Subject: On K511 and K540
From: Joe Dorazio
To: All
Date Posted: 12:48:53 05/31/04 ()
Email Address: joedorazio@hotmail.com
 

Message:
I hope everyone is having an enjoyable Memorial Day. It's raining in Philadelphia. (Perhaps I shouldn't be listening to piano compositions in a minor key!?)

What are we to make of Mozart's, Rondo in A minor (K511), and his Adagio in B minor (K540)?

According to "The Compleat Mozart Edition": K511 "This rondo is a work of such harmonic daring that it prophesies aspects of Schubert and of Chopin." K540 "The design of this extraordinary Adagio is that of a movement in sonata form, but in expression it is much more like a fantasia, with many abrupt changes of dynamics, many silences (the music breaks off twenty times in three pages), and an intense quality in the outlines and harmonies."

But why did Mozart write these beautifully sad and introspective pieces of music? Did his father's death prompt Mozart to write K511, and almost a year to the day later, K540? Or as Gutman postulates, as an elegy to his friend, Hatzfeld who died about the same time as Leopold?

If we are to assume, as Dr. Zaslaw wrote in, "Mozart As a Working Stiff", that Mozart wrote specifically for commissions and their associated fees, then the question of what may have inspired Mozart towards these two compositions, further intrigues.

And what about the unfinished Fantasy in D minor, K397? I've often thought that it sounds as though it may have pointed the way to K540. Would you agree?

Finally, if these minor key gems for solo piano do indeed "prophesies" Chopin, what works by the Romantic composer do you think may have been inspired by Mozart? (Chopin, like many later composers, idolized Mozart). I would certainly say Chopin's Preludes, especially No. 15 in D flat, comes to mind.

Thoughts? Comments?

Subject: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Joseph Haydn
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 12:09:06 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART:

Haydn, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

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.

Joseph Haydn has suffered through the decades under the image of “Papa” Haydn, the be-wigged Kapellmeister of a remote court offering up Classical Lite as opposed to any substantive works. This is a malicious reduction of one of the pivotal composers in history. Haydn was responsible for the maturing of Classical music by his measured development of all its genres and practices. One might accept the point that he had fewer “great” works than Mozart or Beethoven, but over the long stretch of time that constituted the Classical Era, it was Haydn to whom the musical community kept looking to for quality works, for it was he who was constantly supplying them from the very start. His influence is felt everywhere in the music of that time. For one example, while Beethoven may have considered Mozart the superior composer, it is Haydn whom you “hear” when listening to early Beethoven works.

Haydn was born in Austria of pure German stock. This has been a point of importance in Europe, as various studies have attempted to claim Haydn as being Czech, or Croatian, or Hungarian or even of Gypsy stock, based on the apparent folk tunes and themes he used. However, E. F. Schmid in 1934 collected decisive evidence to show Haydn’s roots were German. The son of a farmer-wheelwright, Haydn showed immediate music promise and at the age of 5 was given into the care of a Hainburg schoolmaster named Johann Mathias Franck, who taught him the rudiments of music, though Haydn recalled that he had often received “more thrashings than food” from his benefactor! At 8 Haydn was “discovered” by Georg Reutter, who was looking for talented singers for the choir at St. Stephens’ Cathedral in Vienna. Haydn was selected and went off with him to Vienna and became a choirboy, arriving in Vienna in the late spring of 1740. For the next ten years, he was a prominent and well-liked member of the choir, but accounts differ as to whether he received much in the way of systematic musical training beyond singing. Haydn did receive some training by all accounts, so at the least it can be said that his native talent in this area was not neglected so much as malnourished for these ten years.

When his voice broke at 17, he left St. Stephen’s and lived at first in poverty as a music teacher. His quarters were in the Michaelhaus (still standing proudly in Vienna) in “a miserable little attic room without a stove.” Aside from teaching, he studied music on his own and played for money in various serenade groups and orchestras. Also living in this house was the court poet Pietro Metastasio and the dowager Princess Esterházy, the mother of the two princes Haydn would be working for in the not-too-distant future. Through contacts such as these Haydn was introduced to the composer Nicola Porpora. This got Haydn engaged as an accompanist and valet to the composer. While somewhat demeaning, this position allowed Haydn to take payment in the form of compositional and singing lessons, as well as in the Italian language. Also, via this engagement with Porpora, Haydn was able to make further contacts in the music circles of Vienna.

Porpora left Vienna sometime in 1752 or 53, which then saw Haydn working for two aristocratic patrons for the balance of the 1750s. The first was with Karl Joseph Edler von Fürnberg, supplying mostly chamber music for small musical gatherings, which Haydn as well played in. It was for these gatherings that the first quartets were composed. However, this work was far more freelancing than a “position” as such, meaning that Haydn did not give up teaching. But, through the efforts of von Fürnberg he was to meet Count Karl Joseph Franz Morzin. Supposedly on von Fürnberg’s written recommendation in 1758 (or 1759, accounts differ), Haydn became music director to Count Morzin’s musical establishment for the fee of 200 gulden (say $ 9000 US), free room and meals at the staff table. The Count maintained a small orchestra for which Haydn composed his first symphony. This appointment was a godsend to the struggling composer, and he must have felt great elation at the prospects for the future.

Until, unfortunately, the Count dissipated his fortune (the word “squandered” is also applied here) and thus disbanded his musical establishment, probably in 1760. Despite this loss, good fortune smiled upon Haydn once again. Prince Nikolas Esterházy had heard Haydn’s initial symphony at the Count’s, and being pleased by it, offered the composer the vice-Kapellmeister post with his own musical establishment. The contract for this is dated 1 May 1761, but some information exists to show that Haydn was with the Prince in 1760, so he may have had another lesser position before achieving this plum assignment. Here, at Eisenstadt, Hungary, Haydn remained with the Esterházy household for 30 years, for both Prince Paul and his successor Prince Nikolaus, who reigned from 1762 to 1790, were passionate music-lovers. In 1766 Nikolaus built the palace of Eszterháza (modeled on Versailles, a common practice throughout Europe at this time) on the south side of the Neusiedlersee, spending the greater part of each year in this new home.

At this same point in time, Haydn married Maria Anna Aloysia Apollonia Keller, the ceremony taking place in St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Haydn had fallen in love with her sister first though, but when that Keller daughter entered a convent, Haydn agreed to marry the eldest. It was an unsatisfactory union from both sides. Obviously, she had not been Haydn’s first choice, which probably didn’t set well with her, and since she was devout religious and he was not, he felt she was much too fond of the clergy for his taste. Maria, for her part, appears to have had absolutely no appreciation for the artist she married, as she appears to have been totally lacking of any understanding of her husband’s work. Haydn is reported to have said of her: “It’s all the same to her if her husband is a cobbler or an artist.” He, as the saying goes, found comfort elsewhere, putting it delicately as: “My wife was unable to bear children, and I was therefore less indifferent to the charms of other women.”

One hears of the title Kapellmeister (or in this case, Vice-Kapellmeister) used during the Classical Era, but what did this position actually entail for the bearer of the title? At Eszterháza initially, Haydn was subordinate to Gregor Werner, who by 1760 was old and tired. Haydn’s position was really in fact that of the Kapellmeister, as he appears to have been put in charge of the musical establishment, allowing Werner to, in reality, retire. Werner was still responsible for choral music; on all other occasions regarding musical performances, everything pertaining to music was assigned to Haydn. What that entailed was that Haydn was responsible for organizing the musical events; hiring, training, disciplining and letting go musicians, composing music, acquiring and maintaining the music library, as well as seeing to it that instruments were purchased and maintained. At the time of his hiring, a new theater was under construction, so opera was to soon come under his charge as well. Even with stage plays though, the Princes often wanted incidental music set for them, which Haydn was required to see to. He was obligated to compose for the Prince as required and forbidden to sell or give away this music without direct permission. To compose for others outside the household required special permission from the Prince as well. Haydn was to dress and behave “…as befits an honest house officer in a princely court.” Towards the musicians, he was to set an example of conduct for them and “…avoid undue familiarity in eating and drinking or otherwise in his relations with them, lest he should lose the respect due him.” As remuneration, Haydn initially received 400 gulden plus another 180 for expenses; by 1764 this had risen to 600 gulden plus 180 for expenses, or roughly $30,000 US. In 1778 he became the organist as well, which added another 180 gulden, meaning he made about $40,000 US per annum from just his Kapellmeister duties. This didn’t count any teaching or sales of his compositions, which did bring him progressively more income as the years went on. Finally, Eszterháza, being somewhat remote, presented the situation of being both inexpensive to live at and offering little opportunity to spend money on “luxuries.” Haydn did however buy a house there, and kept chickens, two horses and probably a cow as well. He had two servants eventually and while he was a major person of the Eszterháza household, he never acted as though he was anymore than a well-paid servant there. Haydn was comfortable with who he was, and showed tremendous loyalty to the family that had lifted him out of poverty.

Though modeled on Versailles, the palace of Eszterháza was isolated, by distance and as well culturally from the rest of the Austrian Empire. Haydn's art actually benefited from this seclusion. As he put it (probably making a virtue out of vice here) “There was no one near to confuse me, so I was forced to become original.” What he may have meant there was that with few works by other composers crossing the threshold, his efforts in music could be centered more on expanding the forms he was comfortable with, as opposed to “competing” with other composers for position and acclaim. As his music passed beyond the borders of Eszterháza , Haydn's fame spread throughout Austria, the German states and into Italy as well. As his symphonies and quartets were published and circulated, the standard “bootleg” French editions began to appear in Paris and later in London. This was a standard problem throughout the Classical Era, as with no copyright protection granted composers (except, notably in England), once other than the original publisher seized a work, all monies from sales went into their pockets.

Through the 1760’s and early 1770’s Haydn basically grappled with the problems inherent in learning how to run an operation such as the Eszterháza musical establishment. Before this time he had been more or less a freelancing artist, but now he was a retained liveried composer to a prince who expected a smoothly running operation first, and genius second. And with a theater now open and on the premises, he was expected to compose operas as well, something he had very limited exposure to previously. It was a constantly testing challenge, but one that he successfully mastered. As he mastered the demands of his post, he gradually was given permission to accept outside commissions and to sell his scores directly to publishers for his personal profit. He composed extensively for every possible medium (just see the lists at the end of this work!) and through them pursued his own musical course. One that gently but firmly expanded the “envelope” of the Classical style.
The works within this initial timeframe that standout from the others would be his symphonies, which were increasing in depth and complexity. After 1762, Haydn more or less abandoned the pre-classical, three-movement format that had developed out of Italian opera overtures (fast—slow—fast) and had moved on to a four-movement plan (fast—slow—dance—fast). This change reflects stylistic transforming of late Baroque into the Classical style. Haydn’s maturity was fully established by the Sturn und Drang symphonies of 1770-1774. These works combined the symphonic technique of motivic development (inherent in a sonata-allegro format) with the art of counterpoint and proceeded to expand the intensity and variety of human emotion, as instrumental music had not consistently seen before. One should note especially the symphonies No.26 in d minor (Lamentatione) and No.44 in e minor (Trauer). Symphony No. 26 is his first minor key work in this genre and with its somber intensity, quotations from the plainsong melodies of the Holy Week Liturgy and violent syncopations, must have seemed a revelation of what this form could be, and become. Symphony No. 44 has an opening movement that is tragic and fiery, with a sadly beautiful Adagio. Haydn at one point requested that this particular adagio be played at his funeral. Finally, Haydn gave this work a minuet that is eerily and effectively contrapuntal, in the end again producing a work that gave much pause for thought among connoisseurs and colleagues. Though he had been composing quartets almost from the start of his career, his quartet sets from this time (Op. 9, 17 and 20 in particular), expanded beyond the limits others were composing at. These are milestones in the development of the genre and were avidly studied. Haydn, however, was a practical man in that his compositional approach was essentially two-sided; he could change between an “expressive” style and a “functional” style without apparent difficulty, composing for household use on the one hand and on the other to experiment and expand. The 18th century, unlike the “progressive” 19th, found no contradiction between these two approaches.

After 1772, Haydn’s musical development (conditioned by an edict from the Prince not “…to write so much learned ears”) is characterized by expert, self-assured craftsmanship, the use of more brilliant orchestral resources (adding trumpets and drums, for one) and further expansion of the sonata-allegro style he had picked up. The works through the 1770’s into the early 1780’s provide a consistent musical structure within the genres so that it is possible for one to measure Haydn’s expanding development of his music. These works show an instinctive sense of form, an expansion on the use of orchestral winds (notably the French horn) and the inclination (that grew into a trademark) for building musical development through the elaboration of small motives and themes. In 1784-5 he was commissioned by the Cadiz Cathedral to compose an oratorio without words on Christ's Seven Last Words on the Cross. Here Haydn expands one of his finer talents, his constant ability to find new and inventive solutions to limiting problems, and succeeds on a very high level. He was rightly proud of this work, and its challenge came at an opportune time for him. The Parisian musical society Concert de la Loge Olympique commissioned him to compose 6 symphonies. These six works (Nos. 82-87) were composed in 1785-86 and are so personal and original that it is clear Haydn was setting out to create something entirely new and his own. In 1788-89, he composed three other symphonies for the Loge Olympique, (Nos. 90-92), the last of which was played at the conferring of his Honorary Doctorate of Music by Oxford University. The “Oxford” represents the culmination of Haydn’s symphonic skills. The following 12 are the justly famous “London” symphonies, which are in the end variations on the level the “Oxford” had reached.
By the time of the early 1780’s he had become friends with Mozart, for whom he had the highest admiration. Their works from this date (1781) betray passages of mutual influence. Mozart frequently acknowledged his personal debt to Haydn as a major influence on his developing style, while Haydn, in his more direct way, simply declared that Mozart was “a God in music.” Mozart, in one grand show of gratitude towards Haydn, composed 6 string quartets (k.387, K.421, K.428, K.458, K.464 and K.465), which were played for Haydn on 15 January 1785. Later, when they were published, Mozart wrote a heartfelt dedication to Haydn that accompanied them. Through them one understands Mozart’s remark, “It was from Haydn that I first learned the true way to compose quartets.” Though we have little information on how much the two composers stayed in touch, we do know that Mozart was much moved and saddened by Haydn’s departure for England. “We are probably saying our last farewell in this life,” he is reported to have told Haydn, with tears in his eyes. He was correct, but from the wrong perspective. Haydn assumed that Mozart meant the remark as a reference to his own advanced age, not the prospect of Mozart’s early passing. Mozart, for his part, defended Haydn from any attacks made within his hearing. The composer Kozeluch once assured Mozart that he would never composed a quartet the way Haydn had, to which Mozart replied: “Nor should I, but do you know why? Because neither you or I would have had so good an idea.” There is a different version of this tale as well, with Kozeluch still criticizing a Haydn quartet effort, and Mozart replying: “Sir, even if the two of us were fused together, we wouldn’t make a second Haydn by a long shot!” Nor was Mozart exempt from the tongue of Kozeluch, who declared upon hearing the overture to Don Giovanni K.527: “Good, but full of faults.” Haydn is reported to have passed along Kozeluch’s condescending judgment upon hearing the full rehearsal of the overture to Die Zauberflöte K.620, “Ah, our good friend Mozart is trying to be learned this time!” (Since Haydn was in England at that point, this anecdote is at best second if not third hand, but is certainly in line with Kozeluch’s style).

For his part, Haydn was equally as generous. When Leopold Mozart visited his son In Vienna later on in 1785, Haydn said to him upon their meeting: “I say to you before God, as an honest man, that your son is the greatest composer I know, personally or by name: he has taste and, in addition, the most profound knowledge of composition.” Later on in England, Haydn was to declare that Mozart was the most extraordinary, original and comprehensive musical genius that was ever known in this or any age. When he received news in England of Mozart’s death, he wrote: “Posterity will not see such a talent again in a hundred years!” (He was and is still correct; it’s been over 200 years now and counting.) The chronicler Dr. Charles Burney later overheard Haydn tell listeners; “He was a truly great musician. I have been often flattered by my friends with having some genius; but he was much my superior.”

Haydn's life at Eszterháza ended in 1790 when Prince Nikolaus died and his successor dismissed the musicians, leaving Haydn his salary and title, though without obligations of any kind. In effect, it was a pension. Haydn left the estate for Vienna where he accepted an invitation from the visiting impresario J. P. Salomon to visit London. Efforts had been made in the past to engage Haydn for a concert series in London. All attempts had failed, for one or another reasons. Salomon had been in Cologne to engage soloists for his concerts when heard of the passing of Prince Esterházy. Knowing what this could mean, he at once set off for Vienna, arriving at Haydn’s home unannounced to declare to the somewhat startled Haydn: “I am Salomon from London and have come to fetch you. Tomorrow we shall conclude an agreement.” He stayed in England from January 1791 to the middle of 1792, being fêted, lionized, and entertained by royalty. He completed his symphonies No. 93-98 on this visit, when he was deeply impressed by the 1791 Handel Festival in Westminster Abbey. In July 1791 the honorary degree of Doctor of Music was conferred on him by Oxford University. The “Oxford” Symphony (No. 92) was given at this event, as Haydn had not completed any new works yet while in England, but he had brought some of his latest works for use, or sale. On his return to Vienna he bought a house there and accepted Beethoven as a pupil, which began an uneasy relationship for both great men. (In the end, Beethoven moved on to other teachers such as Schenk and Albrechtsberger; men who could teach him the craft without tending to influence his style). In 1794 he visited England again, having been commissioned by Salomon to write 6 new symphonies. This 2nd visit lasted from February 1794 to August 1795 and was even more successful artistically and, especially, financially than the first. Haydn’s profits are estimated as being as high as 15,000 gulden, which equates over to approximately $600,000 US. He was wealthy beyond his dreams when he returned to Vienna after the second and final tour.

By this time the Esterházy family had now reconstituted their musical establishment and in turn had sent a request to Haydn asking for his return to Eszterháza as Kapellmeister. Though he really was under no obligation to do so, out of loyalty to the family that had given him so much over the decades, he returned to service. In effect though, he assumed the role that Werner had held as Kapellmeister over 30 years earlier. Haydn composed only for special occasions and was allowed to concentrate on his work as a composer, letting others (notably Hummel for one) take over the actually running of the musical establishment. However, as the story goes, there was one change of note. The latest Prince Esterházy at one point in a discussion early on was edging into being severe with Haydn on some point of business. Haydn’s measured reply was that one shouldn’t talk to “A Doctor of Music from Oxford” in that fashion. The Prince paused and addressed Haydn as “Herr Doktor” from then on, moderating his approach to the celebrated composer.

Between 1796 and 1802 he wrote 6 magnificent settings of the Mass, each unique and distinct. In 1797 he composed his Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser, which was adopted as Austria's national anthem. He had admired the English “God Save the King” and wanted to honor his own monarch in a similar manner. But his chief pre-occupation at this time was his oratorio Die Schöpfung (The Creation), first published privately in Vienna, 1798. This was followed by Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons), published in 1801. Both of these works had Baron Gottfried van Swieten working on their text. Apparently the Baron tended to take more than his share of the credit for the success of these works, which annoyed Haydn. Especially when the Baron, an amateur composer, began to offer Haydn suggestions on what needed to be done musically!

During these later years Haydn became “the grand old man” of music. He was made an honorary citizen of Vienna, of various musical societies across Europe, and was awarded many medals for his compositions, etc. Foreign visitors called to pay their respects, which pleased him very much. He kept composing, but it was becoming more difficult for him to submit himself to the rigors of working out the music. From 1803 onwards, his health and strength began to decline, which meant that composition fell off and then basically ceased. Though he made several more public appearances, at first conducting and then finally just attending, he gradually withdrew from public life and stayed at home. His last public appearance was for a performance of The Creation at the hall of the old university, given in 1808, with Salieri conducting and Beethoven in the audience to honor his old teacher.

Joseph Haydn died on 31 May 1809 during Napoleon’s occupation of Vienna. He had not wanted to go into the inner town with the threat of combat all around, so he had settled into his house in Gumpendorf. After Vienna surrendered to French forces, Napoleon had a guard of honor placed in front of his house. But Haydn, already weak, began to quickly lose strength and died quietly at home. On 1 June, Corpus Christi, he was buried at the Hurdsturm Cemetery; a memorial mass was given for him at the Gumpendorf church the following day. Later, on 15 June, a great memorial service was held in the Schottenkirche in the inner city of Vienna, at which Mozart’s Requiem K.626 was performed, under the direction of Joseph Eybler. The major people in the musical world of Vienna were in attendance to say their last farewell to a composer who had been an inseparable part of European music for almost 50 years.

A final indignity was bestowed on him, though. Days after he was buried, persons involved in the study of phrenology (the study of heads and skulls to determine character and intelligence, in other words, nitwit science) dug up his grave and removed the head. Haydn’s skull passed through several hands before being safely stored in a museum in Vienna. Finally in the 1950’s it was restored to the rest of his remains, since moved to Hungary. Given that Mozart’s skull might have been stored away as well, it seems a cosmic joke that the two close friends and colleagues should end up at the end emulating one another once again, if only inadvertently!

If Haydn's life was comparatively uneventful, his vast output of music is notable for the number of surprises and delights contained in nearly every work. Yet though the number and magnitude of Haydn masterpieces are constantly amazing, his music for many decades failed to exert as powerful a sway over the public as that of Mozart and Beethoven. He is regarded as the ‘father’ of the symphony (which he wasn’t) and of the string quartet, but some delectable Haydn lies in his vocal music, in his oratorios, masses, and in his operas (which, while not of the caliber of Mozart’s, are still in process of re-evaluation). In all his music his inventive flair seems practically inexhaustible. Haydn's symphonies were written over a period of several decades and reveal an extraordinary wealth of novel and convincing solutions to problems of form. One very distinctive quality they display - and one for which he was roundly criticized by pedantic critics in their own lifetimes - is wit. This is revealed both on a subtle, musical level by deceptive phrase lengths, rhythmic surprises and deceptive cadences and, on occasion, by his penchant for writing descriptive music (at least in comparison to the times). As well, Haydn delights in exploiting the capabilities of solo instruments and virtuoso performers, and within every genre in which he worked he enlarged, extended, and re-shaped the material he touched. Not revolutionary, but evolutionary motion describes the breadth of Haydn’s compositional span. The symphonies are a remarkable example of his development of a particular form, hallmarked by deep feeling, drama, wit, and, in the final 12, a near-Mozartian perfection of all these qualities combined. But much the same can be said of his quartets and masses (especially the later ones); nor should his keyboard sonatas be overlooked. In fact, one shouldn’t overlook any of Haydn’s work.

Joseph Haydn serves as the locus of the Classical Era, a composer who was able to impart his own stamp on the music of his times, encourage his peers by example and personal contact, and through teaching pass along the musical tools which would allow the further expansion of music. There were composers who were as admired and others whose tunes were as much hummed and whistled during their lifetimes, but no other composer so completely won at the same time the unquestioned and generous respect of his peers and the acclaim of the public.

The collecting and cataloguing of Haydn's works has been the object of considerable research. It was begun in 1766 by Haydn himself (sparked by a complaint of inattentiveness to his job), aided by the Esterházy court copyist Joseph Elssler, whose son Johann (1769-1843) later became Haydn's copyist and faithful servant. Haydn worked on this list until about 1805. In fact, his efforts may have proved an inspiration to Mozart, who began his own catalogue of works in 1784, no doubt, one suspects, not long after meeting Haydn in Vienna. Pohl prepared a manuscript catalogue, and for the Breitkopf and Härtel complete edition Mandyczewski assembled his list of 104 symphonies (but omitting 3 now acknowledged as being by Haydn). Modern scholarship, led foremost by H. C. Robbins Landon, has amended this list, and a modern thematic catalogue has been edited by Hoboken in which works are given Hob. numbers in the manner of Köchel's Mozart catalogue (though the numbering system chosen for Haydn’s works is much cleaner and less complicated!).

SYMPHONIES: Nos. 1-5 (1757); No.6 in D (Le Matin), No.7 in C (Le Midi), No.8 in G (Le Soir) (c.1761); No.9 in C (c.1762); No.10 in D (c.1761); No.11 in Eb (c.1760); No.12 in E, No.13 in D (1763); No.14 in A, No.15 in D (1764); No.16 in Bb, No.17 in F, No.18 in G, No.19 in D, No.20 in C (all before 1762); No.21 in A, No.22 in Eb (The Philosopher), No. 23 in G, No.24 in D (1764); No.25 in C (c.1761-3); No.26 in D minor (Lamentatione) (c.1770); No.27 in G (c.1760); No.28 in A, No.29 in E, No.30 in C (Alleluia), No.31 in D (Horn Signal) (1765); No.32 in C, No.33 in C (c.1760); No.34 in D minor (c.1766); No.35 in Bb (1767); No.36 in Eb (c.1761-5); No.37 in C (c.1757); No.38 in C (Echo) (c.1766-8); No.39 in G minor (c.1768); No.40 in F (1763); No.41 in C (c.1769); No.42 in D (1771); No.43 in Eb (Merkur), No.44 in E minor (Trauer) (c.1771); No.45 in F# minor (Abschied), No.46 in B, No.47 in G (1772); No.48 in C (Maria Theresia) (c.1768-9); No.49 in F minor (La Passione) (1768); No.50 in C (1773); No.51 in Bb, No.52 in C minor (c. 1771-3); No.53 in D (L'Impériale) (c.1780); No. 54 in G, No.55 in Eb (Der Schulmeister), No.56 in C (1774); No.57 in D (1774); No.58 in F, No.59 in A (Feuersymphonie) (c.1776-8); No.60 in C (Il Distratto) (1774); No.61 in D (1776); No.62 in D, No.63 in C (La Roxolane) (c.1780); No.64 in A (c.1775); No.65 in A (c.1771-3); No.66 in Bb, No.67 in F, No.68 in Bb, No.69 in C (Laudon) (c.1778); No.70 in D (1779); No.71 in Bb (c.1779-80); No.72 in D (c.1763-5); No.73 in D (La Chasse) (1780-1); No.74 in Eb (1780); No.75 in D (1779); No.76 in Eb, No.77 in Bb, No.78 in C minor (1782); No.79 in F, No.80 in D minor, No.81 in G (1783-4); No. 82 in C (Bear) (1786); No.83 in G minor (La Poule) (1785); No.84 in Eb (1786); No.85 in Bb (La Reine) (1785); No.86 in D (1786); No.87 in A (1785); No.88 in G, No.89 in F (c.1787); No.90 in C, No.91 in Eb (1788); No.92 in G (Oxford) (1789); No.93 in D, No.94 in G (Surprise), No.95 in C minor, No.96 in D (Miracle) (1791, London); No.97 in C (1792, London); No.98 in Bb (c.1792, London); No.99 in Eb (1793, Austria); No.100 in G (Military), No.101 in D (Clock), No.102 in Bb (1794, London); No.103 in Eb (Paukenwirbel, Drum Roll), No.104 in D (London) (1795, London).

CONCERTOS: vc. in C (c.1765), in D (1783); Klavier in D (c.1784), Klavier and str. in G; hn. No.1 in D (1762), No.2 in D (c.1764); 2 hn. and str. in Eb; for lira organizzata No.1 in C, No.2 in G, No.3 in G, No.4 in F, No.5 in F (c.1786); org. conc. (1756); for tpt. in Eb (1796); for vn. No.1 in A, No.2 in C, No.3 in G (c.1765); for vn., pf., and str. in F (1766); Sinfonia Concertante in Bb for ob., bn., vn., vc. (1792).

STRING QUARTETS: Op.1 (6 qts., 1760); Op.2, Nos. 7-12 (Nos. 9 and 11, with 2 hn. added) (1755-60); Op.9 (6 qts., 1771); Op.17, Nos. 25-30 (1771); Op.20, Nos. 31-6 (1772); Op.33, Nos. 37-42 (1781); Op.42, No.43 (1758); Op.50, Nos. 44-9 (c.1787); Op.51, Nos. 50-6 (1785, Seven Last Words from the Cross); Op.54, Nos. 57-9 (c.1788); Op.55, Nos. 60-2 (c.1788); Op.64, Nos. 63-8 (c.1790); Op.71, Nos. 69-71 (1793); Op.74, Nos. 72-4 (1793); Op.76, Nos. 75-80 (c.1797); Op.77, Nos. 81-2 (c.1799); Op. 103, No.83 (1802-3).

KEYBOARD: 62 sonatas (c. 1761-94), Variations in F minor (1793).

OPERAS: 20 were completed, some of the first ones being lost. The extant 15 include La Canterina (1766); Lo Speziale (1768); Le Pescatrici (1769); L'infedeltà delusa (1773); L'incontro improvviso (1775); Il mondo della luna (1777); La vera costanza (1777-8, rev. 1785); L'isola disabitata (1779, rev. 1802); La fedeltà premiata (1780, rev. 1782); Orlando Paladino (1782); Armida (1783); Orfeo ed Euridice (1791); also 5 puppet operas incl. Philemon und Baucis (1773) and Dido (1776).

MASSES: No.1 in F (Missa brevis) (1750); No.2 in Eb (Grosse Orgelmesse) (1766); No.3 in C (St Cecilia) (1776); No.4 in G (1772); No.5 in Bb (Kleine Orgelmesse) (c.1775); No.6 in C (Mariazellermesse) (1782); No.7 in C (In tempore belli—Paukenmesse) (1796); No.8 in Bb (Heiligmesse) (1796); No.9 in D minor (Nelson) (1798); No.10 in Bb (Theresien-messe) (1799); No.11 in Bb (Schöpfungsmesse) (1801); No.12 in Bb (Harmoniemesse) (1802). Also a Mass in G (c.1750).

CANTATAS & ORATORIOS: Stabat Mater (1767); Applausus (1768); Il Ritorno di Tobia (1774-5); Die sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuz (The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross, 1st version (str. qt.) 1785, choral version 1795-6); Die Schöpfung (The Creation) (1796-8); Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons) (1799-1801).

CHAMBER MUSIC: 32 pf. trios; 6 sonatas for klavier and vn.; flute qts; lute qts.; divertimentos for str. trio; str. trios; 126 baryton trios; 32 pieces for mechanical clocks; and Notturnos for lira organizzata.

SOLO CANTATAS: Arianna a Naxos for sop. (1790); Berenice che fai (1795).

Sources:
Braunbehrens, Volkmar Mozart in Vienna 1781-1791 Grove Weidenfeld, New York 1986
Clive, Peter Mozart and His Circle: A Biographical Dictionary Yale University Press, New Haven 1993
Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music Oxford University Press 1996
Harrison, Max Liner Notes to the Philips Set “Haydn Name Symphonies” 1996
Larsen, Jens Peter The New Grove Haydn W.W. Norton & Company, New York 1982
Rosen, Charles The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven W.W. Norton & Company, New York 1972
Sadie, Stanley (Ed.) The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd Edition Groves Dictionaries, New York 2000
Sisman, Elaine (Ed.) Haydn and His World Princeton University Press, Princeton 1997

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Joseph Haydn
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 21:54:43 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Gary, you outdid yourself. It is a most beautifully written tribute to a great man.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Joseph Haydn
From: DonW
To: All
Date Posted: 21:52:08 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
Message:
An excellent article. Thank you. I would complain only that more attention was not given to the trios. They contain some amazing music and an entirely different perspective on Papa Haydn's music.

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Joseph Haydn
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 14:53:51 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Gary,
What a particularly appropriate day to publish this excellent summary. I have been celebrating Haydn all day, with what is to me the choicest part of his oeuvre, the string quartets. They put me in mind of fun-filled conversations with my friends, no one else (though I love Mozart's and Beethoven's) has ever matched the easygoing sincerity, wit and just plain beauty of these works. Thanks again,
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Joseph Haydn
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 19:36:19 05/31/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
Haydn was a truly great composer and my 2nd favorite after Mozart.

I own practically every recorded Haydn opera and they are certainly neglected masterpieces, especially "Orlando Paladino".

And I am still seething mad at Decca for cancelling the Haydn/Hogwood Symphony Cycle. I own all ten volumes which were released but really would have loved to hear Hogwood's interpretations of the final 29 symphonies (he did record 94, 96, 100 and 104 separately).

Subject: "Bad Music Sells Better than Good"
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 22:50:15 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Last month in a posting I stated no other form of music had more
misattributed works published than his Piano Variations. Dan
Leeson stated actually it is in the area of the Waltz. So when I saw
this quote I was reminded of the many misattributions and the
reason for it. This is part of a letter send by the Reverend Christian
Ignatius Latrobe to Vincent Novello on June 17, 1817; thus only
about 25 years after Mozart's death. Latrobe was assuring Novello
the music Novello had copied from his collection was authentic,
and their lack of publication meant little. Latrobe wrote:

"You know well enough that bad music sells better than good,
therefore there was undoubtedly more hesitation in the minds of
music sellers about publishing Mozart's works, than those of more
use to the waltzsquad, pennyfiddlers and other fashionable
musicians".

