Subject: Leopold Mozart - Paternal Pride and Prejudice
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 13:51:02 06/27/04 ()
Email Address: smithworld@earthlink.net
 

Message:
LEOPOLD MOZART - PATERNAL PRIDE and PREJUDICE.
By Agnes Selby.

[Agnes has graciously allowed us to post this article on Leopold Mozart here at the Forum. We encourage everyone to supply material you believe of interest. if you have questions, or projects you'd like us to consider, please contact us via our email address. GES)

The early Mozart biographers proclaim the pivotal role Leopold Mozart played in his son, Wolfgang Mozart’s life. His influence was claimed to have been beneficial as far as Wolfgang’s musical development was concerned, as well as in the formation of his character. More recent writers have recognized, however, the elements of destructiveness in Leopold’s upbringing of his gifted son, pointing out the father’s need to manipulate Wolfgang for his own advantage. When finally Wolfgang rebelled against his father’s will he had only ten years of life left to him. Yet these were the glorious years when Wolfgang’s genius blossomed, having burst free from the confines imposed by the will of his father.

Curiously enough, the veneration of Leopold as the father of a genius began with the woman he most resented, his daughter-in-law, Constanze. When Constanze and her second husband, Nikolaus von Nissen embarked on the writing of Wolfgang Mozart’s monumental documentary biography, Constanze placed her stamp of approval on Leopold Mozart’s role in his son’s life. The biography was based on letters between father and son handed over to Nissen and Constanze by Leopold’s daughter, Nannerl. The letters revealed Leopold’s strict and unforgiving nature, which failed to lessen Constanze’s admiration for him as the man who grounded Wolfgang in the principles and the framework of musical composition.

As a child of the eighteenth century, she did not question Leopold Mozart’s motives. She would have seen in his actions a demonstration of a father’s love for his son. In her praise of Leopold Mozart, Constanze may also have been motivated by her respect for Nannerl who, after all, entrusted her father’s letters to her second husband, Nissen. Any reservations she may have had were kept to herself for, after all, Constanze had nothing to gain from expressing private criticism in Mozart’s biography and thereby hurting Leopold Mozart’s descendants - her own sons.

As early Mozartean writers tended to copy from each other, Leopold Mozart has emerged unscathed and untouched by the vagaries of literary fate, which so often reinvent the lives of famous people. Constanze’s tendency to agree with Leopold’s treatment of his son is nevertheless somewhat surprising as she herself had been a victim of his prejudice and severe and unforgiving attitude to life.

Leopold Mozart was a man of many contradictions. He thought of himself as a devoted father who gave unstintingly to the two prodigies he was privileged to bring into the world. In return, however, he extracted a price the burden of which lay heavily upon his children’s shoulders. He was openly generous in his praise of other musicians yet his sarcastic asides annulled the praise he proffered. For instance, his colleague, Michael Haydn, the brother of Joseph Haydn, who often filled Leopold’s shoes during his long absences from his Court duties was most frequently the butt of his sarcastic remarks. Leopold was possibly the most famous impresario of a child prodigy in musical history and yet his efforts fell short of their objective. Had he survived his son, he might have marveled at Constanze’s ability to market his son’s genius, as she did not miss a single opportunity to enhance her late husband’s name during the fifty years of her life after her husband’s death.

Leopold traveled all over Europe remorselessly seeking recognition for his children, in the process exposing them to every imaginable contagion in the disease-riddled capitals of the continent resulting in a legacy of ill-health for both Nannerl and Wolfgang and perhaps in the end helping to cost Wolfgang his life. Leopold’s many travels suggest a desire for self-promotion, a passionate desire to flee the monotony of his life at the Salzburg Court and an urge to mingle on an equal footing with the nobility he despised because he wasn’t one of them.

Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was the son of Johann Georg Mozart, a bookbinder whose opportunity to become a Master of his trade came through marriage. He married Maria Banegger the widow of his late employer. The couple lived in the Frauentorstrasse in Augsburg and the house is preserved to this day as the Mozarthaus. When Maria Banegger died after only a few years of marriage, Johann Georg married the twenty-three-year-old daughter of a wealthy weaver. Leopold Mozart was the first of eight children born to Johann Georg Mozart and his young wife, Anna Maria Sulzer in 1719.

Anna Maria Mozart was a beautiful woman and Leopold inherited her Nordic good looks. His compulsive and obsessive nature may also have been inherited from his mother who in her old age dissipated the family fortune in lawsuits and divided her family with her continuous bickering. Near the end of her life she was restrained by the Augsburg authorities from creating further problems. Leopold Mozart fled from his mother and his siblings and severed his connections with all members of his family with the exception of his youngest brother, Alois, also a bookbinder and the father of Basle to whom Wolfgang’s “infamous” letters were later addressed. (These letters contain the kind of scatological humour, which was often expressed during those days, and it needs to be seen in the context of the period.)

As a youngster Leopold Mozart showed no scholastic ability. However, this all changed when he was enrolled at the Jesuit Grammar School in Augsburg, where he completed the formidable curriculum with distinction. This was an expensive school but Leopold’s school fees were discounted as his father bound the prayer books for the Augsburg Cathedral. When Leopold graduated he was proficient in Latin, Greek and French and had studied Logic, Physics, Mathematics and History.

As well, he was a gifted violinist who had often performed in school concerts and was also an outstanding organist. Leopold’s interest in music led him to correspond with the great J. S. Bach who was at the time a member of the Correspondence Society in Leipzig. Leopold studied music by correspondence with Meirand Spiess, the Music Director and Prior of the Benedictine Abbey at Irrsee.

After his father’s death Leopold moved to Salzburg and enrolled at the Benedictine University with the original intention of studying Theology. At the beginning of the first semester, however, he had enrolled to study Philosophy and Jurisprudence. He was an exemplary scholar during the first year but then his love of music and the application of all his time to the study of music earned him a dismissal from the University.

Leopold entered the service of Count Thurn-Valsassina und Taxis in Salzburg as a valet “with musical obligations”. Leopold seemed happy in the Count’s service and he dedicated his six trio sonatas, Opus I to the Count. Leopold’s words in his dedication liken the Count to a paternal sun (Paterno Sole). The wording is not much different from Wolfgang’s dedication of his six string quartets to “Papa” Haydn. He remained in the Count’s service for three years when in 1743 he was appointed fourth violinist to the court orchestra under Leopold Anton von Firmian, the last independently reigning archbishop of Salzburg. Archbishop Firmian is remembered for solving the centuries-old religious problems between Catholics and Protestants by expelling twenty-two thousand Protestants from his land. Leopold worked his way up to second violinist and Court Chamber Composer (1757). But the Archbishop who played the greatest role in Leopold Mozart’s life was Count Sigismund Christoph Schrattenbach. It was under his reign that Leopold attained the position of court composer and Vice-Kapellmeister in 1763.

Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo took office in 1772 and with his arrival the fulfillment of Leopold Mozart’s career aspirations at the Salzburg court vanished. In his desire to imitate the Viennese Court, the Archbishop appointed a Neapolitan composer, Domenico Fischietti as Kapellmeister of his orchestra thus by-passing Leopold Mozart. Leopold realized that his hopes of becoming Kapellmeister were forever blighted and the bitterness he felt at what he considered a betrayal never left him.

Wolfgang’s own disenchantment with Salzburg was influenced by his father, who never found in Salzburg the stimulus and professional satisfaction he craved for. It is, therefore, surprising to consider Leopold’s negative reaction to Wolfgang’s desire to escape from what he considered a professionally stagnant environment.

Leopold Mozart’s letters to his son after Wolfgang moved to Vienna are unfortunately not extant. Nissen, who with his wife Constanze stands accused by historians of having destroyed them, also decried their loss in his introduction to his Mozart biography. From Wolfgang’s replies, however, the picture of a bitter Leopold emerges. It is a forbidding portrait of a disappointed and frustrated man. A portrait of a man desperately trying to keep his son anchored in the very quagmire in which he considered himself to be captive.

At first his appointment to the Archbishop’s orchestra was a great blessing to Leopold. On November 21, 1747 he married Anna Maria Pertl who for some time had been his great love. He married above his station, as Anna Maria was the daughter of Nikolaus Pertl, a lawyer and the magistrate of the district of St. Gilgen. Nikolaus Pertl however died young and left his wife and daughter in poverty. Except for her good name, Anna Maria Pertl brought no material trappings to the marriage. There is no doubt that this was a marriage based on love and affection. Thus Wolfgang Mozart was born in 1756 into a loving family. He was the youngest of seven children of whom only two survived, Wolfgang and his sister Nannerl who had been born five years earlier on 30 July 1751.

In Salzburg the Mozarts lived in a small three-bedroom apartment on the top floor at No. 9 Getreidegasse. The house belonged to Lorenz Hagenauer, a rich merchant who became their true and trusted friend. Leopold earned extra money for his family by teaching the violin and piano. During the year of Wolfgang’s birth, Leopold published his Treatise on the Violin School, which, according to Goethe’s friend, Karl Friedrich Zelter was a book, which will be useful as long as the violin remains a violin, as indeed it has remained a book studied to this day by all serious interpreters of 18th century violin music. Leopold Mozart was a prolific composer and apart from church music, he composed orchestral suites and delightful pieces for toy instruments. The Toy Symphony earlier attributed to Joseph Haydn was in fact composed by Leopold Mozart. Some of Leopold’s music was also attributed to Wolfgang but it has now been established that the three songs Die Grossmutige Gelassenheit K. 149; Geheime Lied K. 150 and Die Zufriedenheit im Niedrigen Stande K. 151 are in fact all Leopold Mozart’s compositions. It is indeed a compliment to Leopold that these works were at first ascribed to his illustrious son.

Leopold’s early desire to see his son established as Court Composer at a German Court such as Mannheim or Munich, inspired Wolfgang’s and his mother’s ill-fated journey to Paris in 1777. Although Wolfgang was by now twenty-one years old, Leopold would not allow him to travel on his own and this restriction resulted in his mother’s death in Paris. The letters Leopold wrote to his son during the eighteen months Wolfgang was away from Salzburg are a study in musical politics and paternal commands. Any emotional needs Wolfgang may have had are dealt with swiftly by the father and without a single thought given to the effect such letters would have on his son. Mercilessly, Leopold was quick to blame the death of his wife in Paris on his son.

While in Mannheim, Wolfgang found his way along the cobblestone streets to the lottery office opposite, which resided the music copyist, Fridolin Weber. There he was welcomed by Weber’s four daughters who would influence the remainder of his life. Starved for love and suddenly free of the strictures imposed by his father, Wolfgang promptly fell in love with Aloysia, the second oldest and the most beautiful of the Weber girls. Barely seventeen years old, she was an accomplished pianist and linguist. When Wolfgang heard her perform his compositions, he found in them a new meaning that he himself had not been aware of. Most of all, this future prima donna of the Viennese Opera impressed Wolfgang with her voice. For the first time in his life Wolfgang no longer cared about his own career but wanted to dedicate his life to furthering Aloysia’s. Wolfgang planned to travel to Italy where Aloysia’s voice would be appreciated. He was going to take with him Fridolin Weber as chaperon and the eldest sister, Josepha, the future star of the Schikaneder Company, as cook so that he could continue to enjoy her culinary delicacies. In a letter to Leopold he likened his own family to the Weber’s, a faux pas his father would never forgive.

Needless to say, Leopold’s reaction was swift in his condemnation of his son’s plan. With an anger surely comparable to that of the Commandatore in Mozart’s later opera, Don Giovanni K.527, Leopold wrote to his son on 11 February, 1778: “As for your proposal (I can hardly write when I think of it), your proposal to travel about with Herr Weber and, be it noted, his two daughters - it has nearly made me lose my reason! My dearest son! How could you have allowed yourself to be bewitched even for an hour by such a horrible idea!” Wolfgang was so upset that he became sick but he had to accede to his father’s wishes and continue on his journey to Paris. After his mother’s death, he found his only solace in the hope that he would see his beloved Aloysia on his return journey. During all this drama Wolfgang barely noticed the little girl with the pretty eyes, the fourteen-year-old Constanze Weber who was to become his wife and the guardian of his posthumous fame. Wolfgang was loath to return to Salzburg and the suspicion arises that his plans to travel with Aloysia were also plans to liberate himself from his father. He drove his father to almost demented fury with his procrastination about his return journey.

Family problems were always resolved by Leopold alone, never allowing room for discussion. This may also have been due to parental attitudes to children during the 18th Century but Leopold sought and indeed continued to rule his children’s will well into their adulthood.

Leopold’s letters to his son during his Paris journey contain long litanies of his own financial woes. He always made sure that Wolfgang was aware of his obligation to support his family and repay the debt that his father had allegedly incurred on his behalf. In a letter to his son in February 1778 Leopold complained that he was as poor as Lazarus, his clothing as shabby and torn, and that he had to wear old socks and shoes to church, all this to impress upon Wolfgang his responsibility towards his father who was making so many sacrifices for him!!

As a result Wolfgang was torn between the desire to flee his father or return to the tyranny of Salzburg in order to help him. Wolfgang was bound to his family by ties stronger than blood; by his sense of guilt at having let his mother die in Paris and his responsibility for the debts incurred by his father to finance the ceaseless journeys undertaken by the whole family for Wolfgang’s benefit. It is a wonder that his talent survived the burdens lay upon him and did not shrivel up under his father’s severe and critical eye. Leopold convinced his son to return to Salzburg but when Wolfgang was commissioned to compose the opera Idomeneo for the Munich opera an opportunity presented itself for him to travel to Vienna. In early 1781 Archbishop Colloredo was visiting his ailing father in Vienna and required all his servants, cooks and musicians to accompany him. Wolfgang traveled to Vienna from Munich with only the clothes he was wearing but once there, he soon contrived to be dismissed from Colloredo’s service. Wolfgang remained in Vienna when all the other servants returned to Salzburg. Wolfgang’s act of insubordination against his employer finally ended the control his father had exercised over him.

Nannerl did not fare so well. She had been in love with a cavalry officer and when Leopold finally broke this liaison, Nannerl spent a year in total depression. Seemingly unconcerned, Leopold wedded her to an elderly nobleman, Baron Johann Baptist Berchtold von Sonnenburg, whose third wife she became, having to care for the children from her husband’s previous marriages. She gave birth to her first child, named after Leopold, on 27 July 1785 in her father’s home in Salzburg and returned to her husband in St. Gilgen without her baby, leaving him thereafter in Leopold’s care. Many Mozartean writers have applauded this deed as her supreme expression of love for her father. It is an unfathomable act of a totally oppressed woman unable to withstand her father’s entreaties. So convinced was Leopold that Wolfgang’s genius was due to his own efforts that he believed that another such genius was not entirely out of the question. His letters to Nannerl at St. Gilgen describe in detail the musical progress her baby was making. Little Leopold, however, had no apparent talent whatsoever, a fact that Leopold Mozart did not live to see. Little Leopold grew up to be a cavalry officer and later in life became a bureaucrat in the Austrian Taxation Department.

In 1786 Wolfgang made plans to travel to London. He did not like to be parted from Constanze for lengthy periods and so he turned to his father with the request that his two sons be placed in his father’s care. Leopold had at least two servants looking after Nannerl’s little boy; hence Wolfgang did not feel that his own two children would be an imposition.

Leopold promptly rejected his son’s request. He dashed off a letter to Nannerl, the tone of which reveals the coldness of his reply (not extant) to his son.

“You can easily imagine that I had to express myself very emphatically, as your brother actually suggested that I should take charge of his two children because he was proposing to undertake a journey through Germany to England in the middle of Carnival. I wrote therefore very fully and added that I would send him the continuation of my letter by the next post. Her Muller, the good and honest maker of silhouettes, had said a lot of nice things about little Leopold to your brother, who heard in this way that the child is living with me. I had never told your brother. So that is how the brilliant idea occurred to him or perhaps to his wife. Not at all a bad arrangement! They could go off and travel - they might even die - or remain in England - and I would have to run off after them with the children. As for payment he offers me for the children and for the maids to look after them - Basta! If he cares to do so, he will find my excuse very clear and instructive.”

One might wonder how Leopold’s letter affected Wolfgang and Constanze and whether the continuation of Leopold’s sermon was even read by them. The Mozarts’ little boy, also called Leopold, died of suffocation on 15 November, 1786 and was buried in St. Marx cemetery on the very day, 17 November, when Leopold penned his acrimonious letter to Nannerl.

Leopold Mozart’s relationship with Wolfgang deteriorated because of his inability to grant his son the freedom of an adult existence. Leopold’s blind hatred of Mozart’s wife, Constanze finally broke Wolfgang’s trust in his father. It is difficult to assess if this hatred of Constanze and her family stemmed from Leopold’s disappointment that his son did not marry into the nobility or that Wolfgang’s transference of his dependency from his father to Constanze deprived Leopold of his most vital link with his son. Leopold’s hatred of Constanze and her family had a continuing influence on Mozartean scholars. We find even so distinguished a scholar as Alfred Einstein hurling insults at Mozart’s beloved wife and her accomplished family of musicians and singers.

Yet it is interesting to note that Leopold’s letters to Nannerl, when in January 1785 he visited his son in Vienna, actually express his approbation of his daughter-in-law whom he praised for running an economical household and her mother and sisters for entertaining him regally. These comments were ignored by writers who preferred his earlier reference to Constanze when he called his son’s new bride a slut. This slur inspired writers to pick up pencil and paper to recount the apocryphal stories of Constanze’s sisters parading in front of the army barracks in Vienna with a view to picking up prospective husbands.

Where this scurrilous information came from is not known. All the while Constanze’s sister, Aloysia was married to Joseph Lange, a celebrated Shakespearean actor and painter and was herself the highest paid prima donna of the German Opera. Constanze’s eldest sister, Josepha was studying singing in Graz on an Imperial scholarship. On her return from Graz, Josepha joined the Schikaneder company and was the first Queen of the Night in Mozart’s opera, The Magic Flute. Constanze’s youngest sister, Sophie, fourteen years old at the time of Constanze’s marriage to Mozart, is well known in Mozartean history as the young maiden who suffered Leopold Mozart’s company while he lay sick during his visit to his son’s home in Vienna. Later she witnessed Wolfgang’s death and according to her report to Nissen, her brother-in-law expired in her arms.

After Nannerl gave birth to her first child, she returned to her husband’s household in St. Gilgen, letting Leopold dedicate the rest of his life to his grandson. He occasionally attended Archbishop Colloredo’s court and looked forward to the occasional theatre productions that took place in Salzburg. He became ill and died of heart failure on 28 May 1787 and had the final say even in death.

Leopold voiced his displeasure with his son by leaving his whole estate to his daughter with the exception of his personal items. These were to be auctioned and the proceeds were to be divided between his two children. There were 579 items to be auctioned but only 314 were sold, Nannerl retaining the most valuable objects. All the valuable gifts given to the young Wolfgang during his many travels were retained by Nannerl. Wolfgang’s scores which had remained in Salzburg when he so swiftly departed to Vienna from Munich took until December 1787 to be returned to him.

Maynard Solomon in his Mozart - A Life has estimated that Nannerl received from her father somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 florins. In her old age, when out of pity Constanze organized a collection for “Mozart’s impoverished sister” among London’s music lovers, Nannerl was actually in possession of more than 6,000 florins, left at the time of her death to her only remaining child, Leopold. When his father died, Wolfgang only received a settlement of 1,000 florins.

Nannerl may have been gratified by her father’s will, considering it a final proof that she was, after all, her father’s most beloved child. There is no doubt that her early youth was spent in the shadow of her brother and that she harbored a hidden resentment against him for the rest of her life.

Interestingly, the grandson Leopold Mozart never knew, Wolfgang’s youngest child, Franz Xaver Wolfgang, bore the closest resemblance to his grandfather. He had more than an average musical talent and became a music teacher in Lemberg, Poland. Like his grandfather, he was a man of romantic and lofty ideas but could never quite bring them to fruition. In his portrait he looks like Leopold. In appearance and bearing the two men are so similar that they could be mistaken for the portrait of the same man painted at different stages of life.

It is an irony that Leopold Mozart was destined to share his final resting place with his detested daughter-in-law, Constanze and her second husband Nikolaus von Nissen. The grave also houses the final remains of Constanze’s aunt, Genevieva Weber, the mother of Carl Maria von Weber, the father of the German Romantic Movement.

The musical heritage of the Mozart family ended with the death of Franz Xaver Mozart (Wolfgang Mozart’s son) on July 19, 1844 at Karlovy Vary
(Karlsbad) at the age of 53. Neither of Mozart’s sons married and there were no descendants. Nannerl’s great- granddaughter, Bertha Forschter, died in 1917 and Leopold Mozart’s great-great grandniece, Karoline Grau, died in 1965. I have not been able to confirm the story of a descendant of “Basle” Mozart, a milliner who was taken from a mental asylum in Germany with the rest of the asylum’s inmates to the ovens of a concentration camp in Hitler’s Germany.

Copyright: Agnes Selby (Courtesy “Quadrant”).

Subject: Some Circumstances for Replacement Arias K577 and K579
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 22:04:44 06/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
The Köchel Catalogue lists the Rondo "Al desio di chi t'adora" as
K577, as it was listed in Mozart's Work Catalogue under the date
"July 1789". Under K579 is listed the Aria "Un moto di gioia"--
which is not entered in Mozart's Work Catalogue--and dated by
Köchel presumably in August 1789. We have autographs of "Un
moto di gioia" both for the full score and a vocal score. No
autograph is known for "Al desio di chi t'adora", but a copyist's
vocal score with a cadenza entry by Mozart is known. Both these
Arias were composed as replacement Arias for Adriana Gabrieli del
Bene in a Vienna revival of "Le nozze di Figaro" which began in
August 1789. ["Al desio di chi t' adora" for the Act IV Aria "Deh
vieni non tardar ", and "Un moto di gioia" to replace the Act II Aria
"Venite, inginocchiatevi".]

