If you wanted to print anything by my son, the best time would be between now and then: you’ve only got to say what you consider most appropriate. It could be keyboard pieces or a trio for 2 violins and cello, or quartets, that is, with 2 violins, a viola and cello; or symphonies for 2 violins, viola, 2 horns, 2 oboes or flutes, and bass. In short, it could be any sort of piece that you think will make a profit, he’ll write anything as long as you can let us know soon. In the meantime my wife received the 78 fl. 30 kr. while I was away: I remain in great deference
Your Worship’s
Most Obedient Servant
Leopold Mozart
Have you had any more news of our friend Herr Grimm? – Have any of the portraits and sonatas been sold?5
On 14 March, Hieronymus Joseph Franz de Paula, Count Colloredo, prince-bishop of Gurk, was elected archbishop of Salzburg, a position he would hold until 1803. Mozart’s serenata Il sogno di Scipione was performed as part of the celebrations celebrating his accession. Originally composed for the 50th anniversary of Siegmund von Schrattenbach’s ordination (but never performed due to his death), the serenata was reworked by Mozart to reflect the very different occasion on which it was to be performed. On 21 August, Colloredo converted Mozart’s appointment as third concertmaster in the Salzburg court music to a paid position and on 27 October, Leopold and Wolfgang set out again for Italy, arriving at Milan on 4 November, where preparations for his opera Lucio Silla were underway.
38. Mozart to his mother, 7 November 1772, Milan
Don’t be alarmed at finding my own handwriting rather than Papa’s; the reasons are as follows: Ist, we’re at Herr von Asti’s, and Baron Cristani is here and they’ve so much to talk about that he doesn’t have time to write. And, 2nd, he’s too – – – lazy. We arrived here safely at noon on the 4th; we’re well. All our good friends are in the country and at Mantua, except for Herr von Taste1and his wife, who have asked me to give you and my sister their best wishes. Herr Myslivecek is still here. There is no absolutely no truth in the reports of an Italian war about which people are talking so much in Germany or about any fortifications to the castles here. Sorry my handwriting is so bad. If you write, just write straight to us, as it’s not the custom here, as it is in Germany, for people to carry letters around, but they have to be collected from the post, and so we go and collect them every post day. There’s nothing to report from here, we await news from Salzburg. We hope you’ll have received the letter from Bozen. I can’t think of anything else, so I’ll close. Best wishes to all our good friends. We kiss Mama 100, 000 times – I didn’t bring any more noughts with me – and I kiss Mama’s hands, and prefer to embrace my sister in person rather than in my imagination.
[ Wolfgang’s postscript to his sister; entirely in Italian ]
Dearest Sister,
I hope you’ve called on the woman you know who I mean. Could I ask you if you see her to give her my best wishes. I hope and do not doubt that you are in good health. I forgot to tell you that we met the dancer Sgr Bellardo here, whom we knew from The Hague and Amsterdam and who attacked the dancer Sgr Nieri with his sword because he thought it was because of him that he’d not been allowed to dance in the theatre. Addio. Don’t forget me. I am always your faithful brother
Amadeo Wolfgango Mozart
[ Leopold Mozart’s postscript ]
We spent Wolfg.’s name day most enjoyably with the 2 Pizzini brothers in Ala. We also broke our journey in Verona, which is why we reached Milan later than planned. The weather is always fine here – it rained only once on our journey, during the afternoon of the day after St Simon and St Jude, 2 that was all. Keep well! Addio!
Best wishes to all our friends.