Luckily for us, things changed later.

dennis

Subject: Re: "Bad Music Sells Better than Good"
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 06:34:57 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dennis, By the way, there is a Latrobe Valley in Victoria, Australia. It is a most beautiful place named after Reverend Latrobe. His words resonate very well. This beautiful valley is not that well known to people outside of Australia. Not only beautiful music but even beautiful places do not appeal to tourists as much as the Sydney or Melbourne casinos.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 00:24:39 05/30/04 ()
Email Address: taselby@idx.com.au
 

Message:

Adolf Heinrich Friedrich von SCHLICHTEGROLL was a professor, privy counselor and member of the Academy of Sciences in Munich. He published a number of Necrologs, obituaries of famous people. These were biographical sketches published in annual volumes in the relevant year of his subjects' deaths.

Schlichtegroll approached Constanze for details of Mozart's life but she refused his request. There were two reasons for her refusal. One was Schlichtegroll's
reliance on hearsay, and the other was the fact that she had already entrusted Franz Xaver Niemetschek to write Mozart's biography.

Schlichtegroll then turned for information to Mozart's sister, Nannerl. Nannerl in turn asked Johann Andreas Schachtner to write a report on Mozart's life.

This report was highly inflamatory and was published by Schlichtegroll in 1793.

It is interesting to note here that Nannerl claimed in a letter to Breitkopf & Hartel that she was not aware of Mozart's death nor the state of his affairs at the time of his death. Schachtner knew even less.
However, this is the report signed by Schachtner in which Nannerl's voice sounds loud and clear:

"...This same being who, considered as an artist, had reached the highest stage of development even from his very earliest years, remained to the end of his life completely childish in every other aspect of existence. Never until he died, did he learn to exercise the most elementary forms of self-control. The ordering of his domestic affairs, the proper husbanding of money, temperance, or the rational choice of pleasure - these were never virtues with which he had the least acquintance. Invariably it was the pleasure of the moment that swept away all other consideration. He always needed a father's, a mother's or some other guardian's care; he married a girl quite unsuited to him, and against the will of his father, and thus the great domestic chaos at and after his death."

Schlichtegroll had the good sense not to publish the detrimental remarks about Constanze. [He must have reasoned that there was not a person alive who could have been suitable for such a person]. The obituary was first published in Gotha in 1793 and Joseph Hubeck had it reprinted in Graz in 1794. Stendhal (Henri Beyle) republished it in 1814 in his "Lives of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio".

Constanze attempted to buy out the entire Graz edition in 1794 and managed to get the obituary off the market. However, it was far too late.

In 1800 Nannerl Mozart sent the same letter to Breitkopf & Hartel in response to their inquiry about Mozart's compositions which they had hoped were in her possession. The letter was published in Breitkopf & Hartel's house organ, the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung on Janury 22, 1800. It was in the accompanying letter that Nannerl claimed not to have known about Mozart's death nor of his widow's financial situation despite the fact that as early as January 1792, newspapers in Salzburg carried notices of Mozart's death.

Mozart's reputation was thus tarnished for ever. Mozart, the man who had composed the greatest music ever, who had pioneered independence for composers who followed in his footsteps, who had organised his own concert series and saw to the publication of his works, and much, much more, was destined to be labelled as an idiot for eternity.

Despite much evidence to the contrary, Mozart even today is perceived as a child with a God given gift which he may not have entirely deserved. Hence such movies as Amadeus, books and articles which reflect badly on Mozart's character.

The power of Schlichtegroll's Necrolog and Nannerl's venom will haunt Mozart for eternity.

Ref:
Davies: 145-146
Stendhal: 182
Selby: 115-116

Regards, Agnes Selby.

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: catherine sprague
To: All
Date Posted: 10:27:10 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:

Message:
Yes, in reading Stafford's book about the early biographers, it is certainly true that the reporting of Mozart go off to a biased start. He who was independently described by Hasse and many others, as purely delightful in his youth, ("hard not to love"), and then as an adult one who mingled so easily with the elite, was still to be cast as inept in his personal life. Having an unstable income, paying for so many medical ailments and being a father and composer all at the same time must have required quite a juggling act. It is almost as if people felt the need to come down on him like a ton of bricks due to his troubles with money and certain issues with gambling. If his debts were worth about one year's average salary, that is more than I can say for many people, even of today. If he had lived another few years, received the handsome amounts that were in the offing, and become quite financially solvent, could the early biographers have looked at these difficult years in quite another light? In other words, Mozart's death at this point in his life I believe was quite unlucky. Would Nannerl's statements been taken so matter of factly if Mozart had died five years later, with a perhaps completely different financial picture? What if he had died in 1785? How things would have been reported differently!

Even most of the childrens' books today contain many false and misleading impressions. The begging for money is stressed and the image of Mozart being thrown into a "pauper's grave" seems to be a favorite as well. I have to explain to my children how books in the library contain untruths! Even the adult books and liners for CD's contain many inaccuracies. Unauthorized pictures and so on....we need a book of corrections that dispels some of these things and written so that an average reader gets a clearer picture.

I only throw my hands up in the air and say that the truth is hard to come by! Somehow, this idea of a genius made more interesting by casting, in this case, Mozart as a child, inept in his daily life...the absent-minded professor or crazed scientist stereotype...is more appealing. But it is the same with artists such as Van Gogh as well...everyone thinks he was deranged! Yet read his letters. He was extremely literate and well read. He spent most of his time painting, hard at work, and not cutting of ears of best friends, just as Mozart was busy and hard at work most of his life.

Catherine Sprague
(new to site)

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 16:32:38 05/30/04 ()
Email Address: smithworld@earthlink.net
 

Message:

Dear Catherine,

As well, welcome to the Forum!

Human nature what it is, SOME reason had to be found for the inability of the "German Orpheus" to become rich and famous. The easy explanations served up:

Remained like a child most of his life
Poor marriage partner
Jealousy of the contemporaries
Bad money manager, hence died a pauper

all probably have some basis in a kernal of truth somewhere. But, they provide easy, simple-to-grasp, short answers as to why things turned out as they did. The fact that they're mostly wrong is in fact HARDER to uncover, and so folks will, in the main, go with the easy answers. Remember, most folks will read at best one book on a subject (if not just a magazine article) and so the odds of them acquiring Stafford's book are slim, let alone Gutman's or Solomon's, if not anything by Landon.

Of course, that DOES mean that our Forum, and other sites similar to it, do get to expand and spread the information folks need to make a better, more accurate judgement of the man and his times.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 11:15:02 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Catherine:
Welcome to our site. I have read some of your postings at
openmozart.net, and hope you contribute the same high quality at
our site.

dennis

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 16:04:15 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Catherine,

I am so glad you have finally arrived at the Forum.

You have strengthened my resolve to write a children's book about Mozart which just may correct some of the fallacies.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Bill Szep
To: All
Date Posted: 17:07:12 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Agnes,
Thanks, as always, for your posting. As was mentioned, it is always easier to go with the short answers when it comes to these things. Mozart made the break from his father and sister to make his own bread and I am sure this ruffled their feathers - not to mention the Arch-Bishop! When Wolfgang left Salzburg, these folks were very unhappy with him. He found a safe-haven in Constanze as she was his friend, his lover, then wife, and confidant. If Mozart was peeved at Salieri or even the Emperor - who else could he tell? All of his earnings were now going to his immediate family's account - not to father and sister's well-being. This had to sting! They had to fend for themselves.

It sounds like years of jealousy poured out from Nannerl's heart after her brother died. She may have felt these things, but I think that she did not use the best judgement in making her feelings public. You mentioned before that she was not the most intelligent woman; maybe she was a bit of an opportunist?

Catherine, welcome to this forum! I enjoy it very much and learn a lot in the process.

Bill

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 18:40:47 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Bill,

Thank you for your comments. As you know, the custom during Mozart's time in Europe and later was a father's "final word" and a son's duty to support his old parents and especially his un-wed sisters. Yes, all of that came to an end when Mozart left Salzburg for good. Mozart's departure and his subsequent marriage to Constanze did anger Leopold and due to his influence, his daughter, Nannerl. Apart from her own jealousies, she had to cope with her father's nagging about his ungrateful son.(see letter to Nannerl regarding Mozart's proposed travel to London). Nannerl, however, changed her mind in her old age and she and Constanze became good friends. (This friendship between the two women is referred to by writers as a "tolerable relationship" on behalf of Nannerl).

So influential was Leopold, that his feelings towards his son and Constanze, reverberate even in today's literature. One cannot entirely blame poor, ineffective and inexperienced Nannerl when she only had her father as a point of reference. Whereas writers who continue to indulgence themselves with Leopold Mozart's opinions, have a wide variety of literature to study.

One of these days, I will try and explore Nannerl's relationship with Constanze during Nannerl's final years. The references will be drawn from Constanze's diaries as well as other much ignored contemporary commentaries.

I hope all is well with you family.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 19:05:18 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Agnes,
Nice summary. Yes, it would be a delight to see these things set straight. I am intrigued by the children's book idea. Of course Stafford has done his best in "The Mozart Myths", but adults will not change, they just see another apologist, if they read it at all (thousands won't). But if children see things straight,perhaps the next generation won't perpetuate the horror.
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 20:27:26 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gurn,

My own grandchildren do have a number of little stories I have written for them and it is amazing how they view Mozart. They see him not only as a great composer but a as great man, which indeed he was.

My own publisher does not publish children stories and it is a hard market to crack. I have not REALLY tried very hard because of other commitments but will give it a go.

Thank you for the encouragement.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 05:34:29 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi Everyone,

Agnes, I think a children's book would be a fabulous idea, also! DO give it a go!

Welcome Catherine!
All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: catherine sprague
To: All
Date Posted: 08:49:06 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks everyone, for your kind words of welcome. I too have much to learn, and this very direct and personal approach complements my love of reading anything on Mozart.

I would say go for it as well, Agnes. You might well find, as I have, that the children's books on Mozart need a major makeover. I know you're right that the children's book industry seems to have impenetrable walls--it's very political. I am going to check around and see what suggestions I can dig up.

A suggestion I would have is to survey the current literature out there for children and identify problems. Mike Venezia has illustrated and written (I think) a series on composers including Mozart. The name of Maurice Sendak, the famous children's illustrator comes to mind (author and illustrator of Where The Wild Things Are). Recently, he was the artistic director of an innovative production of the Nutcracker which I happen to see on TV. He seems to be branching out and really carries clout. I will do my part at the library and contact what friends I know in publishing here. I had my own children watch the A & E special on Mozart, which still wasn't all that great. It will take generations to undo all the damage, but SOMEWHERE SOMEHOW SOMEONE must make a start to turn this around. Of course, if only all this could get as much attention as "The Mozart Effect" then we would have no worries. Usually a gimmick of a PR nature works wonders.

An idea that I think might be considered is a book that has text and pictures that can be taken apart as puzzles. THese books sell and my daughter has one called My Fairy Jigsaw Book, with 6 pages of 24 piece jigsaws, with accompanying text. Especially since Mozart loved remaking words, riddles and puzzles, it sort of fits in with the spirit of Mozart. I'll email further thoughts along to you as they come to me.

Regards,
Catherine S.

Subject: Re: THE CURSE OF SCHLICHTEGROLL'S NECROLOG
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 17:19:53 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Catherine,

I greatly appreciate your ideas. I would be most grateful for your suggestions. The Mozart books for children which I have bought for my grandkids describe him only as a little genius, which of course he was, but no child can relate to that. Nicholas who is almost 12 years old is at present reading Solomon's "Mozart a Life". He is adult enough to take it all in. But my younger ones aged 7 years and 8 years respectively would need a much different version.

Kindest regards,
Yours, Agnes.

Subject: book suggestions cont.
From: Dan Manley
To: All
Date Posted: 17:18:43 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
another real obvious idea that comes to mind as a suggestion agnes is to have a sound chip in the book - similar to the greeting cards, preschool books etc. to play excerpts from various times in his history as an example. it wouldn't be too difficult these days to have the music on vellum on a facing page and have some holes cut into the page under, so you could have the " bouncing ball(or bouncing mozart head)" effect leading you thru the music as played with a simple setup incorporating electroluminescent "dots" under the appropriate spots with the circuit printed on foil. these types of things require very little voltage, there could be a battery assembly in the spine.( was a suggestion i gave my sister for a light up menu for a bar in a restaurant she worked on- this seems like a neater usage.)
dan m.

Subject: Re: book suggestions cont.
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 18:06:05 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Dan,

This is a great suggestion. I will have to see if any publishing house is interested. The problem is that children's books are "manufactured in book factories", (this is my own publisher's statement). Australian publishers see no profit in children books. It is cheaper to import them from overseas, it seems. For instance, our Woolworth food stores have whole shelves of children books imported from Japan and Taiwan. Are they good? No! The same principle applies, as mentioned by Dennis above.

Many thanks for your suggestions.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Weekend poll
From: Sue
To: All
Date Posted: 18:59:17 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: suebschorr@hotmail.com
 

Message:
What is everyone listening to this weekend? Is somebody lucky enough to have tickets to an opera or concert? I have been absorbed in Idomeneo. Today I gave special attention to the “Godiam la pace” chorus. Really, the whole work is almost too intense taken all at once, so I’m cooling down with K477 (thanks to those posts). I’ll probably throw in some piano bit, and then get back to the intense stuff, because I say that’s the whole point!
Have a great weekend everybody
Sue

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Andrea Hubrich
To: All
Date Posted: 00:48:38 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
On this Penticostal Sunday I watched on a german TV station a performance of Mozart's "Great Mass in C minor, K.427" broadcasted from a concerthall in Baden-Baden, Germany. I especially love the "Kyrie" from this mass.

I remember the first time I heard this Kyrie and that was back in 1984 when I saw the film "Amadeus" for the first time.

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: DonW
To: All
Date Posted: 12:36:28 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
K 466 & K 467 are in my car stereo. I noted to myself that I was being stopped from getting out of the car because I had to finish a movement. Mozart. A curse to the man about town.

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Sue
To: All
Date Posted: 19:09:48 05/29/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I hasten to add that I do not think the Masonic Funeral music is NOT intense! :)
Sue

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 19:40:41 05/29/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Well, thanks to Maurizio Tomasi translating a paper for me on
Ferlendis' Oboe Concerto in F, I have been listening to numerous
Oboe Concertos by Mozart and his contempories.

Also in honor of the movie Van Helsing (which I will not see) I am
re-read Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula" for about the 8th time.
Obviously an enjoyable book for me.

Monday I will visit the Veteran's cemetary in southern Wisconsin to
honor my father and other veterans.

Enjoy your week-end, and drive careful.

dennis

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 05:07:03 05/30/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
This weekend my Mozart listening is directed to some of his Wind music.

The "Gran Partita" K.361 and Serenade K.375 stand out among the works which include clarinets.

The Divertimento for wind sextet K.289 is also one of my favorites.

By the way, I also listened to and still like the Cassazione for oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon discovered in 1910 which was falsely attributed to Mozart and is actually by Lickl.

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Bill Szep
To: All
Date Posted: 07:09:30 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hello Sue and all,

This weekend, I have been listening to the piano sonatas!

Enjoy your weekends!
Bill

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 09:04:35 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi--I'm doing the reprise of K459 this afternoon at 4 PM, so guess what I'll be listening to! Wish me luck!

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 03:16:30 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
We do not have a Memorial Day weekend in Australia.
Instead, we celebrate ANZAC DAY which is not being celebrated this weeked.

However, my husband and I (not in the Royal sense) listened to the lovely recording of our friend, Teresa,
performing her concerto, K459 at precisely the time she was playing it. This was during breakfast at 6.00 am which was 4.00 pm in Tampa, Florida.

I can say that it was a beautiful performance and
put both of us in a perfectly affable mood for the day.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Sue
To: All
Date Posted: 14:49:23 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Respondents who are performing concertos skew the results of my humble poll. I regret that I could not see what is surely a fabulous performance! Please
report back to us. Maybe the renowned artist Marcus was onhand?
Regards
Sue

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Marcus
To: All
Date Posted: 20:30:56 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
haha I am flattered! I wish I could hear all our performers on this board! It would be fun to meet everyone on the board actually! one big Mozart fan party!

As for me, I am listening to Mozart's piano concerti 20-27... I love listening not only for the different orchestras/conductors/pianists but also very much for the different cadenzas!

I wish I played piano too! ah well, at least i have k.498, 581 and 622 =)

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 09:31:49 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi everyone!

First, all of us in Southern California wish you Good Luck today! And, make those plans to get out here, take in a musical and see Disneyland, or whatever!

On listening to music: it's Mozart Piano Concerti, right now being #23 in A K.488, while yesterday it was K.466 in d as well as K.482. I'm working on a paper, and it's surprising (well, maybe not) how the music improves the thought process.

Everyone have a safe and fun Memorial Day; but give some time in rememberance for those who fell in the line of duty for our country.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 05:47:12 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks to you all for the good wishes! The concert went fine, it sounded better than the one recorded in January (I didn't have it recorded this time--too bad, because I was told my playing was 100% better.)

Thank you, Dear Agnes, for listening to the CD--I felt the presence of my friends in Australia!

Gary, I have no doubt I will get to Southern California one of these days, and watch out, because I'll be at your doorstep anticipating a musicale!

All the best,Teresa

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 18:56:43 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
For me, I am re-listening to the early symphonies, as I was reminded to do by the thread earlier this week. I shall finish with the Little g minor, my favorite! And thinking also of my nephew in Baghdad, hope his weekend is not too bad so that mine can be so good :(

Subject: Re: Weekend poll
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 19:39:15 05/30/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
For me, I have been listening to the String Quintets. I heard No. 3 on the radio the other day, which reminded me of how great they are. I have also been listening to some really fabulous period-instrument recordings of Haydn's Paris Symphonies with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

Robby

Subject: Robby Bonkowski and His Chamber Orchestra
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 08:12:01 05/29/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
One of my sons is a high school teacher, so for that reason I pay
particular attention to articles on high school matters. In this part
of the country, schools, teachers, etc. are under fire for failing
schools, budget problems, etc. The focus is on high school kids
who have problems in many different forms. Responses are
usually on the negative side to the students: that they are trouble
makers and just don't want to learn, etc. etc.

Robby Bonkowski's short discussion on his chamber orchestra was
very nice to read in this regard. Two things struck me in his
writing that I think are exceptional. First that there are kids in the
ensemble that are very good and others that are just learning. It is
wonderful to hear that differently talented kids can get along
together. So many times at the high school level only the most
talented can make a team or event, be it academic or sporting.
How wonderful that the "star" and the "beginner" play together
without the "beginner" having to fear being "cut" from the team.
Robby, remember this wonderful concept.

Secondly, the last part, that they are planning to play for a senior
citizen's group. Again, how wonderful that a group of high school
kids would do this for a group of senior citizens--without being
paid or dragged to do it.

So Robby, I must argue with you in one point you make:
"then again we are definitely nothing to brag about"

You are something to brag about, and I will do it for you!

So folks, next time you read some article in the paper telling you
the youth of today are all good for nothings, remember there are
rather quite a few like Robby Bonkowski and his group. Only they
don't get their names and pictures on "America's Most Wanted",
even though in the proper sense they are American's Most Wanted
(and Needed) type of person.

dennis

Subject: Re: Robby Bonkowski and His Chamber Orchestra
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 19:13:47 05/30/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Dear Dennis, Agnes, and Gary,

Thank you sincerely for your comments and support! I really do appreciate it. As I said in an earlier posting, I will try to record our next performance.

I totally agree with Dennis when he writes about giving 'beginners' the opportunity to play in the orchestra alongside the experienced ones. These players understand that they have to work hard (often times harder than the rest to keep up with the team), yet have never failed to do their best. There is nothing more you can ask if your players do their best.

What is sometimes is challenging is amending the scores to suit the whole orchestra. This often leads to an unauthentic sound (not to mention the violins already dominating over the bass line!). It is mostly my violins that are the 'beginners'. The winds/brass are quite good. Mozart is not too bad as far as the violin writing is concerned. I have some of the 'beginner' violins play the viola parts (as much as the violin's range can handle), as these are usually easier. We are considering a Mozart piano concerto (Nos. 17 and 23 are currently candidates). Any suggestions on other pieces are warmly welcomed!

Once again, many thanks for your support!

Robby

(PS- A quick question for Agnes: Do you know if Emmanuelle's email service is working again?)

Subject: Re: Robby Bonkowski and His Chamber Orchestra
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 22:11:31 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Robby,

It seems it is not working. I don't know what happened to Emmanuelle. After 5 years of correspondence, she just simply is not writing. I hope she will come back to the Forum as well as my private pen-friend as I truly miss her.

Kind regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: Robby Bonkowski and His Chamber Orchestra
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 09:43:45 05/30/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
As well, I'd like to add my two cents in here. The posting by dennis fairly well covers what I feel as well. In a world where inapropriate pressure is put on kids to "succeed" at the expense of teamwork and comradeship, groups such as the one Robby has helped found are more necessary now than ever before. Praise to both Robby, his friends and the school for their efforts.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: Robby Bonkowski and His Chamber Orchestra
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 15:39:09 05/29/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Robby is a remarkable young man whose idea it was to start the orchestra.
Robby is a leader! Indeed, the world needs young men like Robby Bonkowski. It is his example and his influence on other young people which is of such great value. His friends in the his orchestra will forever be influenced by his great example in seeking knowledge and his gift for comradship. It is interesting to note that Robby's maturity was already evident when he was barely 15 years old.

Agnes.

Subject: Re: Robby Bonkowski and His Chamber Orchestra
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 05:35:57 05/31/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Here, Here!

Teresa

Subject: Three new Mozart pieces on Mutopia: k375g, k453a, k477
From: Maurizio Tomasi
To: All
Date Posted: 01:30:05 05/29/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I added three new scores by Mozart on the Mutopia site:

1. Fugue fragment Anh. 41 (375g) for Piano (http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=447),

2. Marche funebre KV 453a for Piano (http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=446), and

3. Masonic Funeral Music KV 477 for Orchestra (http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=448).

The score is freely available in three formats: PDF and PS (for reading and printing), and MIDI (for listening).

Note for Andrea and Dennis: in the K477 page I put a link to your interesting notes posted some weeks ago on this Forum.

Maurizio

Subject: Re: Three new Mozart pieces on Mutopia: k375g, k453a, k477
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 07:57:18 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
With respect to the instrumentation of the Masonic Funderal music, if I can recognize the edtion by the type font, I think you have used the Breitkopf & Härtel edition of 1875-1903 as your score. It is also sometimes referred to as the AMA or the Alte Mozart Ausgabe. However, the instrumentation given in that edition is not correct. There are not one but three basset horn parts as well as one clarinet. And most important is that the wind section also calls for a contrabasssoon, which is (if I remember correctly) the only occasion on which Mozart used the instrument.

The notes you pointed to by URL are both excellent but the one by Dennis hits the nail right on the head. Specifically the issue is not an insignificant problem; i.e., Mozart's dating of the composition in his catalogue is a number of months BEFORE the deaths of the individuals for whom it is said to have been written.

Subject: Re: Three new Mozart pieces on Mutopia: k375g, k453a, k477
From: Maurizio Tomasi
To: All
Date Posted: 12:03:34 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: zio_tom78@hotmail.com
 

Message:
Dan,

Thank you for the notes. As you might have read on the Mutopia page, I reproduced the score typeset by Prof. C. Noack and available at the Werner Icking Archive.

I asked Prof. C. Noack and he told me he based his edition on the Eulenburg score. He removed the two basset horns and the double bassoon, but he said he had typeset everything else faithfully. He had tried to re-create the "original" score by Mozart, but he told me he decided to do so also because of copyright issues.

Maurizio

Subject: Musikalisches Würfelspiel Chart?
From: Alex Nelson
To: All
Date Posted: 00:42:37 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: cmradered@netscape.net
 

Message:
Does anyone know about this? Anyone have a link to the chart?

Subject: Re: Musikalisches Würfelspiel Chart?
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 04:55:47 05/29/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Musikalische Wurfelspiele--Dice Games Attributed to Mozart Anh
C30.01

The first appearance of a Musical Dice Game under Mozart's name
was in 1793, when J.J. Hummel published two "Introductions" and
tables for Waltzes and Contredances in Berlin and Amsterdam. The
title page of the edition for Waltzes reads (in German, French,
English and Italian):

"W.A. Mozart
Instruction
To compose without the least knowledge of Music so much
German Walzer or Schleifer as one pleases, by throwing a certain
Number with two Dice".

The actual page with the "Instruction" is also in the same 4
languages, giving a good introduction of how to play the game.
Page 2 has the tables for the 1st and 2nd part of the composition.
The tables run "A-H" across and "2-12" downward. Thus the
composition would have 8 measures in the 1st part [1st measure
= A roll of the dice, 2nd measure = B roll of the Dice etc.) and 8 in
the second part. Pages 3-6 give the music of each numbered
measure--on two staffs--(176 different measures) from the dice
rolls from the table on page 2. For example on the fourth roll of
the dice (Column D across), if your roll was 6, you would look up
measure 45 on page 3 and put it in the proper place in the
composition. After 16 rolls of the dice you would have a 16
measure Waltz.

Hummel did not state how he came into possession of this game,
or how he attributed it to Mozart.

In 1798 Nikolaus Simrock in Bonn reprinted the Hummel editions
as his Publisher-Nr.48 (Waltzes), Nr.49 (Contredances), using the
same Introduction and Tables. About 1801 Johann Michael Götz
in Worms published these same Waltzes as his Publisher Nr.690.
Goetz most likely took these from the Simrock edition of 1798.

Wurzbach's 'Biographisches Lexikon of Austria' mentioned the
Hummel, Simrock and Goetz printings. Wurzbach also named a
printing of Kratsch in Hamburg for Contredances. According to
Wurzbach in 1801 Kratsch also put out the Waltz installment for 2
Violins, Flute and Bass. A copy of this is found in the Gesellschaft
der Musikfreundes in Vienna under Mozart's name. Wurzbach also
mentioned Waltz Instructions by Kreitner in Worms which appear
to be identical to that of Hummel in Amsterdam. Issues attributed
to Mozart also appeared about 1800 in Paris by Voigt; in
Amsterdam by Henning; and in 1806 in London by C. Wheatsone.
This last game stated it was "Mozart's Musical Game fitted in an
elegant box, showing by an easy system to compose an unlimited
number of Waltzes, Rondos, Horpipes, & Reels...To compose
Waltz's only, by turn of a te-to-tum". A te-to-tum was a small top
with many sides which could be spun between the fingers. So one
could compose not only with dice.

Thus by the first decade of the 19th Century many games were
issued attributed to Mozart. But a closer look reveals many (if not
almost all) derived from the original J.J. Hummel issue. A possible
hypothesis how Hummel brought the dice game into connection
with Mozart will come in the next section.

In addition to the games with Mozart's name attached were
numerous other pieces that one could compose by somehow
choosing numbers in some random fashion. The first of these
games to appear in print was Johann Philipp Kirnberger's "Der
allezeit fertige Meunuetten--und Polonoisenkomponist" in 1757 in
Berlin. Numerous others followed, some under the name of
popular composers, such as C.P.E. Bach and Joseph Haydn, and of
course Mozart. I found at least 20, in addition to those above
attributed to Mozart, up to 1811. Of these 20, three have had
Mozart's name attached to them at some point.

Probably In the beginning of 1793 in Berlin Johann Karl Friedrich
Rellstab published as Op. CXLII "Instructions so many Waltzes one
will compose with Dice without knowledge of music or
composition". Although published without a composer's name, in
the early 20th Century it became attributed to Carl Phillip Emanuel
Bach. Otto Erich Deutsch believed it was this issue that led Mozart
to write out his Dice Game. On occasion this issue has been said
to be from Mozart in print. However it has nothing to do with
Mozart or C.P.E. Bach, it is only an adaptation of Kirnberger's
"Allzeit fertige Menuetten etc".

In 1790 a musical dice game was published by Marescalchi in
Naples as "Gioco Filarmonico" under the name of Joseph Haydn. It
exits in two issues: one for piano and another for 2 Violins or
Flute and Bass. It consists of two tables that correspond to the
dice game published under Mozart's name by Hummel, Simrock
etc. In 1973 Gunter Thomas (in Festschrift Karl Gustave Fellerer)
showed the true author of this "Gioco Filarmonico". It is actually a
youth work of Maximilian Stadler (1748 - 1833), published in
1781 by Artaria: "Tables from which one can toss off countless
Menuets and Trios for the Klavier. Drawn up by P. Maximilian
Stadler" [copy in Gesellschaft der Musikfreundes in Vienna]. In his
manuscript autobiography Stadler listed this among the pieces he
wrote from 1759 to 1763. The numbers used in the Stadler work
are the same as those in the tables for Haydn's "Gioco
Filarmonico", but also those by Hummel and Simrock for their dice
games attributed to Mozart. The music of Stadler's game and
Haydn's is even the same. To add to this mix-up, Gerber's 1792
Historisch-biographisches Lexicon der Tonkunstler (pg 556)
attributed these Tables and music (also published anonymously in
Vienna and Paris, undated but given as 1780 by Gerber) as being
by one of the two brothers who "around 1783 were members of
the Royal Harmonie", thus Anton or Johann Stadler. Could this be
a clue to how the 1793 Hummel edition got Mozart's name
attached to it?

In the library catalogue estate of Joseph Haydn was listed a
"Cabala which anyone, even those who cannot compose, can make
Menuets with the help of dice". Otto Deutsch thought this game
was the same as Haydn's "Gioico filarmonico", which had been
attributed to Mozart according to Deutsch. However the Cabala
manuscript, found in the Nationalbibliothek Szechenyi in Budapst
is not the same as the "Gioico filarmonico", and there is no author
listed on the manuscript. The game has nothing at all to do with
Mozart.

It appears to me that all the dice games with any Mozart
attribution can be traced back to the Hummel editions of 1793.
The Simrock and Goetz for certain. The wording of some of the
others leads to that conclusion. It appears rather plausible that the
Hummel edition goes back to the Maximilian Stadler game
published by Artaria in 1781. The tables are the same as Stadler's,
which were used for the attributed to Haydn "Gioco Filarmonico"--
which even used the same music. Perhaps Hummel thought if a
dice game was out in Haydn's name, why not use the same tables,
add music by a composer he knew, and put one out in Mozart's
name. Perhaps he even had the Stadler edition in hand, and
thought there was some connection to Anton Stadler, and this
gave him the idea it was by Mozart.

Up to K3 the Music Dice games were not to be found in Köchel. I
guess this in itself shows neither Köchel (K1) nor Waldersee (K2)
believed any of the editions had anything to do with Mozart.
However to my knowledge no-one actually wrote that the Hummel
edition was not by Mozart. Einstein first placed these Dice Games
in K3 in the Anhang section (Anh 294d) for misattributed works.
K6 placed them in the Anh C section (C 30.01).

Paul Lowenstein was the only person (I know of) to actually give
any opinion on when and why Mozart composed the Game. Writing
in the 1929 Zeitschrift fur Musikwissenschaft Lowenstein admitted
it "would be difficult to examine Mozart's authorship from the
musical style of such a composition, not to mention to establish it
beyond a doubt, as the stylistic deployment understandably is
hindered through the deliberate interchangeability of all individual
measures". Taking up the Simrock and Goetz editions, Lowenstein
could not believe the same idea of a forgery suddenly appeared
and was carried out in two different places. Taking into
consideration the strikingly similar published presentations of the
two issues, his logical conclusion was that a connection must have
existed between the works of both publishers. He also concluded
that Goetz took his from Simrock [Lowenstein did not know of the
Hummel editions--Erich Otto Deustch reported on them in the
same journal the following year]. Lowenstein (rather naively)
believed that some unknown person--either from his own
initiative for in the commission of the publisher--could have
worked out and put together the music and then had it issued
under Mozart's name, lacked not only any foundation but also any
credibility. Furthermore, as interest in Mozart was low at the time
of his death and immediately afterwards, a time frame of 10 years
after his death would be too short for any forgeries in his name
according to Lowenstein. Thus he believed the work was by
Mozart. It is very well established that from Mozart, who had a
naive independent spirit, many humorous improvisations are
handed down. To Lowenstein, in some good mood Mozart had
noted the Instructions to his idea of the composition. Thus
Simrock and Goetz could only have obtained the manuscript from
the hands of a third party. Looking at some irregularities and odd
shortcomings in the printings, Lowenstein believed that the
publisher was not working from Mozart's original, but from a copy
made by an unversed hand.