Were both these numbers actually written for the premiere of the
1789 Figaro, which took place on August 29, 1789 (and was
performed a further 28 times, until February 9, 1791) at the Burg
Theater? In the November 2001 Cambridge Opera Journal, Dexter
Edge stated there was no persuasive documentary grounds for
placing the Aria "Un moto di gioio" in 1789. Basis for dating the
Aria in August 1789 has always been a comment in a letter of
Mozart to his wife of August [15?-18] 1789 in which he comments
"I have some alterations to make and my presence will be required
at the rehearsals"; and another in a letter later in the month in
which he writes "The little aria, which I composed for Madame
Ferrarsei, ought, I think, to be a success, provided she is able to
sing it in an artless manner, which however I very much doubt".
Edge states the paper type [Tyson NMA Watermark Nr.99] strongly
suggests a date in 1790 or even early 1791. As there is a
significant gap in Mozart's Work Catalogue between June and
December 1790, Edge suggests it quite possible "Un moto di
gioia" falls within this gap.

Then in the May 21, 2004, Sotheby's Catalogue I found a copy of
"Le nozze di Figaro" listed. The manuscript score was apparently
made by the copying house of Wenzel Sukowaty in Vienna; and
apparently has been unknown to Mozart scholarship up to now
according to the Sotheby Catalogue. Sukowaty was the chief music
copyist of the Vienna Court Theater until about 1796 and had the
advantage of preparing his copies directly from the primary
performing score of the Vienna Court Theater. Although this copy
can not be dated exactly, the catalogue description states it
appears to at least predate the publication of the vocal score of
the opera in 1796.

What is interesting in this score is that "Al desio di chi t'adore"
(K577) has replaced the original "Deh vieni non tardar"; but "Un
moto di gioio" (K579) is not included, and the original "Venite
inginocchiatevi" is retained.

Thus if Edge is correct and "Un moto di gioio" was composed a
year later or so, could this copy be from around August 1789--
before del Bene requested another substitute Aria? This Sukowaty
copy would tend to strengthen Edge's suggestion.

At any rate whatever the case, it appears Figaro was not always
performed after August 1789 with both new Arias for del Bene;
either one was composed later, or perhaps "Un moto di gioio" did
not go over well with the audience--or del Bene--and was not
used all the time.

There is, however, a bit of confusion that I am unable to untangle
at this time. Alan Tyson stated in his "Eight Variants to Le Nozze di
Figaro" that both "Al desio di chi t'adora" and "Un moto di gioio"
are found in many copyist's score from 1789 onwards. In the 1973
NMA volume of Figaro, Ludwig Finscher reported the texts of both
Arias were printed in the Vienna Libretto of 1789. These would
surely suggest the two Arias were included in the August 1789
performance. The NMA Critical Report of Figaro--which will give
detailed information on all sources-- has not been issued yet.

dennis

Subject: Re: Some Circumstances for Replacement Arias K577 and K579
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 13:31:25 06/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear dennis,

"At any rate whatever the case, it appears Figaro was not always performed after August 1789 with both new Arias for del Bene; either one was composed later, or perhaps "Un moto di gioio" did not go over well with the audience--or del Bene--and was not used all the time."

Is it not possible that, since this newly turned up copy of Figaro doesn't show it, that "Un moto di gioio" never DID get into the opera at? While I may have missed it, I've never seen or heard of any copy of the opera with this aria actually placed within it. The autograph has written on it (not by Mozart):

"Le Nozze di Figaro n. 12 Atto 2do" followed by what suspects is the linking recitative "e pur n'ho paura" ("and yet, I am afraid.")

This recitative isn't to be found in Figaro, nor in any copy I have heard of. What we could have is a trial work that didn't make it at all into the opera proper. Perhaps del Bene, presented with the choice between the new "Un moto di gioia" and the older, better "Venite inginocchiatevi" took umbrage that this change was the "best" Mozart could do for her, and stuck with the original.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: K.Anh. C 26.04
From: Marcus
To: All
Date Posted: 18:54:21 06/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Wilhelm Kempff wrote a piece based on this Mozart piece so I was just wondering what the history of this piece is as well as if there is a recording of it?
thanks in advance! (dennis? haha)

Subject: Re: K.Anh. C 26.04
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 09:14:30 06/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Marcus,
I found this in the Koechel Anhang Section 8 on this site;
"First issued in Musikal Magazin in Vienna in 1794, then Artaria, André and others including B & H Oeuvres complettes in 1799; work is Anton Eberl's Op.6; on July 15, 1798 Eberl gave notice in Hamburg paper he was author of 3 works printed as Mozart's (also see C25.01 and C 26.05)"
I looked around in my usual places for a recording but couldn't find one. Not even under "Eberl".
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Mozart's grandmother
From: Jan-Willem Besuijen
To: All
Date Posted: 18:44:23 06/25/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
The other day I came across a family tree of the Mozart's family, somewhere on the internet. It stated Mozart's grandmother died in 1766. If this is correct Mozart had a grandmother in the first ten years of his life. However, I never read/heard anything about a meeting between the two. My question: did Mozart ever knew his grandmother, did he ever meet her?

Regards,
Jan-Willem Besuijen

Subject: Re: Mozart's grandmother
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 20:21:18 06/25/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Leopold Mozart was the eldest of five surviving children. Leopold attended a university in Salzburg with no intentions of continuing his family's bookbinding profession. However, he was eventually expelled for lack of interest in his studies. He chose to be a musician in a foreign city, Salzburg, which was no doubt a shock to his family back in Augsburg. He met Anna Maria Pertl, daughter of an impoverished Salzburg couple, and requested his mother's blessing to marry. (His father had since died shortly after his expulsion.) She clearly did not approve of her eldest's marriage. She finally consented to their marriage, not knowing that the two had already married.

What hurt Leopold especially was his exclusion from a gift of 300 florins that each of his siblings received upon their marriages. He was the only child not to receive the money. It seemed that mother and son would never resolve.

Wolfgang and Nannerl probably never saw or knew their grandmother. She is not mentioned in any correspondence. Leopold took his children to Augsburg, where they gave three public performances. Their Augsburg family members did not attend any of these concerts. Leopold was already deeply hurt by his mother’s actions and most likely saw no use in mending their relationship.

Robby Bonkowski

Subject: Re: Mozart's grandmother
From: CBarb
To: All
Date Posted: 02:41:22 06/26/04 ()
Email Address: cbarbieri1@comcast.net
 

Message:
So, if I understand this correctly, Leopold -- though the eldest of five surviving children -- was born to his father's 2nd wife?

The more I learn about Leopold the more I think that he must have been a complex and strong willed fellow. Eschewing his father's business, and choosing to be a musician in a "foreign" city, must have taken some guts. Yet, if I remember correctly (I haven't read a Mozart biography in years), he always seemed to argue for the more conservative course in dispensing advice re the career path of his son.

On second thought, that sounds typical of the advice dispensed by most fathers, in any century.

CBarb

Subject: Re: Mozart's grandmother
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 19:03:19 06/26/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
"Eschewing his father's business" must have been a very gutsy and difficult move, indeed. When Leopold's treatise on violin playing was published (in 1756 I think), he asked a friend to write to his mother to let her know that 300 florins would be needed to cover for the cost of printing and binding. So tense were his relations, that he could not communicate directly with her or his brothers, who were running the family's bookbinding business. (I presume he wanted to stay away from this business when he published his book.) The "insanity", as Agnes put it, probably didn't help either.

Leopold tried to "control" Wolfgang as much as he could. One can say that he loved his son "too much." Of course, Wolfie didn't take it that way. Leopold was no doubt alarmed at his son's rebellious behavior and at the striking similarities between his own path and Wolfgang's. Experiencing firsthand what could happen to the relationship between a disputing parent and child, he tried to use consertavism to control and tame the fire that burned between them. Instead of drawing Wolfgang closer, it pushed him farther away. Quite sad...

I've been listening to some L.Mozart lately, nothing profound or notable. Just 'pleasant' music.

Today is Kozeluch's birthday (b.1747)
Also, Mozart completed the Symphony in Eb, K.543, on this day 1788.

Robby

Subject: Re: Mozart's grandmother
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 20:28:34 06/25/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Agnes, sorry for having posted a message where you had already done so. It appears that I was typing my posting the same time you were. Two is better than one i guess...

Robby

Subject: Re: Mozart's grandmother
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 21:54:31 06/25/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Robby,

Yes, two are better than one. One reinforces the other.

While we are still on the subject, Robby, I strongly suspect that Leopold inherited his mother's obssessive nature and the destructiveness associated with it. His behavior towards his son, particularly during Mozart's years in Vienna, his Will in which he left Nannerl the greater share of the inheritance, his obssissive hatred of Mozart's wife, his unwillingness to look after his grandchildren, so that Mozart could travel to London, indicate that the apple does not fall far from the tree. This streak of insanity, if one should call it that for want of a better word, even appeared in a Mozart family decendant, namely Basel's great-great- granddaughter who was picked up by the Nazis in an Insane Asylum and transported with the rest of the inmates to a concentration camp.

Kind regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: Mozart's grandmother
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 19:58:37 06/25/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Jan-Willem,

It is most unlikely that Mozart met his Augsburg grandmother. Born in 1696 as Anna Maria Sulzer, she was the daughter of a weaver and Leopold Mozart's father's second wife.

Leopold's disagreement with his family, particularly with his mother, would have precluded a meeting between Wolfgang and his paternal grandmother.

Anna Maria's obssessions with her neighbours in a mostly Protestant Augsburg resulted in many lawsuits
and dissipated the small family fortune. In the end, she was placed by the Augsburg city authorities in a mental institution where she died in 1766.

Kind regards,
Agnes Selby.

Subject: Why did Mozart compose the Symphony K551?
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 05:17:56 06/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Why did Mozart compose the Symphony K551 and why was it not
performed?

There have been many hypothesis to these two questions, some
very good, others not so. In a recently published article A. Peter
Brown gives an analysis of the Symphony and gives a plausible
answer to these questions.

Putting the composition in focus with what was occurring in
Vienna, Brown reminds us that during the summer of 1788 Vienna
was a deserted city. The wealthier residents of the city would have
been out of town at their summer palaces. Thus not only the
wealthy themselves, but their servants (including musicians) were
out of the city. Forgotten nowadays, but certainly not then, is that
Austria was involved in the Turkish War at the time. Thus many of
the male nobility were in the battlefield. The newspapers of the
day (like today) were filled with war news and gave the progress of
the war. As Brown records: "Christian Austrians were portrayed as
humanitarian and brave, pagan Turks as brutal and cowardly. In
toto, only one conclusion could be drawn from these reports: An
Austrian/Russian victory was at hand".

What has this to do with the "Jupiter" Symphony? Remember the
"Jupiter" was added later, in 1788, this was only a Symphony in C-
major. As Brown shows in his article it is a "Trumpet Fanfare
Symphony", and certainly much different than most symphonies of
the period--by Mozart or others. With its many 1st and 4th
movement fanfares, the sarabande of the Andante, the serious
mood of the Minuet and the concluding contrapuntal fantasy on
Alleluia or Gloria (or Credo) chants, this symphony was a work for
a solemn celebration.

With Mozart's presumed knowledge of former Imperial
celebrations, Brown believes it possible this symphony harks back
to the ceremonies that took place after the previous campaign
against the Turks of 1697 to 1707. In other words was the
"Jupiter" symphony meant to be the "Victory" symphony? [My
nickname, not Brown's.] As it turned out the war did not go well
and the costly peace was not finally achieved until August 1791.
Thus it is likely Mozart's Symphony was never performed in his
lifetime.

For the full analysis and reasoning of Brown find the article
"Eighteenth-Century Traditions and Mozart's 'Jupiter' Symphony
K.551" in The Journal of Musicology 2003 (vol. 20/2).

dennis

Subject: Re: Why did Mozart compose the Symphony K551?
From: Neal Zaslaw
To: All
Date Posted: 14:13:21 06/23/04 ()
Email Address: naz2@cornell.edu
 

Message:
Dear Dennis,

With all due respect to the late A. Peter Brown, who was a good scholar, I believe that K. 551 WAS performed by Mozart. I give my arguments in an article, "Mozart as a Working Stiff," which is in a collection entitled On Mozart, ed. by James Morris.

Neal

Subject: Re: Why did Mozart compose the Symphony K551?
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 08:43:07 06/24/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Professor Zaslaw as stated he disagrees with A. Peter Brown on the
circumstances of performance of the "Jupiter" symphony. To be
fair to all, and give a more complete picture, here is a summary of
his stance on the subject, which he published in the 1994 book
"On Mozart".

Mozart usually composed for some practical purpose. It might
have been a commission, an upcoming concert given by himself or
another musician, a work on speculation that it would be
performed, or even for social entertainment. Thus the last 3
symphonies would not have been written for inner necessity.

On the last 3 symphonies Zaslaw tells this story. In the mid
-1780's Mozart was popular and very busy with new compositions
for various venues, private and public. As would be expected, he
made a good amount of money and lived well. However as the
decade went on Austria became involved in a war with Turkey and
the economy went into depression Noble patrons of music were
out of Vienna, theaters closed, there were less concerts, thus
musician were let go as Vienna's musical life declined. Of course
Mozart's income suffered and he began to borrow money.

In the summer of 1788 Mozart began to make plans to deal with
his financial problems. He hoped to put on subscription concerts
in the autumn and thought of traveling to London where more
money could be made than in Vienna. For these plans he would
need new symphonies. And we see 3 symphonies were entered in
his work catalogue in the summer of 1788.

In late August a Danish visitor to Vienna tells of an afternoon at
the Mozart home where Wolfgang improvised for him on the piano
and Constanze cut quill-pens for the copyist. Then in a letter that
perhaps was written a few weeks after this visit, Mozart asks
Michael Puchberg for another loan to carry him for a week until his
concerts in the Tratterhof Casino begin. Mozart also sent him
tickets for the concert. Zaslaw reminds use concerts were not
advertised or reviewed in the newspaper so it is not unusual we
have no record of them occurring, unless mentioned in a letter or
a diary of a person that has survived. However if Mozart had
tickets printed already it is likely the concerts were put on.

We can be sure the g-minor symphony was performed from a
revision in the Andante and addition of Clarinets in a new version,
which would have been for a specific performance. Mozart did tour
Germany late in the decade and gave public orchestral concerts in
Dresden and Leipzig in 1789 and in Frankfurt and Mainz in 1790.
Each of these concerts contained at least two symphonies. Then in
Vienna on April 16 and 17, 1791, a symphony of Mozart's was
performed.

As Zaslaw states "the very idea that Mozart would have written
three such symphonies unprecedented in length, complexity, and
seriousness, merely to please himself or because he was "inspired"
flies in the face of his known attitudes to music and life and the
financial straits in which he then found himself.".

I highly recommend this article (for a short review of the book--
see Book Reviews in the Library section of this MozartForum) for
logical reasons on why Mozart composed. It also brings to light
something I have found to be the case in many Mozart
compositions as I researched them backward. What is now a
"Mozart did this" statement, began 100 or more years ago as
"Mozart could have done this" statement and evolved into a for
certain statement. Again the book is "On Mozart", edited by James
M. Morris, Cambridge University Press, 1994).

dennis

Subject: does anyone know the history of this ?
From: Marcus
To: All
Date Posted: 01:42:38 06/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Fantasia for Piano in c, K 475 (w added 2nd piano part by Grieg)

help dennis? =)

Subject: Re: does anyone know the history of this ?
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 05:42:44 06/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Marcus:

I am afraid I can't help you on this one. Searching a few local
libraries for scores I have found that Grieg added a 2nd piano part
not only to K475, but also K545 and K283/189h. Perhaps there
are more. I also found one recording: ABC Classics 454 224-2,
performed by Julie Adam and Daniel Herscovitch.

I also did not see it listed in the Köchel Catalogue in Anhang B
(section for arrangements) to K475, among the many arrangments
for orchestra, 4-hand piano, Piano and Violin, and String Trio.

dennis

Subject: Re: does anyone know the history of this ?
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 10:31:25 06/23/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
This whole discussion is not clear to me, mostly because I am uncertain as to the nature of the 2nd piano part added by Grieg.

Is this 2nd part simply an arrangement of the orchestral music, which permits a pianist to perform the concerto with another pianist playing the orchestral accompaniment?? Or, is the 2nd part an entirely different animal, and if so, it needs some description.

I think that almost every piano concerto can be purchased with a 2nd piano part duplicating the orchestral music. There is nothing special about such publications and it is not surprising that they are not listed in the traditional literature dealing with that particular concerto. It is the same thing in buying arias normally done with an orchestral accompaniment but are sold with a piano reduction of that accompaniment. That's business as usual and it really doesn't matter how famous the person was who produced the piano reduction. It's not going to be dealt with in the literature unless there is some very special aspect to that particular reduction. For example, Mozart himself made a piano reduction of Voi che sapete. Now that's special.

So what kind of a thing is the Grieg 2nd piano part?

Subject: Re: does anyone know the history of this ?
From: Marcus
To: All
Date Posted: 11:54:20 06/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I believe you have misread the previous post. K.475 is a Fantasia for solo piano in c-minor not a concerto by any means. There would be no orchestral reduction for such a piece because there was never music written to accompany this piece. It is a solo piece. Therefore the fact that Grieg has written a second piano part to it is quite startling. That would be like C.M.Weber adding a second clarinet to Mozart's Clarinet concerto or Liszt adding a second piano to a Mozart sonata.

I listened to the piece on the radio and Grieg has bascially taken Mozart's fantasy note for note and written a brand new second piano part in addition, Creating a duet of sorts, or more like decorating the original piece with some new accompaniments, call and response, harmonizations, and thicker textures and many new notes.

For example the opening is quite bare, outlining a harmony for a few bars, than sequencing it up, but it doesnt quite get to the theme till a few bars later. Here Grieg has add tremolos for the second piano, sustaining one harmony, which combined with Mozart's original becomes quite different.

Everyone should listen to the piece, although it becomes quite romantic and daring at times, it is also quite beautiful and unique, and Grieg defintely adds some nice effects.

I merely wanted to know if any one knew more backgroud about the piece, thats all.

Subject: Re: does anyone know the history of this ?
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 14:23:59 06/23/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
Clearly I misunderstood the question as you suggested.

Subject: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 05:54:54 06/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

The "Adelaide" Concerto was published in 1933, edited by Marius
Casadesus. Its first performance was in London by Jelly d'Aranyi.
The work was called the "Adelaide" Concerto by Casadesus,
claiming the short score he worked from consisted of an
autograph in two staves--the upper carrying the solo part,
including tuttis, in D, the lower the Bass in E--with a dedication
accompanying the score addressed to Madame Adelaide de
France, the eldest daughter of Louis XV, and dated Versailles May
26, 1766.

This so-called autograph was mysterious from the beginning. It
was claimed it was in a private collection in France, but was
unknown to experts of the time. One must remember one of the
foremost Mozart experts of the time was Georges St.Foix, a
Frenchman. The other foremost expert, Alfred Einstein, was not
allowed to see the autograph. Even the publishing house, Schott,
could not claim to have seen the "autograph".

Einstein in 1934 was the first to dissect the origins of the work. He
questioned why the Concerto was not in Leopold Mozart's 1768
catalogue of his son's works. Einstein further showed the Mozarts
had arrived in Versailles on May 28, 1766--2 days after the
supposed dedication--and were back in Paris by June 1. And why
would Mozart write out a dedication to an unfinished work.
Einstein further stated if Wolfgang "wished to write a Concerto,
then he would have written the work as a Concerto and not on two
staves. He was familiar with the handling of full score". He also
questioned the style of the work, believing it "projected backward
from the later concertos". Facing all this evidence Einstein doubted
the work was an authentic Mozart Concerto, however left the door
ajar by asking if it could be a leaf of the lost "Capricci" sketched in
Holland, and later finding its way to Paris.

10 years later Einstein was not even giving Casadesus that much,
stating in his Mozart book "to put it mildly [the Concerto] is a
piece of mystification a la Kreisler".

Friedrich Blume in 1956 came up with a solution to the dedication
problem. The manuscript and dedication had nothing to do with
one another and came together only by chance; then made the
incredible statement "as long as the source remains inaccessible it
is surely better to work on such an hypothesis than reject the work
altogether". Thus Blume gives us the idea the dedication, which is
similar to those of the Violin Sonatas Op.1 and 2 of 1764, is to
another--unknown and lost work of Wolfgang. Rather than answer
the question of that work and what happened to it, he simply
states "however the question is no longer of interest". !!!! Blume
saw the Adelaide Concerto similar to K207 and K211 in its
structure, adding these two Concertos do not surpass the Adelaide
in their invention. He believed it was "not entirely excluded" that
here was a sketch written between April and July 1775.

To my knowledge the only other person in the world who bought
this was Yehudi Menuhin, who recorded the Concerto (along with
K271i). K6 placed it firmly in the Anh C section, and the New
Grove calls it plainly a forgery.

Beside the recording by Menuhin, I have a recording on CD of this
Concerto by Mela Tenenbaum on Ess.ay records.

============================

This concludes the short series on Mozart's Violin Concertos, and
those somehow connected or attributed to him. I hope you
enjoyed, learned, and listened to some of these Concertos.

dennis

Subject: Re: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 17:46:22 06/21/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Dear Dennis, thanks for your recent articles on the violin concertos. They are wonderful!

Robby

Subject: Re: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 17:54:19 06/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Dennis, I would like to echo Robby's thanks to you.

Can I ask you for a special favour? Could you please discuss Mozart's Trios?

Kind regards,
Agnes.

P.S. Kathy is most grateful for the one you have already sent her.

Subject: Re: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: Maurizio Tomasi
To: All
Date Posted: 02:26:06 06/21/04 ()
Email Address: zio_tom78@hotmail.com
 

Message:
Thanks for the interesting posting. In an italian book ("I Concerti di Mozart", by Luigi della Croce) I read that at the end of his life Casadesus brought suit against a recording label which produced a recording of Anh. 294a omitting to cite him as the author of the harmonization and orchestration. During the trial, he admitted he was the only author of the concerto. Actually, the book by Della Croce clearly states this concerto is a forgery.