We’ve seen comic operas both here and in Verona.3
39. Leopold Mozart to his wife, 21 November 1772, Milan
We’re hale and healthy, thank God, like fish in water as it’s been raining astonishingly heavily, day and night, for the last week, so it’s no wonder that we’re still waiting for the post that should have arrived today. Apart from the heavy rain and wind, there was a violent thunderstorm during the night of the 19th to the 20th, starting with lightning at 10 at night and lasting without a break until 4 in the morning, with lots of violent thunder. For my own part, I was woken by a violent clap of thunder at 2 and then again after 5 but fell asleep again straightaway, whereas Wolfg., having gone to bed around 12, heard none of the rest of the storm. We’ve got far better rooms than we’ve had in the past, more beautiful, more comfortable, even closer to the theatre and as a result some 50 yards from Madame d’Asti, who has lent us a few good pillows as these Italian bacon rinds are too hard for us. I should add that whereas our previous bed was 9 spans wide, the present one is 10 spans. I don’t doubt that you’re well. Today is our wedding anniversary. It must be 25 years since we had the idea of getting married – – although we’d had the idea many years before that. All good things take time! The primo uomo, Sgr Rauzzini, 1 has now arrived, so there’ll be more for us to do and things will start to get livelier. There’ll be no lack of the little dramas that are usual in the theatre, but these are mere trifles! The figs that Joseph2 gave Wolfg. when he left were as miraculous as the loaves and fishes in the Gospel, as we were still eating them at our evening meal yesterday, a meal that consists of nothing but grapes and bread and a glass of wine. Best wishes to all our friends. The day is short! There’s a lot to do, if it’s not work, it’s just chores. We kiss you – – as often as you want – – and, together with Wolfg., I am your old
Mozart
[ Wolfgang’s postscript to his sister ]
Thanks, you know what for. I hope Herr von Heffner3 will forgive me for not having got round to replying to him. But it was impossible and is still impossible: for as soon as I get home, there’s something to write, there’s often already something on the table, and I can’t write out of doors, in the street. If you see him, read him the following and ask him to be satisfied with this for the present. I shan’t take it amiss that my worthless friend hasn’t replied, as soon as he has more time, he will assuredly, doubtlessly, undoubtedly, certainly, unfailingly do so. Best wishes to all our good friends. I kiss Mama’s hands. Well fare and news me soon some send. The Germany from post hasn’t arrived yet.
Oidda.
always as am I
Milan aá 2771 November 12 the Mozart Wolfgang
On 21, 22 and 23 December, Mozart tookpart in concerts at the palace of Count Firmian; Lucio Silla was premiered on 26 December in the presence of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife. On 17 January 1773, Rauzzini performed Mozart’s newly composed motet ‘Exsultate, jubilate’ K165 at the Theatine church, and on 30 January Leopold and Wolfgang saw a performance of Sismano nel Mogol by the Neapolitan composer Giovanni Paisiello (1740–1816), the second carnival opera of the season. Leopold and Wolfgang remained in Milan until the beginning of March.
40. Leopold Mozart to his wife, 2 January 1773, Milan
A Happy New Year!
Last time I forgot to wish you a Happy New Year as I was writing not just in a hurry but in a state of some confusion, my thoughts were elsewhere as we were just on the point of leaving for the theatre. The opera passed off successfully, even though a number of extremely annoying incidents took place on the first night. The first problem was that the opera was due to start, as usual, one hour after the Angelus but in the event began 3 hours after it, in other words not until around 8 o’clock German time, and didn’t end until 2 in the morning. The archduke finished his midday meal only shortly before the Angelus and then had to write 5 letters or New Year greetings to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, and he writes very slowly etc. etc.
Just imagine: the whole theatre was so full by half past 5 that no one else could get in. At every first night the singers are always very nervous at having to appear for the first time before such a distinguished audience. For 3 hours the singers were kept anxiously waiting, while the orchestra and entire audience – many of th
em standing – had to wait in a state of impatience for the opera to start, growing increasingly hot as they did so.
Secondly, you need to know that the tenor, whom we’ve had to take faute de mieux, is a church singer from Lodi and had never performed in such a prestigious theatre and had appeared as primo tenore only about twice before in Lodi, and was signed up only about a week before the opening night.1 He has to gesture angrily at the prima donna in her first aria, but his gesture was so exaggerated that it looked as though he was going to box her ears and knock off her nose with his fist, causing the audience to laugh. Fired by her singing, Sgra de Amicis2 didn’t immediately understand why the audience was laughing and was badly affected by it, not knowing initially who was being laughed at, so that she didn’t sing well for the whole of the first night, in addition to which she was jealous because the archduchess clapped as soon as the primo uomo came onstage. This was a typical castrato’s trick, as he’d ensured that the archduchess had been told that he’d be too afraid to sing so that the court would encourage and applaud him. In order to console Sgra de Amicis she was summoned to court at noon the very next day and for a whole hour had an audience with Their Royal Highnesses, only then did the opera start to go well, and whereas the theatre is normally very empty for the first opera, it has been so full on the first 6 evenings – today is the seventh – that it’s hardly been possible to slip in, and generally it’s the prima donna who has maintained the upper hand and had her arias encored. I’m writing this at Madame d’Asti’s. She sends her regards and wishes you a Happy New Year. Best wishes to all our good friends at home and abroad. We kiss you many 1, 000, 000s of times. I am your old
Mzt
Wolfg. sends his special greetings, we are well, thank God.