Lowenstein brought the origin of the Dice Games in connection
with Mozart's Mannheim visit (1777/78). He believed most likely
an interested amateur from Mozart's Mannheim acquaintance
circle took pleasure in such games and as a jest Mozart wrote out
these instructions for a game, certainly never intending it to be
printed or delivered to a publisher. By this circumstance the fact
that neither Simrock or Goetz had any ascertainable direct
connections to Mozart is insignificant.

In short there is absolutely no evidence, even a hint beside
Mozart's name being on the title pages of the above issues, that
these games had anything to do with Mozart. Later in the 20th
Century a fragmentary autograph was found that appears to be
some sort of randomly played game. As the two upper staves
contain a piano reduction of the opening of the 3rd movement of
the String Quintet K516, it has been listed in the Koechel
Catalogue as K516f. I will not get into this so-called "Musikalische
Wurfelspiele" here, except to say it has little to do with the type of
dice games listed above.

However many people writing on the subject have used the sketch
of K516f as proof Mozart wrote the dice games published under
his name. One certainly does not lead to the other without more
proof. Even worse, many times what is really one of the Anh
C30.01 games is wrongly called K516f. This happens on the
Philips Complete Mozart Edition CD vol. 45. What Marriner and
Smith are playing is from a table of one of the Anh C30.01
attributed to Mozart games, but it is called K516f on the cover and
in the notes. This would be like calling the Symphony K16 the
"Jupiter Symphony" on the cover of a CD because it shares the
same theme somewhere in the composition.

As for charts, there are many on the internet. If you type in
Musikalische Wurfelspiele will will find numerous entries. Two that
I found with a useful chart are:

http://www.worldvillage.com/jchuang/Music/musdice/musdice/
Rules/rules.html

http://www.schott-music.com/wuerfelspiele/tabelle.htm

dennis

Subject: Re: Musikalisches Würfelspiel chart?
From: Neal Zaslaw
To: All
Date Posted: 10:35:48 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: naz2@cornell.edu
 

Message:
Dennis is quite right. The musical dice game (1) is not by Mozart and (2) is NOT K. 516f. K. 516f (1) IS by Mozart and (2) is NOT a musical dice game. These facts hold true in spite of what one may read to the contrary all over the WWW and in print. I have an article in press explaining where that paticular musical dice game (and others) came from and what K. 516f may be (although that's not at all clear). The article is to appear in a Festschrift, a volume of essays honoring the great Hungarian musicologist, Laszlo Somfai. When it appears, I'll let you know how to locate it.

Neal Zaslaw

Subject: Re: Musikalisches Würfelspiel Chart?
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 04:54:26 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I never did this before with my limited MSNTV browser but I tried copying the URL for a very informative article on Mozart's Musical Dice Game (appears in volume 45 of the Philips Complete Mozart Edition).

I hope the link works and provides access to the chart.

Subject: 'Papagenos Traum - Eine Zauberflöte gegen Vorurteile'
From: Jan-Willem Besuijen
To: All
Date Posted: 17:50:02 05/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
On the Internet Movie Database I found a movie or a series titled 'Papagenos Traum - Eine Zauberflöte gegen Vorurteile ['Papageno's dream' - a Zauberflöte against prejudice'], dating from 1992, with no further information added. I searched the internet, but in vain...
Could anyone tell me what I found here?

Thanks!

Jan-Willem Besuijen
Netherlands

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105091/

Subject: Re: 'Papagenos Traum - Eine Zauberflöte gegen Vorurteile'
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 04:01:26 05/28/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I find it ridiculous that IMDB would have a title with no other information whatsoever.

I did email them requesting more information. I won't hold my breath waiting for a positive response.

Subject: Re: 'Papagenos Traum - Eine Zauberflöte gegen Vorurteile'
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 13:57:20 05/28/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I received the following reply from IMDB in regard to my request for additional information:

"Thank you for your note. Different sections of the database are updated at different times, depending on backlogs. Further information may well be waiting to be approved."

I guess all we can do is periodically check IMDB for any updates.

Subject: Re: 'Papagenos Traum - Eine Zauberflöte gegen Vorurteile'
From: Jan-Willem Besuijen
To: All
Date Posted: 17:55:56 05/28/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I'll do that, I am curious to know what it is. Probably a sort of philosophical documentary or a short movie starring 'Papageno'...

As a matter of fact: I found - on imdb.com - a mention of an animated cartoon (1935) entitled 'Papageno'. Any ideas about that?

Jan-Willem Besuijen
Tilburg
Netherlands

Subject: Re: 'Papagenos Traum - Eine Zauberflöte gegen Vorurteile'
From: Maurizio Tomasi
To: All
Date Posted: 01:23:36 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: zio_tom78@hotmail.com
 

Message:
I think I watched it a couple of years ago in an Italian TV Channel. It has little to do with Mozart's opera, though: the two plots simply share the same character, Papageno. But it is a nice cartoon, made with black-paper silhouettes moving on a painted background.

Maurizio

Subject: Re: 'Papagenos Traum - Eine Zauberflöte gegen Vorurteile'
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 04:37:48 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I never saw the 10 minute cartoon but here's what IMDB says:

"Film shows the story of Papageno (the one from Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute"), who wants a mate, yet has difficulties getting one."

Whether it uses any of Mozart's music or not I do not know.

Subject: K6 496a
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 12:21:17 05/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I am interested in acquiring a recording of this work, but it hasn't been an easy search. Noting that K6 calls it "Duo's for 2 Winds" and the note says "originally for 2 horns", that is what I have been trying to find. However, one of the very few recordings that I DID find is performed on Bassett Horns, where my expectation would be natural (or French at least) horns. Anyone recommend a recording on CD (that is attainable!!) and perhaps offer some enlightenment on the instrument issue?
Thanks,
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: K6 496a
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 14:23:19 05/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
The original Köchel Catalogue listed as K487 "Duett for 2 Violins.
Composed February 27, 1786". This information goes back to the
catalogue of Aloys Fuchs, who got his information from the
Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. In that society's archives
are the autograph pages which contain thee Duets (Nrs 1,3 and 6).
On page 1 is a note: "By Wolfgang Amade Mozart Vienna July 27,
1786, during skittles". In 1882 the AMA edition of Mozart's works
printed the 3 pieces (Andante, Allegro, Minuet and Trio) as "Duo
for 2 Violins". However in a note AMA stated it appeared Mozart
had not written the pieces for 2 Violins, but there is no indication
of the instruments to be used; from internal evidence 2 Violins
were the most conceivable instruments.

In his revision of Otto Jahn's biography, Hermann Deiters took the
statement in Leopold Mozart's listings of compositions by his 12-
year old son "many pieces...for 2 Bassetthorns" as referring to the
"12 pieces for 2 Horns composed by Mozart Op.46 by Imbault in
Paris", published around 1810. Köchel had thought these 12
pieces were attributed to Mozart by Imbault himself, but Dieters
felt they certainly could have been from Mozart's youth. As Köchel
had carried three of these pieces in K1, his stance on the
authenticity question is puzzling.

Paul Graf von Waldersee took the Imbault printing serious and
edited all 12 as "Duets for 2 Bassett Horns" for a supplement of
AMA in 1892, and listed all 12 in K2, which he edited in 1905.
Waldersee noted the existing music could only be performed on
the Bassetthorn. Waldersee also corrected the dating from the
autograph, from February to July 1786.

So now we have:
The 3 autograph Duets--without any indicated instrumentation--
and 9 non-autograph Duets. First they are designated for 2
Violins, then published for 2 Horns, then published for 2
Bassetthorns. But the Bassetthorn theory had problems, as the
writing in these Duets differed from the manner of Mozart's
Bassetthorn writing in the years of his artistic maturity.

In 1937, Alfred Einstein, in his 3rd edition of the Köchel Catalogue
designated the 12 Duets for "2 Horns", (changing the K.number to
K496a to reflect the July, not February date on the autograph)
citing the difference in style from Mozart's Bassetthorn works,
especially citing the 5 Divertimento K439a. But then in his next
revision (K3a, 1947) Einstein stepped further away, noting the
pieces were for "2 Wind Instruments". K6 followed Einstein's
second thoughts, indicating the pieces are for "2 Wind
Instruments, Bassetthorn or Horn?".

The latest "Official" Mozart publication on the subject is the 1974
NMA volume. Here the editor (Diet-rich Burke) designates the
pieces for "2 Horns". The 2-Violin theory is no longer valid due to
tonal register (remember the early 2-Violin theory was based on
only 3 pieces of the 12). The NMA setting as 2 Horns is based on
several issues. Among these is that the 3 pieces in the Imbault
printing that correspond to Mozart's autograph show no
noteworthy variants and it is logical to assume the others are
faithfully reproduced. Also the 2-Bassetthorn theory of Waldersee
was based on insufficient knowledge of the Horn used in Mozart's
time. Some of the 12 Duets are not playable on Horns known to
Waldersee, but later knowledge showed development of the
natural horn that could play these notes.

Who were the two Hornists who played these Duos? Josef Marx
(1947 edition of the 12 Duos) believed one of the players to be
Joseph Leutgeb. Marius Flothuis believed the players to be the
brothers Karl and Johann Turrschmidt. No matter who the Hornists
were, it appears likely these Duets were written at some sort of
social occasion--perhaps even a "skittle party". Berke puts forth
this possible scenario--At a party with 2 Hornists present
someone gives Mozart 2 sheets of paper. Mozart has time to write
down 3 pieces, leaving the back of the second page blank. Then
someone else attempts a composition on the blank side,
explaining the not autograph entries on the 4th page. At some
later time Mozart expanded these 3 Duets into a set of 12, but did
not enter them into his own work catalogue.

To answer your first question now. I have 6 recordings of the
Duets, in differing instrumentation.

Winds of the Berlin Philharmonic (2 Horns version) Ore C217 901A

L'academie royal de Music de Paris (for 2 Basset Horns) Carpool
581041

Consortium Classicum (for 2 Basset Horns) (EMI-29 0994 3--old
LP "Complete Serenades and Divertimenti for Winds--I think
recently released on CD)

L'Archibudelli-- only Nrs.2,5,8,10 (2 Horns) Sony SK 46702

New World Basset Horn Trio--5 numbers only (Bassetthorn
version) Harmonia Mundi HMU907017

Alexandre Broussilovski (transcribed for 2 Violins) Le Chant du
Monde LDC 278974

I don't know which of these are still available. There may be more,
not in my collection.

dennis

Subject: Re: K6 496a
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 14:47:57 05/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dennis,
Thanks you so much. I prostrate myself before your abundance of information ;-)) I have found the Harmonia Mundi that you mention. Of the remainder, the COnsortium Classicum looks a winner, now if I can find it!
Thanks again,
Gurn

Subject: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis in Eb K.Anh 186
From: Dennis Pajot
To: All
Date Posted: 06:58:32 05/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
On a few occasions on this Forum and other places I have stated I
thought the Missa solemnis in Eb by Johann Baptist Vanhal
(recorded on Orfeo CD by the Prager Kammerchor and Virtuosi di
Praga-conductor Vaclav Neumann) is equal to any of Mozart's
Masses, with exception of the c-minor K427.

A recent article and some follow-up research surprised me, as I
found the Vanhal Mass has been misattributed to Mozart in the
past. So now I feel justified in my high regard for this Missa
solemnis.

In the 2001 Mozart-Jahrbuch Paul van Reijen published an article
on the authorship of the two misattributed Mozart Masses K.Anh
185 (in C-major) and K.Anh 186 (in Eb major) [K6 = Anh C1.01
and C1.03]. In the article Reijen gave a history of the sources.
Regarding K.Anh 186, the Kyrie and Gloria were first published by
Vincent Novello in 1822 or 1823 in an arrangement for 4-voice
parts and organ as Nr.13 in his edition of Mozart Masses. Novello
based his edition of these 2 movements on a full score in the
possession of Christian Ignatius Latrobe. In 1825 or 1826 Novello
published the remaining portions of the Eb Mass as Nr.16 in his
series, with a notice it was "From a very scarce M.S. score
preserved in the Chapel of Moses & Aaron in Amsterdam".

In the original Köchel Catalogue (1862) Ludwig Köchel reported of
the 17 Masses in the Novello edition of Mozart Masses, 10 were
authentic, 5 were misattributed and 2 were "very doubtful". These
two very doubtful Masses were Anh 185 and Anh 186. These
Masses have remained in the Anhang section of every Köchel
Catalogue. In K3 a "Mass for ?" was listed as Anh 235a; its source
being a copy in the Paris library of J.B. Weckerlin, auctioned in
1910. In 1957 H.C.R. Landon showed this was the same Mass as
K.Anh 186; it is now in the Swiss Royal Library in Bern.

Thus we have 3 sources for the Eb Mass K.Anh 186 attributing it
to Mozart:
1) The Novello issues (Nr.13 and 16) from the 1820's
2) The copy in Amsterdam
3) The copy in Bern (Kyrie and Gloria only)

However Reijen found a further copy of this Mass in the RISM files
in the Benedictine Abby at Ottobeuren--under the name of Johann
Baptist Vanhal. These parts are listed in the manuscript catalogue
of Getraut Haberkamp (Libr.Nr. MO 885) as dating from ca.1790.

Now in the Thematic Catalogue of the works of Vanhal, compiled
by Alexander Weinmann, we find under the Masses of Vanhal
(Group XIX) as Eb4 a manuscript of this Mass in the Moravski
Zemske Museum in Brünn (with Libr.Nr. A20.213). Reijen states he
was informed the source for this was the music collection of the
Augustine of St. Thomas in Brno and the manuscript parts from
the watermarks appear to originate from the time of 1790, but the
writing could be from as early as 1770.

Certainly these sources for the Mass show several variant
differences. In the sources attributed to Mozart, one difference is
that in the Amsterdam copy at the end of the 'Christe eleison' in
pencil is noted "Kyrie DS"--meaning the Kryie should be repeated.
This is lacking in Novello and the copy in Bern.

However in the "Vanhal" Ottobeuren parts after the 'Christe
eleison' a completely new 'Kryie' of 158 measures is found.
Another major difference between the "Mozart" Mass and the
"Vanhal" Mass is in the beginning of the Gloria sequence. The
"Mozart" sources divide the Gloria, Laudamus te and Gratias into 3
different sections of 89 measures, 101 measures and 99
measures. The "Vanhal" source at Ottobeuren has a musically
briefer Gloria movement: The Gloria portion consists of measure
1-56, the Laudamus te of measures 57-68, and the Gratias of
measures 69-89.

Now to the Orfeo recording of the Missa solemnis in Eb of Vanhal.
I compared the incipit in the Vanhal catalogue of Weinmann with
that in K6 and found them identical. However both Weinmann and
K6 only give 3 measures of the Kyrie for reference. (Weimann
gives no tempo indication, K6 indicates Andante.) I played the CD
and found the Kyrie incipits the same as the beginning of the Kyrie
recorded (although the CD tempo indicates Adagio). Luckily, K3
gives the incipits of all the movements of the Mass K.Anh 186 (i.e.
Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei). Comparing
these incipits with the music on the CD, I found all identical. Thus,
the Missa solemnis on the Orfeo CD has the same music as K.Anh
186 attributed to Mozart.

However there are a few problems that I am unable to solve with
only the incipits from K3, the information from Reijen. and the CD
recording--which gives no information on its source.

The Kyrie on the CD recordings is 3 long sections with different
music after "Christe eleison", as described by Reijen as the
Ottobeuren parts. However on the CD recording "Gloria",
"Laudamus te" and "Gratias" are long, separate movements, not
short ones as Reijen describes in the Vanhal source; thus most
likely from the "Mozart" Amsterdam and Berlin scores.

So do we have a Mass by Vanhal or Mozart here? Could it be a lost
Mozart Mass? Very doubtful. But as early as 1817 Novello
questioned Christian Ignatius Latrobe on the authenticity of the
Masses he received from him. Latrobe replied in part "I have been
told in Germany that Mozart composed a great many short Masses
for Convents in Bohemia, and that there is a great deal of
excellent Music of his Composition in many of them, or was, for
many convents have been suppressed and sacrilegious hands have
probably destroyed their stocks of music, and sold them for waste
paper".

However more than likely we are dealing with unauthentic Mozart.
In a discussion that followed the reading of Reijen's original paper
Marius Flothuis asked what his opinion was of the Masses (Anh
185 and Anh 186). Reijen responded that there are several
measures of so-called "Mozartisms" in the Masses, but that is all.
The writing style and "at times nearly absurd proportions"
certainly disqualified a Mozart authorship. Reijen thought the
sources (for Anh 186) pointed to a Vanhal authorship.

Reijen's only hesitation seemed to be the large difference in
measure numbers that are found in both Masses. Rudolf
Flotzinger supplied a logical answer for this. Masses (as other
music of the time) were altered. If one had a wonderful singer, a
new solo would be inserted for that singer. If a good Violinist
appeared, a Violin solo would be added (as appeared in the
Benedictus of the C-major Mass K.Anh 185). Also Flotzinger
stated Brevis-versions could be made of Longa-Masses and vice-
versa. As for the attribution to Mozart. it probably was a simple
matter of someone willed it, and it happened. And of course it was
also good for distribution. And as Christoph-Hellmut Mahling
pointed out, Mozart's and Vanhal's music have a certain similarity,
both composing in the style of the time. And Mozart thought
highly enough of Vanhal to carry a Violin Concerto of his around in
his luggage.

Whatever the source situation for the recording is--and hopefully
someone will be able to shed some light on it--we have music
connected to Mozart (even if only misattributed) that is in the
Köchel Catalogue.

=======

Just to complete the entire picture, the Mass in C K.Anh 185 (K6 =
Anh C1.01) was found by Reijen in the Feldkirch Cathedral
attributed to Joseph Aloys Wheelsman (1762-1815), a composer/
organist from Hall in Tyrol.

Both Anh C1.01 and Anh C1.03 have been updated to reflect this
new information in our Köchel files.

dennis

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis in Eb K.Anh 186
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 10:13:21 05/27/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Dennis, many thanks for your posting. I am just becoming acquainted with Vanhal's life and works, so your posting was especially helpful. I have some symphonies on the Naxos label and enjoy them very much. I will now have my eyes peeled for those Masses. I think I might want to do a piece or two by him with my chamber ensemble.

Robby

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Catherine
To: All
Date Posted: 12:04:50 05/27/04 ()
Email Address: ccarl@lacera.com
 

Message:
Dear Robby --

WHAT chamber ensemble!?? Like you, I live in Southern California, so I'm very interested in hearing more, and, possibly, in attending performances. What's the name, who is the director, how often and where does it perform? Do they have a website--MozartForum would be happy to provide a link!

Please, DO tell us more!

Thanks!
Catherine Carl
MozartForum

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 15:39:35 05/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear robby,

I am delighted to hear that you continue with your chamber orchestra.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 06:26:57 05/28/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Hi Robby,
I echo Agnes.
Do you have any Web site we can visit?

Regards,
Tel

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 18:57:36 05/28/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

.Message:
Dear Catherine, Agnes, and Tel

Thank you very much for your comments and interest in my chamber orchestra. This is a short overview of the group:

In September of 2002, I started a club at my high school devoted to classical music. It was called “Club Amadeus”. I originally formed the club so that friends could simply spend some time listening to music and talking about it. All of the members played instruments, so we decided that should PLAY the music instead of LISTENING to it. We started out with about 5 people, but over the course of the year, more joined. By the end of the school year, we had about 25 people. This school year, we found more members and expanded our chamber orchestra further. Presently, we have about 40 people.

You have to keep in mind that we are a group of high-school musicians with varying degrees of skill. We don’t sound bad, but then again we are definitely nothing to brag about. The levels of the players vary quite a bit. To give you an idea, I have a violinist warming up with sections of Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen, while another is trying to perfect his playing of the C-major scale. It is difficult to find pieces that are suitable for the whole group: not too difficult, yet not ridiculously simple. We cannot discriminate against players who are not as experienced, since we are a school-based club.

Our ensemble is also quite unbalanced. We have roughly 25 violins, 2 violas, and 5 cellos. No double basses. No oboes, bassoons either. We do have clarinets, flutes, a bass clarinet, a trumpet and a horn. We also have a few pianists who are members. When appropriate, I include a piano continuo with rotating players. As you can see, I have to make many changes to the pieces we play. I am conductor/music director.

We did give two performances for the school, one in January, the other just two weeks ago. Next year however, we are considering playing some free concerts at some local senior centers.

Robby

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 22:23:15 05/28/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Robby,

What you are doing is most commendable. I am most impressed and wish you well with your orchestra.
Kindest regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 22:49:35 05/28/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Dear Agnes, thank you very much for your message. I really do appreciate your support. I will see if I can somehow record our next performance for you and other friends here at the Forum.

All the best,
Robby

(BTW- Leopold Mozart died on this day, May 28, 1787.)

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Catherine
To: All
Date Posted: 15:34:54 05/29/04 ()
Email Address: ccarl@lacrea.com
 

Message:
Dear Robby,

Thanks for the info! I'm as jealous as all getout!--it must be wonderful to be part of something that started as a mere spark and has grown to such a size, all because you all have come together to share a common interest!

As for the various levels of skill: I have been to many concerts by youth, community, or other amature groups. Did they get all the notes right? No. Were they worth hearing? A RESOUNDING YES!!! Quite often the performers were playing with so much heart, spirit, enthusiasm or love--in a word, soul--that they could easily be forgiven for techincal mistakes. It is because of such soul that many of those concerts were just as--if not more--enjoyable and moving than concerts by the "big-name" pros who make zero mistakes!

I once attended a rehearsal of a youth group, kids of all ages. It was just after a break, and the conductor was again taking them through one of Beethoven's Leonora Overtures, (#3, I think). He left the podium while the orchestra played so he could go check how the sound was carrying into the theater. He happened to sit down in front of me. The playing was a bit rough around the edges, and was even more so at that moment because it was just after a long lunch break, and because they were momentarily without a conductor. He turned back to me and said, "Not very good, is it?" He turned back to the stage without waiting for an answer. He then suddenly turned to me again and said, "But they're playing BEETHOVEN, and THAT's what matters!" He had enough time to see me smile and nod in delighted agreement, and then happlily went bounding back to the stage to rejoin the action. That was over 15 years ago, but I have never forgotten that moment, and I smile every time I think about it. There was a man who had his priorities straight!

The moral of the story is: If you bring heart, spitit, enthusiasm, soul, love, pleasure and/or joy to an experience, it can only yield more of the same.

So you'd BETTER let us SoCal-ers know about any upcoming performances! We can always use more joy!

(And while we're on the subject of joy, I never bought the idea that "Amadeus" means "love of God"---I think "JOY" is Mozart's middle name!)

Warm regards,
Catherine

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 19:32:48 05/30/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Hi Catherine, thanks for your message. Your story sums up exactly what my chamber orchestra goes through. Often times, the notes are not quite right, but we still have to be happy if indeed it was the best we could do. As for the concerts, I WILL keep my fellow "So. Cal-ers" posted.

Happy Memorial Weekend,
Robby

Subject: Re: The Mozart/Vanhal Missa solemnis - Question for Robby!
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 21:50:36 05/29/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Catherine,

You are so right! One of the most unforgettable for me is the experience of having heard Rudolf Serkin, by then an old man, performing Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy. Serkin's playing was full of mistakes but the performance left me deedply moved and although it happened in the 1980s, I cannot forget it.

I have recently had a similar experience on a different level when I attended my 7 year old granddaughter's "baby orchestra". The oldest child there was 9 years old. It was beautiful just to see the serious and dedicated little faces of these children. It was not Mozart or Beethoven but it was beautiful.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: FOR MAURIZIO
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 00:11:17 05/27/04 ()
Email Address: taselby@idx.com.au
 

Message:
Dear Maurizio,

Many thanks for your kindness! I cannot reply personally as I have lost your e-mail address due to a problem with our computer. I would greatly appreciate it if you could e-mail me your e-mail address.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Mozart coin for sale on ebay
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 10:56:07 05/26/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
A gold coin almost exactly the size of the U.S. 5 cent piece (21 mm in diameter) is for sale on ebay. It was actually minted as currency at the time when Austria was using Schillings and the value of the coin was 500 Schillings, which was approximately U.S. $100.

The coin has a picture of Mozart one one side, and a picture of Don Giovanni on the other. While I collect gold coins, I try to get them in sizes of 1 troy ounce because then they are big enough to have the feel of something heavy. They have heft! But I will probably stay away from this one (which is not a bad deal financially because it is worth about $250 but has a bid price of $150 for the moment) because it is small.

The object was issued in 1991, the 200th commemorative year of Mozart's death, but I can't figure out why the Don Giovanni motif is present.

If you have trouble with the URL, look up item 3913972709 on ebay. Nice piece.

Subject: Re: Mozart coin for sale on ebay
From: Andrea Hubrich
To: All
Date Posted: 14:22:34 05/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Here's a site that has a picture of the 1991, 1000 Schilling gold Mozart coin featuring "The Magic Flute". There are also more pics of the other gold Austrian coins.

Subject: Re: Mozart coin for sale on ebay
From: Catherine
To: All
Date Posted: 12:23:48 05/26/04 ()
Email Address: ccarl@lacera.com
 

Message:
Dan,

It's just a guess on my part, but perhaps the "Don Giovanni" coin is one in a series. Perhaps there's a "Figaro" coint, etc. That is, it may be like someone finding one of our quarters and wondering why New Jersey is on the flipside, when there are 49 other states. The answer is that there are--or will be--49 other quarters.

Dunno, just a thought....

--Catherine

Subject: Picture identification
From: Daniel N. Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 08:41:28 05/25/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
In the entirely romantic 1849 portrait by Henry Nelson O’Neill, entitled, "Mozart, The fulfilment of his strange presentiment about the Requiem," there are a total of seven people present besides Mozart who lies in his death bed, the Requiem manuscript on his lap. I am able to identify six of the seven people. They are the two women, Constanze and her sister Sophie Weber Haibel, the seated man with pen taking dictation is Süssmayr, and the three standing men who are Benedikt Schack, Franz de Paula Hofer, and Franze Gerle, though which is which is not clear.

Seated at the foot of Mozat's bed is a man who I am unable to identify by name or function. The Romantic depiction of this scene is O'Neill's representation of the gathering that supposedly took place at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4, 1791 and reported on by Schack in 1827, though his commentary does not include reference to either woman or Süssmayr. He speaks only of the singing of the Lacrimosa with himself as soprano, Mozart as alto, Hofer as tenor, and Gerle as bass.

Can anyone make a stab at who the seated man is?

And if you do not remember the details of the picture, I'll try and get one posted through the moderators.

Subject: Re: Picture identification
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 20:33:20 05/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Dan,

I remember this picture; I think it's on Daisy's site as well. This mystery person could be anyone, but what about a doctor? One was treating Mozart, after all. Beyond that, depending on the clothing he's wearing, perhaps a copyist or a pupil, other than Sussmayr?

Regards,

Gary

Subject: The "Lucio Silla" Symphony
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 05:26:28 05/25/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
In his follow-up to the Complete Mozart Symphonies, Matt made a
comment on the Lucio Silla Overture/Symphony. As some might
not be aware of this, here is the background on this Overture/
Symphony.

We have only one statement from Mozart himself that he used any
of his Opera overtures as a symphony. In a letter from Mannheim
of February 14, 1778, he wrote to his father: "Yesterday there was
an Academy at Cannabich's where all the music was of my
composition, except the first symphony...At the end my Overture
to 'Il Re Pastore' was performed". There is a Presto assai (K102/
213c) handed down in autograph that is assumed to have been
added to the one movement 'Il Re Pastore' overture, along with an
adapted version of the first Aria. to make up this symphony.

Most of Mozart's early Italian opera overtures are handed down in
manuscript copies as symphonies. The opposite is true of 'La finite
someplace'--originally a symphony (K46a) dated January 16,
1768, Mozart reworked it into an overture by eliminating the
Menuet and Trio, changing the instrumentation, and expanding
the outer movements by a few measures. There exists numerous
independent symphony manuscripts for 'Mitridate'. The NMA
(Symphonies volume 2) even thought "it is not entirely
inconceivable" this overture was not originally a symphony,
adapted as an overture, such as 'La finta semplice.' For 'Ascanio in
Alba' it again appears Mozart wrote the Presto movement (K120/
111a) to be appended to the original 2-movement overture to
make a symphony. 'Il sogno di Scipione' is found in similar fashion
combined with the Presto-finale K163, to form a 3-movement
symphony that appeared in the Breitkopf & Härtel Catalogue as
Symphony Nr.49. 'La finta giardiniera' is thought to have been
expanded into a symphony with the addition of the Finale K121.

This leaves the Overture to Lucio Silla as never having had life as a
Symphony. This overture is in 3 independent movements--as
those to 'La finta simplice' and 'Mitridate'.

In 1991 Ernst Hintermaier reported on a discovery in the archive of
the Pfarrkirche Stuhlfelden in Salzburg of a complete set of parts
of a 4-movement "Sinfonia in D" that added the Menuet Nr.3 from
K61h as the third movement to the Lucio Silla overture. This set of
parts can not be considered an "authentic" source, as it lacks any
autograph entries of Mozart, nor does it originate from any of the
copyists known to have worked for the Mozart's. However it is
possible this set of parts originated in Mozart's lifetime and could
have been copied from authentic Salzburg sources. The copyist of
these Stuflfelden parts, Matthias Kracher, stood in close
connection with Michael Haydn, and from 1772 to 1814 was
teacher and organist at the Kollegiatestift in Seekirchen, near
Salzburg. It was reported that through his contact with Michael
Haydn, Kracher was "allowed to borrow full scores of the excellent
Master". It is unknown if Kracher obtained a copy from Michael
Haydn or he had contacts with a Salzburg copyist. A direct contact
with the Mozarts is rather unlikely, as his name never appeared on
any of their correspondence.

The title of the set of parts reads: "Sinfonia in D/for/2 Violins/2
Oboes/2 Horns/2 Trumpets/Timpani/Viola/and Basso/Sig
Amadeo Wolf Mozarth". On the lower right corner is no doubt the
possession remark "M K" [=Matthias Kracher]. There is also a
possession remark of the Pfarrkirche Stuhlfelden, but when and
how it can into their possession is unknown. In determining the
dating of the set of parts, Hintermaier used the watermarks to
conclude the origin time most probably laid between 1781 and
1799.

Hintermaier deduced Kracher did not expand the 3-movement
Overture, but copied from a set of parts or full score copy of a 4-
movement Symphony. Kracher's copy of the three overture
movements reflects nearly exactly the articulation and dynamics in
the autograph of Mozart's overture. The slight deviations could go
back to the copy Kracher had in front of him. However the Menuet
differs vastly from the copy of the set of Menuets K61h drawn up
by Johann Nepomuk Rainsprechter--and an anonymous copyist--
in Salzburg. The symphony setting added 2 Trumpets, Timpani
and Viola to the Rainsprechter Menuet copy setting of 2 Oboes, 2
Horns, 2 Violins and Bass. Thus now the new Menuet setting was
the same as the 3 overture movements. Several deviations in
articulation and dynamics indicate Kracher could not have used
Rainsprechter's set of parts for his copy.

The Menuet consists of 32 measures = 16 Menuet, 16 Trio. Of
Mozart's Symphonies only the Menuet of K112 is in the 16 + 16
measure structure of dance Menuets. And this very symphony
(K112) has its Menuet (but not the Trio) not in Wolfgang Mozart's
hand, but his father's, causing the NMA editor to question
"whether it most likely is to regard as a composition of the father's
that the son here employed, and if the entire movement was
actually first later added in the symphony". This gives some
credence that the Mozarts might have added Menuets to expand
symphonies.

Hintermaier dismisses the idea this could have been a 4-
movement symphony cut down to 3 movements--like 'La finta
semplice'--for the opera overture. In a letter of November 14,
1772, Leopold wrote from Milan that Wolfgang already "had
written all Recitatives and the Overture" for 'Lucio Silla'.

Hintermaier argues the 4-movement symphony goes back to
Mozart, sometime after his return from Milan in March 1773, and
should be included in a future NMA Supplement.