If I remember well, Casadesus deliberately composed this concerto in a mozartean style in order to play it for some friends. After the concerto, they believed it to be a newly discovered concerto by Mozart himself. Casadesus did not correct such an idea, and the myth began.

Maurizio Tomasi

Subject: Re: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: DonW
To: All
Date Posted: 14:44:08 06/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
How very interesting! My son has claimed that he could write a mozartian piece. Are there other ezamples of such efforts?

Subject: Re: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: Hansen
To: All
Date Posted: 01:54:53 06/22/04 ()
Email Address: ueckert@uni-hamburg.de
 

Message:
Have a look at the Library/Articles and Essays page of this forum and
read the article "Sonatine in C für Klavier (with midi files)".

Tell your son to go to SibeliusMusic.com and look for "Fr1771a" (see
URL below). This is an example where he can try his abilities in writing
a Mozartean piece.

Hansen

Subject: Re: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: DonW
To: All
Date Posted: 15:49:54 06/22/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Many thanks!

Subject: Re: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 22:25:47 06/20/04 ()
Email Address:
Message:
Dear dennis,

Again, great work.

And again, a work worth knowing, if only for how easy it is for some folks to come up with forgeries that can get close (enough) to make one wonder, if you didn't know the facts.

I like this work, even knowing what it is. If you are collecting Mozart, it ought to be in your collection, if only as a novelty item to amuse yourself with.

As dennis has noted in other postings, you can get both the Adelaide and K.271a (the other good "maybe" work)on one CD, and that's ESS.A.Y CD1072. K.271a I think is a better work than #6 K.268. I mean, if you're going to listen to music that may be false Mozart, at least listen to the best sounding stuff!

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: "Adelaide" Violin Concerto in D K.Anh 294a
From: Marcus
To: All
Date Posted: 00:49:55 06/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I must say tho, k.268 performed by Dieter Klocker sounds quite nice (at least the first movement) and it is def. a piece I would like to perform on clarinet if Mr.Klocker ever released more of his work!

Subject: Violin Concerto In C K271a
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 05:03:32 06/19/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

The Violin Concerto in D K271a is handed down in two copies that
apparently originated independent of each other:
1) as a full score copy from the collection of Aloys Fuchs (now in
Prussian State Library, Berlin); and
2) in a set of parts in Paris that Eugene Sauzay (a Paris Violinist)
made in 1837 for his teacher and father-in-law Pierre Baillot, from
the autograph that must have been found in the possession of
Francois Antonie Habeneck (a famous Paris conductor and Violinist
in the 19th Century and also a student of Baillot).

It is unclear from what model Fuchs prepared his copy. Fuchs
remarked in one of his catalogues "Violin Concerto--with
orchestra which in Salzburg in autograph score shall be found?
The authenticity is first of all yet to establish". The most unusual
aspect of the Fuchs copy is that its layout does not correspond to
any other copy of a Mozart work. The solo Violin is not entered on
the topmost, but lowest staff of the score.

In the Paris set of parts Baillot wrote on the finale page "Concerto
for Violin, Composed by Wolfgang Amadee Mozart, in Salzburg, on
July 16, 1777. Copied by Euguene Sauzay from the full score
manuscript of this author belonging to Mr. Habeneck in 1837".
Robert Levin pointed out that contrary to Fuchs' layout, a scrap of
paper pasted in this source lists the instruments in the exact order
used by Mozart and with the horn solmisation found, e.g., in
Mozart's other Violin Concertos. Since none of Mozart's other
Violin Concertos were published at this time, this coincidence
cannot be explained away easily. The Concerto was first published
in 1907 by Albert Kopfermann, after Fuchs' copy.

How and why did Sauzay obtain and copy Mozart's autograph (if it
was the autograph)? In his "Memoires" Sauzay wrote of reviving
Mozart Concertos with his wife in their apartments. As Augustine
Sauzay was a distinguished pianist, these were probably Piano
Concertos, but it seems likely the copy of this Violin Concerto in D
was made for these occasions, perhaps in chamber form. How the
Violin Concerto manuscript would have got to Paris is unclear. One
thought is that Mozart sold the autograph directly to someone in
Paris; a second is the connection of the pianist Marie Bigot de
Moragues' (a friend of Sauzay) husband to music publishers in
Vienna. Sauzay or Baillot perhaps played the solo part in Paris. As
a matter of fact 2 Cadenzas are found pasted to the Paris music
pages that might originate from Baillot. A third Cadenza pasted
inside could originate from Sauzay. According to the French
custom of the time the wind parts are transcribed on separate
sheets for the piano, probably by the composer/violinist
Alexander Boëly. The Sauzay and Fuchs copies have small
deviations in addition to a 37 measure longer closing section of
the 3rd movement in the Fuchs copy. Fuchs' copy also contained
cadenzas to all movements, certainly not Mozart's according to
Kopfermann, who did not print them. That Mozart himself revised
these 37 measures with another of 7 measures is seen by some as
being authentic, according to his September 11, 1778, letter in
which he writes "If I have time, I shall rearrange some of my Violin
Concertos, and shorten them".

Köchel did not know the Concerto, so it was not listed in K1. In K2
(1905) Walderese listed the Concerto as K271a, dating it July 16,
1777, and stating the lost autograph had been in the possession
of Habeneck in Paris in 1837. After its publication in 1907 (and
first performance on November 4, 1907, in Dresden) scholars
lined up for and against its authenticity. St. Foix, for one, did not
doubt its authenticity, but believed this version was a later
revision by Mozart himself around 1779 or 1780. Still others took
the course that Mozart supplied the "rough and kernel" of the
work and someone else finished it. Rudolf Gerber published
another edition in April 1934, placing no doubts on his
authenticity and briefly discussed the Finale's epilogue theme
similarity to the Gavotte in Les Petits Riens (first reported A. Heuss
in 1907) as well as the first movement's thematic relation to K211.
In 1932 Yehudi Menuhin recorded the Concerto with Cadenzas by
George Enesco.

Einstein kept the Concerto in the main part of K3 (renumbering it
K271i--not because the date changed but because he had
renumbered other works from 271b to 271h), believing Mozart
wrote out a hasty sketch of a Violin Concerto, but stating the
original form of the work of 1777 could not be clearly
reconstructed. Many scholars felt the Violin required too much
playing in the high register. Others remained uncomfortable with
the pizzicato playing in the slow movement, and double stopping
in tenths of the Violin. Einstein maintained these were
embellishments added in the 19th Century. Friedrich Blume came
out strongly in favor of authenticity, writing "not one passage
allows of any room for doubt in regard to themes, harmony,
rhythm, construction and orchestration". He stated there were
analogies in the Violin movements of Mozart's Divertimenti and
Serenades, and the entire Concerto should not be questioned
because of some peculiarities of Violin technique. Blume attached
Einstein's hasty sketch theory and criticized Einstein on other
ideas on the Concerto.

In 1963 Carl Bär published a paper that firmly believed in Mozart's
authorship of the piece. Citing the quotation in Joachim von
Schiedenhofen's diary of July 25, 1777, that at Gusset's Mozart
works were rehearsed consisting of a Symphony, a Violin
Concerto--played by young Mozart--and a Flute Concerto, Bär
believed K271a was composed for this occasion. Bär also believed
the Violin Concerto Leopold Mozart referred to in a letter of
September 18, 1777, that "Herr Kolb" played was also K271a.
Leopold again refers to "the Concerto you wrote for Kolb" on
August 3, 1778, and identifies this as referring to K271a. As
Leopold stated in a letter of April 13, 1778, that Count Czernin--
who had been in Salzburg since April 1775--had never heard Kolb
play the Violin, Bär rules out any of the 5 Violin Concertos of 1775
as being the "Kolb Concerto".

It is not all that sure who Kolb was. Franz Xavier Kolb (1731-1782)
was first thought to be the Violinist. However Bär believes it is
more likely to be one of his sons--Joachim (born 1752) or Johann
Andreas Kolb, 5 years older. Bär leans toward Johann Andreas.
"Herr Kolb", being an amateur, could not have had a large
repertoire and played Mozart's Concerto (which Bär hypothesizes
Mozart gave him just prior to leaving Salzburg). Bär believed the
Concerto was thus composed between June 16--the performance
of the second Lodron Nachtmusik K287/271H--and Nannerl's
Name Day, July 26, 1777. Bär also believed the dating on the
manuscript helped show its authenticity. The Italian heading
"Salisburgo li 16 di Luglio 1777" is similar to numerous
autographs of the time, and in a time period that whoever placed
the heading there could not know a Violin Concerto had probably
been written.

However Ernest Hess believed the large number of compositional
errors, unMozartian phrases, instrumentation weaknesses,
meaningless sequences, such as Mozart had parodied in his
"Musical Joke", certainly spoke against Mozart's authorship.

K6 kept the Concerto in the main part of the catalogue, mostly
copying the K3 remarks section, but eluded to Hess' doubts on its
authenticity.

Christoph-Hellmut Mahling in 1978 briefly raised the question if
the Concerto could not be the work of another master that Mozart
copied for his own use. He concludes that after all considerations
are in, that there are more questions open than answered. "One
thing is however rather clear: The riddle of the Violin Concerto
K271i is yet to be solved". In 1980 the NMA (edited by Mahling)
placed the Concerto in Works of Doubtful Authenticity. All the
Cadenzas mentioned above are printed in the Appendix of NMA.

Manfred Hermann Schmid [Mozart Studien 1999] on basic of
formal and technical aspects of the Concerto expressed more
than doubt on the Concerto: "I find in the entire Concerto K271i
no music which I in earnest would put in a claim for Mozart".
Schmid thought the composition appears to belong to the 1780's,
but with different techniques and forms than Mozart used.

Mahling in the 2001 Mozart-Jahrbuch again published some
considerations on the Violin Concerto K271a. In reviewing much of
what had been published earlier he gave updated information and
opinions. In considering if the work was an arrangement, who
could it be? Comparing the Concerto with Concertos of Baillot,
Mahling found the violin solos are structured entirely different.
Mahling found the Violin Concerto K271a to be much closer in
style to the Violin Concertos of Rodolphe Kreutzer (1766 - 1831),
and gives an example of his Violon Concerto Nr. 1 in G-major
from 1783-84. [Kreutzer was a French composer and violinist. He
was professor of Violin at the Paris Conservatory from its founding
in 1795 until 1826 and was one of the authors of the violin
method taught there. Between 1783 and 1810 he wrote 19 Violin
Concertos. Beethoven's "Kreutzer Sonata" for Violin and Piano
Op.47 is dedicated to him.] Mahling believes the frequent high
postions of the solo violin in K271a show the French influence of
the Concertos of Baillot and Kreutzer and correspond to the
exercises of the teachings at the Paris Conservatoire. However
these high notes were frequently "unmotivted" with nothing
leading to their appearance and seemed disconnected and
unnecessary to the piece. Mahling found much in the Concerto
that was very unMozartian, but more customary to the French
composition school a little later. The noted unusual use of
pizzicato in the second movement is found in the beginning of a
Symphonie Concertante for 2 Violins in d-minor (Op.38 from
1816) of Baillot. Also the tempo indication "Allegro Maestoso" for
the 1st movement--found later in Mozart's Piano Concertos, but
in none of this Violin Concertos--is frequently found in Concertos
from the French region. And the "majestic beginning" of the
Concerto, with its punctuated notes, according to Mahling is
characteristic of the French Overture form. If this Concerto is an
"arrangement", Mahling thinks the best possibilites would be
Baillot or Kruetzer, and the probable origin time about 1830.

So Mahling concludes that we have many questions on the
Concerto:

---From the form of the solo Violin part could we accept a Mozart
Concerto of a later dating?
---Or had Mozart arranged a Violin concerto of another
composer?
---Or just the opposite, could another have arranged an
autograph model of Mozart's? Thus Mozart provided the
"substance" and it is now presented in a different garment?
---Or did the Concerto originate from a later time from an
unknown author and was only thought to be by Mozart, or falsely
attributed to him?
---Or in the end is it simply a matter of a "forgery'?

Kevin Bazzana in his CD notes to the Richard Kapp recording of
this Concerto believes he has a clue for the provenance of the
Concerto. Kapp stated that during the recording sessions the
members of the Czech Philharmonie Chamber Orchestra laughed
when they began playing the piece, for the theme of the Rondo
quotes a Bohemian Christmas carol. Thus the Concerto could have
been the work of a Czech composer. Perhaps someone familiar
with Bohemian music of that period can nail down this tune, and
we can add this to the puzzle of the Violin Concerto K271a.

I have numerous recordings of the Concerto, and all use the
longer version found in the Fuchs Berlin copy of the Concerto.
Jean-Jacques Kantorow uses the Cadenzas found in this copy,
while all others use either their own or Cadenzas of recent
composers.

dennis

Subject: Re: Violin Concerto In C K271a
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 22:15:36 06/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear dennis,

Again, a great posting! I like this concerto better than the dubious one, though whether it's more or less dubious I can't say! Just on hearing alone, it doesn't sound "french" which may simply mean that if it were to be a forgery it ought not to sound that way so as to fool people.

Deter Klocker came up with a clarinet version in someone's archives somewhere, and issued a recording a few years back. It actually sounds better (at least to me) as a clarinet concerto, which may tell you something (either about the work, or me, or both).

Anyway, again folks out there ought to get a copy and decide for yourself, or at least lean one way or another. It's actually a good work, worth knowing, and while it won't knock your socks off, it is one to add to your (not)Mozart collection. And, who knows......

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: Violin Concerto In C K271a
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 12:31:28 06/21/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I own the recording of the clarinet version of K.268 in E Flat Major.

I do not believe there is a clarinet version of the D Major concerto K.271a.

Subject: Re: Violin Concerto In C K271a
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 19:58:49 06/19/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dennis,
Greatly enjoyed your informative posts. Since violin concertos as a genre were my introduction to CM, their history and context has always been particularly interesting to me. BTW, I have a few Viotti Concertos, and while they are not of Amade's caliber, they are nonetheless very listenable.
Thanks again,
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Music for Expectant Mothers
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 05:49:44 06/18/04 ()
Email Address: webmaster@inspiredpen.4t.com
 

Message:

Dear fellow Mozart lovers,

[Note:I'm sharing this article which I've primarily written for RITRO.com (Health and Living Section) dated June 15, 2004. Agnes and Daisy think that some people here might be interested. Best regards, Tel]

Music for Expectant Mothers
(June 15, 2004 9:00 AM) By Tel Asiado

One of the most important sounds to a foetus is that of its mother's voice, according to Dr. Alfred Tomatis, French physician and psychologist, who pioneered groundwork for the multidisciplinary science called Audio-Psycho-Phonology (APP). He revolutionized our understanding of the role our ears play and explained ‘why the way we listen’ has a profound impact on almost all aspects of our day-to-day lives. Tomatis documented the sounds most beneficial to the foetuses and revealed what music would ease kicking within the mother’s womb.

The Tomatis listening method has been shown to be especially successful for expectant mothers. It explains that the foetus reacts strongly to its mother’s emotions and the music that she sings or listens to. A study was done at the Vesoul Hospital in France where researchers reported that pregnant women who participated in four weeks during the eight month of pregnancy spent less time in the hospital and had fewer complications. Further result showed that 60 percent of the Tomatis patients needed no medication, as against 46 percent of the conventionally prepared and 50 percent of the unprepared mothers. Women using the Tomatis method expressed less worry about giving birth.

It has been well researched and documented that the initial purpose of the ear is to grow the brain of the unborn child. After birth, the function of the ear is to charge the neo cortex of the brain and the entire nervous system. The food digested by the body provides its nourishment and fuel. Sound waves “digested” by the ear are what fuel the brain, and therefore, sound is literally a nutrient.

The ears of a growing baby in the womb begin to function when it is 18 to 24 weeks old. After the 26th week of pregnancy, a foetus can hear a mother’s heartbeat, circulation, and a range of low frequency sounds, such as her rhythmic breathing and the gurgling of her stomach. The unborn baby can also hear the mother’s voice. The higher frequencies of the mother’s voice is said to literally nourish the foetus. A uterine dialogue is established where the foetus waits for the sound of its mother’s voice, content when the unborn child hears it, and listens for the sound of her voice once again. This is how the listening process begins that is carried into childhood. It is also the start of the emotional and psychological bond between mother and infant.

The low and repetitive sounds tend to ‘discharge’ the brain, causing weakness and fatigue, while the higher sounds such as the mother’s voice that the baby hears in the womb, tend to stimulate and charge the brain. They are soothing and feel nurturing to the foetus.

If she is continually distressed or is subjected to loud discordant sounds, her rhythmic breathing becomes harmful to the development of her child, physically, mentally and spiritually. Such disharmony can affect her baby's hormonal responses and the neurological impulses of the nervous system. In reaction, the foetus will have a raised heart rate and will start kicking against her womb in a violent fashion.

It has been found that the music of Wolfgang Mozart in particular has helped lower a baby's heart rate and have alleviated the force of the baby's kicks. Some research has also shown that foetuses in the last trimester of pregnancy can hear and understand simple syllables. Why Mozart in particular? Tomatis himself posed the same question. So have I, and a lot of other Mozart and classical music lovers. Well, although Mozart shares affinities with other composers of his period, Tomatis asserts: “Wolfgang Mozart has an effect, an impact, which the others do not have … he has a liberating, curative, and I would even say, healing power. His efficacy exceeds by far what we observe among his predecessors, his contemporaries, or his successors.”

Moms-to-be, consider also making up simple lullabies or rhymes which you can hum to welcome the embryo growing within you. To paraphrase Dr. Tomatis, let your unborn baby draw a feeling of security from this permanent dialogue through the music that guarantees a harmonious blossoming.

Key References:

Cynthia Blanche/Antonia Beattie The Power of Music Lansdowne Sydney, 2000
Don Campbell The Mozart Effect Hodder & Stoughton A/NZ, 1997
Featured article by Irene H. Zundel Sound as a Nutrient in Utero

http://www.tomatis.com
http://www.tomatis.com.au
http://www.greenepa.net

Suggested CDs:

Mozart for Mothers-To-Be
More Mozart for Mothers-To-Be
Ultrasound-Music for the Unborn Child
Tune your Brain: Pregnancy and Childbirth

(Note: The use of music during pregnancy, delivery, infancy, and even for young children constitutes one of the fastest growing fields of music therapy. As a result of studies in relation to the Tomatis Method, hospitals and maternity clinics have started to make music therapy available. This article focuses on the effect of music for the expectant mother. Tel Asiado, RITRO Staff writer.)

Subject: Re: Music for Expectant Mothers
From: Tony Clements
To: All
Date Posted: 00:52:19 06/19/04 ()
Email Address: tonyfrclements@hotmail.com
 

Message:
If you listen to Internet Radio, you might be interested in:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml

Look under Mozart, The effect of

It goes a little wider than just expectant mothers.

Tony Clements

Subject: Re: Music for Expectant Mothers
From: Zevy
To: All
Date Posted: 10:42:32 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi

This reminds me of a true story:

When my wife was in the 9th month with my daughter, Shoshana, we went to "Barge Music" where chamber music is performed on an actual floating barge. One of the pieces performed was the D minor quartet where it is said that Constance was in heavy labor as he was writing those ascending arpeggios. The barge was rocking from side to side and my wife was not comfortable at all. That was the last time my wife accompanied me to a musical performance....

Subject: Re: Music for Expectant Mothers
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 06:14:00 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

I have already told Tellern that I can absolutely vouch for her observation.

My daughter, Kathryn was preparing for a recital which included a very contemporary piece. She was in her last stages of pregnancy and Nicholas hated that piece. He was terribly restless in utera when she practiced the work but on the evening of the recital, he outdid himself. His little feet were flying about under her smock. The audience was histerical with laughter and while Kathy continued playing the work, she almost died from embarassment.

As an infant, he liked playing under the piano and thoroughly enjoyed listening to Mozart and Beethoven.
But he screemed blue murder when she again had to prepare the piece he so hated before he was actually born. With a non-stop crying baby, while she practiced, Kathy had to drop that particular work from her repertoire, not that she regretted it very much.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Music for Expectant Mothers
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 06:11:18 06/19/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Ha ha ha! Love it.

Teresa

Subject: Re: Music for Expectant Mothers
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 06:42:22 06/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Teresa,

Thanks! Agnes told me you might be interested, one of the reasons I posted it here. ;-)

Best regards,
Tel

Subject: Re: Music for Expectant Mothers
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 05:39:05 06/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi Tel,

I did indeed enjoy your post--In fact, I played Mozart frequently while pregnant (my son is now 18). And while he listens to a lot of junk, the other day he had a Mozart CD in his car player. (Triumph!)

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Mozart's Viotti Additions K470a and Lost Andante K470
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 04:08:49 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
MOZART'S ADDITIONS TO VIOTTI'S VIIOLIN CONCERTO #16
K470a AND LOST ANDANTE K470

Mozart's additions to Viotti's Violin Concerto #16 in e-minor are
on a single autograph sheet (written on both sides), with the
heading "Concerto" and "2 Horns in E/Timpani in E".

J.A. André in the introductory remarks of his manuscript
catalogue of 1833 noted the following next to the incipit of the
1st movement parts: "For lack of space or lack of music paper
Mozart had for many accessory parts and by Opera full scores
often also for the entirely not essential wind instruments wrote
out an 'accessory full score'. Thus was found among his
manuscripts also such a one of 2 Trumpets and Timpani to a
Concerto in E, which begins with an 'Adagio non troppo'. As this
Concerto is entirely unknown to me, I place for its possible re-
discovery the beginning measures of the Trumpets and Timpani-
full score here".

