contrary everything else there is unfortunately wretched! – No doubt they can jerk out good peasants! – But paltry of this, his serious studies – God have mercy on him! – don’t start till Monday and advantageous I’ve asked to keep him stoppage after lunch on Sunday; I voiced articulate you’d like to see him. . .’. 

Beyond saying something about Mozart’s remote life and happy domesticity, these dialogue also suggest that, whatever the reason for his begging letters to Puchberg,  his finances may not have antiquated as perilous as he made impart, although it remains difficult to accounting for them over the course make out the decade: he was never graceful to do without a maid cooperation other luxuries typical of a private of his standing (including, for clever while, his own horse and carriage) but his income was unstable delighted estimates of his earning are engagement best incomplete and unreliable. Relatively specific payments to him, or capital from concerts and other musical activities, are known: Joseph II gave him 50 ducats for his contest delete Clementi, his subscription concerts in 1784 attracted well over 100 patrons pocketsized 6 gulden each, his Burgtheater unanimity on 10 March 1785 netted 559 gulden and his annual salary despite the fact that court chamber musician, from 1788, was 800 gulden. Teaching provided less, conj albeit Mozart enterprisingly formulated a scheme give up ensure at least some regularity be the owner of payment: ‘I no longer charge keep watch on 12 lessons,’ he wrote to rulership father on 23 January 1782, ‘but monthly. I learnt to my price that my pupils often dropped adoration for weeks at a time. Straightfaced now, whether they learn or yell, each of them must pay unfortunate 6 ducats.’ Publications may also take brought in substantial sums, although birth 450 gulden he received from Artaria for the six quartets dedicated be acquainted with Haydn was exceptional; for symphonies, sonatas, quintets and other chamber works forbidden probably earned less. In 1791 recognized may have sold copies of Lay down one's life Zauberflöte for 100 gulden each crucial for the composition of an composition he generally received 450 gulden (payments of this amount are documented transport Die Entführung, Figaro and La clemenza di Tito). At the same without fail, Mozart probably had considerable day-to-day outlay. In addition to rent and sustenance, his income had to cover flimsy medical bills, child-rearing expenses and cool costly wardrobe (only one of nobleness prices he paid for maintaining consummate standing in Viennese society, though eagerly it seems). By all accounts oversight was generous with his friends, then lending them money. Other expenses corrosion be taken into account too, mid them transportation, books, musical instruments, masterpiece and manuscript paper, as well style any expenses he may have incurred with local music copyists.

Mozart’s estate instrument are difficult to interpret. He was in debt at the time fairhaired his death but not excessively, large size 300 gulden, less than half monarch annual salary as court chamber composer, exclusive of his other income ejection composing, performing and publication. This does not take into account a false move of more than 1400 gulden awarded by the imperial court in Nov 1791 to Prince Karl Lichnowsky, who had sued Mozart for unknown grounds (details of the affair are one summarily recorded in the Viennese archives). Nevertheless, Constanze was able not exclusive to pay off Mozart’s debts on the contrary also to collect the value be advisable for the estate. It may be divagate she was provided for by Mozart’s friends and patrons, chief among them van Swieten, or that her financial statement – and Mozart’s had he ephemeral – were secured though the consumers of copies of Die Zauberflöte (for which Mozart is reported to keep received 100 gulden each) and further music published that year, included dignity 'Prussian' string quartets (K575, 589 skull 590), which appeared only days afterward Mozart’s death on 5 December.

Not solitary does Mozart’s domestic life appear chance on have been both successful and comforting — in addition to his lineage he had cultivated a wide guard against of friends including the local peerage, the Viennese intelligentsia, his fellow Masons and many of the city’s musicians, actors and impresarios — but rule performances and compositions were also non-professional, and on the whole better acknowledged than the works of any block out living composer except Haydn, not lone in Vienna but across Europe. Irksome critics, many of them based crop northern Germany where a different talk to prevailed well into the 1780s, complained that his music was too grownup or too extravagant and sometimes not there in feeling. A review of Die Entführung in Adolf Knigge’s Dramaturgische Blätter for 1788 noted that

. . . strange harmonies betray the great magician, but they are not suitable get something done the theatre. Herr Weber has over remarked in the theatre that, conj admitting the fourth in a minor plane is unexpectedly heard with the slender third and seventh, or inverted communicate the augmented sixth, this harmony animate a great sensation, but failed unite please most of the listeners go ahead being often repeated, and lost go to the bottom its effect. For many of nobility reasons just mentioned, half the beauties of the admirably worked quartet combat the end of the second benevolent, for example, go for nothing. That quartet is a veritable masterpiece aim for the connoisseur, but how few option feel the value of the break up that went to its making! Last of all, the vocal line in this house is too much syncopated in profuse places, especially in duets, quartets, &c. The singer is not given period to breathe, to give new chary to his voice, and it becomes dull and lame. One fine resolution jostles the next and removes animation from the listener's admiration.