The one stumbling block in Hintermaier's supposition is the
doubtfulness of the Menuet. The 6 Menuets that comprise K61h
were first discovered by Friedrich Frischenschlager within various
copies of Mozart orchestral dances in the music archives of St.
Peter in Salzburg in the early 20th Century. His findings were
published in the 1923 Mozart Jahrbuch. The copy has a heading
attributing the 6 Menuets to "Amadeo Wolfgango Mozart". Even
though the dynamics were foreign to Mozart's style,
Frischenschlager accepted the Menuets as authentic and placed
them between 1768 and 1772. Einstein placed the Menuets in the
main part of K3--at K61h--in Carnival time of 1769 in Salzburg.
Rudolf Elvers in NMA (1961) thought it better to date the Menuets
"probably 1771/1772". K6 continued Einstein's dating of 1769. In
the 1971/72 Mozart Jahrbuch Wolfgang Plath placed doubts on
K61h. As at least numbers 1 and 2 of K104/61e and K105/61f
had turned out to be originally Michael Haydn Menuets, Plath
considered K61h could be part of the 18 Menuets of Haydn's that
Wolfgang told his sister he would make piano arrangements of. In
the 1995 Mozart Jahrbuch Andrea Lindmayr-Brandl correctly
stated the authenticity of the 6 Menuets was rather in limbo.
Earlier stylistic arguments were now invalid because they used
Menuets for comparison that were now known or believed to not
be authentic [Frischenschlager--K64,K015,K122,K164; Einstein--
K103,K104,K105]. Lindmayr-Brandl did however use Hintermaier's
findings on the 'Lucio Silla' Symphony to call Mozart's authorship
of the Menuets "at least probable". She dated the set ca. 1772.

The connection I make here is Michael Haydn--Johann Nepomuk
Rainsprechter--Mozart family. It is known Rainsprechter was well
connected with Michael Haydn. Could he have inserted a Michael
Haydn Menuet into the 'Lucio Silla' Overture to make a Symphony?
As Mozart had made copies and/or piano reductions of Haydn
Menuets, he could even have believed it was a Mozart original
Menuet. Of course as Lindmayr-Brandl pointed out, Rainsprechter
had also been a student of Leopold Mozart, so he could have got
this Menuet--or entire 4-movement Symphony--from Leopold. If
this were the case, chances are great it is an authentic Mozart
symphony.

If any orchestras are looking for a filler for a grouping of early
Mozart symphonies, Hintermaier has the Symphony version of
K61h edited and published in the 1991 'Mozart Studien'. Add it
along with a few of the symphonies we have discussed at this
Forum, such as K98 and K311a, to a few earlier symphonies and I
would buy it immediately.

dennis

Subject: Re: The "Lucio Silla" Symphony
From: Neal Zaslaw
To: All
Date Posted: 10:53:08 05/27/04 ()
Email Address: naz2@cornell.edu
 

Message:
Great essay, Dennis! Thanks.

Three small points:

1. What you're writing about is important because it shows the practical nature of the music-making of Mozart and his peers. Pieces did not have the perfectly fixed contents we tend to ascribe to them nowadays.

2. Another relevant point in Lindmayr-Brandl's excellent article is that Mozart and his friends and family in Salzburg were collecting and swapping minuets as some kind of social game. This explains, at least in part, why there are so many confusing manuscripts in which minuets by Mozart, M. Haydn and others are mixed together.

3. The idea of adding or subtracting a minuet & trio from a multimovement work was not conjured up out of thin air by Hintermaier. Consider the cases of K. 112, 319, 385 and 525, for instance.

NZ

Subject: Re: The "Lucio Silla" Symphony
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 20:00:28 05/25/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear dennis,

As usual, a nice piece of work! I would have to think that since both Michael Haydn and Johann Nepomuk
Rainsprechter lived in Salzburg, that any insertion music into the Lucio Silla overture would have to be, in fact, by Mozart. It would be very easy to presume that if the work was laid out for performance (why else get a copy done up as recorded here), that if either Haydn or Rainsprechter figured it needed a minuet, that they could walk over to Leopold and Wolfgang and ask for one. No need to write your own if the original composer is a few blocks away. The fact that it's not a "new" minuet but one from a collection would mean that either Mozart said "why sure!" and went into a drawer to pull one out. No money involved, just helping out friends.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: The "Lucio Silla" Symphony
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 00:06:05 05/27/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Dennis,

Indeed a brilliant piece of work and info. Thanks.

Anfossi (1774) and J.C. Bach (1775) also wrote operas on the same subject 'Lucio Silla'.

Best regards,
Tel

Subject: Re: The "Lucio Silla" Symphony
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 11:58:31 05/25/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
Dennis:

Thanks for your very informative article.

Matt

Subject: Re: The "Lucio Silla" Symphony
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 06:00:42 05/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I too would like to thank you for the marvellous article and also for educating me.

Kind Regards,
Agnes.

Subject: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Thomas Attwood
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 22:06:25 05/24/04 ()
Email Address: smithworld@earthlink.net
 

Message:
CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART:

Thomas Attwood (1765-1838)

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.

Attwood’s father, also named Thomas Attwood, was a member of the household staff to King George III of Britain, as well as a viola and trumpet player (as well as a coal merchant), and as such was a member in the Royal Band of Musicians. Obviously, father and son made a strong, friendly impression on the King and his family, for Attwood junior was to benefit from royal patronage his entire life, from George III, then the Prince of Wales and thus ultimately George IV.

At the age of nine, Thomas Attwood became a choirboy in the Chapel Royal. When his voice finally broke and he had to leave, he became one of the Pages of Presence to the Prince of Wales. HRH was so impressed with by Attwood’s musical ability at this stage that he arranged to send him abroad to study music and composition. From 1783 to 1785 he lived in Naples, taking lessons and studying composition with Felipe Cinque and Gaetano Latilla.

Deciding at this point that he could learn no more there, and also determining to continue and complete his education with Mozart, Attwood traveled to Vienna via Stuttgart. He arrived sometime in the summer of 1785, and began his first lessons with Mozart in August of that year. They commenced with covering the fundamentals of theory. This included writing down scales, realizing the figured base in example pieces, and working through counterpoint studies by J. J. Fux. These studies progressed into composing minuets and short pieces for string quartet as well as taking lessons in instrumentology, with special regards to wind instruments. Thus, Mozart ended up attempting to teach him how to master the modern techniques of the period. As quoted by Michael Kelly in his book, Mozart was reputed to have said: “Attwood is a young man for whom I have a sincere affection and esteem; he conducts himself with great propriety, and I feel much pleasure in telling you, that he partakes more of my style than any other scholar I ever had; and I predict, that he will prove a sound musician.” (It might be noted here that Mozart had not yet encountered Hummel or Eybler, both of whom had greater musical careers [and talent] than Attwood. Given that Kelly’s book was written some 40 years after this point in time, Mozart’s reported comments here should be regarded with some skepticism.)

Attwood’s exercise studies with Mozart have been preserved and published. They are numbered as K.506a in the Koechel catalog of Mozart’s works. In fact, since they are exercises concerning pupil and master, we have works by Attwood with corrections overwritten and added on, supplied by Mozart. In Oldham’s words, they “…are valuable not only for the light they throw on the apprentice years of a notable English composer, but as evidence that Mozart, given an apt and congenial pupil, took his duties as a teacher with the utmost seriousness.” (Would that we had Hummel’s exercises, or, further in to the what-if column, Beethoven’s!) Most valuable of the lot might be a Minuet and Trio in C. Attwood had initially provided a pleasing, slight work, but Mozart, in his corrections added a touch of understated brilliance by introducing counterpoint touches hear and there. Both versions were published when these studies went to print. Mozart as well touched up another minuet by Attwood in his place as teacher. A final “collaboration” here as well looks to be in the final movement of Mozart’s A Musical Joke (K522), finished in June of 1787, or about four months after Attwood left for England. Here, an uninspired fugue attempt by Attwood is displayed in worse shape by Mozart as the wretched fugue example in the 4th movement. Such joking with his friends and pupils was completely in character with him, and one wonders if a copy went off to London, or whether Wolfgang wrote out this section with Attwood looking over his shoulder, back in the winter months of 1786-87.

Attwood left with English friends (Michael Kelly and Nancy Storace, for two) in February of 1787 to return to England. Stopping off to visit Leopold Mozart in Salzburg, they were received with great kindness by both Mozart’s father and the Archbishop. While there, the English party, apparently with Mozart’s consent, broached a plan by Wolfgang to visit England in the near future, once Attwood and the Storaces had prepared the stage, so to speak. (Surprisingly [but perhaps not], Leopold appears to have considered their visit a burden, complaining about the volume of luggage involved, and sourly commenting on Mozart’s projected plans to travel to England and leaving his children with Leopold to care for. He wrote Mozart to dissuade him from such a plan, which appears to have succeeded, no doubt coupled with the fact that not much demand for Mozart’s services in London appears to have developed then.) Nothing apparently came of the English party’s lobbying at this time. However, in late1790, Mozart was to receive a famous note from one Robert May O’Reilly, an English impresario, who made him a lucrative offer to travel to England and compose for the theater there. The note begins: “Through a person attached to H.R.H the Prince of Wales, I was to learn of your design to undertake a journey to England…” While the Storaces have often been put forth as the source of this “design”, given the much stronger and longer “attachment” of Attwood to the Prince of Wales as well, he most likely worked this offer to fruition.

Back in England, Attwood became a chamber musician to the Prince of Wales, music teacher to the Duchess of York and later, to the Princess of Wales. By 1796, he as well became organist of St. Paul’s Cathedral and composer to the Chapel Royal. He occupied both positions until his death. Starting in 1792, he began producing stage works, mostly (but not always) in the manner of pastiches, such as The Mariners (1793) which included music by Martini, Dittersdorf and Mozart. He was one of founders of the Philharmonic Society, was one of the first to performed Mozart’s last symphonies in England, as well as Beethoven’s Fifth. He died in 1838 and was buried with great honor under the organ of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Attwood’s compositions appear to be strongly affected by his experience as the pupil of Mozart. Not through direct imitation or by copying, but via the feeling for melodic shape and the beautifully tasteful organization of harmony. These points serve to distinguish him from his English contemporaries. The early instrumental trios (piano trios, mostly) like Mozart’s but NOT like most English “accompanied” sonatas of the time, have the string instruments working on equal terms with the piano. His somewhat slender reputation at this point in time rests mostly on his smaller, intimate and exquisitely polished religious works. They appear to follow a direct line from the Mozart of Ave verum corpus. To Mozart then, they may owe their balance and serenity, melodic grace and the sweetness of their full four-part harmony.

Sources:

Deutsch, Otto Erich Mozart: A Documented Biography Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA 1965
Kelly, Michael Reminiscences by Michael Kelly, Oxford University Press, London 1975
Sadie, Stanley (Ed.) The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd Edition Groves Dictionaries, New York 2000

Liner notes to Mozart’s Schüler CD by Concilium musicum Wien CHR 77136
Liner notes to Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, CD by Etc. L’Oiseau-Lyre 411 720-2
Liner Notes to Mozart Night Music, CD by Harmonia mundi HMU 907280

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Thomas Attwood
From: Bill Szep
To: All
Date Posted: 20:28:45 05/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks for the great posting!

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Thomas Attwood
From: Michael Mallon
To: All
Date Posted: 20:04:08 05/25/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gary,

Interesting article! Thanks!

I've read that Felix Mendelssohn met Thomas Attwood during a trip to the UK. They took turns playing the cathedral organ... and from what I've read, they both thought very highly of each other's technique. Mendelssohn even dedicated several organ pieces to him.

Thanks again,
Michael

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Thomas Attwood
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 15:43:19 05/25/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gary,

Thank you for this excellent article.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Thomas Attwood
From: Agnes Selby PS
To: All
Date Posted: 05:52:36 05/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Just a little P.S. In 1820 Constanze wrote to Attwood to ask him to arrange some concert for her son, Wolfgang (Franz Xaver) but to her regret, he did not reply.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Thomas Attwood
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 20:29:03 05/25/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.om
 

Message:
Hi Gary, great article as always!

I know of a few discs that have some pieces by Attwood, including Anthems, Psalms, and other pieces for organ and voice(s). There is also a fugue by Attwood on a CD containing Arthur Sullivan's works. It turned out that Sullivan used the fugue as a copying exercise, and thus came down to us in his hand.

Robby

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Thomas Attwood
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 23:53:28 05/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Gary - Excellent posting! Thanks.

And Agnes and Robby, thanks too for the added info.
Agnes, I wonder if there's any particular reason why Attwood was unresponsive to Constanze.

Best regards,
Tel

Subject: Re: CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART: Thomas Attwood
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 23:59:11 05/26/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Tellern,

I have no idea. In her diary, Constanze copied her letter to Attwood and note that "unfortunately Attwood did not reply". This was, of course, many years after Attwood departed from Vienna. It is quite possible that he changed his address many times in the interim period.

Constanze was hoping to arrange a concert tour for Franz Xaver following his great success in Copenhagen.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Looking to Purchase a Complete Symphony Cycle?
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 08:40:02 05/24/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
The "Complete" Mozart Symphonies are one of the hardest genres
of his music to place a number on. Different sources give different
numbers, different symphonies, and even different versions of the
same symphonies. I have tried to list the "complete" symphony
cycles available on CD, with a very brief description what you will
find in each collection. Remember the "official" 41 number means
little. There are some of these 41 symphonies that are not Mozart,
later numbers added (sometimes up to "55"), and some
unnumbered symphonies. Hopefully this will help a little in
making your way through the mess.

As I have not heard all these cycles, I have refrained from
mentioning anything about the orchestral playing on the CD.
There maybe more cycles I am unaware of, and I do not know
which of these cycles are still available. But even the deleted ones
might turn up on e-Bay or some outlet such as that.

Also, as I do not have all these cycles in my collection, I had to rely
on information from the record companies, CD stores, and
libraries to find out what symphonies were in each collection. For
this reason, there could be some error--either on my part or the
part of the source I used.

COMPLETE SYMPHONY CYCLES

Christopher Hogwood conducting Academy of Ancient Music
L'Oiseau-Lyre (7 volumes originally consisting of 19 discs):
All the numbered symphonies 1-41(except the spurious #2 and
#3), and the later added symphonies 42 and onward. Also
included are all the movements added to Overtures to make up
symphonies. Added delights are K16a in a-minor, both versions of
#40 in g-minor, both the Old and New Lambach symphonies, the
bounced around symphony in Bb (#54) K.Anh216/K74g/
Anh.C11.03; 2 versions of the Paris Symphony (in addition to the
alternative 2nd movement), the complete 3 movements of
Symphony #37, 2 versions of the Haffner Symphony #35.

Sir Charles Mackerras conducting Prague Chamber Orchestra
Telarc (11 CDs):
The numbered symphonies 1-41 (excluding 2,3,and 37), plus the
unofficial #42-47 and a few others tossed in such as K45b, K19a.
As most, uses both slow movements of the "Paris". The g-minor
K550 uses the version without Clarinets.

Sir Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St.Martin in the
Fields
Philips 2 vols (12 CDs)
All the "official" and "unofficial" numbered Symphonies (except
#2,#3,#37) and the movements added to Overtures to make
symphonies. Added delights include both Lambach symphonies.
Special delights are the Minuet in A K61g/I and the only recording
I know of that includes Mozart's crossed out Minuet in K114.

Jaap ter Linden conducting the Mozart Akademie Amsterdam
Brilliant Classics (11 CDs)
Includes the "Officia"l Symphonies 1-41, however missing the
usual #2,#3,#37, plus Nr.11. However it does include the Overture
symphonies, Symphony K19a and both versions of the g-minor
K550.

Jeffrey Tate conducting the English Chamber Orchestra
EMI (12 CDs)
The usual "official" and "unofficial" symphonies up to #47, and the
Overture Symphonies. Added are a few others such as K19a and
the Old Lambach Symphony.

Erich Leinsdorf conducting the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
of London
MCA (8 CDs)
41 Symphonies, all the "official" Symphonies--including #2 and #3
and #37.

Trevor Pinnock conducting the English Concert
Archiv Produktioin (11 CDs)
Again all the "Official" and "unofficial" numbered symphonies, with
exception of #2,#3,#37. Includes the bounced around K74g in Bb,
but only the Old Lambach Symphony. Only records only the 1st
Andante of "Paris" Symphony, but records the "Linz" Symphony
with the changes reported by Cliff Eisen.

NOT COMPLETE, BUT A LOT OF SYMPHONIES

Nikolaus Haroncourt conducting Concentus Musicus Wien and
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Teldec (12 CDs)
Haroncourt leads the Concertebouw in the later Symphonies (#31-
#41 in a 4-CD package; #25, 26, 28, 29, 30 in two single CDs)
and the Concentus Musicus Wien in the earlier ones. As some are
included on CDs with larger Serenades, it can be difficult to find
and sort them all out. Earlier symphonies include #10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 42, 44, 45, 46.

Nicholas Ward conducting the Northern Chamber Orchestra (and)
Barry Wordsworth conducting the Capella Istropolitania
Naxos (8 CDs)
It appears all the "Official" symphonies from 19 to 41 are included
(except #37); but I could only find one CD with early ones and that
included Nrs.6-10.

Ton Koopman conducting the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Erato (6 CDs)
All of the late symphonies, with a splattering of middle ones.
Includes all the Symphonies from the Paris to the Jupiter (except
#37), and before that #17, 18, 19, 21,22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29.

John Eliot Gardiner conducting the English Baroque Soloists
Philips (5 CDs)
A collection of the later symphonies. Includes everything (except
#37) from the Paris to the Jupiter, and throws in the popular #29.

dennis

Subject: Re: Looking to Purchase a Complete Symphony Cycle?
From: Marcus
To: All
Date Posted: 11:34:57 05/24/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks alot for this list dennis! as much as I love Mozart and collect lots of music, I still dont have the complete symphonies, so this will help me alot. It seems as if I will be getting the Christopher Hogwood, mainly because he includes so much music but also because he is a great conductor/interpreter!
regards
Marcus

Subject: Re: Looking to Purchase a Complete Symphony Cycle?
From: matt dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 12:08:04 05/24/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I own the 19CD Hogwood set and love it.

It includes every authentic symphony (including those adapted from opera overtures and serenades) and probably all whose authenticity is questionable but attributed to Mozart.

The only omissions I am aware of are the symphony no.2 (Leopold Mozart), symphony no.3 (Abel with clarinets in place of oboes)and a minuet for the "Lucio Silla" symphony which was discovered after the recordings were made. Please let me know if there is any other "Mozart" symphony omitted from this set.

All repeats are observed except the two in the 1st movement of the Salzburg version of the Haffner Symphony (suppressed in the Vienna version) and the 2nd repeat in the 1st movement of symphony no. 38.

Subject: Re: Looking to Purchase a Complete Symphony Cycle?
From: Gurn Blanston
To: All
Date Posted: 13:56:26 05/24/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I also have the Hogwood set and consider it the best investment I have made in a music box, which is a lot considering it was also the most expensive set I have purchased! The quality of the playing is first rate, and the whole thing, coupled with Dr. Zaslaw's book, was a great start in my symphony education.
Regards,
Gurn

Subject: Re: Looking to Purchase a Complete Symphony Cycle?
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 22:00:41 05/24/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I'll back Gurn on this, as I couldn't say it better. If you want to hear how these works sounded to Mozart and the audiences of the time, this is the set to get. As noted above, there's a repeat or two not taken, but you'll not regret the investment here. The sets come up occasionally on eBay or Amazon.com used, so keep your eyes peeled.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: dennis
From: Looking to Purchase a Complete Symphonies Cycle?
To: All
Date Posted: 05:19:37 05/24/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
The "Complete" Mozart Symphonies are one of the hardest genres
of his music to place a number on. Different sources give different
numbers, different symphonies, and even different versions of the
same symphonies. I have tried to list the "complete" symphony
cycles available on CD, with a very brief description what you will
find in each collection. Remember the "official" 41 number means
little. There are some of these 41 symphonies that are not Mozart,
later numbers added (sometimes up to "55"), and some
unnumbered symphonies. Hopefully this will help a little in
making your way through the mess.

As I have not heard all these cycles, I have refrained from
mentioning anything about the orchestral playing on the CD.
There maybe more cycles I am unaware of, and I do not know
which of these cycles are still available. But even the deleted ones
might turn up on e-Bay or some outlet such as that.

Also, as I do not have all these cycles in my collection, I had to rely
on information from the record companies, CD stores, and
libraries to find out what symphonies were in each collection. For
this reason, there could be some error--either on my part or the
part of the source I used.

COMPLETE SYMPHONY CYCLES

Christopher Hogwood conducting Academy of Ancient Music
L'Oiseau-Lyre (7 volumes originally consisting of 19 discs):
All the numbered symphonies 1-41(except the spurious #2 and
#3), and the later added symphonies 42 and onward. Also
included are all the movements added to Overtures to make up
symphonies. Added delights are K16a in a-minor, both versions of
#40 in g-minor, both the Old and New Lambach symphonies, the
bounced around symphony in Bb (#54) K.Anh216/K74g/
Anh.C11.03; 2 versions of the Paris Symphony (in addition to the
alternative 2nd movement), the complete 3 movements of
Symphony #37, 2 versions of the Haffner Symphony #35.

Sir Charles Mackerras conducting Prague Chamber Orchestra
Telarc (11 CDs):
The numbered symphonies 1-41 (excluding 2,3,and 37), plus the
unofficial #42-47 and a few others tossed in such as K45b, K19a.
As most, uses both slow movements of the "Paris". The g-minor
K550 uses the version without Clarinets.

Sir Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St.Martin in the
Fields
Philips 2 vols (12 CDs)
All the "official" and "unofficial" numbered Symphonies (except
#2,#3,#37) and the movements added to Overtures to make
symphonies. Added delights include both Lambach symphonies.
Special delights are the Minuet in A K61g/I and the only recording
I know of that includes Mozart's crossed out Minuet in K114.

Jaap ter Linden conducting the Mozart Akademie Amsterdam
Brilliant Classics (11 CDs)
Includes the "Officia"l Symphonies 1-41, however missing the
usual #2,#3,#37, plus Nr.11. However it does include the Overture
symphonies, Symphony K19a and both versions of the g-minor
K550.

Jeffrey Tate conducting the English Chamber Orchestra
EMI (12 CDs)
The usual "official" and "unofficial" symphonies up to #47, and the
Overture Symphonies. Added are a few others such as K19a and
the Old Lambach Symphony.

Erich Leinsdorf conducting the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
of London
MCA (8 CDs)
41 Symphonies, all the "official" Symphonies--including #2 and #3
and #37.

Trevor Pinnock conducting the English Concert
Archiv Produktioin (11 CDs)
Again all the "Official" and "unofficial" numbered symphonies, with
exception of #2,#3,#37. Includes the bounced around K74g in Bb,
but only the Old Lambach Symphony. Only records only the 1st
Andante of "Paris" Symphony, but records the "Linz" Symphony
with the changes reported by Cliff Eisen.

NOT COMPLETE, BUT A LOT OF SYMPHONIES

Nikolaus Haroncourt conducting Concentus Musicus Wien and
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Teldec (12 CDs)
Haroncourt leads the Concertebouw in the later Symphonies (#31-
#41 in a 4-CD package; #25, 26, 28, 29, 30 in two single CDs)
and the Concentus Musicus Wien in the earlier ones. As some are
included on CDs with larger Serenades, it can be difficult to find
and sort them all out. Earlier symphonies include #10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 42, 44, 45, 46.

Nicholas Ward conducting the Northern Chamber Orchestra (and)
Barry Wordsworth conducting the Capella Istropolitania
Naxos (8 CDs)
It appears all the "Official" symphonies from 19 to 41 are included
(except #37); but I could only find one CD with early ones and that
included Nrs.6-10.

Ton Koopman conducting the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Erato (6 CDs)
All of the late symphonies, with a splattering of middle ones.
Includes all the Symphonies from the Paris to the Jupiter (except
#37), and before that #17, 18, 19, 21,22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29.

John Eliot Gardiner conducting the English Baroque Soloists
Philips (5 CDs)
A collection of the later symphonies. Includes everything (except
#37) from the Paris to the Jupiter, and throws in the popular #29.

dennis

Subject: New News Room
From: Mozart Forum
To: All
Date Posted: 18:30:59 05/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
An updated News Room has been added to the Mozart Forum site
today. Please enjoy and remember to send the Webmaster (or any
of the owner/operators) any reviews of recent Mozart related
materials that you think will interest Forum readers.

Mozart Forum

Subject: Use of Mozart sinks to some new lows.
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 17:36:49 05/23/04 ()
Email Address: ralstens@earthlink.net
 

Message:
A few weeks ago while watching television I saw a commercial for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese that used
the Queen of the Night's aria "Der Holle Rache" to sell macaroni. A new low was two days ago when I saw a commercial for a high power flush toilet that prevents clogs made by the American Standard Company. It pictured a man in slow motion searching for a plunger then racing towards an overflowing toilet using The Requiem. The first was kind of funny the second really put me off.

Steve

Subject: Saw a wonderful Figaro last night
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 16:36:03 05/23/04 ()
Email Address: ralstens@earthlink.net
 

Message:
Last night the LA Opera premiered a new production of Le nozze di Figaro. I have always been firmly against productions of opera that occur outside their natural time and place. I was willing to try this one because my wife really loves Figaro and we have both been through a tough time recently, so I went to please her.

Perhaps it was partially because I expected disappointment, but this was the best evening at an opera I've ever had. The cast and orchestra were complete perfection. I've never heard a recording where the balance between singers and orchestra was as perfect and musical interpretation so appealing. I've never seen a production of any opera live or on DVD that I have felt this strongly about. The only downside of this new production turned out to not be a downside at all, but was very charming. This new production turns out to not have any real setting in time, which was wonderful.

The LA Opera website showed photos of Figaro dressed in an athletic T shirt and suspenders. I expected the worst (Peter Sellars). As strange as this sounds the costuming was a blend of 1940's era back through and including 18th century. In some scenes there were magazines and telephones, in others there were ruffled shirts and hoop skirts. In the begining the women tended towards 20th century costuming and the men towards 18th century. Over the course of the opera those trends slowly reversed. The sets also carried elements of 18th century intermingled with 1940's America. The effect they achieved was indeed one of timelessness.

If you are in or near the LA area don't miss this one.

Steve

Subject: K.551 Symphony #41 in C "Jupiter"
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 13:03:16 05/22/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Famous Works Series

K.551 Symphony # 41 in C “Jupiter”

3rd of the last three symphonies (K.543, K.550 and K.551) Pt. 3

This is another in the series of short background articles on famous works by Mozart.

Many mysteries, questions and speculations will be found in regards to the last three symphonies of Mozart. He had composed 15 piano concerti by 1788 in Vienna, but only 3 new symphonies, and two of them (the “Haffner” and “Linz”) were originally for other venues. The third symphony, the “Prague”, might not have gotten premiered in Vienna either, as we have no concrete proof that it did, though the odds are very good for this to have happened. So, didn’t the Viennese concert public like symphonies? The simple answer here is that Mozart had written early on to his father in Salzburg (once he’d established himself in Vienna), asking that various older symphonies be sent to Vienna for concert use, works the Viennese were unfamiliar with. That would offer one good explanation why he felt no need to compose more early on. Another would be that Vienna, the land of the fortepiano, gravitated towards keyboard works, so Mozart’s piano concerti satisfied that thirst. So, why three large-scale symphonic works now in the later years?

As discussed in the first installment of this series, good evidence would appear to show that Mozart was composing these last three works for use beyond just concerts in Vienna. Most likely, they were for the music publisher Artaria, as part of a larger series of symphonies produced by other leading composers. Hard (enough) times had settled upon the Austrian Empire that this series was delayed and most likely reduced in scope. The possibility exists as well that Mozart was composing these for use on a projected trip to England. In the end, plans for such a trip never firmly materialized (though Leopold mentions in a letter that many people knew Wolfgang had discussed such a plan). However, it is not out of the question that since symphonies played a bigger role in the musical world of London than Vienna, Mozart might well have planned for their use or sale there. In the end, though, Mozart was an imminently practical composer, so with no firm prospects in England to hang a hat on, this potential reason for composing symphonies should be regarded as secondary (or even tertiary) at best.

There are scattered about Europe orchestral parts from the last three symphonies that can be dated (by their paper and copyists) to around this time, but not specifically to it. That there are indeed multiple copies would tend to indicate performances. Certainly, given the effort involved, people would rather have bought a printed copy at a less expensive rate than pay a copyist to draw out an orchestral parts set. For that matter, by 1790 the music publishers Westphal was offering in their catalogue 8 Mozart symphonies, prices based on the size of the printed manuscripts. It should be of no surprise that the three most expensive (and thus largest) works were a Symphony in C with kettledrums and trumpets, a Symphony in E flat, also with trumpets and drums, and a Symphony in D with, yes, trumpet and drums also. Cliff Eisen, in his article “Contributions to a New Mozart Documentary Biography’ Journal of the American Musicological Society 1986 xxxiv 615-32 identifies these three symphonies as probably being K.551, (“Jupiter”), K.543 (#39) and K.504 (“Prague”).

We also have some remaining programs from a few of Mozart’s concerts that indicate that “new” and “grand” symphonies were offered. Unfortunately, no details or keys are given. However, one is worthy of close interest. Given in Frankfurt on October 15, 1790 it indicates again a new grand symphony being on the program, which, however appears not to have been played due to lack of time. A piano concerto on the program did, though. Research into the orchestra present appears to show a wind compliment present that could handle Mozart’s last two new piano concerti (K.503 and K.537), but only one of Mozart’s Vienna symphonies, and that would be K.551.

Finally, the name “Jupiter.” Where did it come from, and when did it get linked to this symphony? It originated in England in the early part of the 19th Century. The earliest known concert note attachment of “Jupiter” to this work comes from 1819, at a concert in Edinburgh. It appears on a London concert program less than a year later, and on a printed edition by 1823. Franz Xaver Mozart (Wolfgang Jr.) told Vincent and Mary Novello that the impresario Johann Peter Salomon had coined it. In any case, it must have been inspired, at least in part, by the opening pomp of this work; kettledrums and trumpets enhancing the dotted rhythms Mozart offers us.

As we saw with K.543 and K.550, Mozart is able to make immense leaps of range between works. From the passionate, warm E Flat of Symphony #39 Mozart moves to the intense, involved and utterly serious “Great” Symphony #40 in g and then to the, well, Olympian display of musical prowess and pride of the “Jupiter.” Each opening movement, each opening set of bars, almost immediate sets the table for what shall follow along throughout the entire work. Mozart starts with the description Allegro vivace (hinting at a fast pace if nothing else), yet within only the first two opening bars, we are commanded to pay attention and get prepared for great things to come. Here, as in no other work of the 800+ we can call Mozart’s, does the music convey so distinctly and directly the imperiousness, mastery and skill he could marshal to animate his themes. The opening theme, composed of one part command and one part yearning alternating, is paired against a warm second theme that switches like a flash of lightning to show us it too has a streak of the imperial within it.

Then, Mozart offers us a third theme, which is a direct quote from an insertion aria he composed some months before (K.541). On the surface, this theme acts initially to tamp down the effect produced by the first two, as it sounds almost as though a country folk tune had wandered in. Of course, it too shows that it has the imperial touch, at least when a Mozart can get a hold of it. But, it is highly worthwhile to review the lyrics to K.541 to note what it is Mozart is quoting. Our third theme runs to the words: “You are a bit innocent, my dear Pompeo. Go study the ways of the world.” Given Mozart’s love of word play and riddles, are we seeing merely a coincidence here, or an instruction? One might say coincidence, but given the flood of musical gems the exposition provides us, Mozart commences and drives the development with this third theme, finally evoking the opening theme via a false recapitulation which becomes more angular and jagged until, inevitably but masterfully so, we head down a short preparatory path to the proper start of the recapitulation. If anything, Mozart heightens the sense of imperiousness and command throughout without overdoing a single bar. The sonata-style form was never better illuminated than Mozart’s use of it here. The closing four chords, with trumpets and drums are the perfect capstone, crowning 10 minutes of some of the best music ever penned. It is sorely tempting to know that Mozart knew exactly what he had done here, that indeed he could look back on these bars and know he had not seen these heights before. What symphony before 1788 can one point to as a comparison? Have we then indeed been shown something to study?

The second movement, labeled Andante cantabile, might indicate a steady, singing pace that provides us with a breather. But Mozart can agitate equally as well when quiet. This movement, also in sonata style (bit unusual for a slow second movement), raises one’s eyebrow, with that subtly “off” third note in the quiet opening, then through passages of gentle yearning we are brought up short with abrupt fortes, chromaticism, off-beat semi quavers and Mozart’s ability to build tension quietly but distinctly. Within the development, the “bite” gets sharper and we are treated to darker depths, where the built-in yearning themes become more plaintive before partially resolving themselves when the recapitulation starts. But here, Mozart does not resolve things, he merely, well, shallows up the deepest points, and while he cadences three times, he ends things with roughly the same amount of mystery with which we begin. Any thoughts of mere decorative entertainment have been left out of this movement.