Köchel's Catalogue of 1865 did not place, or mention, André's
"unknown Concerto", nor did K2 of 1905. In 1936 Alfred Einstein
solved the riddle of these parts, reporting they were additions to
the outer movements of Giovanni Battista Viotti's Violin Concerto
in e-minor that Mozart presumably made in the beginning of
1785 for a performer in one of his concerts. Mozart wished to
"glitter up" the outer movements; the middle movement was
already "Romantic" sounding. [Rather ironically, even though
Einstein did not bring up the fact, André had published Viotti's
Violin Concerto #16 in parts in 1821, and in 1833 did not
recognize the additions to a Concerto he had already published.]
Einstein believed--confirmed by St. Foix--the work was reworked
for the same concert event in the Mehlrube for which he had
written the Andante K470. [Also at the end of the autograph--not
identified in any edition of Köchel--is the remark "You can write in
directly the Trumpets and Drums", thus showing a copyist must
have brought about the parts very quickly for a performance from
Mozart's written copy.]

K470 is a (lost) Andante to a Violin Concerto. Mozart entered the
incipit in his work catalogue under April 1, 1785. Nothing else is
known of the work. Otto Jahn and Köchel believed it was perhaps
written for the virtuoso Janiewicz [Anton Janitsch 1753 - 1812],
who at that time was in Vienna. Hermann Abert had thought
Janiewicz could also mean Jarnovich [?Giovanni Giornovichi 1735 -
1804]. Einstein added Leopold Mozart's Salzburg student, Heinrich
Marchard [1769 - after 1812], who was in Vienna at the time with
his teacher.

Einstein in K3 thought K470 was most likely written to replace the
original slow movement of the Violin Concerto K218, probably
performed in Vienna, as in his work catalogue Mozart wrote "An
Andante for the Violin to a Concerto", thus the piece was not
intended to be a free standing piece. By the time of K3a (1947)
Einstein eliminated Jarnovich from consideration as K470's
performer, as he had arrived in Vienna in 1786. Einstein also
followed St. Foix in now expressing the opinion K470 was meant
as a replacement for the middle movement of Viotti's Violin
Concerto in e-minor #16 (K470a).

K6 kept Mozart's additions to Viotti's Violin Concerto at K470a,
but placed doubts that K470 could be intended for this Concerto
from tonal grounds. K6 thought Einstein's original opinion it was a
replacement for K218 was correct. Unfortunately this does not
solve much of the problem why or for who K470 was written.
Heinrich Marchard's only documented appearances in Vienna are
in March of 1785 (March 2 and 14). Easter Sunday in 1785 was on
March 27.

In 1973 the Viotti side of the picture finally came to be heard.
Chapell White in his article "Toward a more accurate Chronology of
Viotti's Violin Concertos" wrote the Concerto was probably written
for the Theatre de Monsieur in Paris in 1789-90, but possibly for
Versailles around 1784-86. Its first edition was in Paris 1789-90.
White points out that to accept the 1785 dating of Mozart's
additions it would have to be assumed Violin Concerto #16
travelled from Paris to Vienna in manuscript, an assumption
difficult to support. White stated Viotti would not risk the chance
of piracy of such an important work, and certainly the young
Marchard (16 years old at the time) would have been an unlikely
candidate for such a favor. There is also no evidence Viotti was
well known in Vienna in the mid 1780's.

Once the connection between the Mozart additions for the Viotti
Violin Concerto and K470 is removed, a much later dating comes
into consideration. As White pointed out Mozart might have
prepared them for any one of a variety of occasions as late as
1790 or 1791. White concluded the Violin Concerto #16 was
written by Viotti in 1789 or 1790, for Viotti or one of his star
pupils to perform in Viotti's own theater which opened in January
1789. Viotti's Concertos were also played during intermissions at
the opera house in Paris.

Boris Schwarz was however of the opinion the Violin Concerto #16
came to Mozart from Johann Friedrich Eck (1766 - 1810). The 20
year old violinist was in Vienna in March 1786 and Schwarz
believed Eck may have brought the Concerto with him from Paris.
Eck had become a student of Viotti in 1785. Mozart then reworked
the Violin Concerto for a planned concert by Eck and Mozart,
which never materialized.

In 1995 Manfred Hermann Schmid took up the Mozart additions to
the Violin Concerto #16. He stated the handwriting of the
autograph belonged to the time of 1787-1791. The paper type
can not be determined with final certainty, but one used from the
end of 1789 until 1791 comes into question.

From all the above I think it safe to say Mozart's additions to the
Violin Concerto in e-minor of Viotti date from 1789 to 1791, or as
Schmid writes "around 1790".

Musically Mozart placed no high demands on his new players. The
additions are restricted to doubling; the Trumpets strengthening
the Horns in the forte. However Schmid believes Mozart's
encounter with Viotti's Violin Concerto #16 had an influence on his
composition style. Mozart used slow introductions prior to 1789,
but not as Viotti did in this Violin Concerto. All three slow
introductions Mozart used after his presumed work on Violin
Concerto #16 have slow introductions that return again toward the
finish of the work--String Quintet K593, Overtures to Cosi and
Zauberflöte--exactly as Viotti's introduction returns later in the
movement.

Unfortunately I do not know of a CD recording of Viotti's Concerto
in e-minor that uses Mozart's additions. Two old LPs used these
additions, but have not been transfered to CD, as far as I know.

dennis

Subject: Re: Mozart's Viotti Additions K470a and Lost Andante K470
From: Margaret Mikulska
To: All
Date Posted: 08:36:26 06/19/04 ()
Email Address: mikulska@silvertone.princeton.edu
 

Message:
> K470 is a (lost) Andante to a Violin Concerto. Mozart entered the
> incipit in his work catalogue under April 1, 1785. Nothing else is
> known of the work. Otto Jahn and Köchel believed it was perhaps
> written for the virtuoso Janiewicz [Anton Janitsch 1753 - 1812],
> who at that time was in Vienna.

====

I'm afraid there is a confusion about a confusion here. Jahn (but only in the first edition, 1856-1859, in a later suppressed footnote) suggested off-handedly that the Andante was written for Janiewicz; Köchel in 1862 (not 1865!) repeated that. Both knew better than to confuse two different musicians, Janiewicz and Janitsch (neither mentioned Janitsch in this context). It was Einstein in K3 who got confused by the two slightly similar Slavic names and mistakenly thought that the two musicians were one person, and therefore wrote rather absurdly "Janiewicz [Anton Janitsch 1753 - 1812]". Neal Zaslaw kindly informed me some years ago that this confusion of Janiewicz and Janitsch disappeared from Einstein's K3a.

(The existence of a third artist, Ivan Jarnovic aka Giovanni Giornovicchi, another Slavic [specifically Croatian, or at least of Croatian origins] violinist, didn't make life easier for non-Slavic scholars; the more so that when Jarnovic/Giornovicchi concertized in Warsaw, his name was sometimes spelled Jarnowicz, which is closer in pronunciation to the original Croatian variant of his name and justified by the name's etymology.)

For basic information on both violinists, see my entries "Feliks Janiewicz [Felix Yaniewicz]" and "Anton Janitsch [Antonin Janic]" in the New Grove II.

========

> Hermann Abert had thought
> Janiewicz could also mean Jarnovich
> [?Giovanni Giornovichi 1735 - 1804].

====

Not in his Mozart biography. He makes no connection there between the Andante and Giornovicchi; I think that this was another of Einstein's suggestions in K3.

As regards the parts for Viotti, the dating based on handwriting comes from Plath, and the one based on paper type, from Tyson (not surprisingly). Schmid reported these results in his paper in "Mozart-Studien", but the results are Plath's and Tyson's, resp., which is clearly spelled out by Schmid. Credit where credit is due.

Of minor interest may be the fact that when the manuscript of the Mozart/Viotti parts was put on auction at Liepmanssohn in Berlin (1929, one of two auctions of the manuscript collection belonging to André's heirs), Kinsky's description in the auction catalogue stated that the parts came from a _piano_ concerto in E major. Giving the wrong key is not a major (no pun intended) mistake, as trumpet & timpani parts were based mostly on the tonic and dominant and in general it's difficult to figure out the concerto to which they might belong, but giving the wrong instrument was probably a case of mental inertia: of associating Mozart with piano rather than violin concertos without investigating the matter sufficiently.

-Margaret Mikulska

Subject: Re: Mozart's Viotti Additions K470a and Lost Andante K470
From: Neal Zaslaw
To: All
Date Posted: 14:04:42 06/18/04 ()
Email Address: naz2@cornell.edu
 

Message:
There's a recording of Viotti/Mozart's Violin Concerto in E minor, K. 470a, at the following URL:

http://www.ppmusic.com/music/cdc010.htm

NZ

Subject: mistake?
From: Marcus
To: All
Date Posted: 16:15:31 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
The cd says it is a recording of the a-minor violin concerto no.22 not the e-minor concerto that dennis talked about... and they claim that K.271a is authetic which is a little odd considering i thought it was a doubtful work.
~Marcus

Subject: Re: mistake?
From: Neal Zaslaw
To: All
Date Posted: 13:57:50 06/20/04 ()
Email Address: naz2@cornell.edu
 

Message:
You're absolutely right, Marcus--I made a mistake. My apologies.

NZ

Subject: F.X. Mozart....
From: Marcus
To: All
Date Posted: 00:13:21 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I know we have discussed his life and other matters a few times recently so I thought I would just mention, after a lot of trouble, I got F.X. Mozart's quartet for piano, violin, viola and cello in G minor...

THe piece is quite nice although not on par with his father's piece. I particularly like the first two movements, whereas the last movement theme and variations doesnt do much for me (i dont like theme and variations in general)

I have both the piano concertos which i love very much! and I also have a few of the sonatas with mixed instruments which have their charm too. It is too bad F.X. music did not catch on... perhaps if he had lived and composed earlier! ah but alas, than he would have his father to deal with!
~Marcus

Subject: Re: F.X. Mozart....
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 03:31:40 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Marcus,

Franz Xaver's wish to compose in his father's style was a mistake. His friend was Schumann who often visited him when Franz Xaver moved from Poland to Vienna. Schumann looked forward to these visits. He said there was always music at Josephine Cavalcabo's home with whom Franz Xaver lived. Perhaps, had Franz Xaver remained in Vienna and not moved to Poland where he vegetated, being out of touch with his contemporary colleagues, he may well have become an outstanding composer of the Romantic Era. Just a though.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Final crass marketing posting
From: Daniel N. Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 14:26:26 06/17/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
Hi Everyone,

My fiction novel, "The Mozart Forgeries," is now available and may be ordered on line in either paper back, hard back, or Adobe ebook formats.

See my website: www.leesonbooks.com for a brief description of the novel and a link on how to order it, though this link will not be operative until Monday 6/21. You can buy it from Barnes & Noble, etc., but the easiest, least expensive, and fastest way is direct from the publisher. The page on my publisher's web site that will take you to the book is: http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=059531676X and this is the fastest way to get the book at this moment.

After you have read it, if you want to write a review for the book, I'll post in on my web site (unless it says that the book has the flowing prose of some of Bulwer-Lytton's masterpieces -- "It was a dark and stormy night"-- and the musical/historical value of two choruses of "Yes We Have No Bananas").

Subject: Re: Final crass marketing posting
From: Stephanie Cowell
To: All
Date Posted: 21:13:38 06/20/04 ()
Email Address: StephanieCowell@nyc.rr.com
 

Message:
I'm certainly ordering it, Dan! I'm very glad to find out I'm not the only person who made a novel from Mozart in this marvelous group! Congratulations!

Mine got a paragraph "review" in the New York Times Sunday arts and leisure music page today. Odd title for the article! Something about "Dead white Males in Bed"...since there's almost no sex in the novel!

Best wishes and good luck!

Stephanie

Subject: Re: Final crass marketing posting
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 15:39:14 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dan, I have ordered the book from i-Universe. Appears I will
receive it in maybe 2 and 1/2 to 3 weeks. After reading it I will
write two reviews. A very flowery one for your web site, and
another of what I really thought for this Forum. Hopefully they
will read exactly the same!

dennis

Subject: Re: Final crass marketing posting - First review
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 06:19:18 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

I have read the story and all I can say that it is excellent. I still have the copy of the unpublished work and have re-read it today and liked it even more on second reading.

The characters are well drafted and the story is credible although it is a work of imagination.

I am delighted that it will now be published so that many Mozart lovers can enjoy it.

Agnes Selby.

Subject: Re: Final crass marketing posting - First review
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 18:41:06 06/18/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Mr. Leeson,

Best wishes for the success of your books. I will order mine right away.

Robby

Subject: Violin Concerto In Eb K268
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 07:53:23 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

The Violin Concerto in Eb was first published by Andre in
Offenbach in 1799. Later in October of the same year an article
appeared in the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung dismissing the
piece as an imposture, stating it "contained the grossest offenses
against the most elementary rules of composition". Andre did not
reply to the charges. In the same journal F.A. Ernst defended the
work in January 1800, stating it was by Mozart and written "some
15 years ago". Ernst cited as proof that the composer and violinist
Johann Friedrich Eck told him Mozart had placed this Concerto
before him in Munich and played it for him, "scraping a good deal
in his enthusiasm". This caused Constanze Mozart to write Andre
stating she did not know to which Concerto this was aimed at, so
she could not comment, but suggested Andre look in Mozart's
work catalogue. Again Andre never replied.

We do not know where Andre received this Concerto. Probably not
from Constanze, as he only received the manuscripts acquired
from her on January 9, 1800; at least months after the Concerto
was published. When Nissen published his Mozart biography (with
Constanze's substantial help) in 1828 he did not mention the
work, but did mention the 5 authentic Concertos; nor is it
mentioned in Jahn's first edition biography of 1859. It appeared in
Köchel in 1864 assigned to 1776 (thus K268). Jahn then added the
work to his second edition biography in 1867.

In 1882 the Concerto was published in Breitkopf's Complete
Edition, however in Series 24--the series for unauthenticated,
unfinished or recently discovered compositions. Its editor, Ernst
Rudorff, commented "that this Concerto, in the form in which we
have it, cannot be the work of Mozart...". He gave numerous
examples. He however believed it might contain some Mozart
material. He was the first to come forward with the theory Mozart
might have left sketches for the beginning of the first and last
movements which someone else finished. Abert later added to this
suggestion that Süssmayr or Andre himself may have been
responsible for the completion.

In 1922 Georg St.Foix came forward with the idea the opening
orchestral tutti and violin part throughout had been completed by
Mozart, and from stylistic basis believed it was written in 1784 or
1785, which of course corresponded with Ernst's statement about
Eck.

In 1931 C.B. Oldman issued a paper with his views on K268. He
correctly stated Mozart was not in Munich after 1781 until 1790.
So 1785 could not be a correct date, unless Ernst meant Vienna.
Citing resemblances to earlier Mozart pieces (especially the
Sinfonia Concertante K364) Oldman believed the Concerto was
written in Salzburg or Munich between 1779 and 1781, perhaps to
add a sixth to the already composed 5 with any eye toward
publication. He then may have taken it to Munich and showed Eck,
who copied the Concerto from memory. Einstein in K3 moved the
Concerto to K365b, reflecting the Oldman theory. He believed
Mozart wrote only a "sketch of the 1st movement, and perhaps a
few opening bars of the Rondo", calling the middle movement "a
crude forgery".

In 1956 Friedrich Blume came out strongly in favor of the
Concerto, giving it a broad dating of 1777-1783. He believed it
was "one of those works in which Mozart did not care to go
through all the stages of composition", believing Mozart wrote the
solo part and the Ritornelli and sketched other passages in. Other
parts were left undone. Andre then had some unknown person
complete the Concerto for publication.

The 1964 Köchel 6, citing most earlier sources, moved the
Concerto into its Anhang C section (Doubtful and Misattributed
Works) as Anh C14.04.

In 1978 Walter Lebermann wrote on the Concerto. He compared
K268 with Violin Concertos of Eck and other composers of the
Paris Violin school and concluded that it could not be proven Eck
was the composer of K268, but he was the "probable" composer.
He concluded the Concerto could not have been written before
1790.

In 1988, H.C.R. Landon wrote on the Concerto and brought
forward a curious piece of evidence that the Concerto could not
have been written before 1783. He quotes a passage from Haydn's
Symphony #77, suggesting it is a direct inspiration of a section of
K268's Finale. Landon suggests no composer, but does say its
style points to a south German composer (perhaps Munich) of the
period 1785-1798. He rules out Mozart.

I have two recordings of this Concerto. One by Mela Tenenbaum
on Ess.ay CD and another by Jean-Jacques Kantorow on Denon.

dennis

Subject: Re: Violin Concerto In Eb K268
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 21:26:37 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear dennis,

Great posting as usual. On its own terms, this is not a bad concerto, though it's right in the gray zone in regards to any objective listening test. On one hand, you can "hear" phrases and passages that have a Mozartean ring to them (excepting the middle movement, which has no Mozart in there), leading you to think that maybe Oldman, Einstein and Blume might be on to something. On the other hand, if Eck was good enough to compose violin concerti, he was probably good enough to try and come up with enough Mozartisms to claim that this concerto was by Mozart, perhaps fleshed out by him. The only question would be whether Eck would make a deliberate false claim on such a work. It might indeed be true that Mozart had started something for him, and that at some point during one of their meetings, Mozart passed along what he had in mind. If this scenario is to have any sense, then it was audibly and not on paper. Eck remembered the tunes (mostly) and wrote out a, at best, concerto based on Mozart themes, recalled after at least 15 years had passed. Not much of a pedigree.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: Violin Concerto In Eb K268
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 22:41:05 06/19/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
There is some evidence that this concerto (whomever the composer) was originally conceived for the clarinet.

I own a recording of this "clarinet" concerto in E Flat K.268 made a few years ago.

Subject: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 06:38:32 06/17/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
The picture above is one of fiver that I know of showing Mozart in his last few hours. This picture was for salw on ebay only until yesterday and the price was $28. The person posting the offer did not know anything about it but simply offered it as an unknown Mozart picture.

In fact, this is an untitled painting done by Thomas Shield ca. 1880. No one is identified by the painter but it is reasonable to assume that the woman behind Mozart is either Sophie Weber or, less likely, Constanze. The three men are Benedict Schack, Franz Gerle (both of whom sang in the first Magic Flute), and Franz de Paula Hofer, Mozart's brother in law. The four musicians and the one supposedly acting as page turner are not positively identifiable though one could speculate on the standing figure.

Note that the singers appear to have copies of the choral parts. They are reading from an entire book. Mozart looks great for a dying man.

All of these paintings are derived from comment made by Schack who is the author of the text describing how the four sang portions of the Requiem (the Lacrymosa, specifically) just 11 hours before Mozart died.

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Andrea Hubrich
To: All
Date Posted: 01:00:12 06/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I tried to look up the artist of this picture, Thomas Shield, but he doesn't show up anywhere. He was probably just another one of those Victorian artists who liked to elaborate a bit with their works.

This Victorian painting looks more like it had a "Hollywood make-over" done to it than it being an accurate depiction of the people who were actually there when Mozart died.

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 22:34:33 06/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Andrea,

Yes, "Hollywood make-over" is a good phrase here. I mean, note that most everyone is dressed more for a salon party than for visiting a sick person during the afternoon. While I'm not 100% sure, I think the story is that Schrak and his friends dropped by, and four people (including Mozart) sang the Requiem. No players were present, though I suspect a fortepiano might have been used to sub for the orchestra.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 15:55:27 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

There must be something wrong with my eyesight. I only see seven figures, including Mozart, in the picture and no Constanze with or without luxuriant hair.

It is possibly due to fault in my computer as I can send out e-mails but not receive them. I have been told that the provider will have it all fixed, by which time I will see more figures, and the one glass mentioned in Dennis' letter.

All the best,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 19:03:21 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
The picture is just wide Agnes. You have to scroll sideways to see it all.

Regards

Steve

Subject: For Agnes
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 18:52:47 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,

I sent you several emails, and with no reply, I figured your computer must be malfunctioning! It's good to know you are A-OK. That's weird about this picture--There are 10 people in the pic I am seeing, including a woman to the right of Mozart, with light-colored hair. (And I agree with everyone, she looks nothing like the portrait or descriptions of Constanze.)

May your server start serving properly soon--
All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 07:02:18 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Is it just my computer, are do all the figures look like they were
pasted in from somewhere else? They look much lighter, like they
were placed over the room background later--rather like a cut out
doll book my sister used to own. This goes especially for the 3
singing figures.

Or is this the style of the artist?

10 people in the room, only one glass on the table. Mozart (or
Constanze) were not very good hosts!!! Perhaps the beer was in
the refrigerator?

dennis

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Daniel N. Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 09:56:05 06/17/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
There are several anomoies in the picture all of which attest to the fact that the painter in 1880 did not know about the nature of instruments at the time of Mozart.

Notice that the cello has a peg, and the under-the-chin stings all have chin rests. If my information is correct, these things did not come about until 25 years or so after Mozart's death. Note also that the piano has a pedal, and I am not sure that such a thing existed for the Mozartean piano.

Constanze's hairdo and even her dress are out of character for a woman of the late 18th century. Besides, I don't think that she had such thick luxurious hair.

Mozart looks fat. It is true that his body was swollen, but in the picture he looks as if he had eaten too many Salzburger nockerels (spelling?).

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Catherine
To: All
Date Posted: 18:48:15 06/17/04 ()
Email Address: ccarl@lacera.com
 

Message:
Well, as long as we're picking this thing apart...:

--Constanze was a brunette, and the lady in question has what appears to be lighter hair, so that lets her out.

--Isn't the lamp on the bookshelf in the dead-center (no pun intended) of the picture a dead ringer (uh, no pun intended) for an ELECTRIC lamp?

--The guy standing directly behind him could be his brother, as the faces look nearly identical, (at least to me). But Mozart didn't have an adult brother (... that we KNOW of......... Leo, you rascal you!)

--And here's the fault I find with most of these "final hours" pictures: Why does Mozart look more like a 60-year-old than a 35-year-old? I mean, illness takes its toll, but this is ridiculous! (Looks a little like Christopher Lloyd there, doesn't he?)

And a note to Agnes: It's a pretty wide picture. Perhaps you only see seven people because your view only goes about as far as "Mozart's" left hand. Widen your screen, or move your bottom scroll bar all the way to the right and you'll see the other three--with or without luxuriant hair.