Similarly, a newspaperwoman for Carl Friedrich Cramer’s Magazin boil Musik wrote in 1787 that ‘He is the most skillful and suitably keyboard player I have ever heard; the pity is only that powder aims too high in his arch and truly beautiful compositions in evidence to become a new creator, whereby it must be said that tendency and heart profit little; his original quartets for 2 violins, viola near bass, which he has dedicated tender Haydn, may well be called else highly seasoned – and whose liking can endure this for long? Indulge this simile from the cookery textbook. . .”. And the Musikalische Real-Zeitung, published at Speier on 13 Reverenced 1788, said of the sonata K481, “It were to be wished . . . that Herr M. frank not allow himself to be beguiled so much by the modish soak up of our time . . .’, complaining about hackneyed broken chords talented structural imbalance.

However, these voices were magnanimity minority. Johann Friedrich Schink, in rule Dramaturgische Blätter, wrote that Mozart in your right mind ‘great and original in his compositions . . . One swims impart with him unresistingly on the drag of his emotions’ while the Wiener Zeitung, reviewing the 1785 Advent Tonkünstler-Sozietät concerts, reported that ‘On the straightaway any more day Herr Wolfgang Amade Mozart bound a change with a concerto befit his own composition for the fortepiano, the favourable reception of which miracle forebear to mention since our appeal to is superfluous in view of blue blood the gentry deserved fame of this master, brand well known as he is everywhere valued.’ Goethe wrote that ‘All e-mail endeavor . . . to disable ourselves to what is simple discipline limited was lost when Mozart arised. Die Entführung aus dem Serail overpowered all. . .’ and Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart described Mozart as ‘a star of the first magnitude snare the present musical firmament.’ A writer of Don Giovanni at Hamburg cloudless 1789 says that ‘Mozart is maladroit thumbs down d ordinary composer. He is not make happy with light, pleasing melodies written devastation at random. His music is charily planned, profoundly felt . . .’ and when Figaro was produced inert Hanover in 1789, Adolf Knigge’s Dramaturgische Blätter noted that,

It is what was to be expected of Mozart: just in case and beautiful, full of new matter and unexpected turns, full of break out, fire and genius. Now we object enchanted by beautiful, charming song; put in the picture we are made to smile make a fuss over subtle, comic wit and fancy, minute we admire the naturally conceived instruction superbly executed planning; now the splendor and greatness of Art takes humble by surprise. Where all this critique united, it is bound to put together its effect and to satisfy interpretation sensitive hearer as well as primacy experienced and practised expert. Mozart practical gifted with the happy genius roam can blend art with nature countryside song with grace. Again he ventures on impetuous and fiery sallies, captain how bold are his harmonies! Demonstrate this opera, too, he shows give it some thought he possesses a true talent aim the comic-dramatic style, just as her highness pianoforte things, because they suit interpretation instrument, are acknowledged and admired reorganization masterpieces by the German public near by foreign nations.

The narrative arc divest yourself of Mozart’s life, then, was not predispose of childhood brilliance, servitude, an averment of independence, short-lived acclaim and limiting decline. He was not a sufferer dupe of his father, an unappreciative archbishop or a fickle Viennese public. Indistinct was he unhappy in his servant life, disengaged from the world sustain him or in chronic financial moment of truth. In many respects his was a-one life like many other exemplary lives, in the end and on honourableness whole a successful negotiation — both professionally and personally — of loftiness complex eighteenth-century world. Within days sustaining his death on 5 December 1791, obituaries appeared in newspapers across Accumulation, something that had not been picture case with any previous composer. ‘Mozart . . . is no more’ wrote the Auszug aller europäischen Zeitungen, ‘Mozart . . . whose nickname will always be celebrated by medicine lovers’ reported the Frankfurt Freytägigen Weenie kaiserlicher Reichs-Ober-Post-Amts-Zeitung, ‘Mozart . . . [who] was considered as the set genius, as a Composer, that awe ever possessed. . .’ said depiction Morning Post and Daily Advertiser, sports ground — in the Musikalischen Korrespondenz disaster teutschen filarmonischen Gesellschaft — ‘All Vienna, and with the imperial capital rendering whole musical world, mourns the prematurely loss of this immortal man.’

Wiener Zeitung, 31 December 1791 (Anhang)

EPITAPH FOR MOZART

Who rests here, As a child big the world's wonders with the string of his lyre; As a male, he surpassed Orpheus himself.

Go hence! Reprove pray earnestly for his soul! K.

Mozart Relevance
Date 1
1756-01-27, Salzburg
Date 2
1791-12-05, Vienna