The Menuetto and Trio move us back to pomp and imperiousness, but they don’t move us away from sonata style. Mozart crafts this movement to develop and recapitulate, but does so without whacking us upside the head so that it’s obvious. But please note, the earlier symphonic pattern of four movements in contrasting yet complimentary forms (sonata, binary, dance and rondo) has been changed to four complimentary sonata forms that can pass for the earlier four, should you not, well, study them a bit. Thematically, everything is very simple and uncomplicated in the third movement; it’s the emphasis and technique that shape things here. For one, this is supposed to be a “dance” and that means that the bass supports the beat and the dancers instinctively follow the beat. For the first time in a symphonic minuet, Mozart decides to split the cellos off from the double basses and, here and there, give them separate lines to play. The Trio, which Mozart generally reserves as the area for fun or a joke, manages to see him stick the cadence ahead of the melody it is suppose to serve to resolve. The “melody” here is a short, forte, jagged chromatic riff, which can hardly be accidentally placed, as it foreshadows the opening motif of the closing fourth movement. Mozart thus gives us two birds with one stone, in the simplest section in this symphony.

Finally, all the best Mozart had learned of contrapuntal texture, polyphony, composition and “taste” is summed up and on display in this proud finale. Once called “the symphony with the fugue at the end,” it is really a fugato; a here a constant, almost breathtaking tapestry with a set of five subjects used. The first is an old liturgical subject used by him before, curiously (or fatefully) in his very first Symphony K.16 back in London. It’s derived from Gregorian chant and probably best known in the eighteenth century as the start of the hymn Lucis creator. Dozens of composers had used it, it was a staple in the counterpoint studies Mozart had trained in, and in fact trained some of his pupils on. Perhaps significantly, Mozart used it in his Missa brevis K.192 where its continuation at one point is closely related to what Mozart pursues in the “Jupiter.” It’s relationship here in K.192 suggests that “credo, credo” (I believe) is to be understood, since in K.192 the continuation is aligned to the words “in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem.” Neal Zaslaw in his work Mozart’s Symphonies poses the question: “Does this work, then contain Mozart’s Creed?” New dating techniques have shown that many fragments of Kyries and some other religious works, once thought to be unconnected, now all date to around this time period. Did one concept transplant over into another here? Michael Haydn, a good friend of Mozart’s back in Salzburg, and a composer Wolfgang admired, had composed several symphonies in the 1780’s that had fugal endings. Did this at least point the way for Mozart, even if his result transcends anything Haydn could ever have dreamed of?

In any case, its use ignites one of the most complex musical conflagrations in music; certainly beyond anything heard prior to 1788, and not matched until Beethoven’s 9th appeared some 30 years later. Mozart builds and sustains a movement filled again with grandeur and impetus that weaves and interweaves it way across his chosen five themes (or six, depending on who analyzes this movement). It only sounds better in sonata style (as if any other form could sustain the impact), and after such a movement, there is surely the grandest close in the symphonic literature. For, having concluded a sonata-style movement, Mozart pauses and gives us a coda as the ending, which, on it's own, is a fairly standard end to this type of movement. Not just any coda though, but one with all five primary motifs combined in a design the cumulative power of which rivals Bach or Handel’s works. We have just spent 10 minutes listening to each of them individually dazzle us as they move past in order. Mozart’s grand design is that, here at the end, they dazzle us in combination, such a design having been planned from the start. It is an astonishing close by a composer who, when he completed the last note, could justly believe that nothing finer in the genre had ever seen the light of day before. Mozart, by accident or design, was serving notice that symphonies were not to be occasional, filler works any longer. The great French scholar and Mozartian Georges de Saint-Foix described it as: “…a vast instrumental ‘chorus’ that saw the older music, suddenly revived, united with the new to salute the future.”

EPILOUGE
Having journeyed through Mozart’s last three symphonies, we can go back to one of the initial points raised in the paper on Symphony #39 K.543, which was whether or not Mozart had some underlying plan in his ordering of these three symphonies. In that paper it was stated:

“In Vienna, on December 1787, the newspaper Wiener Zeitung announced that the music publisher Artaria was issuing 6 symphonies by Joseph Haydn, in two sets of three. The first set consisted of Symphonies 82 in C, 83 in g and 84 in E flat. C, g and E flat; the very keys of Mozart’s last three symphonies. And by his old friend, Haydn to boot. As well, that E flat symphony by Haydn has a slow introduction, and is the only one in that set of three to have one as well, though Haydn’s E flat was the last work of his set, while Mozart’s was the first in his. A reason for this will be suggested in later installments.”

So, what do we have as any sort of evidence of a plan? Of these last three symphonies; the first one (K.543) has the only slow introduction. The middle work (K.550) has the shortest opening to a first movement and the quickest close to the last, as well. The last symphony (K.551) has the most extensive closing of the three. So, did Mozart envision these three as integrated units of a greater whole, with a mysterious opening, and a proud closing as some sort of proof of the composer’s skill? Or, is this just an "accident" handed down to us? Can we see that Mozart could plan far ahead in the layout and composition of individual movements within a work, but couldn't do so in the layout and composition of individual works within a larger set? If one wants to speculate further, can we see this set as K.543 = spiritual, inner happiness (via use of Masonic motifs), K.550 = external strife, unhappy and unsatisfied, and K.551 = professional accomplishment and sense of worth? There are no facts we can seize on to prove such conclusions. But, for the time, who else but Mozart would even consider such a plan, and then carry it off so well? It might be noted that at the age of only 32 (!), Mozart could not suspect that these might be his last symphonic works, still less that they stand as some of the greatest instrumental works yet composed. Yet, within the Mozart mythos, as the Requiem serves as the dark, disturbing close of the story, the “Jupiter” serves as its bright counterpart, closing out the series of some 50 symphonic works that Mozart gave us.

Sources:
Burk, John N. Mozart and his Music Random House, NY 1959
Gutman, Robert Mozart: A Cultural Biography Harcourt Brace 1999
Roy, Klaus G. Liner Notes to Time-Life Record Series “The Late Symphonies” 1979
Sisman, Elaine Mozart: The ‘Jupiter’ Symphony Cambridge Uni. Press 1993
Zaslaw, Neil Mozart’s Symphonies Clarendon Press, Oxford 1989

Subject: Re: K.551 Symphony #41 in C "Jupiter"
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 19:14:52 05/22/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Gary, thanks for the great symphony-series. Your coverage is as good as anything one can find in a book. It is interesting to ponder why Vienna in the late-eighteenth century reduced its interest in symphonies. Vanhal and Hoffmann, among others, also stopped writing syphonies as early as the 1770s and 1780s, even though they would live into the ninteenth century. Too bad... imagine having another one by Mozart!

Robby

Subject: Re: K.551 Symphony #41 in C "Jupiter"
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 16:55:26 05/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Robby,

Thanks for the nice note. Vienna probably scaled back on symphonies due to going to war with the Ottoman Empire in 1788. With the nobles going off to war and inflation taking off, everybody cut back spending. Part of the reason Mozart's piano concerti concerts tailed away was for the same reason. One has to remember that the larger salon parties held at this time featured symphonies, and hence had 15-25 players on hand. In fact, one ad from a music supplier of that time specifically mentions that such salon concert-givers would require 4-6 symphonies per week to fill out their programs. With cutbacks, those 15-25 players probably fell off enough so that symphonies no longer got played. It may not be a coincidence that Mozart starts to write about "quartet parties" around this time.

What one wonders is: Why didn't Mozart take more advantage of these trends and write/sell more works to make money?

Regards,

Gary

Subject: New Guest Photo exhibts.
From: MozartForum
To: All
Date Posted: 09:26:30 05/22/04 ()
Email Address: webmaster@MozartForum.com
 

Message:
Two new pages have just been added to the guest photo exhibit portion of the library. You may recall a few months back Priya Werahera posted that he was making a trip to Salzburg and Vienna. He has now offered some of his trip photos for us all to enjoy. There are two pages, one Salzburg and one Vienna. Thank you Priya for taking your time to scan and submit these.

MozartForum

Subject: Big Thanks to Steve and the Mozart Forum Board
From: Priya Werahera
To: All
Date Posted: 15:50:45 05/24/04 ()
Email Address: priya@aspen.uchsc.edu
 

Message:
I am very happy to see these pictures posted here and I hope they will provide some information for your enjoyment of Mozart. And if you're visiting Vienna and Salzburg, they may even serve as guidelines. And don't forget to check Andera Hubrich's web page too. She has posted few places I missed in Vienna. The weather was horrible and we did the best we could in two days under those conditions.

In my next trip, I sure will remember to visit those including the grave site of one Joseph Haydn located near the Czech Republic border outside of Vienna. Andrea said, that would be at least an hours drive from Vienna.

Priya

Subject: Re: New Guest Photo exhibts.
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 21:31:59 05/22/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Hi Priya,

Thanks a lot! Appreciate greatly your sharing with us all those magnificent photos.

Best regards,
TEL

Subject: Re: New Guest Photo exhibts.
From: Bill Szep
To: All
Date Posted: 19:40:04 05/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hello Priya,

Awesom pix! Thanks!
Bill

Subject: Herzog's essay FOR MR. CORMICAN
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 06:10:27 05/22/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Mr. Cormican,

Thank you for drawing our attention to your web site and to your translation of Herzog's essay, once considered to be so dangerous that it was refused publication by order of the Court cesors.

I am glad to see that Herzog actually did not make up the story about Count Walsegg's BOAST that he had been Mozart's pupil, had sent HIS OWN Requiem for Mozart to look over and when Mozart died, it was thought that the Requiem was actually composed by Mozart.

It is completely in character with Walsegg's machinations. Walsegg purchased a great number of compositions, copied them and attached his own signature to the copied manuscripts.
Herzog mentions the amused musicians, who never really believed the Count but humoured him by accepting his lies. Here Herzog simply repeats what Count Walsegg told his musicians about the Requiem and does not make up the story. It corresponds to Otto Erich Deutsch's description of the event.

I am most grateful to you for clearing up this matter.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Postcard Tune
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 16:17:23 05/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I found the "tune".

It is the opening measures of the recitative and concert aria for
bass KV 432/421a: "Cosi dunque tradisci" ... "Aspri rimorsi atroci".

Notice that the first word of the recitative is "cosi".

It is in the complete Mozart edition volume 23 Disc 3 Track 11
sung by Robert Lloyd with the Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg
conducted by Leopold Hager

I also once had an LP of Fernando Corena singing this aria.

Matt Dubin
====================

(I took the liberty to move this up from its follow-up position
below. As I missed it when I first scanned over messages this
afternoon, I thought it possible others might miss it also--dennis).

Subject: Re: Postcard Tune
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 17:31:34 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
Bravo to you. Good bit of sleuthing.

Subject: Re: Postcard Tune
From: daniel Nathan
To: All
Date Posted: 17:47:11 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
I just looked at the card again and if you are speaking about the text in the second stave, I am afraid that it does not say "Cosi." It may look like that but I think it to be Mozart's often-use shorthand, "colV1°" meaning, "Col violino primo" and which translates to "The same music as violin 1."

If you believe it to say Cosi somewhere else, then I apologize for contradicting you but I can find no place where such a word exists.

Subject: Re: Postcard Tune
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 18:41:07 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I did not say that the card had the word "cosi".

I just mentioned that "Cosi" is the first word of the accompanied recitative following the two measures of this "tune".

Subject: Anton Herzog and the Requiem
From: Brendan Cormican
To: All
Date Posted: 10:31:57 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: brendancormican@aol.com
 

Message:
Readers will probably know that my little web site is the only place (that I am aware of) that has the full text of Herzog's 27 page essay. I also had recently made the point that it was not first published by Otto Deutsch but had appeared in a Vienna newspaper, the Reichspost, long before that.

To dampen any doubts on the matter, the newspaper banner and headline for this specific item has just been posted to the little site under latest additions.
Brendan Cormican

Subject: Re: Anton Herzog and the Requiem
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 19:31:52 05/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Mr. Cormican,

Could you please direct me to your web site.

Regards, Agnes selby.

Subject: Re: Anton Herzog and the Requiem
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 01:29:23 05/22/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Mr. Cormican,

Now that Dennis has given me the correct address, I will enjoy reading your site. It is so difficult for me to believe that neither Dr. Otto Schneider nor Otto Erich Deutsch were aware of Herzog's unpublished essay having been previously found.

Regards, Agnes Selby.

Subject: Re: Anton Herzog and the Requiem
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 20:41:44 05/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I have it book marked at:

http://www.angelfire.com/bc2/mozart/

dennis

Subject: Re: Anton Herzog and the Requiem
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 17:40:19 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
I have speculated on several occasions about why the entire essay has never been published (with one exception), but always appears heavily edited.

My speculation was that the material contained text that was so technically incorrect as to be absurd. For example, Herzog asserts that “the manuscript [of the Requiem] that was kept at Leipzig” (referring to the one used by Breitkopf & Härtel for the Requiem’s first edition in 1800) had a different Agnus Dei than the one in the possession of Wallsegg! And in explanation of this severe factual error, Herzog then gives a complicated and strange story about Wallsegg claiming to be a pupil of Mozart, writing his own Agnus Dei, with Mozart examining and correcting it by post.

It is material such as this that has been edited out of the Herzog paper as it has been reproduced here and there. Only Brendan's website has the entire text, and in a fine English translation as well.

Subject: Symphony 40
From: gerald fitzgibbon
To: All
Date Posted: 23:40:58 05/20/04 ()
Email Address: geraldfitzgibbon@hotmail.com
 

Message:
Could someone please help me on the structure of the second movement? Is it sonata form with three themes or two with a bridge passage in between.

Subject: Re: Symphony 40
From: Christophe Thiébaud
To: All
Date Posted: 03:26:58 05/22/04 ()
Email Address: cthiebaud@stylo.it
 

Message:
see following link:

Subject: Re: Symphony 40
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 19:50:31 05/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Could someone please help me on the structure of the second movement? Is it sonata form with three themes or two with a bridge passage in between.

Dear Gerald,

It IS sonata form, though it would appear that writers on the subject seem to agree on it being a standard two theme Andante. Otto Jahn and Hermann Abert talk of two themes, as does Charles Rosen. The liner notes I’ve checked mention (when they mention anything on it) two themes as well.

Now, in the book: A Study of Mozart’s Last Three Symphonies, by A. E. F Dickenson, there is a breakdown of this movement as follows:

“This Movement also is in developed three-part form:

I. Exposition (52 bars) 1-36 First Subject
(i) 1-19 Principal melody
(ii) 20-36 in various keys, ending in
37-52 Second Subject in the dominant

II. Development (21 bars)
Based on both parts of the first subject

III. Recapitulation (50 bars) 1-34 First Subject
(i) 1-12 modulating in f minor
(ii) 13-34 in various keys
35-50 Second Subject"

I would guess that your bridge passage would have to be the Exposition’s (ii) call out of bars 20-36. The musical example for (ii) is definitely different from the First Subject.

So, from what I can round up from here, it appears that while there is a section of the first theme that can be considered unique, it IS considered part of that theme. The key changes and choices of phrasing may act as a bridge, but this area is not divorced from the first 19 bars.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

Gary Smith

Subject: Re: Symphony 40
From: gerald
To: All
Date Posted: 02:10:56 05/25/04 ()
Email Address: geraldfitzgibbon@hotmail.com
 

Message:
Many thanks for your information; opinons seem to vary.
Gerald

Subject: Re: Symphony 40
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 18:48:34 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
To me it seems that the exposition of the 2nd movement has three themes: The opening theme, the 2nd theme which starts similar to the opening theme, and a closing theme. I never thought of the 2nd theme as a bridge passage.

Subject: The Ferlendis/Mozart Oboe Concerto in F Op.13
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 07:25:04 05/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Mozart wrote to his father in a letter of February 14, 1778, from
Mannheim: "Ramm played my Oboe Concerto for Ferlendis for the
fifth time...". On February 15, 1783, he wrote to his father again,
this time from Vienna: "Send me also the little book in which is the
Oboe Concerto for Ramm, or rather for Ferlendis". This Concerto
for Ferlendis was believed lost until in 1920 Bernhard Paumgartner
found in the archive of the Mozarteum a copy of an Oboe
Concerto in C-major that was apart from minor differences
identical to the Flute Concerto K314 Mozart had written for the
amateur Flutist de Jean in Mannheim. Paumgartner's theory, which
still holds today, was that Mozart--short on time--arranged his
Oboe Concerto in C-major for Ferlendis into a Flute Concerto in
D-major for de Jean.

In the 1920 Rivista Musicale Italiana Georges St. Foix reported he
had found in the Bilbliotheque des Conservatorio di Musica in
Milan two Oboe Concertos under of the name of Giuseppe
Ferlendis, of which the first ("1st Concerto pour hautbois, avec
accompagnement de quatuor, cors et basson, Op.13. Syrenne,
Paris--parts) he took special interest in. This Concerto in F-major
St.Foix found to be in a somewhat "popular" character. It gave the
impression it was written down rapidly, as in response to a
commission. But within the Concerto St. Foix found light and
tender emotions, and was impressed by the inexhaustible wealth
of invention of the themes. He found the manner of the
composition entirely "Mozartian." He candidly stated there was one
doubt in his mind about this Concerto: is this fine Concerto by
Giuseppe Ferlendis? Is it not rather the Concerto composed "for"
Giuseppe Ferlendis by Mozart in 1775 or 1776 as a favor, and
later lost? Some of the flavor of the 20 year old Mozart is found in
this Concerto, in spite of all the inaccuracies of the publisher, who
appeared to be a certain Carli. To St.Foix the Concerto writing was
very Mozartian, especially in the astonishing beauty of the melody
ideas. St. Foix hypothesized that the musical composition
appeared after the death of Giuseppe Ferlendis in 1802, that it
was published for one of his sons to be circulated during a Paris
stay between 1805 and 1810. This son had found in his father's
papers his successful composition of the celebrated "cheval de
bataille" of 1778, of which Ferlendis had remained the owner, but
perhaps by no means the creator! St. Foix believed he had found
the lost Oboe Concerto that Mozart had written for Giuseppe
Ferlendis. [A note here--the above St. Foix article is in French, a
language I can not read. The paragraph or two that St. Foix lays
out his thoughts took me almost all day to translate. I believe I
have the gist of it, but could be inaccurate in some details.]

But in K3 (1936) Alfred Einstein wrote he could not agree with the
opinion of St. Foix. "The Concerto, although very pleasant and not
without melodic charm, conflicted entirely with Mozart's
compositional style--not only that of 1777, but his style in
general, and actually went back to an older Concerto model--
namely that of Tartini. Un-Mozartian are, entirely apart from the
setting, since Mozart instead of Bassoons rather had taken up two
Flutes to his pair of Horns, the accompaniment of the Solo by the
two Violins alone; the awkwardness of the form (shorten Reprise
of the 1st movement) and a series of crude compositional errors;
consequently contrasted the 'modern' invention, that rather on
post-Mozart time referred, namely that of the Mozartian Spohr.
One must continue to leave the authorship with Ferlendis". In his
endeavor to discredit Ferlendis, in K3a (1947) Einstein added to
the remarks: "Louis Spohr heard Ferlendis execute on September
13, 1816, a 'concerto of his own work. Composition and playing
were equally pitiful. One can not think of more a wretched tone
and no greater lack of good taste in the delivery of passages and
the cantabile'". More on this addition later. (Einstein identified the
second concerto found by St.Foix in Milan, Op.14, as a Concerto
for English-Horn by Michael Haydn. However I do not find this in
any Michael Haydn literature or catalogue).

In his article "Zu Mozarts Oboen-Concerto C-major, KV 314/285d"
in the 1950 Mozart Jahrbuch, Bernhard Paumgartner was more
kind to Ferlendis. Paumgartner thought that despite pronounced
amateurisms in the composition, it is a not untalented pleasant
work that makes it appear odd that there were no other works
preserved by Ferlendis than the two Concertos (Op.13 and 14 in
Milan). However in no case could Paumgartner see the work being
attributed to Mozart. Against an attribution to Mozart spoke
synthesis, instrumentation and numerous details. "I would place
the Concerto between the Tartini student Nardini [Pietro, 1722
-1793] and Simone Mayr [1763 - 1845], owing to its peculiar
conflicting posture. Already the incipit is missing the vitality
energy that even the small Concertos of Mozart's immediately with
unrivalled power come into the world". From this statement I get
the impression Paumgartner never actually saw the full score, and
only relied on St. Foix and Einstein.

Friedrich Blume in the Mozart Companion (1956) also stated "the
Concerto itself has hardly any feature that would credibly justify
its being ascribed to Mozart".

Guglielmo Barblan in a 1962 article on the Oboe Concerto [written
in Italian, again a language I can not read, and with great difficulty
translated parts] points out that because the two Concertos found
by St.Foix are the only ones known does not mean that there are
not others by Ferlendis unknown to research. So because they
shine "like beacons in the night" has no significance. It is known
Mozart composed an Oboe Concerto for Ferlendis in the summer
of 1777 and that this composition because the "cheval de bataille"
of another virtuoso. However there is not sufficient data to induce
an identification of that piece of Mozart's with that which
Ferlendis's son published in Paris after the death of his father.
Barblan believed the high stature of Mozart's compositions
dominates all Concertos written in the late 1790's and early
1800's, however he assimilated the forms and dominated with the
clarity of his imagination; thus his spirit would be found also in
the Concertos of Ferlendis. Bablan states Mozart's influence was
high in all minor composers, and especially Italians. Looking at the
piece, Bablan stated certain modulations in the second theme of
the 1st movement--both in the tutti and the solo--were un-
Mozartian. The sorrowfulness which almost retreats into itself and
the expressive chromatics in the Adagio, Bablan believes is a sure
sign of the Neapolitan and not Mozart. The Rondo finale, with a bit
of the Tarantella in it, was a structure adopted by all composers of
the age, but no where in it is the distinctive outburst one always
sees in Mozart; in fact the central minor episode points to a
"southern" composer in Barblan'e eyes. Barblan sees the Concerto
as being by Ferlendis. The language of the Concerto--especially at
its conclusion--is that of a virtuoso looking toward getting the
final applause.

K6 combined Einstein's and Paumgartner's comments under the
lost Oboe Concerto K271k.

Who was Giuseppe Ferlendis? He was born in 1755 in Bergamo,
Italy. As an Oboist he toured Italy in 1776-77 with one of his
brothers (probably Pietro). On April 1, 1777, he joined Archbishop
Colloredo's orchestra in Salzburg, receiving a salary of 540 florins
per year, compared to Wolfgang Mozart's 500 florins. On July 30,
1778, he left the Archbishop's service (according to Michael Brian
Whitter, giving the excuse that the Salzburg air was bad for his
wife's health), and went to Turin. By 1780 he had settled in Venice
and occasionally played elsewhere in northern Italy. By 1793
Ferlendis was in London, where he performed his own Concertos
for Oboe and English Horn during Haydn's last season, 1795. He
then returned to Venice and in 1801 moved to Lisbon, where he
was apparently employed until his death. The year of his death is
with great frequency wrongly given . It was originally thought he
died in 1802, however more recent research shows he is on record
as being employed at the Real Camara in Lisbon in 1804. As late
as the beginning of 1810 he was still recorded as employed there;
later that year his wife is described as a widow.

His death in 1810, brings us back to Einstein's K3a remark that
Louis Spohr heard him in 1816. In Einstein's time it was thought
Ferlendis had died in 1802, so only a little research would have
told Einstein that Spohr's remarks could not have been directed
toward Giuseppe. These remarks actually refer to Giuseppe's son,
Alessandro, born in Venice in 1783. Alessandro married the
contralto Camilla Barberi in Lisbon and toured with her throughout
Europe from 1803 to 1817.
The entire quote from the Spohr autobiography reads: "September
14, 1816: Last evening we went to a concert, given by Ferlendis of
Venice, a Professore di Oboa. His composition and play were alike
pitiable. It is impossible to imagine a worse Tone and a greater
want of Taste in the execution of the passages and of the
cantabile, than this Professor di Oboa displayed. In Germany he
would most certainly have been hissed off; here of a necessity, he
was applauded as a matter of course by the Free-tickets".

So then what did Ferlendis' contemporaries actually think of him?

He is mentioned numerous times in the Mozart correspondence,
but only once is anything about him as a performer hinted at. In a
letter to his son on August 3, 1778, Leopold Mozart writes: "Now
for a piece of news! Ferlendis resigned three days ago, having left
the service at the end of June. This has been the more unexpected
and upsetting as during the last two months whenever Ferlendis
played a concerto, the Archbishop had been in the habit of giving
him one or two ducats. Moreover he was the favorite in the
orchestra and since Besozzi's arrival in Salzburg had learnt a good
deal from him". Leopold refers to Carlo Besozzi, an Italian touring
Oboist, who arrived in Salzburg in May 1778 and was highly
praised by Leopold for his playing. (Michael Brian Whitter
speculates Besozzi could have been the real reason for Ferlendis's
departure from Salzburg, and not the Salzburg air). During
Ferlendis' London trip one commentator noted that he possessed
"astonishing fine command of the instrument, but degenerated
into mere foolish trick". Joseph Haydn found Ferlendis a
"mediocre" player.

Of his composing skill, perhaps we can read between the lines
from Leopold's letters. On August 3, 1778, he wrote that Ferlendis
"had learnt a good deal" from Besozzi. Back on May 28, 1778,
Leopold wrote of Besozzi's composing: "although it smacks a little
of the older style, it is neatly and soundly worked out and has
something in common with that of our Haydn" [Michael that is].
This would connect rather well with Einstein's opinion that the
Oboe Concerto in F "actually went back to an older Concerto
model--namely that of Tartini". However if Leopold was referring
to Besozzi's playing rather than his composing, this would be a
different story. Leopold praised Besozzi's playing, writing "it is all
that is to be desired...In short he has everything!" Writing in the
New Grove II (2001), Alfredo Bernardini states of Ferlendis: "his
own compositions reveal an idiomatic feeling for wind
instruments, but in spite of their elegance of manner they are of
limited musical interest".

Of the Oboe Concerto in F, Einstein certainly had little use for it.
Paumgartner, although denying any attribution to Mozart, was
kinder to the Concerto. John Warrack in the New Grove (1980)
wrote "His Oboe Concertos No.1 in F and no.2 in C are in a vein
similar to that of Mozart's Concerto, though of limited musical
interest; well written for the instrument, they are designed largely
to display the performer's dexterity". Guglielmo Barblan edited the
Concerto #1 and published it in 1967. In his Introduction he writes
the Concerto's "most interesting features are the melodic
invention, the lyrical pathos, the convincing eloquence and the
timbric symmetry of the typically Italian musician whose idiom can
be placed between Tartini and Viotti. Of the 1st movement he
praises its "sweeping, caressing themes both in the tutti and in the
solo. In the second movement Adagio he talks of the "melodic
felicity of the solo instrument in the lyrical abandon and
expressive chromaticism accompanying the thematic line". "The
brisk and lively theme of the final Rondo has the flavor of an
amiable Tarantella tinged with an almost poignant touch in the
minor key of the middle section".

As to Einstein's opinion on the scoring difference (2 Bassoons
rather than 2 Flutes), the copy Paumgartner found in the
Mozarteum of Mozart's Oboe Concerto K271k is scored for Oboe
Principale, 2 Violins, 2 Oboes, 2 Horns, Viola and Basso. As seen it
contains neither Bassoons nor Flutes. In Mozart's Flute Concerto in
G-major K313 2 Oboes are used in the outer movements, and 2
Flutes in the Adagio ma non troppo. In the Flute Concerto
arranged from the Oboe Concerto, 2 Oboes are used. In the
Andante for Flute and Orchestra K315 again 2 Oboes and 2 Horns
are used by Mozart. These same instruments are also used in the
Flute and Harp Concerto. Barblan found that the Bassoon part is
identical to the Double-Bass in the Milan score, so he deleted the
Bassoon in his edition.

Could the Oboe Concerto in F be the lost Mozart Concerto "written
for Ferlendis"? There is absolutely no evidence or hint apart from
St.Foix's speculation, it could be. The Op.13 manuscript clearly
states Ferlendis is the composer. Leopold Mozart's letter of
August 3, 1778, states "whenever Ferlendis plays a concerto", not
anything like "whenever Ferlendis plays your concerto", so one
would conclude Ferlendis did compose in Salzburg. As seen above
he played his own Oboe and English Horn Concertos in London in
1795.

Subject: Re: The Ferlendis/Mozart Oboe Concerto in F Op.13
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 23:04:20 05/20/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Hi Dennis, thank you for the exceptional article. Ii always enjoy your postings. Do you know of any Ferlendis recordings?

Robby

Subject: Re: The Ferlendis/Mozart Oboe Concerto in F Op.13
From: TN
To: All
Date Posted: 05:27:10 05/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi,
tp://www.mcfarlanddoublereed.com/record.htm

Subject: Re: The Ferlendis/Mozart Oboe Concerto in F Op.13
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 06:16:18 05/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Robby:

There are two recordings of the Ferlendis Oboe Concerto in F that
I have in my collection:

Capriccio 10087--Burkhard Glaetzner-Oboe, Hartmut Haenchen
conducting the Darl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra
(also includes Mozart's Oboe Concerto and Rosetti Oboe Concerto
in F).

Caprice 21596--Helen Jahren-Oboe, Peter Csaba conducting
Musica Vitae (also includes two J.C. Bach Oboe Concertos in F and
Mozart's.)

I also think a Concerto in C for English Horn is out there
somewhere, but I could never find it.

dennis

Subject: Re: The Ferlendis/Mozart Oboe Concerto in F Op.13
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 18:00:02 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: Ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Thanks for the CD info, Dennis.
(BTW, May 22 is Richard Wagner's birthday)

Subject: Re: The Ferlendis/Mozart Oboe Concerto in F Op.13
From: Maurizio Tomasi
To: All
Date Posted: 10:33:16 05/20/04 ()
Email Address: zio_tom78@hotmail.com
 

Message:
Very interesting post! I live in Bergamo, and still I never heard about Ferlendis. I am going to look for additional information in the Public Library: if I discover something interesting, I'll let you know.

P.S. for Dennis: If you want, you can send me a scanned copy of the article by Barblan, and I'll translate it in english.

Maurizio

Subject: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 00:50:57 05/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Constanze's second husband, Georg Nicolaus Nissen's contribution to Mozartean history cannot be underestimated. Although he did not complete his Mozart biography before his death, and what we have today is considered a "scissors and paste" work, the book remains a point of reference to all serious Mozart scholars. One will never know Nissen's intentions as to what the book would have been like had he had a chance to complete his task. It was the first book which included Mozart family letters giving readers an intimate look into the life of the Mozart family.

Nissen was born on January 22 1761 in Haderslev, North Schleswig. His father was an impoverished merchant, his mother a descendant of an Italian nobleman from Verona who established himself in Schleswig in 1570.

At the age of twelve, Nissen was sent to be brought up by his uncle, Vilhelm Zoega, the Dean at Mogeltonder near the North Sea. At the age of sixteen he arrived in Copenhagen where another uncle, Georg Zoega was chief of the Postmaster-General's office. Nissen matriculated from the University of Copenhagen in 1779 and was employed as head clerk at the PMG office.

Nissen had never taken music lessons and knew nothing of music. His interest lay in poetry some which had been published by the Danish poet, Knud Lyhne Rahbek. Nissen's poems were severely criticised and this discouragement finished his literary ambitions.

Nissen joined the Foreign Service in 1789 and in 1791 was posted to Regensburg in Germany. Two years later he was posted to Vienna. His letters to his cousin in Italy reveal the delight he experienced in discovering Viennese culture and the revelation music had become to him. He chose to take an apartment at the Trattnerhoff rather than live at the house of his superior, Armand de Saint-Saphorin in order to savour the cultural life of Vienna.

It is not known how he met Constanze Mozart. It could have been through the Trattners who remained Constanze's friends after Mozart's death. He could also have met her through the Danish painter Hans Hansen whose future wife was Constanze's maid and often her companion. Hansen had painted the delightful
portrait of Mozart's children.

Constanze organised concerts at her home where Mozart's and Haydn's works were performed. Haydn was a frequent visitor. Many people attended these concerts. Nissen too was often present at these musicales and a friendship and later a love affair developed between these two lonely individuals.

Nissen and Constanze began their life together on September 1, 1798. Contrary to reports by some writers, who happily coppied each other, Constanze never did run a boarding house and was certainly not employed by Nissen as his maid. In this Einstein is absolutely wrong as he is in his many biographical sketches. Nissen, on his meagre salary, as Secretary at the Danish Embassy, could hardly afford to employ a lady who had recently returned from a most profitable year's journey through the German states, promoting Mozart's works. So successful was Constanze that she was able to lend the Duscheks in Prague mortgage money on their Villa Bertramka.