Best regards to all!
Catherine

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 19:50:21 06/17/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
You are quote correct. These pictures are 100% romantic and 0% fact. The bear rug on his lap is about the only sensible thing because it was Dec. 3, but his fever was very high so why have they covered him with a bear rug?

In Paris my wife came home very angry after having visited a fancy and expensive Parisian gynocologist. His examining table had a bear rug one it.

That was unspeakable!!

Subject: Re: Another "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 19:08:48 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Also....

I think I see a "Volumne" knob on that keyboard.
The fur on Mozart is obviously synthetic and I think
I can make out a Fredricks of Hollywood catalogue in the midst of those books.

"Insert Smiley here"

Steve

Subject: A Serious Note on the "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 20:44:26 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
A serious note on the Mozart Death Bed before anyone starts to
take their Mozart far too serious. I have a wonderful print of a
Caravaggio painting -- "Calling of St. Matthew by Christ". In this
very beautiful painting Jesus is pointing to a table of men and
boys counting money. At the table one of the bearded men is St.
Matthew, who points and is questioning "Are you called me?".

My point?

All the people at the table are dressed in Italian fashion of the late
16th or early 17th Century. Wrong dating, by about 1600 years;
wrong country. But the emotional impact of this paint has been
felt by millions for over 400 years.

In another, just as beautiful Caravaggio titled "Ecce Homo", Jesus
is being put on display by a bearded man again dressed in 17th
Century Italian fashion, who certainly does not look like a 1st
Century Roman to me.

So let the high-heartedness of this 1880 Mozart death bed scene
continue, but please --let's not get too upset that one person or
another looks out of place, and someone was besmirching
someone and had no concept of what really happened. This has
been going on for hundreds of years and in matters far more
important than Mozart. And it can be very inspiring if you let it.

dennis

Subject: Re: A Serious Note on the "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: catherine sprague
To: All
Date Posted: 11:03:17 06/19/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I'll throw in my two cents.

This is in the genre of "narrative art", not realism for the figures themselves, but rather in the telling of a story, the exact details not being terribly important.

To be fair to the artist, he obviously does not lack in drawing skills, but is lacking in the more sophisticated skills of those of an artist.

The faces and positions are fairly stereotypical, for example. While he knew enough to place the figure of Mozart in the spot where the eye naturally falls, the artificial arrangement of the people and the formality of poses tends to give this a "not credible" proposition for any one's death. It is as if a sick person had been thrown into a formal and completely orderly recital at CHristmas time for the singing of carols. There is no hint of tragedy, but rather quite the opposite. No one looks particularly concerned and people seem to be having a pretty good time, despite the woman's loving touch towards the sitter.

The section I find the most strange is the "blanket" on Mozart's lap. It overwhelms the picture and makes me think "bear rug".

We should look at this more like an illustration to text, something like the pictures you would see of in abridged adolescent books by Charles Dickens. It almost borders on the kitch of Norman Rockwell in America. Perhaps this was sentimental kitch to the English at the time. If so, something like this would have been very popular.

If you have ever had to give a critique of a work of art in a class, you know how difficult this can be and you first have to know something about the artist's intentions. I know nothing here. I looked him up just quickly and couldn't find anything. Could he possibly be related to the composer William Shield, perhaps the son?

Today, we would look at this and say "tacky". But you must ask at the time, what would a contemporary say? That is the key; whether it said something meaningful to a viewer at the time. Of course, good stuff is timeless, and this is clearly not that.

There, I'm done.

Subject: Re: A Serious Note on the "final hours of Mozart" picture
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 07:40:34 06/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Catherine,

I very much appreciate your comments about the illustation of Mozart and his friends at his deathbed.

It is quite true that it must be placed in the genre of its times. This also applies to Mozartean history.

Take for instance humour. It changes from generation to generation. Much has been made of Mozart's humour. To us it appears crass, to the people of his times, it obviously appeared funny. Mozart's mother seems to have shared in the fun as her letters to her husband so vividly reveal.

Many situation in Mozart's life are judged from our own perspective. This too is different from the way historians saw Mozart during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Even today, with such a plentitute of information available, historical circumstances surrounding Mozart's actions are given little consideration. This also applies to writers who so harshly judge his wife, Constanze without taking into consideration the times she lived in.

So your analysis is most thoughtful and I thank you for that.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Contemporaries of Mozart: Jan Ladislav Dussek
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 20:14:52 06/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART:

Jan Ladislav Dussek (1760-1812)

By Agnes Selby/Andrea Hubrich
Edited by Gary Smith

"... the most honest, politest and most excellent man among all composers ..."- Haydn, 1792

This is another posting in an irregular series on the various contemporary composers from Mozart's lifetime. The material is mostly derivative from general sources as noted. These are the people that Mozart:

Competed for work with.
Considered as friends and colleagues.
Knew from reputation.
Taught/nurtured as pupils and students.

Jan Ladislav Dussek (more properly Vaclav Jan Dusik) Bohemian Early Romantic, Enlightenist and Revolutionary, was one of the most celebrated composers and pianists of his age, a quintessential Classico-Romantic who traveled the civilized stage of Europe at the time, arguably, of its greatest modern historical eras. He was an organist and composer; his mother Veronika was a harpist. From childhood on, Dussek received piano instruction and later on took up the organ as well. He attended the Jesuit elementary school in Iglau and grammar school in the mining town of Kutna Hora.

Following just two years of school and studies at the Charles University in Prague (1776 - 1778) he traveled in 1779 in that part of the Netherlands, which is known today as Belgium, to Mechelen (the region from which Beethoven’s family originally came). Here Dussek appeared for the first time as a pianist and continued to give concerts in the region, eventually finding employment at the municipal court of Wilhelm the V as a piano teacher. In 1782 he is reported to have been in Hamburg, where was most likely a student of C.P.E. Bach, who held him in high esteem and who no doubt provided a decisive impulse for Dussek’s further artistic development. In 1783 found Dussek in Russia where he appeared at the court of the Czar in St. Petersburg; shortly thereafter he had to flee the country in the wake of the plot against Catherine II (in which he himself became implicated) and later found refuge at the court of Prince Karl Radziwill in Lithuania. From 1784 - 1786 he gave concerts again in Germany, not only on the piano, but also on the glass harmonica. He then settled in Paris where his playing found favor with the queen Marie-Antoinette, becoming one of her favorite musicians. 1786 - 1789 he remained in Paris as pianist, composer and teacher, leaving only once to visit his brother Frantisek Benedikt Dussek (1766 - after 1816), a composer of opera and instrumental music in Milan.

Early in 1789, sensing revolution and the demise of his old world, he looked to England, making his way across the Channel in the late spring of 1789. His first known performance in London was on June 1, 1789. In 1792 he married the singer, pianist and harpist Sofia, the daughter of the music publisher Domenico Corri and founded the publishing house of Corri, Dussek & Co. Josef Haydn made Dussek’s acquaintance during his London visits, and as such was the only one of the Viennese classical composers to meet this international colleague. Haydn expressed his praise and admiration for Dussek in words previously used only in regard to Mozart) as “a most upright man of integrity, culture and – concerning music – most excellent”.

In London, Dussek was among the first to encourage piano makers – among them John Broadwood – to extend the 5-octave compass of their fortepianos up to 6 octaves (playing such an instrument in 1794); and to strive for a more robust tone. Dussek’s concerts must have been very effective and he is reported to have appeared in together with Josef Haydn in the famous Salomon-Concerts (1791 and again in 1794). As well, he befriended Muzio Clementi, another leading pianist and composer of the times, who also owned a music publishing business. Dussek’s sister Veronika (1769-1833), pianist, singer and harpist as well, came to London at his request and later married a London music dealer. Along with concerts, Dussek kept himself busy by giving lessons (publishing a volume of Instructions on the Art of Playing the Piano-Forte or Harpsichord in 1796); and, together with his father-in-law, Domenico, founded a music business - Corri & Dussek Comp, Purveyor of Music 'to their Majesties, their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of York', with premises eventually at 67/68 Dean Street, Soho. In late 1799 this speculation collapsed. Facing bankruptcy and the debtor's jail, he headed back for Europe, his flight kept secret. Behind, he left a partner in prison and a wife and infant daughter he was not to see again.

Dussek spent the years 1800 - 1807 mainly in Germany, from which location he made at least one celebrated concert tour through his original home Bohemia, visiting the place of his birth, Easlav. Noteworthy as well were concerts in Hamburg (where he made the acquaintance of Spohr, Steibelt and Nancy Storace - Mozart's original Susanna); and his starry return to Prague in 1802 - remembered over forty years later by the composer and pianist Jan Václav Tomasek in his Autobiography:

"There was ... something magical about the way in which Dussek with all his charming grace of manner, through his wonderful touch, extorted from the instrument delicious and at the same time emphatic tones. His fingers were like a company of ten singers, endowed with equal executive powers and able to produce with the utmost perfection whatever their director could require. I never saw the Prague public so enchanted as they were on this occasion by Dussek's splendid playing. His fine declamatory style, especially in cantabile phrases, stands as the ideal for every artistic performance - something which no other pianist since has reached..."

Tomasek as well confirms it was Dussek (and not Liszt) who 'was the first [to place] his instrument sideways upon the platform, in which our pianoforte heroes now all follow ... though they may have no very interesting profile [or hands] to exhibit'.

By 1804, Dussek could afford to enter the service of Prince Lois Ferdinand of Prussia as an unsalaried pianist and Kapellmeister. Louis Ferdinand and Dussek were close friends who both enjoyed "spirited" festivities in which other prominent colleagues such as Louis Spohr and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe also participated. Louis Ferdinand was also an outstanding pianist (Beethoven dedicated his c minor piano concerto to this prince) and composer; Louis Ferdinand died in the battle of Saalfeld in 1806 at the hands of Napoleon’s cavalry. On the occasion of Louis Ferdinand’s death, Dussek composed perhaps his best-known piano sonata "Elegie harmonique sur la mort de Prince Louis Ferdinand de Prusse"op. 61.

Following a short period of employment at the court of Prince von Isenburg, Dussek went finally to Paris. He had spent happy and exuberant time with Prince Ferdinand, but such was not to be said in Paris. There in 1807 he took up (despite his previous employment by the enemy) an appointment as pianist and music director to Talleyrand. As well, it was in Paris that he bid his leave of the concert platform - in 1808 with a series of concerts at the Odeon partnering the violinists Baillot and Rode, and the cellist Lamare. 'The broad and noble style of this artist,' Fetis wrote, 'his method of singing on an instrument which possessed no sustained sounds, the neatness, delicacy and brilliance of his playing in short, procured him a triumph of which there had been no previous example'. Perhaps hounded by ghosts, certainly surrounded by pleasures and triumphs, but slowly stricken with a mental disorder, Dussek’s life and health unwound. Finally, it was near Paris, in the castle of St Germain-en-Laye - mentally disordered, gout-stricken, alcoholic, abnormally obese, bed-ridden, without family, a caricature of his former handsome self - that he was to die.

DUSSEK'S WORKS FOR PIANO

Jan Ladislav Dussek composed primarily for the piano and for his own concert appearances, but he also pursued vigorously the publication and distribution of his works. 14 piano concertos, among them one for two pianos and orchestra, 3 harp concertos (also playable on the piano), piano trios, chamber music with piano, sonatas for piano 4 hands and above all the sonatas for solo piano bear witness to Dussek's preference for this universal instrument. A number of his programmatic pieces portray actual contemporary –often-political – events. Dussek composed no symphonies per se.

Many of his works appeared in numerous different editions, the most popular being often the least interesting pieces, which has not helped Dussek’s reputation. Generally, the expression and originality of Dussek’s works were praised, his somewhat relaxed attitude in regard to parallel fifths and octaves as well as his preference for enharmonic relationships brought forth objections – particularly from conservatives and purists; these passages tend however, to be more visible than audible.

Although Dussek’s piano music clearly foreshadows the Romantic period, his name is not at all mentioned in connection with Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Moscheles and Chopin. Still, from 1860 - 1880 both Breitkopf & Härtel as well as Litolff published new editions of his piano sonatas. The over-riding preoccupation (i.e. hero-worship) of Beethoven into the late 19th century, under which even Haydn and Mozart suffered to some extent, probably accounts for Dussek’s name slipping into obscurity. Again in 1958 the piano sonatas appeared in a modern edition in the series Musica Antiqua Bohemica but the piano concertos (with the exception of op. 22, op. 15/26 and op. 63) and most of the chamber music await reissue and remain to be taken up again in the repertoire of fortepianists or modern pianists.

CDs:

Dorian Discovery Piano Works of Jan Ladislav Dussek 3 Vols. DIS 80110, 80125, 80138
Meridian Records Quartet for Piano and Strings in f; Sonata for Piano Op. 64 CDE 84383
Supraphon Piano Concerto in Eb Op. 70; Piano Sonatas Op. 61 & 62 SU 3659
Vox Piano Concerto in Bb CDX 5148

SOURCES:

AMZ, Intelligenzblatt, 16. Nov. 1803 (Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien)
Craw, H.A. (1964) A biography and thematic catalogue of the works of Jan Ladislav Dussek, Diss. Univ. of Southern California.
Sadie, Stanley The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Edition, 2000
Liner notes from the CD’s noted above

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Jan Ladislav Dussek
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 04:50:12 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Agnes, Andrea and Gary,

BRILLIANT article!
Best regards,
TEL

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Jan Ladislav Dussek
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 00:16:31 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gary,

I can hardly take credit for this excellent article.
The credit is entirely yours.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Mozart's 5 Authentic Violin Concertos
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 01:37:26 06/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

To act as a companion to the posting on the recordings of the
Violin Concertos, I present a brief summary information on the 5
fully authenticated Violin Concertos, plus the two Rondos and
Adagio.

It was originally thought all 5 Violin Concertos K207, K211, K216,
K218 and K 219 originated in 1775. However study of the
manuscripts showed that on the autographs of K211, K216, K218
and K219 the original dating of 1775 had been changed to 1780,
and then back to 1775. Harder to tell is the dating on the
autograph of K207. It appears to have originally read 1773, then
changed to 1780 and then 1775. Why this manipulation of dating
occurred is not sure, but Christoph-Hellmut Mahling in the NMA
volume of these Concertos believes it possible Mozart himself or
his father, to give the impression these works were more recent
than they actually were, changed the dates to 1780. Why they
were not returned to 1775 can not be answered.

Thus the datings for these five Concertos are:

K207--April 14, 1773
K211--June 14, 1775
K216--September 12, 1775
K218--October 1775
K219--December 20, 1775

Most likely Mozart composed his 5 Concertos for his own use. It
has often been stated that these Concertos were written for the
Court Music Director and Concertmaster Antonio Brunetti, but
Boris Schwarz reported Brunetti did not arrive in Salzburg until
1776. It also will be seen that Mozart probably replaced two
movements in his Concertos for Brunetti.

Mozart also wrote 4 one-movement Violin and Orchestra pieces as
replacements in these Concertos or as independent movements. It
is thought the Adagio in E-major K261 (dated on autograph
"Salzburg, 1776") was written as a replacement for the middle
movement of K219 for Antonio Brunetti, who thought the original
"too artificial". The Rondo in Bb-major K269 has always been
dated in Köchel "end of 1776 in Salzburg", but from the
handwriting in the autograph Wolfgang Plath placed the piece
more broadly: "Salzburg 1775-1777". It is likely this is the piece
Leopold Mozart mentioned in a letter of September 25, 1777 as
"composed for Brunetti". It possibly is a replacement for the final
movement of K207. The Rondo in C-major K373 is dated April 2,
1781, and was written for Brunetti to perform in a concert at the
residence of Prince Rudolph Joseph Colloredo in Vienna on April 8.
An Andante K470 is lost (and will be reported on later).

In the coming days I plan on posting more in depth articles on the
not authenticated Mozart Violin Concertos.

dennis

Subject: Re: Emmanuelle.
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 00:56:59 06/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear All,

Please forgive this personal message.

Has anyone heard from Emmanuelle? I believe she has not written to anyone for some time, including me.

I hope there is no serious reason for this.

Kind regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: Emmanuelle.
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 13:52:18 06/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
We'll hope it's just more of her seemingly endless
computer problems.

Steve

Subject: Re: Emmanuelle.
From: Stephanie Cowell
To: All
Date Posted: 19:05:07 06/16/04 ()
Email Address: StephanieCowell@nyc.rr.com
 

Message:
I wrote her by snail-mail after we had such a lovely day in Paris about six weeks ago, but had no reply. I simply can't think what has happened. Emmanuelle, your friends are missing you!!

Subject: Re: Emmanuelle.
From: DonW
To: All
Date Posted: 19:35:32 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I was communicating with Emmannuelle a while back trying to use her Handel expertise to buy some DVDs. She wrote a message to me on that subject but never replied to my final message. I hope that she is well. Although I have never met her, she has been one of my favorite people. Her silence is disturbing.

Subject: NMA Listings
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 20:31:42 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Just a simple question (that was probably not so simple in deriving the answer). What are the new NMA numbers going to look like? Are they going to be formatted as K6 numbers were? Totally differently? And when there are some inevitable chronological corrections (why else be doing this?), might there yet be some works with 3 or even 4 numbers? Or will we shed the earlier numbers at long last?
OK, that was more than one question, sorry. But if you are in the know on this, I would appreciate illumination!
Thanks and Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: NMA Listings
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 23:52:43 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Gurn:

Go to the below web site, where Professor Zaslaw himself gives an
outline of problems and solutions for the Neue Köchel (NK).

If the below link does not appear, it is:
http://www.arts.cornell.edu/newsletr/spring96/zaslaw.htm

As a sort of PS to your posting, a few works already have 4
numbers.

dennis

Subject: Re: NMA Listings
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 06:40:27 06/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks Dennis. That was interesting, I guess it remains to be seen (by me, at least) how it works in practice.
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: NMA Listings
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 23:51:35 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Gurn:

Go to the below web site, where Professor Zaslaw himself gives an
outline of problems and solutions for the Neue Köchel (NK).

If the below link does not appear, it is:
http://www.arts.cornell.edu/newsletr/spring96/zaslaw.htm

As a sort of PS to your posting, a few works already have 4
numbers.

dennis

Subject: Re: NMA Listings
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 23:49:13 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Gurn:

Go to the below web site, where Professor Zaslaw himself gives an
outline of problems and solutions for the Neue Köchel (NK).

As a sort of PS to your posting, a few works already have 4
numbers.

dennis

Subject: Complete Violin Concerto Sets
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 05:29:45 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
After giving complete cycles of Symphonies and Piano Concertos,
our next step is the cycles of Violin Concertos. The first five of the
below listed are in my collection. The remainder I gathered from
various sources, so again can not vouch 100% for their accuracy. I
imagine there are more, so if you know of them, please help our
CD buying MozartForum members.

(Some of the following are boxed together, others are individual
CDs. The difference can be seen by the CD numbers).

-------------------------

Simon Standage- violin, Academy of Ancient Music conducted by
Christopher Hogwood (L'Oiseau-Lyre 433 045-2 -- 3 CDs)
All 5 authentic Mozart Concertos and Adagio and the 2 Rondos;
(#3 uses Mozart's ossia 3rd movement).

György Pauk-violin, Liszt Ference Chamber Orchestra of Budapest
conducted by Janos Rolla (Hungaroton 31030-32 -- 3 CDs)
All 5 authentic Concertos, Adagio and 2 Rondos, plus Sinfonia
Concertante K364 and Concertone K190 (#3 uses Mozart' 3rd
ossia movement).

Jean-Jacques Kantorow-violin, Leopold Hager conducting
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra (Denon 33C37-7504, 7505,
7506, 7507, 33CO-1331 -- 5 CDs)
All 5 authentic Concertos and Adagio and 2 Rondos; plus doubtful
Concertos #6 and #7 (K268 and K271a). In addition Sinfonia
Concertante K364 and Concertone K190; plus fragments of
Concerto for Piano and Violin K315f and Sinfonia Concertante for
Violin, Viola, Cello K320e.

Monica Huggett-violin and conducting Orchestra of the Age of
Enlightment (Virgin Veritas 7243 5 61576-2 -- 2 CDs)
All 5 authentic Violin Concertos, only Adagio and Rondo K269.
(Uses Mozart's 3rd ossia movement in #3).

Mela Tenenbaum-violin, Richard Kapp conducting Czech
Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra (Ess.a.y 1070, 1071, 1072 -- 3
CDs)
All 5 authentic Violin Concertos and Adagio and 2 Rondos. Also
not authenticated Concertos #6 and #7, plus forged "Adelaide"
Concerto K.Anh 294a

Pamela Frank-violin, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich conducted by
David Zinman (Arte Nova AVA 72104 -- 3 CDs)
All 5 authentic Violin concertos, plus "Haffner" Serenade K249

Henryk Szerying-violin, New Philharmonia conducted by Alexander
Gibson (Philips 422 508--Complete Mozart Edition v.8 -- 4-CDs)
All 5 authentic plus doubtful #7 K271a, also Adagio and 2 Rondos,
Sinfonia Concertante K364, Concertone K190, and fragments of
Piano/Violiin concerto K315f and Siinfonia Concertante for Violin,
Viola, Cello, K320e in completions by Philip Wilby.

David Oistrakh-violin and conducor Berliner Philharmoniker (Angel
(EMI) 74743 and 74744 -- 2 CDs)
All 5 authentic Concertos and 2 Rondos and Adagio.

Yehudi Menuhin-violin and conductor Bath Festival Orchestra (EMI
Classics Allegro ECA 585030 -- 5 CDs)
Featuring Violin 5 authentic Concertos, plus #6 and #7, and also
"Adelaide" Concerto K.Anh 294a; the 3 solo violin movements
from the Haffner Serenade; the Divertimento No. 15, K 287; the
Concertone K190 and Sinfonia Concertante K364.