Wolfgang and his father spent four months in Salzburg before setting out again, this time for Vienna, where they arrived on 16 July. They had an audience with Empress Maria Theresa on 5 August.
41. Leopold Mozart to his wife, 12 August 1773, Vienna
All your letters have arrived safely. Although Her Majesty the Empress was very kind to us, that was all – I’ll have to save it up and tell you on our return, as it’s not something I can set down in writing. As for the enclosure, this too contained nothing to our advantage because this gentleman lives a solitary life, remote from every court, although I have to say that his letter was uncommonly polite, and he certainly suggested something that I have in any case been thinking about for a long time, but as always there are obstacles.1 His Grace2 is returning from Laxenburg today and will be spending a few days with his father at Sierndorf before returning to Salzb., which is unlikely to be before next Saturday or Sunday, with the result that he won’t be back until next week. You’ll hear by the next post when we’ll be leaving. Herr Gscheider isn’t here but is with his employers in Bohemia. Frau Leutgeb called on me again today, she’ll be staying here until Sunday week. We were recently at Herr von Mölk’s, 3 the day before yesterday we met him with Herr von Geyer and Herr von Mehofer on the Bastey. Herr von Geyer and Herr von Gilowsky recently called on us at home. If we don’t set off next Monday, we shan’t be back until early September, I’ll know for certain today or tomorrow. Fräulein Franzl4 was again close to death, and blisters had to be applied to her arms and feet, but she’s now so much better that she has knitted a red silk purse for Wolfg. in bed and given it to him as a keepsake. She sends you her best wishes, as do all of them, the whole litany of the Landstrasse, the 2 Frau Fischers and Herr Fischer, 5 the Bonnis etc. etc.
Young Mesmer’s boy6 is really talented, so much so that I wish he were my own son or at least were living with me. As for the girl, she’s none other than the daughter of Dr Auenbrugger.7 In fact both his daughters – but especially the older one – play incomparably well and have a total grasp of music. We’ve dined with them, but they don’t have a pension from the empress. Young Herr Mesmer has a prestigious post, he’s in charge of organizing the training college for all the Empire’s hereditary regions, with a courtier as its governor. Do you know that Herr von Mesmer can play Miss Davies’s musical glasses extremely well? He’s the only person in Vienna to have learnt it and has a much finer set of glasses than Miss Davies. Wolfg. has already played on them, and I only wish we had a set of our own. On the Feast of St Cajetan8 the Fathers invited us to have lunch with them and to attend their service, and as their organ was not good enough for a concerto, Wolfg. borrowed a violin and a concerto from Herr Teyber9 and was cheeky enough to play a violin concerto. – One of Wolfg.’s masses – the Dominicus mass – was performed in the octave of the Feast of St Ignatius at the Jesuit church am Hof.10 I conducted, and it was amazingly well received. We’re pleased that the graduation music11 passed off successfully, Wolfg. will be writing to thank Herr Meissner, for the present we send our best wishes.
I’ve told you lots of things, we send our best wishes to all our good friends at home and abroad and kiss you many 100, 000 times. I am your old
Mzt
[ Wolfgang’s postscript to his sister ]
hodie nous avons begegnet per strada Dominum Edlbach welcher uns di voi compliments ausgericht hat, et qui sich tibi et ta meàre Empfehlen lässt. Addio12 W. M.
42. Leopold Mozart to his wife, 11 September 1773, Vienna
†
I hope that on Dr Niderl’s departure you will have been prepared for what is certainly a sad occurrence, so that you will not be as pained to hear of his death as I was when I called on him and found that he had already passed away.1 He was operated on between 10 and 11 on the morning of Thursday the 9th, in the presence of all the experts in their field and so successfully, moreover, that it was all over in 1½ minutes or even quicker. I had the stone in my hands shortly afterwards, it was bigger than a large walnut. I left him that same afternoon, when he was as well as such a patient can be, there weren’t the slightest ill omens at that stage. On Friday the 10th we called on him between 10 and 11 in the morning in order to ask after his condition. We were full of hope, so you can imagine my shock when we found him stretched out on the bed and people busy washing him, as he had just died – 24 hours after the operation.