Marriage was out of the question as Nissen had signed a contract with the Foreign Service which specified that he remain single while serving his country in foreign lands. However, in his letter to his cousin, Georg Zoega in Rome, he refers to Constanze as "my wife". Mozart's childeren referred to Nissen as "father", a fair indication of the love they felt for him.

Constanze's continuous troubles with publishers of Mozart's works, particularly the Requiem (see "Provenance of the Requiem" in Library under Essays), slowly began to be handled by Nissen, although Constanze's voice speaks loud and clear beneath Nissens's diplomatic approach.

Constanze and Nissen were married on June 26, 1809 at Pressburg (now Bratislava in Slovakia) during Napoleon's invasion of Vienna. The marriage took place at the Pressburg Cathedral.

Nissen and Constanze left Vienna for Copenhagen on 27 July, 1810. Nissen had resigned from the Foreign Service and in Copenhagen he was given the post of censor for the Danish newspapers. By 1820 Nissen's health began to deteriorate and in July 1820 Nissen and Constanze left Denmark in search for a cure for Nissen's ill health.

During their travels through German lands, Nissen and Constanze stayed as Nannerl's guests. Constanze's letter of 28 October, 1825 describes their stay in Salzburg. Constanze and Nissen's signatures and well wishes also appear in the diary of Andreas Stumpff dated (Salzburg) 21 September, 1824. During their stay in Salzburg, Nannerl showed them the Mozart family correspondence. Nissen showed great interest in the history of the Mozart family and he and Constanze visited the remaining Mozart family members in Augsburg. After spending a long time with Karl Mozart in Italy, Nissen and Constanze settled in Salzburg in an apartment in Marktplaz (today Alter Markt No.5).

Nannerl, who liked and respected Nissen, gave him the Mozart family correspondence for the purpose of writing Wolfgang Mozart's biography. Nissen began his research in a methodical way by collecting all printed articles about Mozart, all biographies, be they fancifull or imaginary, as many were in fact devoid of actual data. The reading through the Mozart correspondence neccessitated the deletion of names of people still living as well as the names of those whose descendants or relatives would have been offended by Mozart's unflattering comments.

A typical reaction by Wolfgang Mozart Jnr. is worth mentioning here. In his letter to Jahndl, who was at first in charge of completing the biography after Nissen's death, Wolfgang Jnr. wrote:

"It is true that my father was treated badly by the then Archbishop but I would request that you treat this as gently as possible because although a Bishopric is not inherited, there is a certain spiritual relationship between them and this could hurt me in my career".

Nissen worked closely with Nannerl who developed an appreciation and liking for this gentle man. Nissen needed help in musical matters and this came through Anton Jahndl and Maximilliam Keller, both men being accomplished musicians and music teachers.

Nissen died on March 24, 1826.

For a while Jahndl was charged to complete the Mozart biography but for some reason, Constanze gave all the material collected by Nissen to Dr. Feuerstein. My article about Dr. Feuerstein explains what a mistake this was on Constanze's part.

By the way, Nissen's biography, edited by Dr. Angermuller is available at the Mozarteum Bookshop.
-----
Ref: Sjoqvist: "Twice Perfectly Happy"

Translations of Nissen's letters from Danish to English by Mr.Mortem Vestrup of Rigsarkivet in Copenhagen. (Personal correspondence).

Letters of Constanze Mozart.

A. Selby: "Constanze, Mozart's Beloved".

Regards, Agnes Selby.
.

Subject: Re: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Michael Mallon
To: All
Date Posted: 08:59:34 05/22/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,

All me to echo the others by saying thanks! Nissen must have been a remarkable person.

Michael Mallon

Subject: Re: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 06:12:22 05/23/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thank you, Michael. I too think he was a remarkable man in many ways. He was the opposite of Mozart, but then who else could ever be Mozart. In his own way, he was a good man. What is remarkable is that he had no resentment or jealousy towards his wife's first husband and dedicated his last years to write about his greatness. This in itself was an amazing trait.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 22:51:28 05/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Agnes,

Another yet discerning and stimulating article from you. Thank you!

Of course you introduced me to Nissen via your "Constanze, Mozart's Beloved."

My very best regards,
Tel

Subject: Re: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 03:14:52 05/21/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Tellern,
Many thanks! Writing in a hurry. I have just sent you a personal note.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Marti Burger
To: All
Date Posted: 12:26:52 05/20/04 ()
Email Address: MartiBur@aol.com
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,
Thaks so much for this very detailed and insightful biography of Georg Nissen and his relationships with the Mozart family!
As Franz Xaver Wolfgang Jr. said, Constanze was indeed fortunate--and very deservedly so--to have had two such remarkable husbands who loved and estemed her, as Constanze was herself also a remarkable woman.

"He could also have met her through the Danish painter Hans Hansen whose future wife was Constanze's maid and often her companion. Hansen had painted the delightful
portrait of Mozart's children."

Agnes, was Hansen's future wife Constanze's longtime maid and companion, Luisa?
Very best regards,
Marti

Subject: Re: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 14:57:32 05/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Teresa and Marti,

Thank you Teresa and Marti for your nice words.

Marti, Constanze's maid, Luisa came much later. Luisa stayed with Constanze to the end of her own life.
Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Marti Burger
To: All
Date Posted: 11:14:46 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: MartiBur@aol.com
 

Message:
"Marti, Constanze's maid, Luisa came much later. Luisa stayed with Constanze to the end of her own life.
Kind regards, Agnes."

Thanks very much, Agnes!
Kind regards,
Marti :-)

Subject: Re: GEORG NICOLAUS NISSEN
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 06:07:36 05/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,

Thanks for such an insightful view into Nissen and his role in the fascinating history surrounding our Wolfie and Constanze!

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Great Concert!
From: Bruce Fenster
To: All
Date Posted: 15:25:10 05/19/04 ()
Email Address: bfenster1@verizon.net
 

Message:
The only reason for this post is my need to tell you of a great concert we attended last Friday.

The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Hege conductor, Jon Kimura Parker, piano soloist.

PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 5

I knew it would be special when Mr. Parker entered the stage with a big grin from ear to ear. Uncharacteristic of the Syracuse audience, they could not restrain themselves after the first movement of the concerto. Great concert, great reviews the next day for both works.

And to boot, after the concert we had at least one half hour of chatting with Mr. Hege and Mr. Parker. What an amiable guy Mr. Parker is. His love of music just pours out of him.

Thanks for listening to my rant,
Bruce

Subject: Re: Great Concert!
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 18:43:40 05/19/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Bruce,

No rant at all! I've heard Mr.Kimura Parker a couple of times in concert, and he is fabulous. I would give my left arm (well, on the other hand....no, that wouldn't work either)to be able to play that Prokofiev concerto--It's so wonderful.

Glad you had such an enjoyable experience!

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Contemporaries of Mozart: Adalbert Gyrowetz
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 18:59:36 05/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART:

Adalbert Gyrowetz (1763-1850)

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

Competed with for work.
Considered friends and colleagues.
Knew from reputation.
Taught to and nurtured as pupils and students
.
Gyrowetz was born in the Bohemian town of Ceske Budejovice in 1763, son of choirmaster, who gave him a head start in his studies of the violin, keyboard and composition. His earliest works included sacred works (obviously), serenades and quartets. Due to his talents, his father was able to get him into schooling in Prague, but, as was fairly typical, not for music, but for law. He was an exceptional student, learning five languages (including English), but a lack of money forced him to cut his studies short and he took a post in administration of the estate of Count Franz von Fünfkirchen. Music however, eventually won out, as he had not given up those studies in Prague, and the Count encouraged his efforts. Gyrowtez played in the Count’s orchestra, and dedicated some early symphonies to his patron.

However, a bright, intelligent and talented man such as Gyrowetz could not stay satisfied working in a quiet corner of the Empire. He ended up traveling to the principal music centers of Europe: Vienna, London, Paris and Italy. In late 1785 or early 1786 he visited Vienna and met the main players on the musical stage there. He called on Haydn, Dittersdorf and Albrechtsberger, and soon came to admire Haydn immensely, but it was Mozart to whom he became a friend. Taken by the young Gyrowetz, Wolfgang had a symphony of his performed at a concert in the Mehlgrube, without letting people know it wasn’t a Mozart work. Once the cries of approval were done, Mozart introduced him as the real composer. About a year later, Gyrowetz talked over with Mozart the opportunity to go to Italy to study. Wolfgang, who had been there three times in his life and knew the country well, responded on hearing Gyrowetz had decided to take the plunge: “You lucky man! Oh, if only I could go with you, how happy I should be!”

In Italy, he met both Goethe and the great violinist Nardini, and composed a set of 6 string quartets for publication. These works, however, ended up being published without his knowledge (or reward) in Paris. Ending up in Naples for two years, he took composition training from both Paisiello and Nicola Sala. As well, he taught music and took part in many quartet parties (for pay, not as a dilettante), as his supply of funds began to dwindle down. Moving on to Paris, Gyrowetz discovered that one of his symphonies had been published under Haydn’s name, and that his 6 Italian string quartets had caused a sensation. Eventually, seven editions of this set were issued, new works were demanded, and he settled down to a highly productive and lucrative time.

However, the continuing upheavals of the French Revolution made Paris a worrisome place for foreigners, and by 1790 he had made his way across the Channel to London, where he spent the next 3 years. Gyrowetz and London society took very well to one another, and his works were as successful here as they were in Paris. In 1791, Haydn arrived for his famous London concerts, and Gyrowetz helped smooth the way into high society for him. Salomon rewarded him by having many of his works performed at Haydn’s concerts. Finally, Gyrowetz obtained a commission to compose an opera seria entitled Seriamis (a similar libretto to which Mozart once had an opportunity to work on) for the Pantheon theatre. Unfortunately, the theater burnt down the night before the first performance and only the overture to this opera survives.

Later that year (1792), he set out on a homeward journey (on which he met Napoleon briefly) that saw him end up again in Vienna, in the service of Count von Sikkingen. But, in the year 1804 he obtained an appointment as second Kapellmeister to the Vienna Court Theater, which changed his music output for the rest of his life. He was now obliged to compose one opera/singspiel and one ballet a year, which caused his instrumental production to rapidly dwindle to a trickle. His first major success was an opera seria Agnes Sorel that was performed 124 times in Vienna over the next decade and lasted on the boards in Europe for nearly 30 years. His best know ballets were La laitie’re Suisse and The Inconstant Page, or, The Marriage of Figaro.

He retired from his Kapellmeister post in 1831 on a pension, wrote his autobiography in 1848, and died in 1850. Gyrowetz stayed firmly rooted in the Classical style, and while keenly aware of the modern trends around him, he preferred to compose with an understanding of unity, balance and proportion. Early on, he had professed an admiration for Haydn, Hoffmeister and Kozeluch. While having befriended Mozart, there is no trace of any influence by him on Gyrowetz’s output, while certain traits by the others can at least be surmised with some accuracy. And so, while incorporating the Romantic style into his works, he never fully fell under the spell of the era. He served as a pallbearer at Beethoven’s funeral and became greatly admired in his later years by the young Romantics. He encouraged Chopin early on, and in 1818 the nine year old made his debut in Vienna playing a concerto by Gyrowetz (which apparently was composed some 22 years earlier in 1796).

His works include some 30 operas/singspiels, 28 ballets, ca. 40 symphonies, 2 piano concerti, 5 sinfonia concertantes, 42+ string quartets, 46 piano trios, close to 100 songs and arias, 11 masses, 2 vespers and many unpublished works.

Sources:
Sadie, Stanley (Ed.) The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd Edition Groves Dictionaries, New York 2000
Liner notes from Hyperion CDA 67109 Three String Quartets Op. 44
Liner notes from Chandos 9791 Adalbert Gyrowetz: Three Symphonies

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Adalbert Gyrowetz
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 01:54:01 05/19/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Gary,

BIG applause dear friend!! This is such a fantastic piece of work you did. I have minimal knowledge of this man, and whatever little info I have, you've included them and much more. Would you believe, I can't even manage a single CD on him anywhere in my notes or my collection?!

Thanks heaps!
Cheerio!

TEL

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Adalbert Gyrowetz
From: RobbyBonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 14:53:25 05/19/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Hi Gary, thanks for the great article!
Robby

Subject: Contemporaries of Mozart: Adalbert Gyrowetz
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 18:58:25 05/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART:

Adalbert Gyrowetz (1763-1850)

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

Competed with for work.
Considered friends and colleagues.
Knew from reputation.
Taught to and nurtured as pupils and students
.
Gyrowetz was born in the Bohemian town of Ceske Budejovice in 1763, son of choirmaster, who gave him a head start in his studies of the violin, keyboard and composition. His earliest works included sacred works (obviously), serenades and quartets. Due to his talents, his father was able to get him into schooling in Prague, but, as was fairly typical, not for music, but for law. He was an exceptional student, learning five languages (including English), but a lack of money forced him to cut his studies short and he took a post in administration of the estate of Count Franz von Fünfkirchen. Music however, eventually won out, as he had not given up those studies in Prague, and the Count encouraged his efforts. Gyrowtez played in the Count’s orchestra, and dedicated some early symphonies to his patron.

However, a bright, intelligent and talented man such as Gyrowetz could not stay satisfied working in a quiet corner of the Empire. He ended up traveling to the principal music centers of Europe: Vienna, London, Paris and Italy. In late 1785 or early 1786 he visited Vienna and met the main players on the musical stage there. He called on Haydn, Dittersdorf and Albrechtsberger, and soon came to admire Haydn immensely, but it was Mozart to whom he became a friend. Taken by the young Gyrowetz, Wolfgang had a symphony of his performed at a concert in the Mehlgrube, without letting people know it wasn’t a Mozart work. Once the cries of approval were done, Mozart introduced him as the real composer. About a year later, Gyrowetz talked over with Mozart the opportunity to go to Italy to study. Wolfgang, who had been there three times in his life and knew the country well, responded on hearing Gyrowetz had decided to take the plunge: “You lucky man! Oh, if only I could go with you, how happy I should be!”

In Italy, he met both Goethe and the great violinist Nardini, and composed a set of 6 string quartets for publication. These works, however, ended up being published without his knowledge (or reward) in Paris. Ending up in Naples for two years, he took composition training from both Paisiello and Nicola Sala. As well, he taught music and took part in many quartet parties (for pay, not as a dilettante), as his supply of funds began to dwindle down. Moving on to Paris, Gyrowetz discovered that one of his symphonies had been published under Haydn’s name, and that his 6 Italian string quartets had caused a sensation. Eventually, seven editions of this set were issued, new works were demanded, and he settled down to a highly productive and lucrative time.

However, the continuing upheavals of the French Revolution made Paris a worrisome place for foreigners, and by 1790 he had made his way across the Channel to London, where he spent the next 3 years. Gyrowetz and London society took very well to one another, and his works were as successful here as they were in Paris. In 1791, Haydn arrived for his famous London concerts, and Gyrowetz helped smooth the way into high society for him. Salomon rewarded him by having many of his works performed at Haydn’s concerts. Finally, Gyrowetz obtained a commission to compose an opera seria entitled Seriamis (a similar libretto to which Mozart once had an opportunity to work on) for the Pantheon theatre. Unfortunately, the theater burnt down the night before the first performance and only the overture to this opera survives.

Later that year (1792), he set out on a homeward journey (on which he met Napoleon briefly) that saw him end up again in Vienna, in the service of Count von Sikkingen. But, in the year 1804 he obtained an appointment as second Kapellmeister to the Vienna Court Theater, which changed his music output for the rest of his life. He was now obliged to compose one opera/singspiel and one ballet a year, which caused his instrumental production to rapidly dwindle to a trickle. His first major success was an opera seria Agnes Sorel that was performed 124 times in Vienna over the next decade and lasted on the boards in Europe for nearly 30 years. His best know ballets were La laitie’re Suisse and The Inconstant Page, or, The Marriage of Figaro.

He retired from his Kapellmeister post in 1831 on a pension, wrote his autobiography in 1848, and died in 1850. Gyrowetz stayed firmly rooted in the Classical style, and while keenly aware of the modern trends around him, he preferred to compose with an understanding of unity, balance and proportion. Early on, he had professed an admiration for Haydn, Hoffmeister and Kozeluch. While having befriended Mozart, there is no trace of any influence by him on Gyrowetz’s output, while certain traits by the others can at least be surmised with some accuracy. And so, while incorporating the Romantic style into his works, he never fully fell under the spell of the era. He served as a pallbearer at Beethoven’s funeral and became greatly admired in his later years by the young Romantics. He encouraged Chopin early on, and in 1818 the nine year old made his debut in Vienna playing a concerto by Gyrowetz (which apparently was composed some 22 years earlier in 1796).

His works include some 30 operas/singspiels, 28 ballets, ca. 40 symphonies, 2 piano concerti, 5 sinfonia concertantes, 42+ string quartets, 46 piano trios, close to 100 songs and arias, 11 masses, 2 vespers and many unpublished works.

Sources:
Sadie, Stanley (Ed.) The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd Edition Groves Dictionaries, New York 2000
Liner notes from Hyperion CDA 67109 Three String Quartets Op. 44
Liner notes from Chandos 9791 Adalbert Gyrowetz: Three Symphonies

Subject: message for Andrea Hubrich
From: Stephanie Cowell
To: All
Date Posted: 21:05:27 05/17/04 ()
Email Address: StephanieCowell@nyc.rr.com
 

Message:
I have tried to e-mail you but I believe I have the wrong address. I am coming to Vienna and would very much like to meet you. Do send correct e-mail and I will forward my message again to you!

Gratefully,

Stephanie in New York

Subject: Re: message for Andrea Hubrich
From: Andrea Hubrich
To: All
Date Posted: 00:41:36 05/18/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi Stephanie,

An e-mail is winging its way to you from Vienna.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

All the best,

Andrea

Subject: Erik Smith Obituary
From: Michael Mallon
To: All
Date Posted: 11:45:29 05/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi all,

This was posted on the Yahoo Haydn board.

May this great man RIP.

Michael

Subject: Regarding Gary's Post "K.550 Symphony # 40 in g"
From: Bruce Fenster
To: All
Date Posted: 08:45:29 05/17/04 ()
Email Address: bfenster1@verizon.net
 

Message:
Gary,

Special thanks for the description of the individual movements at the end. I really enjoy that sort of analysis. In my humble opinion, it was superb and moving. Woohoo!

Bruce

Subject: Re: Regarding Gary's Post "K.550 Symphony # 40 in g"
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 19:48:57 05/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Bruce,

Thnaks for the nice note. I straddle the fence somewhat on adding in descriptive commentary on Mozart's music. Showing how a movement is laid out and how it progresses is one thing but describing how I feel about it and what it "means" to me is something different. After all, Mozart's music may not say or "mean" the same to you. That wouldn't make either of us wrong, but to someone who had never heard the work and read the descriptions first, their experience might get marred by either expecting too much, or getting confused by not "hearing" it in the same way. So, I have in the past stayed out of descriptive commentary, either my own or the words of others that I happen to agree with.

Lately though, when I have included such notes, they've been received well. At least well enough to continue to include them as the muse strikes. If others have alternate concepts of what Mozart's music "means" to them, I'd like to read it. No one can claim to "know" what is meant in say K.550, but perhaps we can arrive at an area where we can mostly agree. Or at least have alternate paths to consider.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: Regarding Gary's Post "K.550 Symphony # 40 in g"
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 18:56:20 05/19/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gary,

I had not had time to read a lot of the posts lately, but I went back and read yours on the G minor symphony. Very nice! I see absolutely nothing wrong with commenting on the subjective feeling you draw from the music. This is the reason we really listen to, or play, such music, no?

It's so illuminating to have the understanding of the form, the history, etc--but the "meaning" (and why should that be identical for everyone) is what moves us to tears or smiles...So I say, keep that in your commentary along with all the other wonderful details!

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: Regarding Gary's Post "K.550 Symphony # 40 in g"
From: Bruce
To: All
Date Posted: 15:00:32 05/19/04 ()
Email Address: bfenster1@verizon.net
 

Message:

I understand your caution about describing feelings (but I still enjoy it). That said, I don't feel you cross the line in any way and you point out important things to listen for. For example, the "transition from the close of the development to the opening of the recapitulation" in the 1st movement. This is the kind of nuance that can slip by the most avid listener. The kind of thing I like to be made aware of.

Nice,

Bruce

Subject: Secret Mozart Files!
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 11:09:51 05/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi everyone!

This document was forwarded to me over secure internet lines. Names have been changed to protect reputations, but as you can see, there does appear to have been a cabal of sorts to thwart Mozart's efforts in Vienna to improve himself.

WHY MOZART DIDN'T GET THE JOB

14 July 1791
Vienna, Austria

Dear Dean X:

I write in response to your suggestion of an appointment to our faculty for Herr W. A. Mozart, currently residing here in Vienna, Austria. While the Music Department appreciates your interest, our faculty members are sensitive about their prerogatives in the selection of new colleagues.

While the list of works and performances that the candidate submitted is undoubtedly a full and impressive one, though not always accurate in the view of our musicologists, it reflects activity outside education. Herr Mozart does not have an earned doctorate: indeed, very little in the way of formal training or teaching experience is even noted. For that matter, his exposure to formal education of any kind is absent. As a self-taught individual, he has accomplished much; however, what sort of example does this portend for our students here at the university? There is a good deal of instability too evidenced in his resume. Would he really be likely to settle down in a large state university?

And while we have no church connections, as Chairman I must voice a concern over the incidents with the Archbishop of Salzburg. They hardly confirm his abilities to be a good team man. I know that the strong supporting letter from Herr Haydn, himself a successful composer, suggests that some of the candidate's problems are not really to the heart of the matter. But, Herr Haydn is writing from a very specialized situation. Esterhazy is a well-funded private institution, rather a long way from our university, and better able than we are to accommodate a non-academic such as Herr Haydn. Our concern is not just with the most gifted, but, because government funds are involved, with all who come to us seeking an education in music. I have drawn to your attention many times the budget and space problems in the department.

The musicology faculty did say after the interview that Herr Mozart seemed to display little knowledge of music before Bach and Handel. If he were only to teach composition, that might not be a serious impediment, but we expect everyone to be able to assume some of the burden of the large undergraduate survey classes in music history. This lapse seems rather surprising, given Herr Mozart’s background in church music in Salzburg. Perhaps, since he has spent a good portion of his time in the commercial music business, religious works (of no true monetary value in such a world) are of no perceived value to him?

The applied faculty were impressed by his piano playing, rather old-fashioned though some thought it to be. His abilities are undeniable, though it should be pointed out that he played his own works, and showed little interest in those of other composers. Whether this shows a distain for his colleagues or a simple lacking of knowledge concerning their works is unknown, but again points to a void in his background which is of concern to us. That he also performed as well on the violin and viola seemed for us to be stretching versatility dangerously thin.

The composition faculty were in the same way skeptical about his extensive output. They rightly warn us from their own experience that to receive many performances is no guarantee of quality, and the senior professor points out that Herr Mozart promoted many of these performances himself. Certainly this would require background checking to ensure that no financial improprieties lurked under the surface here. He has never won the support of a major foundation, which might point to their having knowledge of certain facts presently unknown to us.

One of my colleagues was present a year or two ago at the premiere of, I believe, a violin sonata, and he discovered afterwards that Mr. Mozart had indeed not fully written out the piano part before he played it. This may be all very well in that world, but it sets a poor example to students in their assignments, and one can only think with trepidation of a concerto performance by our student orchestra with Herr Mozart. Examples such as this do not bode well for the due diligence we require at this university.

Naturally, he proved to be an entertaining man at dinner and spoke amusingly of his travels. It was perhaps significant that he and our colleagues seemed to have few acquaintances in common. One lady colleague was offended by an anecdote our guest told and left early. Which did not seem to bother him, as he made no apologies then or later. It would not be a stretch to presume that our Human Resources department would see activity should Herr Mozart be on staff.

We are glad as a faculty to have had the chance to meet the visitor, but do not see our way to recommending an appointment, and least of all with tenure. Our first need, as I have emphasized to your office, is for a specialist in music education primary methods.

Please give my regards to Herr Mozart when you write him. I am sure he will continue to do well in that verv different world he has chosen and which suits him better, I believe, than higher education.

Yours Sincerely,

Herr Doctor Y, Chairman Department of Music

Subject: Re: Secret Mozart Files!
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 15:29:04 05/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gary,

Wondeful! Thank you for injecting a little humour into the serious subject of Mozartianna.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Secret Mozart Files!
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 14:47:32 05/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gary,

Having taught for 2 years at a university medical school, I can only say...

RUN, WOLFIE, RUN!!!

Gary, you must have some real inside information here--it all rings true, all too true! A tour de force.

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: Secret Mozart Files!
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 07:27:16 05/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gary,

I'm glad that Agnes and Teresa got to you first.
Without reading their responses, after I finished reading your most stimulating information, I found all my senses unreactive. Dunno why. I find myself taking this as half-humour and half-truth.

C'mon Gary, me think you know a lot more my friend. Spill it.

Best regards,
Tel

Subject: Re: Secret Mozart Files!
From: Michael Mallon
To: All
Date Posted: 10:31:41 05/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Gary,

Thanks for the humorous post!

It's a bit scary, too... That sort of thing occurs in the world of Academia all the time. Our school nearly lost its best History Professor on account of (our very own) Herr Doctor Y's nonsense.

Thanks again!

Michael

Subject: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 06:43:40 05/15/04 ()
Email Address: webmaster@inspiredpen.4t.com
 

Message:
[Submitted by: Tel Asiado, for MozartForum]

CONTEMPORARIES OF MOZART:
Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck (1714-1787)

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 friends and colleagues.
Knew from reputation.
Taught to and nurtured as pupils and students.

Quoted from J.A. Hiller about Gluck, "Wochentliche Nachrichten" (24th October 1768): ... "Gluck's imagination is immense. The confines of all national music are thus too narrow for him: out of Italian and French music, out of that of every people, he has made a music that is his own; or rather, he has sought in nature all the sounds of true expression and conquered them for himself."

The Bohemian-German composer Christoph Willibald Gluck was born on July 2, 1714 in Erasbach, Upper Palatinate. His father, Alexander Johannes Gluck, was a forester and huntsman in the Upper Palatinate, now the western extreme of Czechoslovakia. Czech was Christoph Gluck's native tongue. The young Gluck went to school at Kamnitz and at Albersdorf near Komotau, where he first came in contact with music. In 1732 Gluck went to Prague to study. It's not certain whether he studied in a university or not, or where he cultivated his knowledge of French and Italian languages, but one thing was certain: music attracted him more and more at this time. While in Prague, he devoted himself to instrumental music. He was also an excellent singer, and most likely came in contact with opera at the houses of princely and aristocratic patrons. He earned some money by playing the organ at various churches, at the same time he gave singing and violoncello lessons.

At age 22, he left Prague and moved to Vienna, where the youthful Prince Ferdinand Philipp Lobkowitz took him into his service as chamber musician. He continued his musical studies and heard much Italian opera.
The following year, Prince Melzi heard about Gluck's talent and induced him to accompany him to Milan. There, he became chamber musician to Melzi as well as pupil of the Italian composer Giovanni Battista Sammartini. He became a very close friend of Sammartini, who also tutored him. During this time, he got exposed to many contemporary operas.

Gluck's first opera, "Artaserse," was given in Milan in 1741. The libretti was produced by Pietro Metastasio and the work was dedicated to the governor of Milan, Count Traun. The first performance was well received by the general public, although the rehearsal was critically judged by a select audience. Other operas by Gluck followed elsewhere in Italy, including "Cleonice" (originally called "Demetrio" ), "Demofoonte," "Tigrane," and "Ippolito." In 1745, at the invitation of Lord Middlesex, Gluck accompanied Prince Lobkowitz to England. On the way, they visited Paris where Gluck became acquainted with French opera and admired Rameau.

Gluck also performed operas in London during 1745-46, where he met Handel and the latter's music. Although Handel thought him to be a poor contrapuntist, they became friends. After further travel (Dresden, Copenhagen, Naples, Prague) he settled in Vienna in 1752 as Konzertmeister of the Prince of Saxe-Hildburghausen's orchestra, then as Kapellmeister. He also became involved in performances at the court theatre of French 'operas comiques' as composer and arranger, and he wrote Italian dramatic works for court entertainments. His friends tried, at first unsuccessfully, to procure a court post for him; but by 1759 Gluck got a salaried position at the court theatre and soon after was granted a royal pension.

In 1760, Gluck met the poet Ranieri Calzabigi and the choreographer Angiolini, and with them wrote a ballet-pantomime "Don Juan" (1761), which embodied a new degree of artistic unity. The next year they wrote the opera "Orfeo ed Euridice", the first of Gluck's so-called 'reform operas,' another libretto by Calzabigi. In spite of its disconcerting novelty, this opera made a tremendous impression, and enthusiastic admirers grouped themselves against advocates of the school of Metastasio (by now 64 years old). In 1763, he visited Venice and Bologna with Dittersdorf, the singer Chiara Marini and her mother. The singers of the newly built theatre at Bologna gave a concert for Gluck, who was to write an opera for them. This was "Il trionfo di Clelia," which he finished. But after a visit to Parma, he was recalled to Vienna. The following year, he composed an 'opera comique,' "La rencontre imprevue," and the next year two ballets. He followed up the artistic success of "Orfeo ed Euridice" with a further collaboration with Calzabigi, "Alceste" (1767), this time choreographed by Noverre; a third, "Paride ed Elena" (1770), was less well received.

In 1769, Gluck and his wife adopted his niece Marianne Hedler, who showed considerable musical talent in musical circles by her singing.

Gluck around this time decided to apply his new ideals to French opera, and in 1774 he gave "Iphigenie en Aulide" as well as "Orphee" a French revision of "Orfeo ed Euridice" in Paris. It was a triumph, but it also set the ground for a controversy between Gluck and Italian music (as represented by Piccinni) which flared up in 1777 when his "Armide" was given, following a French version of "Alceste" (1776). "Iphigenie en Tauride" followed in 1779, his greatest success, along with his greatest failure, "Echo et Narcisse." He now acknowledged that his career was over. Unwilling to give up new experiments and to repeat merely what the public wanted, he decided to leave Paris. He fell ill with several apoplectic seizures, recovered, returned to Vienna by end of October 1779, and retired from public life.

He revised "Iphigenie en Tauride" for German performance, and composed some songs, but abandoned plans for a journey to London to give his operas. In 1781 he suffered from a stroke which partly paralyzed him. At the command of Joseph II, the German version of "Iphigenie en Tauride" was performed. The following year, a special performance of Mozart's "Die Entfuhrung," which Gluck was anxious to hear, was arranged for him in August. He was much delighted that he invited Mozart to dinner. In 1783 Gluck went to Mozart's concert, where Mozart improvised variations on a theme from "La Rencontre imprevue." Notably, Gluck's relations with Mozart were friendly but reserved. This was due to the fact that Gluck patronized Antonio Salieri, Mozart's natural opponent, something the Mozarts were not sympathetic about. Leopold and Wolfgang were said to have mistrusted Gluck ever since their first visit to Vienna in 1768, and when Mozart went to Paris in 1778, Leopold Mozart instructed him to avoid Gluck.

Gluck died in Vienna in the autumn of 1787. He was widely recognized as the doyen of Viennese composers and the man who had carried through important reforms to the art of opera. Although his opera reforms were not exclusively his own, (several other composers notably Jommelli and Traetta, both like Gluck, were French-influenced), he worked along similar lines - outlined in the preface he wrote, probably with Calzabigi's help, to the published score of "Alceste." He said: "When I undertook to write the music of "Alceste," I resolved to divest it of all those abuses, introduced either by the mistaken vanity of the singers or by the too great complaisance of composers, which have so long disfigured Italian opera and made of the most beautiful of spectacles the most ridiculous and wearisome. I have striven to restrict music to its true office of serving poetry by means of expression and by following the situations of the story without interrupting the action or stifling it with a useless superfluity of ornaments ..." [Eric Blom's translation from Einstein's biography of Gluck in Dent's 'Master Musicians' series.]

Gluck aimed to make the overture relevant to the drama and the orchestration apt to the words, and to break down the sharp contrast between recitative and aria. "Orfeo ed Euridice" exemplifies most of these principles, with its abandonment of simple recitative in favour of a more continuous texture (with orchestral recitative, arioso and aria running into one another) and its broad musical-dramatic spans in which different types of solo singing, dance and choral music are fully integrated. In short, it had a simpler, direct plot, based on straightforward human emotions.

Gluck's historical importance rests on his establishment of a new equilibrium between music and drama, and his greatness in the power and clarity with which he projected that vision. He dissolved the drama in music instead of merely illustrating it. His convincing operas exerted a strong influence on his younger contemporary Mozart, into the 19th century, and perhaps beyond. His works include several operas (plus 'operas comiques'), four ballets, many vocal works, sonatas for two violins and bass, eight trio sonatas, and symphonies.