Emmy Verhey-Violin, Concertgelow Chamber Orchesrtra
conducted by Eduardo Marturet (Brilliant Classics 99713 -- 7
CDs)
All 5 authentic Concertos and 2 Rondos and Adagio; Also includes
Sinfonia Concertante K364 and Concertone K190. (Set also
includes complete Wind Concertos)

dennis

Subject: Re: Complete Violin Concerto Sets
From: Zevy
To: All
Date Posted: 23:24:25 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Don't forget Pinchas Zukerman! Great playing & impeccable intonation!

Zevy

Subject: Re: Complete Violin Concerto Sets
From: Sue
To: All
Date Posted: 13:30:50 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I'd like to add 2 more to the list: Christian Altenburger and Arthur Grumiaux.
You can get the complete set performed by Grumiaux and the London Symphony Orchestra on the Philips 50 Great Recordings label. I listed Altenburger and the German Bach Soloists first, because although I don't have the full set, (just K216, K218 & K219), I like it better (so far). Although the back of the Grumiaux CD quotes Gramophone thus: "...in every respect this is an outstounding issue." which is true, and it was also described elsewhere as very technically excellent...well, maybe a little too technically perfect, at the cost of a little soul. Just compare the way the 2 play that little gavotte bit about 3 minutes into the Rondo Allegro of K216. I hear technical perfection with Mr. Grumiaux, but Mr. Altenburger brings out the spirit of it. But please! Don't think I regret acquiring any of it! : )
Sue

Subject: Re: Complete Violin Concerto Sets
From: Stephanie Cowell
To: All
Date Posted: 19:11:28 06/16/04 ()
Email Address: StephanieCowell@nyc.rr.com
 

Message:
I own the Jerrold Rubenstein version with the Camerata Hubert, Schoonbroodt conducting. As I am a neophyte to the violin concertos I can say I believe it to be very beautiful, but they are the first versions I have heard!

Subject: Re: Complete Violin Concerto Sets
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 08:18:27 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dennis,
Those are all very nice sets, I have heard many but not all of them, and want to look into some others I see. I am surprised that you didn't mention this one:

Deutsche Grammophone 445 535 Itzhak Perlman and Vienna Philharmonic / Levine. This is a very nice performance, Perlman even managed to control his usual vibrato for the occasion! ;-)

Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: Complete Violin Concerto Sets
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 06:58:00 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Dennis,

It is great to see Pamela Frank included on your list.
Pamela is the daughter of Claude Frank, my daughter, Kathryn's erstwhile piano teacher. I remember Pamela as a child and have heard her perform at age 9 just like a professional, with the sweetest violin tone.

She came to Australia a few years ago and performed at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to the delight of audiences.

I own the recording you mentioned and would certainly recommend it wholeheartedly.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Website of Interest
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 20:46:29 06/14/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
As I was browsing the internet, I came across this website devoted to Michael Haydn. We all know of his friendship with Mozart. I own very few recordings of his music, but the local radio stations do play some of his symphonies once in a while...very nice music. The 'comtemporaries' page of the website has some very useful tidbits of information, including breif biographies and lists of works of many 18th century composers.

BTW, tommorow, June 15, is the birthday of: Franz Danzi (1763) and Edvard Grieg (1843)

Robby

Subject: Clarinet Concerto on BBC Radio 3 archive
From: Jan-Willem Besuijen
To: All
Date Posted: 17:52:23 06/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
This evening I listenend to an online radioprogramme (from the archive of BBC radio 3) concerning KV 622. The narrator studies the piece in a very detailled manner. Some interesting questions arouse.

He stated that Mozart did - perhaps - change the key from the a few years earliers written KV 584b (621b) from G to A because A has three times # - the masonic nr.3! Could this switch in key indeed have anything to do with Mozart's masonic aspirations?

Another hypothesis: a bassethorn (the instrument which KV 584b is written for) is pitched G, whereas a bassetclarinet (KV 622) is pitched A. It stated Mozart picked up the abandoned fragment to write a piece for Stadler to thank him for is efforts concerning KV 621 (and as Stadler played a bassetclarinet transposed the piece to A major).

Also there was a remark about the number "3" in the piece. Three parts (that was merely a principle in Mozart's time), three parties (the orchestra, and the clarinet in conversation with itself - high clarinet-melodies and 'reactions' in low tones on that melody), a three-part canon in the first movement, and the abundant use of triplets in the first movement.

Finally there was an interesting theory about the spirit of each movement, in connection with Die Zauberflöte: the first movement of the concerto depicted the love between Tamino and Pamina, the second Sarastro's realm and the third the buffo world of Papageno (and Papagena).

Perhaps some of you heared the broadcast before?

Curious about your opinions.

Jan-Willem Besuijen

Subject: Re: Clarinet Concerto on BBC Radio 3 archive
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 07:23:37 06/15/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
With respect to Mozart's use of basset horn, there are approximately 20-25 works he wrote that used the instrument and all but one of them are for basset horn in F. Only one (one of the Notturni for 2 clarinets, basset horn and voices) is for basset horn in G. And here I speak about completed works. There are several incomplete works that use basset horn (including the Requiem) and all of those but one are for basset horn in F.

The selection of the pitch of the basset horn was done because a basset horn in F is capable of playing in most of the traditional key signatures. For example, a basset horn in F can be used if the concert pitch is F, E-flat, B-flat, and even D-flat. The basset horn in G is useful for works whose concert pitches are in sharp keys, and those are keys that Mozart did not use frequently when he wanted clarinets. The choice of keys when he wanted to write for clarinets and basset horns was based mostly on practical matters and not mystical ones.

I suggest there is no numerolgical mystery to Mozart's choice of key signatures for clarinet, only a very practical one. Writing the clarinet concert in A major permitted the A clarinet to play in the easiest key, namely written C major.

Also, stories about the themes of this or that movement as being indicitive of subtle psychological messages about specific people are easy to state and impossible to prove.

So what I suggest is that the commentary you heard is very interesting, but it appears to derive entirely from the mind of the person who spoke it. The use of music to show specific emtions about specific people was very popular in 1850s, but there is no evidence that it was true even them, much less active in Mozart's day. Einstein suggested that Mozart's clear passion for the English woman singer (the first Suzanne whose name escapes me) can be heard in the soprano solo with piano accompaniment, "Chio me scordi di te."

It's a lovely sentiment but it doesn't have anything but Einstein's opinion to sustain it.

Subject: Re: Clarinet Concerto on BBC Radio 3 archive
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 16:32:20 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Mr. Leeson,

The first Susanna was Ann Selina Storace. Together with the help of an expert, who is writing a book about Ms. Storace, namely our own Emmanuelle, I have learned that there is absolutely no substance to Mr. Einstein's theory about an affair between Storace and Mozart. It is a figment of Mr. Einstein's imagination as is his theory that the Weber sisters paraded in front of the Vienna military barracks to catch men. During this very period, Aloysia Weber was married to Lange and the highest paid diva at the German Opera. Josepha was in Gratz studying singing under an Imperial Scholarship, Constanze was married to Mozart and the timid Sophie was about 15 year old very much under the protection of her mother.

It is well known fact that Ann Storace was the mistress of an English Lord with whom she eventually returned to London. Previous to the English Lord her lover was the first Figaro in Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro.

As to the women in Mr. Einstein's book - well, he just did not do his reasearch properly. Besides, it seems he had a very poor opinion of women, a common trait among men of the early 20th century when they were faced with the suffrage movement.

Cordially,

Agnes Selby.

Subject: Re: Clarinet Concerto on BBC Radio 3 archive
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 18:21:29 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi everyone,

Interesting topic. Agnes, your comment about Einstein's opinion of women reminded me of an 1879 quote from Gustave Le Bon I read just recently. He was a prominent social psychologist from the school of thought of the famous Paul Broca of brain research. Here it is:

"In the most intelligent races, as among the Parisians, there are a large number of women whose brains are closer in size to those of gorillas than to the most developed male brains... All psychologists who have studied the intelligence of women, as well as poets and novelists, recognize today that they represent the most inferior forms of human evolution and that they are closer to children and savages than to an adult, civilized man. They excel in fickleness, inconstancy, absence of thought and logic, and incapacity to reason. Without doubt, there exist some distinguished women, very superior to the average man, but they are as exceptional as the birth of any monstrosity, as for an example, of a gorilla with two heads; consequently, we may neglect them entirely."

Is it any wonder that most European and American men of the early 20th century had a poor opinion of women? (I must say, Le Bon seemed also to have a bit of an obsession with gorillas.)

Sorry for going off-topic, but I thought it was interesting (and hey, I couldn't help myself, I do own one of those female brains).

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: Clarinet Concerto on BBC Radio 3 archive
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 00:53:08 06/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Teresa,

I just LOVE Le Bon. He is a real "bon -bon". I too own a female brain and I also outdid my male colleagues at university. So do the many female students in Australian schools. Only recently there was a article in the Sydney Morning Herald about boys lagging behind girls in their high school graduation exams. There are today, according to this report, more women studying law and medicine in this country's universities than men.
You have to get a grade of near 100% in your HSC (High School Certificate) on a State by State basis in Australia to enter these faculties.

As you know by now, I love statistics particularly the one mentioned above. But then I have two grandsons.....!

I love your story. It gives me comfrot to know that Einstein, whose brilliant brain gave us so much wonderful knowledge about Mozart's music, was not alone in his silly assessment of women.

Kind regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: Clarinet Concerto on BBC Radio 3 archive
From: Catherine Sprague
To: All
Date Posted: 14:33:59 06/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
When I read a book that is not in the "contemporary" list of books on Mozart, such as is the case with Alfred Einstein' s, I try to put extraneous statements through a "sieve". And a big sieve at that.

The romantic allusions to Ann Storace, and the half a dozen or so others, with Mozart, not including all his female piano students, surfaces again and again throughout a great many books.

People wish to read a g reat deal into practically nothing. If I recall, it was the additional note he wrote in his own catalgue that it was an "aria for Ms. Storace and me" or something to that effect.

Does not Maynard Solomon even spend time on this subject, especially so concerning the approximately 30 day period for which he was unaccounted for on one of his trips? Maybe it was Gutman (an excellent book ---one of the best I thought), but there is plenty of suggestion in the literature that Mozart was a hedonist when it comes to the ladies.

It seems everywhere Mozart goes, he is suspected of liasons.

Would writers change their tone if Mozart were alive today to rebut these charges? Yes, I believe it is only because it is possible to say these things and get away with it.

I have to conclude that the male biographers are projecting their own desires onto the pages they write when they do so.

Besides.... I thought it was only women and not men who engaged in gossipy behavior.

Catherine Sprague

Subject: Re: Clarinet Concerto on BBC Radio 3 archive
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 10:44:50 06/22/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Catherine,

Dr. Peter Davies suggests that the unaccounted for days may have been spent gambling. Mozart, Dr. Davies thinks, may have lost his earnings, tried to recover
the losses, etc. In his book he recounts the terrible problems caused by gambling and how it may have affected Mozart. I have also spoken to him about this episode the last time he visited us.

Dr. Davies is a medical practitioner in Melbourne, Australia.
I would highly recommend his "Mozart in Person - His Character and Health". I think it is available on Amazon. His theory concerning Mozart's final illness has been widely accepted by Mozart scholars.

Kind regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: Clarinet Concerto on BBC Radio 3 archive
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 21:54:54 06/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Jan-Willem,

On the Masonic symbolisms you mention: Anything is possble, but as I mentioned in an earlier posting, we are operating in a vacuum as to why Mozart "did" or "did not" do something. Since Nature abhors a vacuum and tries to fill it with something, many writers have sought to "fill in" the whys and why nots on such works.

I am not a musician, so one would have to ask a clarinetist about the potential symbolism in the musical notation.

The other hypothesis: "a bassethorn (the instrument which KV 584b is written for) is pitched G, whereas a bassetclarinet (KV 622) is pitched A. It stated Mozart picked up the abandoned fragment to write a piece for Stadler to thank him for is efforts concerning KV 621 (and as Stadler played a bassetclarinet transposed the piece to A major)" is the standard one. I tend to figure that the fragment wasn't "abandoned," that it was in fact for Stadler all along and had been set aside for some reason. When Stadler had himself built a basset clarinet, either or both of them decided to revamp the set aside work for this new instrument.

"Finally there was an interesting theory about the spirit of each movement, in connection with Die Zauberflöte: the first movement of the concerto depicted the love between Tamino and Pamina, the second Sarastro's realm and the third the buffo world of Papageno (and Papagena." Again, this one is mere speculation without any more evidence than Mozart was working on Die Zauberflote in the same time frame. I don't really hear these points in this concerto, except very, very broadly, which is to say that you could probably link these movements with La Clemenza di Tito in some way as well, which Mozart was also working on during this time.

However, some of these theories are new to me, so I'll file this away for some sort of future reference. One never knows what can come up.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Lubimov's Recordings on Erato
From: Bernard O'Hanlon
To: All
Date Posted: 05:54:42 06/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Dennis, Matt and Gunn.

Apologies that I have not replied to you sooner: I am, as they say, in Pharoah's Army, and I do not have a good deal of free time.

The A Minor sonata as recorded by Lubimov in 1990, was issued by Erato on 2292 45590-2. There are six CDs in the series. I bought that five that I have online from a secondhand shop in Philadelphia (I lack K 279 - 281). As fillers, he also includes K 312 and 400.

As mentioned, the notes are penned by H. C. Robbins Landon. I thought you might also be interested in Lubimov's own notes:
"My choice of instruments for this complete recording . . .was governed by the following criteria:
1. The type of instrument and its tone should correspond completely with the period in which any particular sonata was composed.
2. The instrument should be of irreproachable quality from the point of view of their mechanical condition and tone.
3. Each instrument should have its own individuality such as to encourage a spontaneous intrepretation suggested by the instrument itself.
I used two copies of J. A Stein fortepianos for the first nine sonatas, and remaining nine (I used a copy of an Anton Walter fortepiano. I also followed the concertante style of interpretation which is well supported by tradition and (I) approached with an open mind all questions to do with ornamentation, tempi and dynamics in order to bring out the ambivalent nature of Mozart's compositions: on one hand there is its jewel-like clarity and perfection, and on the other there is the unforseeable spontaneity."

If you come across any of these CDs, trust me and acquire them at once, and in particular the recording of K 310. For what my opinion is worth, I cannot imagine the work being played in any other way now, with no disrespect to the Tan, Gilels, Richter, Uchida, Haebler and Gieseking recordings in my collection.

One of the other highlights of the series is that each CD has a colour photograph of Lubimov in his rather eclectic attire.

I hope this makes sense: I am far from home (Perth rather than Melbourne), and in the Australian Football League, the Melbourne Demons have just consigned the hateful Collingwood Magpies to the sword, and the world, I would like to think, is a better place as a result, even if only momentarily - Bernard.

Subject: A Message for Steve Ralsten
From: Andrea Hubrich
To: All
Date Posted: 00:37:52 06/14/04 ()
Email Address: andrea.hubrich@chello.at
 

Message:
Did you get the e-mail with the Mozart pictures I sent you? I sent them to the e-mail address for the Webmaster since I no longer have your personal e-mail address. We lost all of our e-mail addresses when my husband forgot to copy our address book when he reinstalled all of our data after our PC got hold of a virus.

If not let me know and I'll resend them.

Thanks,
Andrea

Subject: Re: A Message for Steve Ralsten
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 12:44:06 06/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Andrea

Yes I did and will send you an email regarding them.
That way you'll get my address again as well.

Steve

Subject: Fragment of a Piano Fugue in G-major K.Anh41/375g
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 20:10:14 06/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

K1 carried this Fugue fragment in the Anhang section for
fragments as Anh 4, the autograph at that time being in the
possession of the Prussian Royal Music Director F.W. Jähns in
Berlin. The 27 measures (incorrectly listed as 26 by Köchel) in G-
major were written down by Mozart on the back of the autograph
(4th page) of the fragment for 4-voices "In te Domine speravi".

Einsein, in K3, moved all the fragments into the main portion of
the Köchel Catalogue, renumbering our Fugue as K375g. It was
placed in spring 1782--"the Fugue time"-- from Mozart's
handwriting and character of the piece. He noted the mixed tone
shading in the beginning theme was peculiar, and the right hand
is noted in the Soprano clef. (Without any explanation for the vast
time difference, Einstein placed the "In te Domine speravi" in early
summer 1773 in Salzburg with Mozart's early counterpunctual
studies.)

K6 did not change the dating for the Fugue, but curiously deleted
the sentence of the mixed shading when repeating Einstein's
remarks. By this time the autograph was in the Fitzwilliam
Museum in Cambridge, where it remains today.

In the 1976/77 Mozart-Jahbruch, Wolfgang Plath published an
article on his studies of the handwriting of the Mozart autographs.
He found the handwriting of the "in te Domine speravi" to be from
1774, and our Fugue to be from "ca. later summer 1777". Certain
characteristics of Mozart's handwriting were found frequently in
autographs of 1776/77, but never past 1778. Plath showed the
form of the "F" in Mozart's heading "Fuga" as fitting this dating.
Plath thought it more likely that such a Fugue study would have
originated in Salzburg than during the later Mannheim-Paris trip,
when this characteristic was still in use. [Tyson's watermarks
studies later also show a much earlier time, but hard to pin to a
certain year. The watermark Number (#1) was used in Mozart
autographs from 1761 to 1772.]

In the 1982 volume of the NMA its editor, Wolfgang Plath again,
saw more peculariites in the Fugue. He noted that the stylistic
distance between this Fugue and the others of Mozart is so
striking that without the autograph it could hardly be seen as
Mozart's. He saw the melody formation as "strangely unnatural".
The theme itself showed more of an artificial structure than a
skillful one. In citing many technical problems in this Fugue, Plath
questioned if it was conceivable this only was a copy by Mozart of
another composer. But Plath found this unlikely, questioning why
Mozart would copy out such a faulty Fugue.

To listen and decide for yourself on the qualities of this Fugue
follow the Mutopoia Project link below, or if that fails go to:

http://ibiblio.org/mutopia/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=447

where Maurizio Tomasi has produced a MIDI file of this Fugue for
everyone's enjoyment.

dennis

Subject: Re: Fragment of a Piano Fugue in G-major K.Anh41/375g
From: Jan-Willem Besuijen
To: All
Date Posted: 17:03:53 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Dennis,

I listened to a recording of the fugue KV 41 (375g) and tried to figure out why Plath wrote it is 'unmozartian'. I didn't get why that is (but I am not a musicologist).
My question: is the In te Domine speravi you mentioned the same as KV Anh. 23 (166h)?
I read it (Anh. 23) is Mozarts copy of a contemporary.
Why is that?

Jan-Willem

Subject: Re: Fragment of a Piano Fugue in G-major K.Anh41/375g
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 20:13:04 06/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Yes, K.Anh23/166h is this In te Domine speravi.

When Köchel published his original catalogue he placed the
fragments in the Anhang section. When Einstein redid the
catalogue in the 1930's he placed the fragments into the main
part of the catalogue, where he believed they were to be dated.

The Anhang A section of K6 is for Mozart's copies of other
composer's works.

Don't felt bad about the confusion, because...well it is confusing
the way the Köchel is set up.

dennis

Subject: special Mozart evening at BBC
From: wim vingerhoed
To: All
Date Posted: 02:18:29 06/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Again we shall have a special broadcast from BBC.
Tonight we shall have Don Giovanni,
with Peter Mattei as Don Giovanni.
BBC 2 at 17.25 p.m.
wim

Subject: Re: special Mozart evening at BBC
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 17:56:47 06/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Sigh

Subject: Leopold Mozart's Grave
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 23:53:25 06/12/04 ()
Email Address: taselby@idx.com.au
 

Message:
The title of this story is not altogether correct because Leopold Mozart's grave is in fact the grave of his mother-in-law, Eva Rosina Pertl. She was the first to occupy this grave in St. Sebastian Cemetery.

It is a unique, little cemetery. One is greeted at the very beginning with a tomb of Auroleus Phillipus Theostratus Bombastus von Hohenheim who had mercifully shortened his name during his lifetime to PARACELSUS. Paracelsus ended his interesting and full life in Salzburg in 1541 in the service of the Prince Palatine, Duke Ernst of Bavaria. Like Leopold Mozart himself, he was obliged to please and serve this prince.

Leopold Mozart's grave was not a private crypt nor was it a privately owned plot. It is situated in the open field and administered by the Church of St. Sebastian. While it was still operational, the Church held complete jurisdiction over the open field. Some of Leopold Mozart's friends, the wealthy burghers and merchants, are resting in privately owned crypts under the exquisite Italianate awnings of the loggia.

Leopold Mozart, who so vehemently opposed Wolfgang's marriage to Constanze Weber was destined to share with her, in eternity, the very same grave.
The Church authorities in charge of St Sebastian Cemetery used their own discretion as to where bodies were to be buried, so we find a number of unrelated people buried in the same grave. The reason, of course, was the lack of space. The large Communal Cemetery which now serves Salzburg retains the same old practice but at least the graves today contain family members, which does not make the atmosphere among them any more cordial. It is very lucky that they cannot fight among themselves any longer.

Leopold Mozart followed his mother-in-law to this grave and so did Nannerl Mozart's stepdaughter, Jeanette. The next to be buried in the same grave was the mother of Carl Maria von Weber, who died suddenly while the family was in Salzburg with Carl Maria, who was receiving lessons from Michael Haydn. Madam Weber, being a singer herself, the authorities decided that the best company for her would certainly be found in Leopold Mozart's grave. Many writers have accused Constanze Mozart for burying her aunt in Leopold Mozart's sacrosanct grave but as Constanze was at the time of her aunt's death in Vienna, there is absolutely nothing she could have done about it. Evidently, neither could Nannerl who was closer to the action.

The grave was peaceful for quite some time. Then on March 24, 1826 Georg Nikolaus Nissen died suddenly while writing Wolfgang Mozart's biography.
Nissen was a Protestant. There was no Protestant cemetery in Salzburg. The authorities at St. Sebastian relented and allowed Nissen to be buried
in the same grave which already contained quite a number of personages. So, Leopold Mozart was joined in death with Constanze's second husband and one hundred years later a loud cry was heard amongst Mozartean historians who decided that Nissen should not have been buried in this grave in the open field or perhaps not buried at all. The claimed it was all Constanze Mozart's fault who tried to elevate herself socially by having her second husband, a decorated Danish diplomat buried in Leopold Mozart's grave.