As far as I could gather in my haste and the most terrible state of shock, everything changed after midnight, when it became clear that he was going to die. Requiescat in pace! I feel completely devastated, as I’ve now had 2 restless and virtually sleepless nights, as I woke at 4 on Thursday, feeling as though it was I who had to undergo the operation, and on Friday morning at 4 I woke up wondering how he was, and today I was already awake at half past 3, and his operation, his death and the sudden and unexpected sight of his dead body lay on my mind and stopped me from sleeping and robbed me of a third night’s sleep. And the burial is still to come. This too is bound to give me pause for thought, all the more so in that it reminds me of the fact that I now have to accompany a friend to his grave in Vienna, just as I had to accompany another friend in Munich, Herr von Robinig.2 Herr von Günther will tell you the remaining details. That’s all I have to say on this sad tale. –
The Jesuits are starting to move out of their monasteries.3 The court Fathers, those who preached at St Stephen’s etc. and 6 Father Confessors left yesterday and will perform their functions next Sunday as usual, but in lay preachers’ clothes, as the higher Jesuits have been told that no one may hear confession or preach in Jesuit dress. I am too annoyed and dull-witted to write any more today. We send our best wishes to all our good friends at home and abroad and kiss you many 100, 000 times. I am your old
Mzt
I had to send for Madame Rosa4 yesterday, and she duly came. I’d just met her in the street as she had to paint the poor doctor as there wasn’t even a portrait of him in the Niderls’ house.
The case with the brother is now over!5
How upset Madame von Schiedenhofen and Madame von Heffner6 etc. etc. are bound to be: we send our special wishes to both their houses.
I have good reason to join with the whole of Salzb. in g
rieving over the loss of a 2nd Salzb. doctor; any successor will send many to meet their maker before he knows the true nature of a nation and its climate.
I half suspect that Frau Niderl will leave her son here. Only a poor education can be expected of a deaf mother.
Perhaps it will work to the boy’s advantage.
You don’t need to write to me again. In my next letter I’ll tell you when we’ll be leaving and where we’ll be going.
We’ll probably come by the most direct route, the alternative via Graz strikes me as too inconvenient.
Frau Niderl has just arrived, distressed beyond belief, he’ll be buried this evening at 8.
In addition to the serenade K185, Mozart also composed six string quartets (K168–173) during his stay in Vienna. He and his father left Vienna for Salzburg about 24 September. In December Wolfgang composed the ‘little’ G minor symphony K183 and his first keyboard concerto, K175. His activities in Salzburg during 1774 are largely unknown, although he was compositionally active: his major works that year included two masses (K192 and 194), two litanies (K193 and 195), the symphonies K201, 202 and possibly 200, the serenade K204, the concertone K190 and the bassoon concerto K191. Possibly in the late spring or summer, he received a commission to compose the opera buffa, La finta giardiniera (‘The Pretend Gardener-girl’), for Munich, and Mozart and his father travelled there on 6 December to finish composing the work, oversee the rehearsals and direct the first performances.
43. Leopold Mozart to his wife, 14 December 1774, Munich
You should have received a letter from me; but I’ve not yet seen one from you, presumably you thought that you first needed to have an address: but this isn’t necessary, the post already knows where we’re staying. Although it’s superfluous, you can write at the bottom, if you want: Chez Monsieur de Pernat in Belval’s House.1 Thank God, we are well! I still haven’t been able to find anywhere suitable for Nannerl, 2 as great care is needed in Munich on this point. And there’s something else. It’s like Salzb. here. An opera for which one pays can’t be performed more than twice in succession, otherwise there’d be very few people in the theatre, other operas have to be given for 2 or 3 weeks, and only then can the earlier one be put on again – it’s just the same with plays and ballets. As a result they know at least 20 operas by heart, operas that are performed in rotation while a new one is put into rehearsal. And Wolfgang’s opera will not be given for the first time before Christmas and, I think, on the 29th, so it’s likely that Nannerl won’t see it at all, for once the carnival is in full swing, only short, lightweight operettas are given on a small stage run up in the Redoutensaal, 3 where masks gather and there are lots of gaming tables and where there’s nothing but noise, masks, conversation and gambling at the many tables. Nothing sensible is performed here as no one pays any attention.
Mozart: A Life in Letters: A Life in Letters Page 17