Music Suggestions:

Naxos (3) 8 660066/8 (147 minutes: DDD) Alceste
Decca 467 248-2DH Arias
Archiv Production (2) 459 616-2AH2 Armide
Erato (2) 22920-45002-2 Iphigenie en Aulide
Telarc Classics (2) CD80546 Iphigenie en Aulide
Decca compact Opera Collection (2) 470 424-2DOC2 Orfeo ed Euridice
EMI CDS5 56885-2 Orphee et Eurydice

Sources:

Blanks, Harvey. The Golden Road. Rigby Limited. (Australia. 1968)

Einstein, Alfred. Gluck. Translated by Eric Blom. McGraw-Hill Book Company, with revisions, J.M Dent & Sons Ltd. (New York, 1964.)

Kennedy, Michael. The Oxford Dictionary of Music, 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, (Oxford, 2001)

Sadie, Stanley (Ed.). The Grove Concise Dictionary of Music, The MacMillan Press Ltd, (London. 1994)

Sadie, Stanley (Ed.). The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Edition Groves Dictionaries. (New York, 2000.)

Liner Notes to the CD’s as noted above.

-- Tel Asiado 15.May.2004

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Marti Burger
To: All
Date Posted: 15:13:20 05/16/04 ()
Email Address: MartiBur@aol.com
 

Message:
Wonderfully written and reserched Tel!
Thanks for the enlightening and very informative essay.
I didn't know that Gluck was originally from the former Czech Republic.
I've always noted that in portraits of Maestro Gluck, he has a very kind face.
I remember outside galas in Vienna in the summertime in front of Schoenbrun Palace with fireworks and Gluck's music, and the announcer intoning, "von Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck" - a most impressive title, which Gluck later was awarded.
I also remember singing areas from "Orpheis and Euridice" when I studied music and voice at U.C.L.A. and later.......
Bests regards,
Marti :-)

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 07:13:18 05/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Marti,

So good to hear from you. Thanks a lot for sharing added info including your other experiences relating our man Gluck. Hmm, I wish I can hear you sing something from "Orpheus and Euridice." Big ask. One day perhaps?!

As I've earlier mentioned to Gary, I'm particularly interested and still pursuing in finding out any references about Gluck's relationship with Wolfie (as well as with his Daddy Leopold), and also Gluck's influence to Wolfie's music.

Hey Marti, Yahoo! has badly played up on me. I'm now receiving some emails but lost all the bouncing emails from the past few days. Hoping I haven't missed much from exchanges with Dais and Susi. Thank goodness, Wim has been very patient with my Website's May update.

Best regards,
TEL

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Michael Mallon
To: All
Date Posted: 10:21:27 05/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Tel,

Great article! I first became interested in Gluck after reading the Memoirs of Hector Berlioz. Berlioz's passion to keep Gluck's music alive during the first half of the romantic period (by organizing and conducting revival concerts, etc) was admirable. (Berlioz was to Gluck as Mendelssohn was to Bach.)

I thought I would find Gluck dull, but I was pleasently surprised. His orchestration, among other things, is beautiful!

A big Thanks to you and Gary for this being so dedicated to this wonderful series.

In haste,
Michael

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 12:56:13 05/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks, Tel, for such an excellent piece!

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 15:08:53 05/15/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Hi Tel, please accept my thanks as well! I enjoyed your article very much!

Robby

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 15:36:59 05/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 2

Message:
Dear Tellern.

As always, many thanks for your beautiful writing.
Love, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 01:51:45 05/16/04 ()
Email Address: webmaster@inspiredpen.4t.com
 

Message:

Dear Michael, Agnes, Teresa and Robby,

My pleasure! Thanks very much for your kind words. It's your appreciation that stimulates me further to share my efforts and time. And of course - Mozart who continuously inspire.

Michael - I'm glad that you mentioned Berlioz. Thanks! While I had Berlioz in mind about what you said, as I summarised my article, I didn't quite know how to include him. And yes, as far as I recall, it was Berlioz who succeeded in awakening new admiration in Paris, through 'Orphee' and 'Alceste,' when perhaps Gluck had almost disappeared from the stage at that time. I think it was also Berlioz who induced patroness Mlle Fanny Pelletan to finance the edition of some of Gluck's 'French' operas.

Best regards,
Tel

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 10:12:39 05/16/04 ()
Email Address:
 Message:

Dear Tel,

Belated kudos for your posting on Gluck. Certainly one of the great forces in the music world of those times. Even liked Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio K.384 when it premiered in Vienna. Wolfgang writes to Leopold on 7 August 1782:

"My opera was given yesterday--and that too at Gluck's request. He has been very complimentary to me about it. I am lunching with him tomorrow."

One wonders if they discussed opera in specifics at their meetings. It would be interesting to know if Gluck imparted his operatic concepts to Mozart; Figaro probably couldn't have used any of them, but there is more than a suspicion the Don Giovanni could have. As well, Mozart appears to have utilized a motif or two from Gluck's ballet on the subject; perhaps as a footnote of respect to the older master?

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: Contemporaries of Mozart: Christoph Willibald Gluck
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 06:52:10 05/17/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Gary,

G'day! G'day! Thanks very much for your great and as always, interesting thoughts, which I definitely share. I've been trying to find more info related to yours, in particular, the Mozarts' (father and son) relationship with Gluck, but so far I haven't been very successful in my research. If I ever find any, will fill you in and post it pronto.

I've also found a strategy in squeezing in some time for our CoM researches, amid work deadlines. Will be emailing you off the list later.

Best regards to you and Ellen. How are the roses?

Tel

Subject: Name that tune
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 16:42:49 05/14/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
This posting from ebay is very interesting. The manuscript has the broken accolade so characteristic of Mozart manuscripts. But what on earth is the tune? And the signature may be a copy of a real Mozart autograph. Note the letter "M" in the name Mozart. On every authentic Mozart signature, the letter M appears this way. In fact, the Mozart autograph on the Requiem score is suggested to be a forgery by Sussmayr precisely because of the shape of the letter "M." Whoever made up this postcard did not do the art work. It's very serious.

But what is the tune??

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: Hansen
To: All
Date Posted: 02:53:34 05/15/04 ()
Email Address: ueckert@uni-hamburg.de
 

Message:
In the MMV ("Mozart-Melodie-Verzeichnis" by Josef Zehetgruber) which
includes about 6000 melody phrases of Mozart there is no one
beginning with the notes as indicated on the postcard. The tune itself
is somewhat untypical for the beginning of a piece: A diminished triad
(D, F, A-flat) followed by another diminished triad (B, D, F) which,
taken together, would be a diminished seventh chord leading to C
major. Nowever, there is nothing noted further on the postcard.

Hansen

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 11:48:41 05/15/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
You are correct, of course, but I think that it is an attempt to write the first measure of the duet between Papageno and Tamino, the one in which Papageno sings with a lock in his mouth.

I examined the manuscript of Magic Flute and that duet is listed in Mozart's hand as "No. 6" though the ink is faded. The postcard says "No. 16" but that is also unclear.

The notes are wrong and the key is incorrect, but the shape of the tune as well as its rhythm, and the fact that it is the violin (though not written that way in the mansucript) that causes me to think that it is an amateur's attempt to duplicate that musical idea.

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: Hansen
To: All
Date Posted: 12:18:27 05/16/04 ()
Email Address: ueckert@uni-hamburg.de
 

Message:
Interesting theory! How did you get it?

Hansen

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 13:44:20 05/16/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
I must admit that this kind of an opening is not uncommon in Mozart. Bob Levin thinks it more closely resembles something in Cosi fan Tutte.

For $0.99 it might make a good investment.

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 20:36:01 05/19/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
Mozart wrote many concert and "insert" arias which are preceeded by an accompanied recitative.

That "tune" seems familiar to me and it might just be the beginning of one of those recitatives.

I'll go through my Complete Mozart Edition Volume 23 this weekend and try to determine which one it is. One thing for sure, that "tune" is not from Cosi Fan Tutte.

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: wim vingerhoed
To: All
Date Posted: 00:16:40 05/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I bought the card on e.bay,
Curious to hear what you can discover about the tune.
Wim.

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: Hansen
To: All
Date Posted: 04:01:18 05/20/04 ()
Email Address: ueckert@uni-hamburg.de
 

Message:
Congratulations for your purchase! I did also bid but were outbid
by you and another person. I supposed that a true Mozart fan must
have won – and so it is since you are one (as I know from your
postings).

Did you read my posting from May 15? Please, could you tell the
exact notes on the postcard because on the small picture I might have
read them not perfectly correct.

Hansen

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: wim vingerhoed
To: All
Date Posted: 06:53:07 05/20/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thank you for your congratulations!
Yes I shall give the card a good place in my collection.
When I have the card at home-I think in one week-
I shall send you a big scan special from the music..
I shall try to play the notes-zu hause am Klavier-
Wim

Subject: Re: Name that tune
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 16:08:17 05/21/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I found the "tune".

It is the opening measures of the recitative and concert aria for bass KV 432/421a: "Cosi dunque tradisci" ... "Aspri rimorsi atroci".

Notice that the first word of the recitative is "cosi".

It is in the complete Mozart edition volume 23 Disc 3 Track 11 sung by Robert Lloyd with the Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg conducted by Leopold Hager

I also once had an LP of Fernando Corena singing this aria.

Subject: Dr. Johann Heinrich Feuerstein.
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 19:07:34 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

What can one say about Feuerstein when in his biography about this "gentleman", Eric Offenbacher (Mozart-Jahrbuch 1993 and 1994)refers to his "deceptive and fraudulent personality").

It is not known where Constanze Mozart and her second husband, Georg Nissen met this person nor, for that matter, do we know how Nannerl Mozart met him, seeing that she was mostly confined to her bed. One must assume that Feuerstein, being a crafty manipilator,
visited Nannerl and impressed her so much that she
presented him with 8 of Leopold Mozart's letters addressed to herself and a copy of letter she herself wrote to her son Leopold in Linz dated August 10, 1806.

Feuerstein so impressed the Salzburg trio, that all three considered him a "worthy and deserving Mozart scholar"

It is difficult to believe that a man like Nissen, a long time diplomat and later censor of Danish newspapers, could fall under Feuerstein's spell. But then, Feuerstein petitioned the University of Jena to grant him his medical degree after only two years of study and involved the Grand Duke of Weimar in his machinations. Despite being the owner of a property, he was granted a "poverty certificate" to study medicine free. This same fraudulant situation was repeated again when he applied for medical
registration in Dresden. Here he was found to have copied all the answers for his exams from a book and when reprimanded, published a spitful booklet, "Der Dresdner Cursus" at his own expense, deriding the professor who had found him cheating.

So this was the man Constanze chose to complete Nissen's Mozart biography. The Nissen biography is considered by many Mozart scholars as a "scissors and paste job", but we will never know how a pedantic man like Nissen would have completed Mozart's biography.
Constanze sent all the material Nissen had collected to Feuerstein and empowered him to deal directly with the subscribers, and have them pay for the book directly to Feuerstein.

Constanze had spent thousands of gulden to have Nissen's Mozart biography published but when by 1830 Constanze had not recouped a single kreutzer, she began to worry and suspect Feuerstein's integrity.
There was considerable confusion regarding the distribution of the biography to subscribers.
A letter from Breitkopf & Hartel, the publishers of the biography,(dated April 14, 1832) bears testimony to the chaos Feuerstein managed to create:

" We are deeply sorry that you found cause to be dissatisfied with Dr. Feuerstein and cannot conceal from you the fact that he created many difficulties for us as well. Being totally unacquainted with commercial matters and particularly with commercial orderliness, the lists he submitted to us for the purpose of having us send out copies of the Mozart biography were compiled with little care, so that a great number of copies were returned to us, partly because the recipients had already received a copy directly from him".

It really was not a bad business for Feuerstein to receive money directly from subscribers and more from the publishers. No one knew how many subscribers had received the biography and how much money Feuerstein had collected.

In 1828 Feuerstein had moved from Dresden to Pirna. In 1829 Feuerstein's son, aged thirteen months died.
Feuerstein stole the child's body from the undertakers and placed it fully clothed in a cask, submerging it alcohol. He then sent the empty coffin to the cemetery for burial. It was not until 1837, when Feuerstein made one of his many appearances in the magistrate's court in Dresden, that this bizarre story became public knowledge. He had by then been divorced by his wealthy wife, had lost his collection of rare manuscripts and had spent all his own money, as well as Constanze's, on alcohol and drugs.

After the death of his son, Feuerstein lost interest in the Mozart biography but not in the income it generated. By 1830 he had received 1510 thalers which amounted to 3020 gulden of which Constanze received nothing.

When Constanze asked Feuerstein for proper accounting, Feuerstein was nowhere to be found. When Constanze eventually located him in a questionable neighbourhood in Dresden, Feuerstein in a letter denied ever to have received any monies from either subscribers or from Breitkopf & Hartel.

In desperation Constanze turned to the Royal Bavarian Assessor, Sattler, at the Provinicial Court of Justice in Altdorf near Nurnberg. On April 30, 1835 she wrote:

"...You were entirely correct. Dr. Feuerstein is no longer in Pirna but really in Dresden where I have located him through our local police. They were good enough to write on my behalf to the Magistrate in Dresden....The saddest part of it all is that, as the Magistrate wrote to me, he [Feuerstein] lives in poor circumstances, and when there is nothing, even the emperor has lost his power. So much for this very likeable man."

Constanze did not receive any money from Feuerstein, who went from bad to worse, frequently making court appearances for one thing or another. He lived in Fischerdorf, a street in Dresden inhabited by artisans, fish dealers, innkeepers and, generally, people of the lower middle class. He was still listed in the Dresden city register as Professor Doctor Feuerstein when he died on Janury 2, 1850 at the age of fity.

References:

Eric Offenbacher: "Linkage to Mozart"
Mozart - Jahrbuch, 1993 -1994.

Agnes Selby: "Constanze Mozart's Beloved"

Constanze Mozart's letters and diaries.

Kind regards,

Agnes Selby

Subject: Re: Dr. Johann Heinrich Feuerstein.
From: Tel Asiado
To: All
Date Posted: 22:16:53 05/13/04 ()
Email Address: webmaster@inspiredpen.4t.com
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,

Always appreciate your supply of great information as well as sharing your thoughts. And for your efforts, thank you ever so much.

Best regards,
Tel

Subject: Re: Dr. Johann Heinrich Feuerstein.
From: Marti Burger
To: All
Date Posted: 13:28:47 05/14/04 ()
Email Address: MartiBur@aol.com
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,
It is fascinating to read your detailed account of this sorry episode.
Yes Dr. Feuerstein must have been quite a charmer and persuader - leading people who fell under his spell to disregard their reason and common sense.
Or they may also not have known about his past and true character, of course.
What a shame for Constanze Mozart Nissen to have to go through this experience and great disappoinment to her.
But as Teresa remarked, at least "Dr." Feuerstein got his just desserts in the end.......
Very best regards,
Marti :-)

Subject: Re: Dr. Johann Heinrich Feuerstein.
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 02:53:32 05/15/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Marti,

Thank you for your nice comments. I forgot to mention that Dr. Feuerstein cut off his dead brother's hands and preserved them in alcohol. He seems to have had
a very non-spirutal affinity with spirits.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Dr. Johann Heinrich Feuerstein.
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 00:00:01 05/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Tellern,

Thank you so much. I too miss your contribution as I mentioned it to you privately.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Dr. Johann Heinrich Feuerstein.
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 04:46:15 05/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Herr Feuerstein,
that cheating quack,
was nicht so fine,
but quite a hack.

Fascinating story--Dr. Feuerstein seems to have gotten his just deserts, and Mozart lives on in perpetuity (while ol' DR. F just lives on as a perp.)

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: Dr. Johann Heinrich Feuerstein.
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 14:34:37 05/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Teresa,

Dr. Feuerstein! Who he?
A cheating quack for all to see.
He deserves a whack!
But where?
Oh, what the heck,
I will say it!
a place,
well below his back.

Many thanks for your poem.

Love, Agnes.

Subject: Re: Dr. Johann Heinrich Feuerstein.
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 16:02:20 05/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Agnes,

Love it!
Teresa

Subject: Mozart's copy of Violinsonata by Maria-Therese Bathilde d’Or
From: JanWillem Besuijen
To: All
Date Posted: 16:03:32 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I was scrolling down the list of KV deest works Dennis made, and came accros this sonata. I had never heard of it before (but I would really like to hear it!). Does the original work and/or Mozarts copy still exist? Or is it only mentioned in one of Leopold letters (or his catalogue of his son's works) and never found?

It would be interesting - while listening to it - to try to imagine why the child copied it out. He was obviously interested in this work (or some aspects of it). Or was it (the copying) just a little task Leopold gave him to refine his skills?

Perhaps Mozart in some way modelled his KV 6-9 and 10-15 on this sonata (that is, those written after the copying out of the sonata in Paris, 1764). Just a guess...

Thanks!

JanWillem Besuijen,
Netherlands

ps
Wim, hier is ie dan!

Subject: Re: Mozart's copy of Violinsonata by Maria-Therese Bathilde d’Or
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 19:00:09 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Mozart Copy of "Mademoiselle" Violin/Piano Sonata

In the 2001 Mozart Studien (vol. 11) Rudolph Angermueller brings
to light a copy Mozart wrote out of a Violin/Piano Sonata of a Paris
"Mademoiselle". What follows is the interesting story of this up to
now unknown Mozart copy, as Angermueller put it together. I cut
down or omitted some of the details not exactly pertaining to the
Sonata copy.

The Mozart family--father, mother, Wolfgang, and his sister Maria
Anna (Nannerl)--arrived in Paris on November 18, 1763, and
stayed until April 10, 1764. At the special invitation of the
Bavarian Ambassador, Count van Eyck, the familiy stayed at his
residence at the Hotel Beauvais. The Count was married to the
Salzburg Countess Maria Anna Felicitas Arco.

On December 1, 1763, Friedrich Melchoir von Grimm reported in
the 'Correspondance Litteraire' at length on the Mozart children.
Of Nannerl he reported she played the harpsichord in "the most
brilliant manner...with an astonishing precision". However the
majority of his praise went to her brother. The young Wolfgang,
"who will be 7 years old next February [in reality 8 years old the
next January] is such an extraordinary phenomenon that one is
hard put to believe what one sees with one's eyes and hears with
one's ears". Grimm follows with the now famous report of
Wolfgang's playing of difficult pieces, and his inspiration in
improvizing. In addition he reported the trick of playing the piano
with the keyboard hidden by a cloth laying over it and Mozart's
gift for sight reading. As for composing, Grimm thought Wolfgang
had a "marvellous facility".

On Christmas Eve the Mozart's went to Versailles for two weeks,
where they stayed "au Cormier, rue des bons enfants". On New
Year's Day 1764 the family was present at the court dinner. They
were graciously treated by Louis XV and his consort, Queen Marie
Leszczynska, and others at court. Wolfgang and Nannerl
performed before the Royal family and received 1200 livres, a
truely hugh sum. In his travel journal Leopold Mozart recorded:
"Duc d'Orleans and his son le Duc de Chartres and his daughter, la
Mademoiselle".

Interesting in our connection is "la Mademoiselle". She is Louise-
Maria-Therese Bathilde d'Orleans (born September 9, 1750 and
died January 10, 1822), at the time 13-years old. She was the
daughter of the Duc d'Orleans (Louis-Philippe d'Orleans), and
sister of Louis-Philippe-Joseph d'Orleans, who under the name
"Philippe Egalite" was to be guillotined in Paris in 1793.

In 1763 Louise-Marie-Therese Barthilde was in the Priory of Nuns
of the Madeleine-de-Traisnal. There she received musical
instruction on the Piano and Harp, as well as entering into
composition. One of her composition endeavours she dedicated to
Wolfgang Mozart: a Rondeau for Clavecin and Violin. Of this piece
three manuscripts have been preserved:

[A] the autograph of the composer from 1764 {in Bibliotheque
nationale de France, Paris; facsimilie page 192 of Mozart Studien};
[B] a copy of Wolfgang Mozart's from the same year {in private
possession; facsimilie page 193,194};
[C] a copy from about 1820 by Georg Nikolaus von Nissen {in
Bibliothek der Internationalen Stiftung Mozarteum, Salzburg;
facsimilie page 195,196}.

The manuscripts [B] and [C] have been unknown to research up to
now. Manuscript [C], which derives from Manuscript [B] as the
copying of the page division and exact repeats of all copying
errors shows, originated doubtlessly in the course of the
preparation of Nissen's 'Biographie W.A. Mozart' (Leipzig, 1828),
where the piece appeared reprinted on page 114-116, although
confusingly in the context of 1766.

From the evidence in the Mozart letters, along with these
manuscripts, Angermueller put together a reconstruction of the
what happened:

Mozart had become acquainted with the composing young lady
while in Versailles [we learn in later letters the Mozarts visited her
twice in the convent], where she also might have shown them her
Rondeau with the dedication. For Wolfgang this was the occasion
to copy out the composition: certainly with some mistakes and
omissions. [Angermueller points out several here.]

Father Mozart had looked over these mistakes, but probably would
have renounced making any improvements. As trusted chronicler
he was certainly most concerned that the circumstances were
captured, so for that reason it was of primary importance that the
"Dedication text" was carried on the copy of his son: "de la
Composition de S:A: Mademoiselle qui/prend la liverte de
presenter Son ouvrage/a Mr: Wolfgang Mozart", was written at the
top by Leopold.

The page [Manuscript B], for years carefully guarded, was finally
part of Mozart's estate, where Nissen must have found it during
his cataloguing work. From Nissen originated new and additional
remarks: first in the upper left corner the correct year "1764";
further a commentary on the composer.

In the by Leopold Mozart written text Nissen placed after
"Mademoiselle" a cross and repeated it at the bottom of the page
for an additional remark in parenthesis: "fille de Msgr le Duc
d'Orleans". With finer ink was the indication later--again by
Nissen--expanded in the lower right portion of the page in two
lines: "Kaiser Joseph would have married her, as his mother did
not consent, so he resolved never to marry."

In a further work stage Nissen wrote down Mozart's copy on a
single double page for himself [Manuscript C]. The purpose of this
might be explained in a later crossed out and not more completely
readable remark in the left upper corner of the first page:
"Belonged to pg.47...[?]". Consequently could the manuscript have
been meant for a Mozart biography. In this copy exists the same
copying errors (and even a few more), which indicated that the
piece never had been read through by an experienced musician as
Maximilian Stadler.

Nissen returned to the explanation inscriptions that had been
assembled over the course of time on Mozart's copy [B] on his
copy [C] with slight variations. The heading was this time formed
into its own title page: "Rondeau/de la composition/de S.A.
Mademoiselle/ (fille du Duc d'Orleans)/ qui pend la liberte de
presneter Son ouvrage/a/M.r Wolfgang Mozart". At the bottom of
the page the remark about Kaiser Joseph was repeated: "It was
said that Kaiser Joseph II was to have married this Princess, and
that as he was denied the consent of his mother, resolved never to
marry".

Nissen's note, repeated on page 114 of his biography of 1828, is
certainly uncomplete. Joseph II on October 6, 1760, had married
Maria Isabella, Princess von Bourbon-Parma of Spain in Vienna.
She died on November 27, 1763. On January 23, 1765, Joseph II
married a second time, to Maria Josepha, Princess of Bavaria, who
died on May 28, 1767.

Our "Mademoiselle" in 1770 married Louis-Joseph de Bourbon,
Prince de Conde, who in August 1766 invited the Mozart family to
Dijon, where the two children put on a concert.

Two more times Leopold Mozart mentioned the "Mademoiselle"
and her Violin/Piano piece in his correspondance: On February 5,
1778, he send Wolfgang in Mannheim a list of old Paris
acquaintances, including "the Mademoiselle d'Orleans, who is now
Madame la Duccesse de Bourbon. She had to you there dedicated
a short piano piece". And on February 9, 1778, he wrote to
Wolfgang "the most important people [to look up] are M. Grimm,
and Madme la Duchese de Bourbon, formerly Mademoiselle
d'Orleans, with whom we found Paisible on the two occasions
when we visited her in the convent, and who dedicated to you a
little piece for the piano, which she had composed herself...".

For the acquaintance extent of Mozart in Paris and Versailles in
1763/64 spoke the composition of the "Mademoiselle". A 13-year
old aristocrat "dedicated", as Leopold Mozart said, a Rondeau to a
7-year old Salzburger. Wolfgang-- and also his father--must have
been highly honored.

But Mozart attained high praise not only in Versailles. Friedrich
Karl von Bose wrote a flowery dedication in a book presented to
the "little Orpheus of seven years". In February 1764 Mozart's first
printed compositions appeared: two Sonatas for Clavecin with
accompaniment of a Violin, dedicated to Madame Victoire of
France, Opus I [K6 and K7]. On March 5, 1764, the 'Avant-
Coureur' devoted an article to this "extraordinary phenomena". In
this same month in Paris an anonymous poem appeared in praise
"of the children of M. Mozart". Then in April Wolfgang's Opus II
Sonatas for Clavecin with accompaniment of a Violin [K8 and K9]
appeared in print in Paris. Mozart was thus all the talk in the
Seine-metropolis.

dennis

Subject: Re: Mozart's copy of Violinsonata by Maria-Therese Bathilde d’Or
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 19:25:58 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Dennis,

A very wondeful article. All very interesting but I can't but feel sorry for little Nannerl who had to endure being just sort of mentioned in passing by Friedrich von Grimm, while he deservedly praised Wolfgang. But how did the little girl feel about all the fuss about her annoying, little brother? The more one reads about the little girl, Nannerl, the more one understands her bitterness in her later years.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Lieder -- for Bruce
From: Catherine
To: All
Date Posted: 12:42:33 05/13/04 ()
Email Address: ccarl@lacera.com
 

Message:
(This is in response to Bruce's reply under "What 20 CDs...")

Dear Bruce,

Nice to see someone coming to bat for Lieder! ANYone's Lieder! It's a truly underrated art form, a vast new musical world to discover, explore and enjoy. Unfortunately, full appreciation of it is difficult if time is not invested in reading the translations while listening, and in listening more than once. And the foreign language thing does turn a lot of people off, (to their loss, in my view).

I'm afraid Wolfgang's best can only approach the average Schubert effort, but, then again, for Wolfgang it was more of a "sideline", and for Schubert it was more of a "career", (since he wrote over 600 of the things and virtually perfected the genre!). But I agree with you that Wolfgang's ARE fun, and my musical life would be poorer had I not taken the trouble to familiarize myself with them. After all, it was doing so that led me to the appreciation of the form and its other masters. And such enrichment can't be a bad thing.

The recordings by Dutch soprano Elly Ameling included in Phillips "Complete Mozart Edition" series are superb, as she is a consummate interpreter of the form. A wonderful multi-disk set of Schubert selections by her is also available. (If you prefer the timber of a baritone, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's Schubert recordings are also excellent.) If anyone wants recording details, let me know--I'll be happy to provide them.

Catherine
Lieder Lover

Subject: Re: Lieder -- for Bruce
From: Bruce
To: All
Date Posted: 06:54:54 05/14/04 ()
Email Address: bfenster1@verizon.net
 

Message:
Thanks Catherine. I have the Ameling Mozart on a 2 LP set. I wasn't aware that it was part of the "Complete Mozart Edition". I would be nice to aquire it on CD.

Bruce

Subject: "Paris" Overture K.311a
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 20:15:26 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
I recently came across a used Lyrichord LP with two Haydn Symphonies and this Mozart "Paris" Overture conducted by Hans Swarowksy.

According the the notes on the LP jacket, Mozart composed a 2nd Paris Symphony and H.C. Robbins Landon believed that K311a could be that "lost" symphony.

I do not agree. I hear nothing of Mozart in that single-movement overture.

Has anyone else heard K.311a and have an opinion?

Subject: Re: "Paris" Overture K.311a
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 20:29:48 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: smithworld@earthlink.net
 

Message:
Dear Matt,

I've got a copy of that record as well, courtesy of Steve a couple of years back, and wrote a paper on it for the openmozart site. If it IS Mozart, it's been heavily modified from the original. It most likely isn't, though it is a work someone into Mozart ought to have knowledge of by having listened to.

It has been recorded only twice, once on the old Lyrichord LP and more recently, on CD as an EMI Classics double CD entitled:

Mozart a Paris 7243 5 73590 2 3

This CD set also has the fragmentary K.315f Double concerto for Violin and Piano and the ballet Les Petits Riens K.299b, all rare birds and making this CD set a good catch for youir collection. All the recordings are from the 50's and hence in glorious mono. The K311a here is a better recording than the Lyrichord one.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: "Paris" Overture K.311a
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 08:21:11 05/22/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
Gary:

I just received the 4 CD EMI set hoping that a different recording with better sound would change my opinion. Unfortunately it hasn't.

I hear nothing of Mozart in the "Paris Overture" K.311a. It sounds like something written by a French composer at the very end of the 18th or very early 19th century.

By contrast, although obviously a transcription by an unknown hand, I hear Mozart throughout the Sinfonia Concertante for Winds. Not just in the wind lines but in some of the orchestral material as well.

Subject: Re: "Paris" Overture K.311a
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 12:28:11 05/22/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
One more thing about K.311a:

Not only was it not included in the Philips Complete Mozart Edition; it was not even mentioned at all in the comprehensive booklet which accompanied the sampler!

Subject: Re: "Paris" Overture K.311a
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 11:44:11 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Gary...

Do you recall that a couple nonths back you brought a piece we played at a musicale. Part way through we both had that spark of recognition. Afterwords I mentioned how I was reminded of K311a. If I recall properly the piece was by a French composer, perhaps Gossec. Do you remember who, and/or what piece it was ?

Steve

Subject: Re: "Paris" Overture K.311a
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 00:33:19 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
In 1901 a set of parts titled "Overture for Grand Orchestra, by
Mozart" from around 1802-1806, was found in the Paris
"Impriemeric du Conservatorie" by Julien Tiersot, just in time to be
communicated in K2 (1905) that it could possibly be the lost
second Paris Symphony written for LeGros and talked of in the
Mozart letters. It was first performed in Dresden by Alois Schmitt
in 1903. From this time through the 1930's it was seen by Abert,
Schiedermair, Paumgartner, Haas, Wyzewa/St.Foix as "most likely",
"probably", "in the highest probability", "doubtlessly" as the
second Paris symphony. Adolf Sandberger published the Overture
in Bb, believing there was no doubt it was an authentic Mozart
work. His opinion was shared by many prominent scholars,
including Tennschert, Lewicki and St. Foix. Tennschert admitted
even though there was no doubt it was authentic Mozart, the
orchestration in the original printing presumably underwent some
"foreign retouchings".

St. Foix in fact devoted much print to the symphony he called
"Mozart's third French symphonic monument". He noted the
scoring was the same as The Paris Symphony K297, and believed
he heard Gretry's influence as Mozart's model, especially in the
Andante pastorale opening of the Overture in Bb. But even more
he heard Gossec's influence, specifically his Op.5/1 symphony.
St.Foix thought Mozart's "scoring distinguished by contrapuntal
force, solidity and marvelous brilliance". However he laid the seed
for future developments when he wrote "in studying attentively a
work such as the Bb Overture we cannot, despite its power and
real beauty, help being struck by something working rather in a
void, something which, as in several works of this period, at times
gives, too, the impression of skimpiness". Einstein inserted the
Overture in the main part of K3, giving it the number 311a.

By the 1950's the coin had flipped over on the Overture in Bb.
Ernst Hess, one of the most prominent Mozart specialists of the
time, came out against it on stylistic grounds in 1956. By 1965 K6
placed it in the Anhang for misattributed and doubtful works, Anh
C11.05, citing mainly Hess. K6 gave the number 311A to the still
considered lost second Paris symphony.

Neal Zaslaw in his 1989 "Mozart's Symphonies" is particularly hard
on the Overture, writing "it consists of two movements in a third-
rate imitation of a French operetta overture...It must be one of the
many forgeries committed in Mozart's name as his posthumous
fame grew".

The music critic Robert Dearling saw in the Lyrichord recording "a
rough grandeur due to forthright use of alto horns and timpani,
and should be sought as a rewarding curiosity".

dennis

Subject: Re: "Paris" Overture K.311a
From: Matt Dubin
To: All
Date Posted: 06:06:07 05/13/04 ()
Email Address: captnvideo@webtv.net
 

Message:
Dennis and Gary:

Thanks for all the information on the "Paris" Overture.
The Lyrichord jacket notes gave very little.