Nannerl was said to have been upset to the point of hysteria at such an affrontery. There is written evidence in contemporary correspondence that she sat in the Church when Wolfgang (Franz Xaver)Mozart celebrated Nissen's life with a performance of Mozart's Requiem. Her remarks to her nephew were more than complimentary. By then she was a very sick woman, partly paralysed, and another attack would leave her completely paralysed for the rest of her life.

The Mozartean writers also inform us that Constanze had an elaborate monument erected over the grave with only Nissen's name inscribed on it. However, we know from Vincent and Mary Novello who, in 1829 visited Nissen's grave in Constanze's company, that the monument was a simple pyramid with the names of all occupants inscribed on it.

The rule that prevails in Salzburg to this day does not allow burials in the same grave for seven years after the last interment. Nannerl, who saw herself dying well before this period elapsed, wrote a number of codicils to her will, the last one stating her wish to be buried in St. Peters's Cemetery. Nannerl died on October 29, 1829 and was buried in the tomb which contained the remains of some Salzburg notables as well as the remains of Michael Haydn.

Constanze died on March 6, 1842 and was buried next to her husband in St. Sebastian Cemetery.

There is something definitely wrong with the monument on this august grave. First of all, Constanze's name appears on the front of the monument and Nissen's on the back of it. There are a number of tablets on the grave commemorating all other occupants. This is not unusual in Salzburg's Communal Cemetery where the names of the latest occupants appear on the gravestone and the earlier occupants' names appear on tablets placed on the grave.

But why did Constanze place her name on the front of the monument and her husband's name on the back of it. Why on earth would she have given the engraver the wrong date and the wrong place of her birth?
How did she know the exact date of her own death?

The answer comes from a number of letters written by Carl Mozart to his friend, Johann Ritter von Finetti, who had moved from Milan to Salzburg. Finetti informed Carl that over past 30 years, the monument on his mother's grave had crumbled and as the Mozarteum authorities were just then getting ready for the centennial celebrations of Mozart's birth, a new monument would have to be erected.

Carl agreed to have a new monument erected and this was done with much love and attention by Finetti and Alois Taux, the director of the Mozarteum. Taux and his wife planted pansies all over the grave with their own hands and the tradition of pansies flowering on what is now known as Constanze Mozart's grave continues to this day. Finetti and Taux must have decided to put Constanze's name on the front of the monument and they may have made the mistake in quoting Constanze's birth date and place of birth.

In summary, the Church authorities made the decision to bury Madam Weber and Nissen in the same grave with Leopold Mozart and there certainly was no "desecration" involved on Constanze's part.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Leopold Mozart's Grave
From: Stephanie Cowell
To: All
Date Posted: 06:38:01 06/13/04 ()
Email Address: StephanieCowell@nyc.rr.com
 

Message:
Agnes, I loved every word of it! Thanks so much for writing it.

Subject: Re: Leopold Mozart's Grave
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 07:23:35 06/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,

Same here--Thanks for a fascinating piece of Mozart history! (Can historians actually have blamed Constanze for the inscriptions on the marker??? Amazing.)

Great article!
All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: Leopold Mozart's Grave
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 18:16:19 06/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Teresa and Stephanie,

Thank you so much for your kind remarks. Constanze, who was central to Mozart's life during his most productive years in Vienna and was after his death his most devoted publicity "agent", has received every possible kind of insult. Being responsible for burials in St. Sebastian Cemetery is a minor one, all
things being considered... I am pretty sure there will be more of the same in not to distant future.

Kind regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: Leopold Mozart's Grave
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 06:44:30 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,

What else can I say that haven't already been said by Stephanie and Teresa? I can only echo their praises.

Let me just add and make mention your effort and time, simply to share this article with us.
Agnes - thank you very much!

Best regards,
TEL

Subject: Re: Leopold Mozart's Grave
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 16:35:20 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thank you, Tellern.

We shall have a talk about the grave over a nice cup of coffee, hopefully soon, our busy agendas permitting.

Love, Agnes.

Subject: my trip to Vienna and Salzburg!
From: StephanieCowell
To: All
Date Posted: 16:13:30 06/12/04 ()
Email Address: StephanieCowell@nyc.rr.com
 

Message:
I spent almost a week in Vienna and Salzburg! Many thanks to Andrea Hubrich who was my marvelous Viennese guide! Here's my little essay about it....written for my website but posted here for anyone interested. It was glorious. Thanks to Tel who introduced me to Agnes who told me about the Mozart Forum through which I found Andrea! And to the web masters of this wonderful site.

P.S. I gained 2 pounds in Austria.
_________________________

My Pilgrimage to Vienna and Salzburg

Rain was falling heavily when my husband and I came into Salzburg on an early June evening; we could stop to linger at little as we tried to stay dry. In the Austrian restaurant, most of my small amount of German deserted me as it did through the whole week. But that night in our lovely rustic room on Linzer Gasse in the very old Altstadthotel Amadeus, I dreamt of Constanze Weber Mozart as a young woman just married and woke to find that her grave (shared with Mozart’s father and others) was forty feet from my window in the churchyard of St. Sebastian.

Both Salzburg and Vienna held many mystical and moving experiences for me, as they must with any Mozart lover. The morning after our Salzburg arrival, I walked the few streets to Mozart’s Wohnhaus on Markartplatz where he lived as an adolescent and adult between his travels and until his permanent move to Vienna. It is a larger apartment than I imagined (it had been closed due to war devastation for many years so I had not visited it before). I was moved to see what is believed to have been his fortepiano and delighted in the hand-held talking guide, which played selections from his music as you went from showcase to showcase. The large glass cases of his father’s books made the daily life of the Mozart family so very present. I bought a CD of piano-violin sonatas recorded on Mozart’s own instruments in the room where he was born.

I then crossed the river and within five minutes came to the birthplace, the Geburtshaus. This is a much smaller apartment and the Mozart family of mother, father and two children must have been squashed together…the children had to sleep with the parents and kicked father Leopold in his sleep! The rooms are full of the family with original portraits of them and, hanging in a glass case and vibrating and swaying slightly, Mozart’s own violin. I stood before it quite stunned. Nearby is a showcase with some of his personal effects: buttons from a suit jacket, his money wallet (as a man it was often filled and as quickly emptied) which is of worn, white embroidered cloth. I could feel his hand on it, and his fingers fastening his buttons. Needless to say there were also many letters and documents.

The old part of Salzburg is a charming town in a stunning setting; cliffs rise up dramatically. The old houses are rimmed with cliffs and heavy trees. Yet I could understand how provincial it seemed to Mozart after Vienna, and how he must have longed to escape it. The weather cleared a little and I walked around, finding the house where Constanze and Sophie lived together in their old age and where Constanze died. I saw many other things. I was only sorry that so many shops sold Mozartkugeln and souvenirs. I think there are more Mozartkugeln for sale in Vienna and Salzburg than there are people who have heard the name of “Mozart!” My Swiss stepmother, a serious Mozart lover, told me the town used to be full of small shops of handmade crafts. I had hoped to find myself among scholars, and found it full of tourists. I am such a serious Mozart person I don’t think of myself as a tourist but a pilgrim. But the pilgrims among us were likely very quiet, having their own rich inner revelations as I did.

I had two generous guides to Vienna. The first was Elisabeth Frauendorfer who took my husband and me to Schoenbrunn Palace and the Karlskirche and many other places. On the second day, Andrea Hubrich, whom I met through the on-line Mozart Forum, was kind enough to take me around for many hours. In the rain (though gentler than the Salzburg rain) we stood before Mozart’s grave memorial (which is near to where it is believed he was buried in an unmarked grave that cold stormy January day in 1791). She took me all over the old city, the first district of Vienna, up and down streets where he had lived, some of the houses, which have memorial plaques where his older houses stood, and some authentic dwelling places that still stand. There was a very fancy one on the Graben (he did like nice things!). We explored the astonishing Stephansdom where he was married and whose kappelmeister position he would have inherited had he lived.

In search of the Weber sisters who are also the subjects of my novel, we walked over to Petersplatz where their boarding house stood when Mozart, unable to make much of a living, lodged with them and fell in love with two of the daughters. We then stopped with much feeling before the place where the house stood in which he died and left his young wife a widow. And we climbed the very old steps of the “Figaro” house on a narrow street behind the cathedral and walked through the rooms where he lived for a few years during his marriage. The rooms were smaller than I would have thought, especially as I believe he had concerts and pupils there. I imagined his wife coming from the bedroom door with her wide skirts. Again, I could feel him hurrying up the steps. I would love to write another novel about him.

It was a moving trip. I was reluctant to leave the cities where Mozart walked, lived, loved, and poured out his music. As we pulled our luggage away from our Salzburg hotel, I turned to look down the short walkway to the St. Sebastian graveyard and said, “Goodbye, Stanzi.” But I have not quite left this sacred place; I never will. It is safe within me.

Subject: Re: my trip to Vienna and Salzburg!
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 06:30:35 06/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Stephanie,

Welcome back! Have been flat out with deadlines <*Agnes knows*> but will try to make up soon. And like Dennis said, I'm so glad that MozartForum has helped us connect - eventually "meeting" each other not just online but offline. I'm definitely looking forward with equal excitement to meeting Andrea in Wien someday <*eh Andrea*> or perhaps Teresa in Florida. ;-)

About your trip. Bravo! Your article is awesome dear friend. With my senses I can feel your exciting moments. Were you also able to create mentally some of the immortal's music while relishing the significant places?! Ah, I'm getting carried away. ;-)

Delighted to know you enjoyed your trip immensely. And yes, thanks to Andrea's care in making your travels worthwhile and breathtaking.

Best regards,
TEL

Subject: Re: my trip to Vienna and Salzburg!
From: Andrea Hubrich
To: All
Date Posted: 00:33:53 06/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Grüß Gott aus Wien, Stephanie! I am so glad that I was able to show you around Mozart and my Vienna. I enjoyed showing you some of the places where he lived, composed, performed, died and was buried. I am looking forward to the time when you will visit Wien again so I can show you around the Vienna of Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn and Johann Strauss Jr.

Even though we spent only one day together I had a lovely time and I hope that your next trip here you will stay longer and hopefully the weather will be much nicer. Also vielen Dank for the signed copy of your lovely book. All the best to you and I hope we will keep in touch.

Tschüß aus Wien,
Andrea

Subject: Re: my trip to Vienna and Salzburg!
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 19:27:37 06/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Sounds like a delightful time.

I am glad the MozartForum had a small part in making your more
pleasant and enjoyable.

dennis

Subject: Re: my trip to Vienna and Salzburg!
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 18:01:07 06/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Welcome back, Stephanie. I was thinking of you only yesterday wondering if you were back. I am so glad that this was an emorional journey, not just a sightseeing one, not that I ever imagined it could be any other way.

Love, Agnes.

Subject: Mozart's Vienna II
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 12:11:33 06/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Mozart's Vienna II

A Look at Various Aspects of Mozart's Adopted City:

The Zahlheim Case (1786)

Franz Zaglauer von Zalheim, a nobleman and government official, had a relationship with older women whom he had promised to marry. He however was far more into drinking, carousing and gambling than taking on family life. His debts finally reached 16,000 gulden (say $750,000) and he needed cash to get the creditors off his back so as to save his honor. This led to arguments with his fiancée, the final one seeing him murder her for about 1000 gulden cash that she had. This was a reprehensible crime, but even then somewhat ordinary. Vienna at that time saw about two murders a year (!?!) on a population base of 200,000 people [if that % were transferred to Los Angeles, that would put the murder rate out here at roughly 90-100 a year, low for sure]; some more shocking than this particular one. Yet in this case the public responded sympathetically to the murderer, not because of the crime, but because of the punishment.

The death penalty had been de facto abolished (but kept secret from the public) back in 1776. As well, torture had been publicly repealed that same year. Joseph II had earned much praise and respect for these reforms he had set in motion. He viewed deterrence as the main objective of punishment, but he rejected the death penalty as ineffective, preferring lifelong hard labor. The worst punishment in the "hard labor" category was pulling canal boats; prisoners worked waist deep in mire, 365 days a year, ill or desperately sick, until they collapsed. They were as well subject to flogging with birch rods daily. Virtually none survived their "life long" sentences more than a year. As one can see, in these regards Joseph II was not much "enlightened" past a Middle Ages viewpoint here, though his abolishments of torture and the death penalty were well received by his fellow enlightened supporters. Joseph did favor extremely severe punishments in lieu of death and torture, as he did want to deter out of fear.

For Zalheim, a trial resulted in the death sentence for his crime. At this time, the courts would generally impose as minimum sentence as possible, which the appeal courts would reduce by about a third. And, should the case be appealed to the highest court, further reductions would be made. This practice by the courts no doubt signaled the opposition of the law courts to the emperor's ideas. As one can see, the severity of what Joseph had intended as punishment kept getting rolled back to more "liberal" levels.

So, in the case of Zalheim, one would expect some sort of hard labor punishment doled out. Rather, it was with great surprise that Joseph personally intervened and disposed his own sentence in this case, violating his stated principles of noninterference with in judicial matters and his guarantee of equal justice. He may have wanted to show everyone that the nobility were not going to escape justice for his or her crimes, but he misjudged the situation badly.

In a personally signed receipt, Joseph insisted that the death penalty would be carried out in strict accordance with the regulations (which, as noted, had been quietly de facto abolished) and without mercy. This meant that:

"the nobleman Franz Zahlheim, convicted of murder, shall be taken to the Hoher Markt, where after the public reading of his sentence, glowing hot pincers shall be applied to …his chest. He shall then be led to the usual place of execution, where his body will be broken on the wheel from the feet upward, then displayed on a gibbet."

Vienna had not witnessed such a gruesome execution in years. The process above took four hours to play out. The crowd was estimated at 30,000 spectators. This whole affair was considered a relapse into barbarism, and a terrible relapse from the "Age of Enlightenment," especially for Vienna, which was considered the center of this "Age." Confidence in the reforms Joseph II had promulgated over the course of his reign were shattered. This case was one of the most widely discussed events of the time, debated at parties, taverns and Masonic lodges. It was believed in some quarters that this meant an end to reforms in general. For the first time people began to ask themselves whether Joseph II was reverting to the harsh old ways of his mother, the Empress Maria Theresa and whether that meant the rest of his people could expect similar revisions.

The execution took place 10 March 1786, its initial stages beginning about 2-300 yards from Mozart's home. We do not know if he was actually present for any part of it, but the noise of the crowd would certainly have been heard from his lodgings. And, of course, he knew what happening. We have no knowledge of how Mozart felt or what he believed concerning this event. It is instructive to know that, fourteen days later, he entered into his catalogue of completed works the Concerto in c minor for Piano K.491. Was this some sort of musical reaction, or even perhaps a commentary of sorts on a tense and oppressive situation? Practically every musicologist writing about this work refers to its "tragic" or demonic" elements. Alfred Einstein, for one, speaks of "dark eruptions" and "explosions of dark, tragic, passionate emotions." Due in some part, perhaps, to a loss of faith in a better, enlightened future?

Obviously, this work was not meant for the salon, where it would be expected to take part in the "socializing" via wit, elaborate artistry and scintillating invention. Rather, this work is far similar to a speech that silences a crowd through sheer earnestness and gravity of expression. There is something very unrelenting and defiant within this music. It shows no traces of frivolity or joy, and does not seek any sort of shallow approval from its audience. It is not questioning or emotionally neutral, but powerful and declarative. In this way, it does express some of the tense mood of those few days, which in many eyes marked a turning point after years of comfortable complacency. Mozart was not one of those disappointed or fainthearted people who gave up and withdrew from the struggle. He expressed his reaction in his own language, music, and many of his works continued this pattern of being less "entertaining," and more demanding but less compromising. His 3rd period was beginning to loom ahead, and a harder road was to be trod.

This posting is generally taken from material in the book Mozart in Vienna by Volkmar Braunbehrens, pages 271-277

Regards,
Gary

Subject: Re: Mozart's Vienna II
From: Sue
To: All
Date Posted: 00:13:19 06/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
One of your eerier articles! I wondered as I read it how Mozart would fit in, and then I saw the date and knew what was coming next. Unless definitive dating of the autograph shows it was written much earlier, it is possible isn't it?
Sue

Subject: Re: Mozart's Vienna II
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 15:40:44 06/13/04 ()
Email Address: smithworld@earthlink.net
 

Message:
Dear Sue,

The “for what reason” and “why” questions involved with Mozart’s creation of this work are really lost to us. It’s certainly interesting that he created such an austere work, full of ominous overtones, in parallel to the events of the Zahlheim Case. Obviously, this can be viewed as merely coincidental, or as a studied response. No real evidence exists to prove ore disprove either contention. However, there are a couple of facts worth noting in conjunction with this work.

First, that ominous first movement theme, as Charles Rosen points out, “…has a terse, concentrated outline that is not often found in Mozart, and is much more typical of Haydn.” Particularly the angular opening theme, which could be seen as in accord with the events occurring outside Mozart’s home at this point in time. In fact, this theme had appeared in print before. For Mozart’s theme here looks to be closely related to one by in fact Joseph Haydn, in his Symphony #78, also in c minor, written about four years earlier. It had been issued by the publisher Boyer in Paris, so Mozart could have gotten a copy on his own without directly receiving one from Haydn. One would suspect that Mozart would have studied this work closely, and as such any plans to “borrow” that theme would have percolated within him over time. He would not have had to reach in to use it on the spur of the moment for lack of something else. It may well be that since Mozart apparently worked on and/or sketched several works at the same time, he had this particular one in the works, planning to use Haydn’s theme all along. Thus, he chose to complete this work at this time, since it “fit” the events occurring in Vienna.

However, there is another unique point here regarding the autograph itself. To simplify a bit, Mozart mostly (but not completely) composed on 10 staff paper during his mature years in Salzburg, as that was the typically available paper for composition. Once in Vienna, he composed on 12 staff paper, as that was the typically available paper there. One should therefore expect that K.491 would also be on 12 staff paper. This is NOT the case, as this work is composed on 16 staff paper, one of only two works Mozart records as such, the other being K.441, the “Bandel” Trio, which is a comic trio regarding a lost ribbon, composed in a short period of time for the entertainment of Mozart, Constanze and his friend Gottfried von Jacquin. Why this particular paper? (This of course suggests that K.441 dates from 1786, and not from the 1783 timeframe so often assigned to it). Further, while many mature Mozart works are combinations of various papers (but, not all) K.491 is contained totally on one type. Did Mozart simply run out of his normal preferred paper and grabbed whatever was handy? Or, did he come up with an idea (or ideas) and being out of paper, rush out and get whatever was available to start quickly putting things down?

Finally, there is a great deal or rewriting and changes present in the autograph (not too uncommon), but what IS uncommon for Mozart here is the back insertion of a new long section in the opening ritornello. This was necessary in Mozart’s mind because he had added more new material to close the solo exposition, essentially adding a new theme and hence producing the effect of supplying a double exposition to this work. To keep things in balance, Mozart had to go back to the orchestral exposition and enlarge it to fit the newer, wider proportions he had incorporated “later.”

What his might mean is that Mozart had not thought things out as fully as he ordinarily did, and so had to revamp the work accordingly as he went along. Also, the 3rd movement shows a similar example of perceived haste, in that a passage in the third variation of the Finale has several written out versions, all crossed out, leaving not one as a final “official” choice. Soloists and editors therefore must choose from the discarded ideas and select that which works best for them. Which one could argue means that he was working at speed to finish this concerto while the Zahlheim affair was being played out.

Traditionally, it has been presumed that Mozart would have been “composing” these works during the winter months, getting ready for the Advent concert series, of which the last was on 7 April 1786 in the Burgtheater. K.491 was entered in his catalogue as being completed on 24 March 1786; this by no means tells us when he started this work. As is well known, waiting until shortly before a performance date to write out material is very common for Mozart.

I make no claims one way or another here, I simply point out that there lurks under the covers of this work several small mysteries not easily explained.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: Mozart's Vienna II
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 05:13:52 06/15/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I was wondering whether the C minor concertoK.491 may have had a connection with JC Bach who died in 1787. Mozart might have known that Bach was seriously ill at the time he was composing K.491.

I own many volumes on CD of JC Bach's music and one his most serious works is the Symphony in G minor Op.6 No.6. The main theme of its 2nd movement is even more similar to that of the 1st movement of K.491 than Haydn's symphony no. 78.

Just a thought.

Subject: Re: Mozart's Vienna II
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 05:19:43 06/15/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
Sorry my mistake. JC Bach died in 1782. It was Leopold who died in 1787. A tribute to JC bach would not have happened four years after his death.

Yet one cannot dispute the similarity in opening themes between Op.6 No.6 2nd movement and K.491 1st movement.

Subject: Re: Mozart's Vienna II
From: Sue
To: All
Date Posted: 01:11:43 06/14/04 ()
Email Address: suebschorr@hotmail.com
 

Message:
Thanks for the follow-up! I read in Alan Tyson's book about the 16 staff paper, and if I recall, he wasn't able to explain it altogether, except to remark that this was almost unique. The premiere at the Burgtheater didn't go over too well, but information about that is almost nonexistent. The crossed-out sections seem apropo; but where you say perceived haste, I say frustration, either way, it sure seemed to trouble him. Although I am still reading much of the literature for the first time, I have never come across any mention of this Zahlheim case, and certainly not it's possible connection to this concerto. It's a surprising idea that I don't rule out, but one I sure don't like, either. I hate to think it was influenced by this gruesome business, but whatever I personally consider the music to mean, I know it may (gasp!) have nothing to do with any realities surrounding it. BTW, my next step is to get this Haydn symphony. Joseph, I believe his name is. Didn't he reluctantly offer some vague praise of Mozart to Leopold once? ; )
Regards
Sue

Subject: Re: Mozart's Vienna II
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 21:35:28 06/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Sue,

I've seen a reference or two on the Zahlheim Case in passing; the only fleshed out treatment I've come across is in the book Mozart in Vienna by Volkmar Braunbehrens, as I noted in my initial posting. A good book, it covers roughly the same ground as Landon's Mozart: The Golden Years, but one should read both as together they cover a wide and interesting swath of life in Vienna.

We're dealing with a vacuum here as to why Mozart did or did not compose a work a certain way. Braunbehrens points out the main newsworthy event of the day and notes that Mozart composed a dark-hued, minor key concerto in around the same time. Could be a coincidence, could be directly linked, could be partially linked, etc.

On the crossouts in Mozart's score: I don't claim that they're due to haste. It could in fact be frustration. If the Zahlheim case DID have some bearing on how Mozart approached this work, then perhaps one could say that Mozart was distracted enough so that he didn't fully develop the piece in his mind as much as he "normally" did, and so in lieu of sketching out problem areas, he simply committed things to paper, then realized that he could have/should have done better.

Or, he was just running later than usual, was pushing his deadline too much, rushed things a bit, and the Zahlheim case had no effect on him.

All, some or none of the above may be true. As in all cases such as these, read the literature for yourself, listen to the music, and wonder.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Genius of Mozart DVD
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 20:11:15 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I've been emailing BBC about when and where they
plan to release that series on DVD for us yanks.
They have no plans to. I got this email response yesterday. It might have some impact if we all took
Cat Dixons suggestion.

>>>>Dear Steve,

I'm sorry to say that it was decided not to release this series on DVD (much to our disappointment!)

If you feel you'd like to take this matter any further, might I suggest that you contact the following company who would have distributed the DVD? (You never know, if enough people show an interest they might change their minds!)
http://www.opusarte.com/

Sorry not to be of anymore help,

Cat Dixon<<<<<<<

Subject: Re: Genius of Mozart DVD
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 21:44:35 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Steve,

If this program happens to be aired in Australia, I will tape it and send it to you. However, I will have to find out if it can be used in the USA as I cannot use DVDs made in America.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Genius of Mozart DVD
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 22:35:28 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi Agnes....

I can use any format tape, so please tape it for me if you get the chance.

Regards

Steve

Subject: Re: Genius of Mozart DVD
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 06:03:13 06/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Steve,

In that case, I will definitely copy it for you if and when our own ABC decides to air it.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Genius of Mozart DVD
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 08:48:55 06/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Agnes,
My good friend... ;) No, I am trying Steve's other approach, I wrote an indignant email to opusarte complaining about the plentitude of Fawlty Towers repeats, and the lack of anything cultural that the massive number of Mozartians in the US could be edified by. They'll laugh, I'll cry, we'll see.
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: Genius of Mozart DVD
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 16:46:18 06/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gurn,

Yes, we too have a plentitude of Fawlty Towers. But sometimes the ABC, the same old "Auntie" as is the BBC, does bring some good BBC specials.

The solution to this dilemma lies in another BBC classic, "Yes, Minister" and Yes, Prime Minister" series: "One can only appease the elites when it is politically expedient. Otherwise the support of the masses is of the greatest importance. Hence, the sale of art galeries is recommended for the support of football clubs".

Kind Regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: Genius of Mozart DVD
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 17:55:24 06/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Agnes,
Yes, same old story the world 'round, I'm afraid! We have "BBC/America", but I fear it is actually some terrible joke, since I have yet to see even one of the vaunted "great programming" epidsodes of ANYTHING on it. At least when I lived in the northern climes, I was able to receive the CBC, and I must say, those Canadians were better than average in the culture department. But culture is sadly a thing of the past in my country, I'm afraid. :`(
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Countin' flowers on the wall
From: Sue
To: All
Date Posted: 20:05:05 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
The site's back! It was fine for me though, I hardly noticed--no suffering here--Mozart? Mozart who? It gave me a chance to get caught up on just all sorts of things that really needed doing. I replaced that old deck that was short a card (took all night till the sun rose to figure it out). Waxed nostalgic watching certain old children's TV program (featuring the immortal Bunny Rabbit). My eyes are almost adjusted to the light now. Who says I've got nothin' to do? ; )
Have a great weekend!
Sue

Subject: About the downtime....
From: MozartForum
To: All
Date Posted: 15:07:26 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Last week during a posting of a follow-up message the server on which we live shut down. The software we purchased for the MozartForum board seems to be capable of self destruction in such an event.That's just what happened. The index page (the one we all see) was wiped of all information except it's name. The archive page went out also. Both pages lost all messages and capability to display new posts.

Because the damage was so great and I had gotten lax in doing backups I was dependent on the software vendor for repair. It took far too many days to get a response from the vendor. There were also some other server issues discovered which further slowed the repair. These issues are being solved and we are investigating a new discussion software which should be more bulletproof, loaded with great features, and better supported. I have also learned a lesson about backups, by doing it the hard way. The laxity in backup is mine alone, and not the fault of my fellows.

We fully understand the frustration of coming to visit a site only to find it doesn't work, for that we apologize. Cyberspace can be unpredictable, and never completely in our control, but steps are being taken to try and avoid having any further outages of this duration. Thanks for your support and understanding.

Regards

Steve Ralsten for The MozartForum

Subject: Re: About the downtime....
From: Andrea Hubrich
To: All
Date Posted: 01:09:21 06/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Glad to see that this forum has come back from the dead. It was sorely missed and I'm sure that some of us were going through withdrawls without our MozartForum fix, myself included. Welcome back and keep up the good work, Steve.

Subject: Re: About the downtime....
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 18:39:09 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Well, delighted you are back, no matter the cause. This is the one of four music Fora that I go to where I actually learn something, not just palaver with kindred spirits. I hope that Gary & Dennis and everyone else who was contributed such great articles will be able to resubmit them, they provided us with a wealth of information. And of course, my questions were good ;-))
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Lost material
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 19:24:37 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Owing to the day of the crash the lost material is minimal. The downtime was worse. While I was lax in backing up the index page we see here, I was not with the archive. The month of May will become visible
by clicking the [Archive] link at the top of this page
shortly. I just need some time to clean it of IP address' The archive is saved each month and I did so
night of May 31. Only June 1&2 are lost from the archive. The posts from those two days before the crash are visible below, but can't be added to, and
are not in the archive.

Anyone that wants an article from June 1&2 to be part
of history should re-post it now, and it will enter the archive for June. If it is not reposted it will disappear.

Regards

Steve

Subject: Re: Lost material
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 20:14:49 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks for the explanation, Steve. I knew their articles were more imnportant than my questions, but you never know what posterity will want to see! ;-))
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: Lost material
From: Bill Szep
To: All
Date Posted: 15:21:05 06/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks Steve, for working so hard to get the site up-and-running again!
Bill

Subject: Re: About the downtime....
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 18:27:51 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
As an addendum, I think that Steve is too hard on himself, as since this is cyberspace, all SORTS of things can happen to screw up sites. Both our server and this group want to provide ongoing service and access to the world of Mozart; as of this point in time, this is not a full time job for either of us.

Which means, really, that should you arrive at this site (or any site really) and see that it's experiencing problems, don't panic and/or give up. Come back later (or keep dropping in at regular intervals), as the owners probably don't have that site on their home system, but on a separate server. Fixing such problems takes time, and coordination between the parties, and it never gets done as quick as you want.

Thanks for bearing with us, we're not going anywhere, except, of course, forward.

Regards,

Gary Smith

Subject: Re: About the downtime....
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 18:22:00 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hey Steve,

Without you and the other dedicated Forum Founders, we wouldn't even have this great site. So, withdrawal symptoms notwithstanding, we "users" can now indulge our Mozart addiction again, thanks to you!

Keep up the great work--
Teresa

Subject: mozart/clementi unusual recordings
From: catherine Sprague
To: All
Date Posted: 09:01:44 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
http://www.branarecords.com/catalogue.php

I located a site where you can listen to a comparison between Mozart/Clementi and Beethoven/Hoffmeister. (see above) The CDs are entitled Friends and Rivals.

The performer is Felicja Blumental and she is excellent. I came across her because her husband is a talented artist whose work I am familiar with. I did not know he was married to Ms. Blumenthal.

Many of us who are pianists studied Clementi when we were young and moved on to his Gradus ad Parnassum. But I happen to agree with Mozart's assessment - you can hear the mechanical, wooden nature of this work. Yet I think some of his other works are better and more original sounding. Almost anything next to Mozart fares poorly! Hoffmeister is a better rival to Beethoven in my opinion. What say others?
Listen to the first movements of each of these pieces and send your comments in.

Subject: Re: mozart/clementi unusual recordings
From: catherine sprague
To: All
Date Posted: 08:47:54 06/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I reread the directions for postings such as this. I typed in the "URL" for the Clementi/Mozart recording and the Beethoven/Hoffmeister one. Click on the More Information button next to each CD.

You will hear Mozart's first movement to the Jeunehomme concerto and Clementi's in C major. Listen to the Hoffmeister and see how close it is to the Mozart. Even Beethoven's 1st piano concerto is very Mozartean.

I listened to the Hummel and the Rachmaninoff as well and found these fascinating.

What a team this husband (artist for the covers) and researcher of unusual compositions for his wife to perform.

Subject: Keep tuned to this station!!
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 07:24:04 06/11/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
Please note the existence of a web page whose URL is given below. This is the web page for my book, "The Mozart Forgeries" and it will be out, orderable, and available in about 4-6 weeks.

Several of the links of the web page do not yet work and that is not an accident. Only as the information for those links is known, will they be set up to do something.

Right now you can see the book jacket and one of the links takes you to a brief statement that gives one an idea of what the book is all about. The music examples on the jacket really are in Mozart's hand, of course.

Review copies will go out as soon as I get 10 copies to send to the reviewers I have selected. But as others read the book, they will be able to have their reviews posted (unless they say, "Anyone who likes this dumb book is crazy!" -- I'll probably not want to post those).

As you probably already know, this book is fiction, but it is fiction at a technical and historical level orders of magnitude away from Amadeus (which I loved and which also gave me the idea for a technically correct fiction novel about Mozart). As far as a non-fiction book, just yesterday I signed contract for publication of "Opus Ultimum - The Story of the Mozart Requiem," and that will be out in the spring of 2005 (but never bet that a publisher will make planned dates).

Somewhere out in this wide world is someone who will read the book and send a note telling me I don't know how to spell "Gran Partitta." I am waiting for God to deliver that person into my hands!!

Subject: Re: Keep tuned to this station!!
From: Bruce
To: All
Date Posted: 12:02:25 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Good luck with the book!

Bruce

Subject: Re: Keep tuned to this station!!
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 07:29:41 06/11/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
The bloody URL did not make it through the process. It is www.leesonbooks.com

I put it in and the Mozart Forum system ignored it.

WWW.LEESONBOOKS.COM

Subject: Re: Keep tuned to this station!!
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 08:49:38 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Keep us posted on availablity. Not only do I plan on purchasing a
copy, but I will contact the Milwaukee Public Library with the
information and suggest they purchase a copy.

One question, under the author description at the site, why not a
picture of the author? I remember reading he claims to be the
handsomest Bassetthorn (BassetClarinet?) player in the world!!.
(That should get at least the female MozartForum members
interested in taking a peak!!!)

dennis

Subject: Re: Keep tuned to this station!!
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 09:23:24 06/11/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
There is a picture in the book. It shows a noble, kind, learned, decent, honorable face that drives women mad with desire and passion. Sigh... It's a tough legacy, but still...

Subject: Re: Keep tuned to this station!!
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 12:07:47 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
"There is a picture in the book. It shows a noble, kind, learned, decent, honorable face that drives women mad with desire and passion. Sigh... It's a tough legacy, but still..."

Dan,
Don't mention how much you had to pay me to pose in your place, I am hiding that from the tax man! ;-))
I am quite looking forward to your book. I will read it now if for no other reason (and there ARE other reasons) than that you publicly admitted that you liked "Amadeus", and I admire any person with the strength of character to do that. BTW, you could always suggest taking a red crayon to that extra T if the complaints get too loud. ;-))
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: Keep tuned to this station!!
From: Daniel N. Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 15:57:51 06/11/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
But why would I want to take a red crayon to the extra "t" in Gran Partitta? I know that I am standing up while everyone else is sitting down, but I can't help it if the rest of the world is wrong in their spelling of that title as it applies to K. 361. I also recognize that the proper Italian term for that dance form is indeed "Partita," but that is not the point. For the great serenade in B-flat, K. 361, the subtitle (if one insists on using it) must be spelled "Gran Partitta." And there is a compelling technical and historical reason for doing so. You shall see. In 25-50 years, everyone will spell it that way.

Subject: Re: Keep tuned to this station!!
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 18:33:24 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dan,
Yes, I knew that because I paid full attention when you demonstrated it, and I completely believe you too. I was merely suggesting it as a way to get people to quit carping, that you tell them to take a red crayon and scratch it out of their copy (as was done on the manuscript), then they could be happy. BTW, I am already spelling it that way at every opportunity. Perhaps we shall be the nucleus from which the new movement will grow! Jeez, I hope you are younger than me! ;-)))
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Two Wrong Guesses
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 04:52:59 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Under the remarks for the Divertimento for 10 Winds likely
composed in Milan in 1773 (K186/159b) Alfred Einstein in K3
commented on the inserted page (4b) with 16 measures of an
Andante in E--crossed out--which obviously did not belong to the
Wind Divertimento, but to a very early symphony for Strings,
Oboes and Horns. He thought this symphony was probably the
lost Symphony in a-minor K.220/16a. The 6th edition of the
Köchel Catalogue referred to Einstein's supposition. In the 1976/
77 Mozart-Jahrbuch, Wolfgang Plath did not specifically associate
the crossed out fragment with K16a, but stated the handwriting
originated from the years 1765/66. (Plath also stated the
orchestral piece was in g-sharp minor, not c-sharp-minor as
Mozart's markings indicate). So Einstein's connection with the
1764 to 1765 originating Symphony looked positive.

But then in 1982 the lost symphony was discovered in Odense,
and of course the middle movement was a completely different
composition.

So where does our crossed out fragment belong? Neal Zaslaw in
his book on Mozart's Symphonies writes the fragment is an
enigma. As the paper it is written on is probably from Mozart's
Holland stay, it probably was written late 1765 or early 1766. If it
was intended for an Andante to a Symhony, that symphony would
no doubt be in B-major, which Zaslaw states was not a possibiliity.
================

In the 1965/66 Mozart-Jahrbuch Wolfgang Plath published an
article on the Piano Romanze in Ab K.Anh 205. Finding the piece
un-pianoistic he believed it was originally written as chamber
music, most likely for piano and 4-winds, arranged by an
anonymous person. Plath found the quality of the piece very
uneven, seeing the first 35 measures as original Mozart and the
rest the completion work of the arranger. Plath believed no doubt
the (lost and music unknown) fragment that Constanze Mozart
sent to Breitkopf & Härtel in 1800 designated as "A Piano Quintet
with accompaniment of an Oboe, Clarinet, Bassetthorn, Bassoon in
Bb, 6/8 time--35 measures, entirely in Mozart's style" (K.Anh 54/
452a) was this original composition.

But then in 1989 the autograph fragment of K.Anh 54/452a was
found, and again it was a completely different composition.

Keep all this in mind. Scholars (Einstein and Plath being two of the
most respected of their eras) make assumptions based on all the
data available to them and their vast knowledge of Mozart--and
on occasion they are still wrong. So when dealing with lost or very
doubtful Mozart works--Beware, Be very Beware!!!!

dennis

Subject: RE: Forum
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 02:28:08 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Steve and the rest of the Mozart Forum Owners,

Thank you very much for restoring the Forum.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: RE: Forum
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 03:53:50 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Congratulations to MozartForum Management!!!
Our MozartForum is BACK!
Wonderful news!!!

Best regards,
TEL

Subject: Re: RE: Forum
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 04:56:25 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
My compliments, too, to the Forum-Fixers!!! Thanks, guys, you're the greatest.

Teresa

Subject: A Sonatina after Mozart Sketches
From: Hansen
To: All
Date Posted: 01:12:22 06/11/04 ()
Email Address: ueckert@uni-hamburg.de
 

Message:
This will be an interesting experiment in internet communication:
Listen to a sonatina after Mozart sketches and simultaneously read an
article about it. The sonatina is published at SibeliusMusic.com (go to
the link listed below and click at "Sonatine in C für Klavier") and the
article can be read at the MozartForum (go to Library/Articles and
Essays and look for "Sonatine in C für Klavier (with midi files)") where
you can listen to the music with midi files (which also can be
downloaded).

Happy listening and reading!

Hansen

Subject: Re: A Sonatina after Mozart Sketches
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 02:29:57 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Hans,

Many thanks. How very beautiful!

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: A Sonatina after Mozart Sketches
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 04:44:08 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thank you so much for sharing your hard work and music
interests with us. I enjoyed all four movements of the Sonatina,
but count the opening movement as my favorite.

Again, thank you for giving us new insight into a few Mozart
sketches, and making them come alive.

dennis

Subject: Re: A Sonatina after Mozart Sketches
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 08:11:05 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I also add my thanks for your article and midi files
Very nice work.

Steve

Subject: Hallelujah !!!
From: MozartForum
To: All
Date Posted: 00:32:57 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
It finally works again. More explanation and apology
to follow tomorrow.

Good Night

Subject: Re: Hallelujah !!!
From: Hansen
To: All
Date Posted: 02:08:14 06/11/04 ()
Email Address: ueckert@uni-hamburg.de
 

Message:
This is a happy moment: The Forum page of the MozartForum is back
again and it is fully functional! The past ten days or so have been an
unpleasant time for all MozartForum lovers all over the world. But the
intricacies of the World Wide Web are sometimes like this. You have
had a hard time to master the problems and you have succeeded to our
all joy.

Congratulations!
Hansen

Subject: test again
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 00:24:43 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: Test Followup
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 00:25:49 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: test
From: Steve
To: All
Date Posted: 00:21:45 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: test again
From: Steve
To: All
Date Posted: 00:04:28 06/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: test post
From: test
To: All
Date Posted: 21:46:18 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: Anothertest
From: Test Message
To: All
Date Posted: 21:30:09 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
This is another test

Subject: Test Message
From: Test Message
To: All
Date Posted: 21:28:36 06/10/04 ()
Email Address: md7546@sbc.com
 

Message:
This is a test message

Subject: test
From: test
To: All
Date Posted: 21:11:19 06/10/04 ()
Email Address: md7546@sbc.com
 

Message:
This is a test

Subject: Re: test
From: Barbara Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 21:59:57 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hello again, I loveyou and hope you get some relief soon!!!!!

Subject: Test posts
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 19:22:35 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: Just testing
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 17:56:55 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Just testing.

Subject: Three Cheers
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 16:19:38 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hurray, the Forum is back! Thanks to all you guys who work so hard to make it possible.

All the best, Teresa

Subject: test
From: Steve
To: All
Date Posted: 14:43:33 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: Forum
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 13:33:59 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Welcome back dear Forum and many thanks to Steve and all the "Webmaster-nicks" who worked so hard to have it back.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: test
From: Steve
To: All
Date Posted: 13:31:24 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: Motet "Venti, fulgura procellae" for soprano KV Deest
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 12:45:08 06/10/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I picked up an LP quite a while ago which contains this motet. It is for Soprano and the standard Salzburg Orchestra in G Major and contains four movements, opening with a lengthy A-B-A aria.

I could not understand the back of the LP jacket since it is in german.

There is no mention of this Motet in the Philips Complete Mozart Edition. Nor is it mentioned in the section of "unauthentic and doubtful" works in this website.

It sounds like "early" Mozart to me, although someone else could have certainly written it.

Does anyone have some information about this Motet?

Subject: Congratulations
From: DonW
To: All
Date Posted: 12:22:29 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
to the webmaster. Are you goung to tell us what happened? Welcome back!

Subject: test
From: Steve
To: All
Date Posted: 11:43:38 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: Re: test
From: Barbara Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 20:11:24 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
All is well as can be expected.

Love, Barbara

Subject: test
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 08:40:47 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: test
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 08:38:59 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
test

Subject: Dare we try?
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 08:34:22 06/10/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
OK, just want to try and see if it works. I do so hope it does!
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Mozart documents
From: Neal Zaslaw
To: All
Date Posted: 07:05:47 06/10/04 ()
Email Address: naz2@cornell.edu
 

Message:
Otto Erich Deutsch's Mozart: A Documentary Biography is indispensible, but also showing its age. Based on more recent research (which Deutsch of course cannot have known), we now know that there are many mistakes in Deutsch's commentary and quite a few missing documents. There is in fact a slim supplementary volume of corrections and additions (in German only) in the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe, edited by Joseph Eibl. But the best thing to get your hands on if you're one of those yearning for a more up-to-date Deutsch is Cliff Eisen's New Mozart Documents: A Supplement to O. E. Deutsch's Documentary Biography (1991), which in the course of presenting new documents also corrects various of the Deutsch annotations.

NZ

Subject: Happy news for me
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 06:33:50 06/10/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
I am pleased to announce the beginnings of my web site corresponding to the publication of my book, "The Mozart Forgeries." The link below will take you to the site as it now stands (and for which modifications will be happening all the time), and give you a very brief idea of what the book is about.

You cannot order it yet. It won't be available until roughly the end of July. Then the website will be changed to provide ISBN numbers, ordering information, etc.

I'll be adding reviews as soon as the advance copies get to the roughly 10 reviewers I have asked to do the job for me. And if you buy and read the book, I'll post your review (provided it does not call me "The Idiot of the Year" or something of that ilk). Constructive criticism is fine. Praise is fine. Yelling at me is fine. Telling me I don't know how to spell "Gran Partitta" will result in dialogue at the end of which you will spell it that way, too.

A second book, "Opus Ultimum: The Story of the Mozart Requiem" is scheduled to appear in early 2005. It will also wind up on my web page.