Matt

Subject: What 20 CDs should I purchase?
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 14:29:14 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Once in a while it comes up: Where do I start my collection of
Mozart recordings? Certainly there is no scientific answer. But I
thought if I was asked the question, what would I recommend.

The question is: "I have enough to buy 20 CDs. I want to start a
Mozart collection, and would like a good sampling of his music.
What should I buy?"

Well, here are the 20 CDs I would recommend. Remember we are
talking of starting a collection for a beginner, so not all choices
will be the "masterpieces" of that genre, but those I think a
beginner would like the most and then decide to continue on and
acquire more music.

Mass in c-minor K 427
Requiem K 626

Marriage of Figaro (Highlights CD)
Magic Flute (Highlights CD)

Symphonies #40 in g-minor & #41 in C-major "Jupiter" (coupled
on many CDs)
Symphonies #25 in g-minor and #29 in A-major (often coupled
together)

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525 (with the "Salzburg Symphonies
K135-138 if possible)
Posthorn Serenade K320
Haffner Serenade K250
Gran Paritta for winds K361

Piano Concertos #21& 20 (often coupled together)

Violin Concertos #3 and #5 (many times includes a third Concerto)
Sinfonia Concertante K364 (many times coupled with Concertante
K190 or a Violin Concerto)

Clarinet Concerto K622 and Oboe Concerto K314 (paired together
a lot)

Piano Sonata in A-major K331 "Turkish" (with another Sonata or
two for a throw in)
Piano Sonata in C-major K545 (The most popular of all Sonatas for
newbies, by far)

Piano/Violin Sonata in Bb K454
Clarinet Quintet in A K581
4 Flute Quartets
2 of the 6 Haydn String Quartets (my favorites K464 and K465)

Anyone else have a different (or altered) list? This type of
discussion could be a help to newbie record buyers at our Forum.
By the way most (if not all) of these selections can be found on
budget labels, helping a newbie save some.

dennis

Subject: Re: What 20 CDs should I purchase?
From: Andreas
To: All
Date Posted: 12:22:18 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I'll play, too!

I would put piano concertos in c minor, d minor and the last one.

One violin concerto will do.

The oboe concerto wouldn't make it to my "first 20". No way.

Flute quartets? Sure, they are nice, I like them a lot, but they are about as important as some ballroom dances.

Piano solo: sonata and fantasia in c minor. And throw in Rondo a minor and Adagio b minor. I would add more, but I play the piano so I'm biased.

No string quintets? Oh my.

And why so little vocal music? Maybe this forum is only for discussion of instrumental music? (Just kidding :) No Ave verum corpus? No Kyrie in d minor? And those little pieces for 3 voices and clarinets or alto clarinets?

Well ... just my 2 cents ...

andreas

Subject: Re: What 20 CDs should I purchase?
From: Bruce Fenster
To: All
Date Posted: 07:29:34 05/13/04 ()
Email Address: bfenster1@verizon.net
 

Message:
Very nice! I would however, somehow, make room for at least one of the piano quartets and a sampling of the lieder. It may not be the greatest lieder ever composed (or so I've read) but it’s a lot of fun and I wouldn’t trade it for any other lieder. I don't recall it ever being discussed here (hint).

Bruce

Subject: Re: What 20 CDs should I purchase?
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 21:29:19 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: smithworld@earthlink.net
 

Message:
Hi everyone!

OK, I wanna play!

I really can't make too many changes to dennis's list, but I'll tailor mine to fit my tastes. Commentary in [brackets] are mine.

Mass in c-minor K 427
Requiem K 626
[Excellent choices. If you want alternates, look for the "Coronation" Mass K.317, Ave verum corpus K.618 and perhaps "Exsultante, jubilante" K.165]

Marriage of Figaro (Highlights CD)
Magic Flute (Highlights CD)
[Or, Don Giovanni highlights. I can't say don't get either of the two above, these three are are all too good to not know. If you're leery of opera though, start with The Magic Flute]

Symphonies #40 in g-minor & #41 in C-major "Jupiter" (coupled on many CDs)
Symphonies #25 in g-minor and #29 in A-major (often coupled together)
[Nothing to add here. Excellent ones to start with]

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525 (with the "Salzburg Symphonies K135-138 if possible)
Posthorn Serenade K320
Haffner Serenade K250
Gran Paritta for winds K361
[Right on, dennis!]

Piano Concertos #21& 20 (often coupled together)
[Or, Piano Concertos 22 and 23, or 17 and 27, or......]

Violin Concertos #3 and #5 (many times includes a third Concerto)
Sinfonia Concertante K364 (many times coupled with Concertante K190 or a Violin Concerto)
[Again, can't improve these]

Clarinet Concerto K622 and Oboe Concerto K314 (paired together a lot)

Piano Sonata in A-major K331 "Turkish" (with another Sonata or two for a throw in)
Piano Sonata in C-major K545 (The most popular of all Sonatas for newbies, by far)
[K545 isn't just for newbies, or a beginner piece either, despite Mozart's title. That first movement is a classic example of sonata style. Once you understand how Mozart constructs it, you'll get a lot more out of all other works by him utilizing it]

Piano/Violin Sonata in Bb K454
Clarinet Quintet in A K581
4 Flute Quartets
2 of the 6 Haydn String Quartets (my favorites K464 and K465)
[I might substitute the Piano quartet in g K.478, or the Divertmento in Eb K.563, or the Serenade in c K.388 for wind octet. Heck, just go get THEM as well.]

That's always the trouble with a list of 20 works to get; there's always 25 that need to get listed.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: What 20 CDs should I purchase?
From: Bruce Fenster
To: All
Date Posted: 17:40:53 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: bfenster1@verizon.net
 

Message:
Very nice! I would however, somehow, make room for at least one of the piano quartets. Also, a sampling of the lieder. It may not be the greatest lieder ever or so I've read.

I don't recall it ever being discussed here (hint), but it's my favorite.

Bruce

Subject: Re: What 20 CDs should I purchase?
From: Bruce Fenster
To: All
Date Posted: 17:48:50 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: bfenster1@verizon.net
 

Message:
Sure wish I could edit what I just posted (another hint). My comment "but it's my favorite" is out of sequence and belongs to the previous sentence. I'm probably just making things worse.

Subject: Re: What 20 CDs should I purchase?
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 15:18:38 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thats a nice list and certainly there is no right or wrong answer to this one. I would make a couple changes though. I dumped the Flute quartets for Don Giovanni highlights. I dumped a couple serenades
in exchange for a couple more piano concertos. In the piano sonatas I traded K545 for K310. K310 is so dramatic with a stunning slow movement.

Regards

Steve

Mass in c-minor K 427
Requiem K 626

Marriage of Figaro (Highlights CD)
Magic Flute (Highlights CD)
Don Giovanni (highlights)

Symphonies #40 in g-minor & #41 in C-major "Jupiter" (coupled
on many CDs)
Symphonies #25 in g-minor and #29 in A-major (often coupled
together)

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525 (with the "Salzburg Symphonies
K135-138 if possible)
Gran Paritta for winds K361

Piano Concertos #21& 20 (often coupled together)
Piano Concertos #22& 24 (coupled ?)

Violin Concertos #3 and #5 (many times includes a third Concerto)
Sinfonia Concertante K364 (many times coupled with Concertante
K190 or a Violin Concerto)

Clarinet Concerto K622 and Oboe Concerto K314 (paired together
a lot)

Piano Sonata in A-major K331 "Turkish" (with another Sonata or
two for a throw in)
Piano Sonata K310 (paired with any other)

Piano/Violin Sonata in Bb K454
Clarinet Quintet in A K581
2 of the 6 Haydn String Quartets (my favorites K464 and K465)

Subject: Re: What 20 CDs should I purchase?
From: Bill Szep
To: All
Date Posted: 15:30:36 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hello all,

I consider myself a "beginner"! I started off with some cd's from Columbia House. These were flute quartets and then other wind instrumentals. I liked the light and airy sound they had and from these cd's, I was sure that I liked Mozart and wanted to hear more. I then felt that I wanted to buy more seriously and started to pick up complete sets, like my Naxos/Eder Quartet string quartets/quintets. I moved to the piano sonatas featuring Jeno Jando. Hopefully, I am going to take the plunge and buy the Brilliant Classics complete Mozart!

But what got me to want to reach out further and explore more areas of Mozart's music was the film, "Amadeus". In fact, I bought the sound track not long ago. If someone were to ask me what they should start out with for Mozart music, I would recommend this soundtrack. It has a lot of variety, it's well performed, and would inspire any beginner to listen to more!

Thanks,
Bill

Subject: S. Cal Musicale
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 11:37:48 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: ralstens@earthlink.net
 

Message:
The next meeting of the LA area Mozart enthusiasts is
this coming Saturday the 15th at my home in Valencia. Anyone that lives in or is visiting the LA area is welcome to attend. We generally start about 12:00 and go to 10:00 PM playing and discussing Mozart and his contemporaries. You can drop by for a couple hours or the entire day. Gary Smith as usual sets our program. For directions you can contact Gary or myself via mail.

Regards

Steve

Subject: Re: S. Cal Musicale
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 21:08:59 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: smithworld@earthlink.net
 

Message:
Hi everyone,

Yes, do show up! You needn't show up at the start, or stay all the way. Come when it's convenient; leave when it's convenient as well. If you have a request, let me know early on. Between all of us, we can usually pull out what you want to hear. There's always surprises, as well.

If you've ever thought on attending, please consider taking that last step and show up. At the start, none of us knew one another except via such postings as these. When we all found out that we each don't bite and tolerate company fairly well, we kept going and now have run about XXV musicales and don't plan to stop. The next move is, of course, yours.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: S. Cal Musicale
From: Teresa
To: All
Date Posted: 06:24:08 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi Gary and Steve,

So why do you guys have to live way over there in California??? At any rate, I guarantee, when I can arrange to get away from my day job and get out there, you'll find me at your doorstep.

I'll be awaiting your summary of the next musicale on the forum, though!

All the best, Teresa

Subject: Re: S. Cal Musicale
From: Michael Mallon
To: All
Date Posted: 12:48:41 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Steve and Gary,

Sounds great! It's a pity we east coasters have to miss out on all the fun.

I look forward to the recap as well!

Take care,
Michael

Subject: Three posts about Eybler
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 08:58:22 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
Two posts follow this one. This posting plus the other two pictures of Eybler show him at what may be considerably varying ages. The first post is part of this message and is an engraving. It appears that it shows him at the earliest age, though I am not sure.

Does anyone know the estimated ages of Eybler at each of these three stages of his life, or can anyone estimate better than I can how old he might have been when these images were created?

Normally, images in photo compilations will state the year when the image was made, or even the age of the person at the time of the image. But not these three.

Subject: Post 3 of 3
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 09:01:33 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
This is the final post of the three about Eybler.

Subject: Post 2 of 3 about Eybler
From: Dan Leeson
To: All
Date Posted: 09:00:15 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: dnleeson@sbcglobal.net
 

Message:
This is post 2 of 3.

Subject: My guess
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 11:10:52 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Of course this is pure guesswork as I have no knowledge about the history of any of these images.
My guess would be from the medallion to the b&w painting....

22,45,65

Steve

Subject: Re: My guess
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 20:56:08 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Hi everyone,

If I had to guess, the right profile engraving shows Eybler with long, say pre-Revolutionary lengthed hair, since it got much shorter from Mozart's time up to say the very early 1800's. Since this is laid out as a sort of "official" portrait, I would venture that it was done in conjunction with either Eybler's appointment as head of the choir at the Carmelite Church in 1792, or when he moved to the same post at the Vienna Schottenkloster in 1794. This would make him around 27-29.

The second picture, in color, shows him dressed similar to men in portraits in my books on Beethoven, such pictures dating from say 1812 to 1825. In 1824 he succeeded Salieri officially as Court Kapellmeister in 1824, so it could have been then, but he would have been 59. He became Salieri's assistant in 1804, so the hair seems right, the clothes maybe, and he would be 39 at that point.

The final picture of an elderly Eybler most likely was done when he was raised to the nobility in 1835, two years after suffering a stroke (ironically while conducting Mozart's Requiem), so he would be 70 in this one.

Just my guesses.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 20:45:22 05/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Famous Works Series

K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”

2nd of the last three symphonies (K.543, K.550 and K.551) Pt. 2

This is another in the series of short background articles on famous works by Mozart.

Many mysteries, questions and speculations will be found in regards to the last three symphonies of Mozart. He had composed 15 piano concerti since coming to Vienna, but only 3 symphonies, and two of them (the “Haffner” and “Linz”) were originally for other venues. The third symphony, the “Prague”, might not have gotten premiered in Vienna either, as we have no concrete proof that it did, though the odds are very good for this to have happened. So, didn’t Vienna like symphonies? The simple answer here is that Mozart had written early on to his father in Salzburg (once he’d established himself in Vienna), asking that various older symphonies be sent to Vienna for concert use, works the Viennese were unfamiliar with. That would offer one good explanation why he felt no need to compose more. But then, why three large-scale works now?

As discussed in the first installment of this series, good evidence would appear to show that Mozart was composing these last three works for use beyond just concerts in Vienna. Most likely, they were for the music publisher Artaria, as part of a larger series of symphonies produced by other leading composers. Hard (enough) times had settled upon the Austrian Empire that this series was delayed and most likely reduced in scope. The possibility exists as well that Mozart was composing these for use on a projected trip to England. His English friends (the Storaces, Thomas Attwood and Michael Kelly) had left in early 1787 to return to London. We have, through Leopold, evidence that Mozart was planning to travel to London himself, as well as evidence that Attwood was attempting to use his connections to open doors for him there.

Specifically, for Mozart to compose an opera or stage a subscription concert series. Such a series, of course, to no doubt include new works. In the end, plans for a trip never firmly materialized. However, it is not out of the question that since symphonies played a bigger role in the musical world of London than Vienna, Mozart might well have planned for their use or sale there. In the end, though, Mozart was an imminently practical composer, so with no firm prospects in England to hang a hat on, this potential reason for composing symphonies should be regarded as secondary (or even tertiary) at best.

There are scattered about Europe orchestral parts from the last three symphonies that can be dated (by their paper and copyists) to around this time, but not specifically to it. However, we do have one set of parts that have a highly interesting background.

Cliff Eisen, in his article “Another look at the ‘corrupt passage’ in Mozart’s G minor symphony, K550” (Early Music Aug 1997 pgs. 373-381), covers the details regarding this set, which is located in the Landeskonservatorium library in Graz, Austria. This copy is partly in the hands of Viennese copyists, one of whom worked on other Mozart copies (while Mozart was alive) dating from the later 1780’s. The Graz manuscript is also partly in the hands of Salzburg copyists who worked for the Mozart family there. To see this in a work produced after Mozart’s death (and therefore in the 1790’s) would mean that Constanze would have had to be in contact with Nannerl in Salzburg during that time period, something we know did not occur. This mixture of copyists could realistically occur only while Mozart was alive.
Much more significant are the correction changes in the Graz copy. Mozart made various changes to the Andante of K.550 on his autograph. Some were accomplished by writing out on a separate page a new version of some bars, and signaling for the cancellation of the original bars directly on the autograph with the notations ‘vide Pag: 1’ and ‘vide Pag: 2’ respectively. Other corrections were made by him such as canceling out the bars in the autograph and adding in free hand corrected bars. All the corrections noted in Mozart’s autograph appear in the Graz copy, but some in the violin section were revised in the Graz copy with paste overs onto Mozart’s original version. So, despite Mozart’s clear indications, the copyist would have had to write down the “wrong” crossed out bars first, then supply a paste-over to correct his error. All the other corrections in the Graz copy duplicate Mozart’s autograph. Or, the copyist correctly copied the violin bars in question from Mozart’s autograph before Mozart made his changes here, and then supplied paste overs for these bars when he completed the balance of the copying after receiving Mozart’s revised autograph. Which means that these orchestral parts were being produced while Mozart was still working on this symphony. This would strongly indicate a performance in the near future. Finally, Mozart added two corrections himself to this manuscript, each in a different location. No other copy of any other orchestral manuscript can claim to have material in it from Mozart’s own hand. As Cliff Eisen states: “It is difficult to escape the conclusion that the Graz manuscript of K.550 represents Mozart’s own performance parts for this work.”

One does not pay to produce parts for performance then hide them in a drawer for posterity. This evidence strongly suggests that K.550 would have seen at least one performance while Mozart was alive. We have program notes from some concerts Mozart gave that state that a new, grand symphony is to be performed at them, with unfortunately no description of the work meant by the notes. However, there is evidence from one specific concert that would indicate that one of the last three was played; specifically K.550. The Tonkünstler-Societät (the Society of Musicians) held two pairs of annual concerts to collect money to aid the widows and orphans of member musicians. In 1791, at the Lenten concerts, which took place on 16 and 17 April, the opening work was ‘Eine neue grosse Simphonie von Herrn Mozart.’ It is hardly likely that Mozart could or would try to palm off an older work on such an informed group of musicians. This description could, realistically, be any of the last four symphonies, if we include the “Prague.”
However, each one of the last four works has a different wind arrangement. As it turns out, we have the manuscript list of the Society’s performers for these two concerts in question. The orchestra included flutes, oboes and clarinets; the latter played by the Stadler brothers, both good friends of Mozart. Of the last four symphonies, only K.550 in its revised form utilizes all three of these instruments. While it is possible for Mozart to have offered any one of the last four symphonies for use here and hence leave out the unneeded woodwind players, would he have let his friends the Stadlers be the ones to sit this one out?

It’s hard not to believe here that a large and elegant Viennese audience heard K.550 performed on these dates, directed by—of all people—Antonio Salieri, one of the major directors of the Society. In fact, it was probably the last time Mozart heard such a large orchestra perform any of his works. The Society’s concerts usually commanded an orchestra of around 100 players; triple that of the standard orchestra of the time. Further, since this was a charity event, everyone contributed their time (and music) gratis, meaning that Mozart could at best reap only celebrity from the concerts.

When we discussed the first symphony of this last trilogy, we recalled Sir Donald Tovey, the great English musical essayist, describing Symphony #39 as “…a triumph of euphony.” As well, Klaus G. Roy wrote, it “…sings above all of beauty, of luxuriant sound, of wisdom sought for and gained.” Whether one agrees with these statements or not, Mozart chose to start this set with a luminous, warm and attractive work. As mentioned, it might have been a tribute to the inner peace Masonry provided him. Or, it may simply be (assuming there is simplicity in here) a deliberate contrast to the melancholy of the following Symphony #40 in g K.550.

In his book Mozart’s Symphonies: Context, Performance Practice, Reception Neal Zaslaw writes “In addition to being a pillar of the repertory and one of the most flawless exemplars of the classical style, the G minor symphony is a key work in understanding the link between musical classicism and musical romanticism, and perhaps even a mournful hint at what Mozart might have composed had he lived a normal lifespan.” Certainly this work is cast in a pervasive mood and style. The special coloring of this work is illustrated by a quote coming from Mendelssohn. Franz Liszt had declared that the piano could produce the essential effects of an orchestral score. “Well,” said Mendelssohn, “if he can play the beginning of Mozart’s G minor Symphony as it sounds in the orchestra, I will believe him.”

The opening movement (marked Molto Allegro) of this work very subtly puts us on edge right at the start. Mozart opens with a single measure of apparently nervous accompaniment, which means here that it is waiting alone for a theme to be the accompaniment to. The first theme subject group ends up being symmetrical when it finishes, but Mozart realizes this with odd-numbered measures interspersed within the group. However, the single opening measure is not balanced; to do so would mean to extend it to two or four measures. As Mozart intends, we are thus subtly off-balance immediately, even before the opening theme commences, and without a fuss or fireworks or opening introduction.

The opening theme, as well as the melodic phrasing that follows, uses the falling semitone to the dominant, which is the technical way of saying that they descend at their ends, a standard convention for stating plaintive sadness. It is all incisive music, attaining its strength by its choice of keys, its imperceptible subtleness and its concentrated compositional approach, instead of by massive means. The entire movement is thus concise and taut, moving chromatically across its length. Like Beethoven’s 5th in C minor, both are constructed compactly on a recurring motif which is really only a mere interval. As well, Mozart uses various motifs that could fit well in any opera buffa score, were they not shrouded in the keys and situations Mozart places them here in this work. Mozart’s exquisite transition from the close of the development to the opening of the recapitulation is worthy of mention. Despite the large number of allusions to its arrival, Alfred Einstein remarked that it “…makes its appearance almost imperceptibly” which allows Mozart to make us realize that the recapitulation has begun before we are truly aware of it. The exquisite effect of this “dovetailing” seemingly never loses it effect, which has been described as the changeover of a face from angry despair to melancholy sadness. Mozart gives us a short coda to close the movement, which resolves none of the mood he created before its arrival.

The second movement Andante presents us with a rhythmic motif and a flowing main theme in E Flat major. There is a clarity of sound here, and in time one feels a sense of inexorable motion of music of great beauty, punctuated with unexpected, sharp bars of overflowing sadness, as though the sun were suddenly blocked out by dark, ominous clouds. In the recapitulation, Mozart combines the main theme and the rhythmic motif in such a fashion that it might be called predestined, had we not known that, of course, it was planned out from the start. This is another of those movements where Mozart conjures up whole worlds by use of economical means that no other contemporary composer had a clue of how to utilize.

The Menuetto (marked Allegretto) has lost its courtly pretence in Mozart’s hands. Back in G minor, this movement is grim, incisive and dramatic. Cutting dissonances, elliptical phrases, odd accents and syncopations, all serve to keep the listener’s attention, as opposed to the beat or the melody. Towards the end of the minuet a gorgeous pyramid of melody is contrapuntally built up from the theme. Only in the trio (which switches to G major) do we get a respite from the enormity of this work. Here Mozart gives us sweet, ingratiating music (as a reminder perhaps, of what once was, or is, elsewhere?); simple, clear and almost taunting in its context within this work.

The finale (marked Allegro assai) takes off with a deceptively understated “Mannheim rocket” theme punctuated with forte chords as a closing. The secondary theme is heard a total of 8 times; four in the major, four in the minor, and each following one a subtle variation on the preceding one. The beginning of the development has been called the most daring in all of Mozart’s works, virtually turning into a 12-tone theme. Fragmented and spinning wildly, Mozart moves the music along with halts and starts, almost as though it were a trapped animal seeking a way out of its cage of bars. The recapitulation thus gives it a way to “escape” back into just being aggressive and not happy. The ending coda is short, uncompromising and gives us little concession towards being a resolving ending, let alone a happy one.

Whether or not one feels that this work is a “…uniquely moving expression of grief…” (there are many who do not), it is an absolutely personal expression by Mozart. With all its hidden skill and subtlety, it speaks to our emotional side. The argument will long continue as to whether it did so in Mozart’s time, or whether we have all become so used to the Romantic influence in music that any precursory music that uses elements of the Romantic style must therefore have similar Romantic meanings. The counter argument is, of course, that by means of such unique works as K.550, the Romantic style was given its foundation and owes those works an eternal debt of gratitude.

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Bruce Fenster
To: All
Date Posted: 08:40:45 05/17/04 ()
Email Address: bfenster1@verizon.net
 

Message:
Special thanks for the description of the individual movements at the end. I really enjoy that sort of analysis. In my humble opinion, it was superb and moving. Woohoo!

Bruce

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 01:54:59 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:

Dear Gary,

Yours is a most interesting article.

May I add that Salieri did not only premiere K550
but in July 1791, Salieri arrived in Prague for the coronation of Leopold II with no fewer than three Mozart Masses in manuscript form. These were K258 (the Piccolomini Mass); K317 (the Coronation Mass); and K337. Salieri, in fact, conducted these works at three different coronations - twice for Leopold II in Prague and Vienna and once for Francis II in 1792. In addition to these three Masses, Salieri also conducted the splendid chorus from Thamos K345 as well as the D minor Offertorium Misericordias Domini
K222.

On 24th December 1789 Salieri arranged the first performance of Mozaert's Clarinet Quintet K581 at a concert presented by the Tonkunstler Societat.

He was not really such an awful person as history has made of him.

Thank you again for the illuminating article.

Kind regards,
Agnes.

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Andreas
To: All
Date Posted: 15:57:01 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Not an awful person at all! Glad to hear that. Arranging performances of Mozart's music ... a bitter rival wouldn't do that. Thanks for posting that.

So he conducted the premiere of the g minor Symphony, this is really interesting. When and where was it? I really thought we didn't know when the work was performed first, but apparently I was wrong.

andreas

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Gary Smith
To: All
Date Posted: 20:36:05 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Andreas,

Well, we aren't sure if K.550 was premiered as noted in my posting above. The evidence would show that it was likely, but this is far from conclusive. Since Cliff Eisen's studies would show that had the work copied out almost certainly for a performance, we can feel fairly sure that it got a hearing during Mozart's lifetime. Nailing down a date is the hazy area.

Regards,

Gary

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 20:28:52 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
It seems Salieri premiered the work at the Tonkunstler Society in 1789. He often performed this work at his own concerts.

Regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Andreas
To: All
Date Posted: 10:37:55 05/13/04 ()
Email Address: andreaswam@netscape.net
 

Message:
Thank you very much, Gary and Agnes! But now I'm confused. Gary says we don't know if it was played in Mozart's lifetime and you say it was, and you give the date and place. So what gives? I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you mean by "it seems"? Gary, do you have the same information as Agnes?

I apologize for so many questions, but this time I got confused.

tia,
andreas

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Agnes Selby
To: All
Date Posted: 17:25:24 05/13/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Dear Andreas,

Sorry about the confusion. My understanding comes
from the biography by John Rice, "Antonio Salieri - and Vienese Opera". This may not be correct, however, because sometimes even large tomes, such as this one, carry the wrong information.

On page 393 in his "Mozart A documentray Biography",
Otto Erich Deutsch mentions that the G minor Symphony
may have been the "Grand Symphony composed by Herr Mozart", listed in the program to be performed on
Saturday the 16th and Sunday 17th April 1791 for the Tonkunstler Society and conducted by Salieri. This, according to Deutsch, could have been "the second version which includes clarinets (according to the list of musicians present, including Anton and Johann Stadler who were both clarinetists and discovered by H.C. Robbins Landon in the City Archives in Vienna).

None of this is conclusive evidence and with new information always coming forth, Gary is most probably right.

Kind regards, Agnes.

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Andreas
To: All
Date Posted: 09:47:31 05/14/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thank you very much, Agnes, this was really helpful.

andreas

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 11:31:04 05/12/04 ()
Email Address: ralstens@earthlink.net
 

Message:
Thanks for the great article Gary. This has long been my favorite of Mozart's symphonies.

Regards

Steve

Subject: Re: K.550 Symphony # 40 in g “Great”
From: Steve Ralsten
To: All
Date Posted: 11:27:08 05/12/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks for the nice article Gary. This has long been my favorite of the symphonys.

Steve

Subject: Some notable birthdays
From: Robby Bonkowski
To: All
Date Posted: 19:46:00 05/11/04 ()
Email Address: ageokid@aol.com
 

Message:
Tommorow, May 12th, is the birthday of:

Johann Baptist Vanhal (1739-1813)

Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754-1812) and

Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824)

Subject: Images updates
From: MozartForum
To: All
Date Posted: 09:30:53 05/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Several new pictures have been added to the Locations
portion of our gallery. These new additions are courtesy of

Victor Chang
Emmanuelle Sayag-Pesqué
Wim Vingerhoed

Thanks for your help

Subject: Re: Images updates
From: Bill Szep
To: All
Date Posted: 18:20:19 05/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
Thanks for contributing these pictures! The WWII photo was powerful, to say the least.
Bill

Subject: Mozart Not in Kochel
From: dennis
To: All
Date Posted: 06:55:13 05/11/04 ()
Email Address:
 

Message:
I have put together a list of compositions not in any of the Kochel
Catalogues (K.deest) to aid people on the Forum who use the
Köchel listings. I have intentionally kept the information as slight
as possible, attempting to limit any section to no more than 2
sentences. If anyone has more interest in a work, I am sure myself
or someone else on the Forum would be happy to elaborate. As it
would extremely difficult to place these in chronological order, I
have placed them in broad categories—not following any NMA or
other order.

I had difficulty deciding what to include here. For the most part I
have stayed with music that is authentic Mozart. There are so
many pieces of music misattributed to Mozart that are not listed in
Köchel that one could spend a lifetime looking them up. However
a few which are rather well known, or have been discussed with
some frequency I have included.

Also for drafts and sketches, I decided (entirely arbitrarily) to
include some and disregard others. I included those that appeared
to me to be of interest. Many sketches are so short and
undeterminable I just decided to forget most of them here—
perhaps another posting at another time.

I have also tried to list where these pieces can be found in score
and/or facsimile, for more information. The following sources are
the most commonly used:

“NMA IV:20ii” means the issue of the main section of the Neue
Mozart Edition [Series: Workgroup: Volume].

Konard “Sk” or “Skb” is the listing in Ulrich Konrad’s book ‘Mozarts
Schaffensweise’—and most of the time the listing in NMA volume
of Sketches [X:30:3].

A “Fr” number is the listing in the NMA volume of Fragments [X:
30:4].

Many times some of these pieces are in more than one volume of
NMA, so I only listed one.

I. Church Music

Sketch of 30 measures to beginning of a Gloria(?) and 9 measures
in the Credo (“Crucifixus”) for a Mass n C, perhaps K257; dating
1776. [Konrad Sk 1776a and Sk 1776b]

II. Music for Stage and Theater

Ballet for Ascanio in Alba -- On September 7, 1771, Leopold
Mozart reported Wolfgang had to compose the ballet to this
Serenata. In the autograph of ‘Ascanio’ after the last number are
three pages in a copyist’s hand of the bass part of 8 numbers of a
ballet. Nrs.2 and 3 of this ballet correspond to Nrs.4and 5 of Piano
Pieces K.Anh 207. [NMA II:5:v, Anh.—Ascanio in Alba]

Sketches for “Idees pour l’opera serieuse”—1st sketch of 8
measures headed “Presto” and text “ho risoluto’, probably for
introduction to Aria or section from Recitativo accompagnato.
Second sketch (8 measures) headed “Choro”. No doubt for a
planned opera. Dating 1787 [Konrad Sk 1787f].

Mozart contributions to Stein der Weisen -- In manuscript of
opera found in Hamburg sections attributed to Mozart. Opera
premiered in Vienna in 1790.

III. Arias
15 Italian Arias--In “Leopold Mozart’s list of 12-year old son”, he
cites “15 Italian Arias, composed partly in London, partly in The
Hague”. Neal Zaslaw has identified 5 of these (K21, K23, K.deest
“Quel destrier”, K78, 79).

“Quel destrier, che all’albergo e vicino” (Lost)--Constanze Mozart
told B & H in 1799 she owned this Aria, contained in the Capricci
booklet. Perhpas one of 15 Italian Arias listed in “Leopold Mozart’s
list of 12-year old son”.

Aria for daughter of Joseph Wolf Olmitz (Lost)— In letter of May
28, 1778, Leopold Mozart writes of Dr. Wolf: “It was for his little
daughter that Wolfgang composed his Aria at Olmitz long ago”.
The Mozart’s were in Olmitz in November 1767 and December
1767.

5 Metestasio settings (Lost) -- In his letter from Vienna of July 30,
1768, Leopold Mozart wrote Wolfgang wrote music for Metestasio
Arias placed before him at the houses of 5 different persons.

“Cara. Se le mio pene”— Soprano Aria discovered in set of parts;
no doubt belongs to 1760’s. Because of apparent solo setting of
accompaniment, probably for house use. Plath speculates possibly
above Aria for daughter of Dr. Wolf. [NMA II:7:I—Arias v.1]

Aria for Gretl Marchand—(Lost) On July 21, 1784, Mozart wrote
home he would compose Aria for Gretl but she should choose a
text. Most commentators believe Aria was either lost or never
started.

Sketch of a bass aria in B flat—28 measures in one part without
text. Konrad believes possibly to German Opera K416a; dating
1783. [Konrad Sk 1783c]

Accompanied Recitative “Ah cosa veggio” to “Vado, ma dove”
K583--Recitative found in conducting score of ‘Il burbero di buon
cuore’ in Vienna. Aria dated October 1789, and revived opera
premiered in Vienna on November 9, 1789.

Accompanied Recitative “No caro fa corragio”—Recitative to insert
Aria of Cimarosa in opera ‘Laquacquera spirtuosa’ given in Vienna
in August 1790. Recitative attributed to Mozart in score.

Accompanied Recitative "Ah, da me s’allontani" to Aria “che non
sei capace” K419—Found in bundle of music given in a Vienna
performance of extracts from Paisiello’s ‘Fedra’ in April 1791,
connected to Aria.