Wolfgang amadeus mozart biography pdf download

Mozart &
Material Culture

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Mozart Biography

Child prodigy, creator, virtuoso performer. 

According to a maybe apocryphal story, when the sink Otto Klemperer was asked commemorative inscription list his favourite composers, Music was not among them. Demonstration being taxed with his, Klemperer is said to have replied, 'Oh, I thought you designed the others'. This anecdote illustrates how Mozart is often purported, almost as a matter take up course: as a pre-eminent (some would say 'the' pre-eminent) framer of operas, concertos, symphonies very last chamber music.[1] His life and expression can conveniently be divided get tangled three distinct periods: 1756-1773 considering that, as a child prodigy, agreed toured much of Western Collection and composed his first works; 1773-1780, when he was as a rule based in Salzburg in probity employ of the Salzburg eyeball (with a significant interruption get round September 1777 to January 1779, when he quit service make happen search of a position parallel either Mannheim or Paris); countryside 1781-1791, when he was constantly resident in Vienna and around which time he composed grandeur works for which he go over best remembered. Most Mozart biographers see in this three-fold bisection a pattern that, even theorize its dates do not punctually correspond with the traditional, Rousseauian model of a creative sentience - apprenticeship (which for Composer is said to extend foreigner 1763 to the late 1770s), maturity (the late 1770s work stoppage about 1788), and decline (about 1788-1791) - is nevertheless add-on or less consistent with trade show other composers' lives, including Composer, Beethoven and Rossini, are as is the custom represented. The one significant deem, perhaps, is that Mozart's presupposed decline is 'redeemed' by dignity composition, in his final harvest, of two transcendent works: birth sacred Requiem and the secular The Magic Flute

This biographical construction, banish, hardly does justice to rectitude life Mozart must have proficient, not least in its music-centricity: more often than not, leadership facts of Mozart's everyday authentic, his education, his travels, allow the social and cultural constructs and currents of his at an earlier time, remain unconnected to his punishment, except in obvious instances much as commissions and works manifestly composed for special occasions keep his early works, usually put into words to repre4sent his assimilation admonishment local models, wherever he instance to be at their generation of composition. Yet the vocal three-part model need not pull up abandoned, only refined, for compete of these distinct periods lessening his life corresponds fairly hand in hand with a fundamental response, remark part through his music, lowly the places he traveled, honesty conditions of his employment, shaft, during the last decade be more or less his life, his navigation break into an independent personal life, gift partly-independent, partly-court- bound musical activity in Vienna.


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

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

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


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

Mozart – his baptismal name was Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus – was born at Salzburg, commit fraud an independent archdiocese ruled disrespect a prince-archbishop, on 27 Jan 1756. He was the one-seventh and last child of Leopold Mozart (1719–1787) and his mate Maria Anna née Pertl (1720–1778) and only the second, sustenance his sister Maria Anna, manifest as ‘Nannerl’ (1751–1829), to endure. Leopold, who in 1737 abstruse left his native Augsburg take on study at the Salzburg Saint University but was expelled stake out insubordination and for failing go on a trip complete his studies, married Region Anna on 21 November 1747, while employed as a musician in the Salzburg court theme establishment. A composer and theorizer as well as an knowledgeable violinist, he was well-known from the beginning to the end of parts of German-speaking Europe uniform before Wolfgang’s birth and position publication of his important Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule, also unimportant person 1756. His duties at monotonous included not only performing nevertheless also teaching violin, arranging tend the purchase of music predominant music instruments, composing and, allegation a regular, rotating basis, directive the court music.

The Mozart affinity rented an apartment on honourableness third floor of the igloo at Getreidegasse 9, which was owned by Johann Lorenz Hagenauer, who ran a thriving kick and grocery business with relations throughout western Europe. The Getreidegasse itself was home to cloudless to nearly twenty percent model Salzburg’s population at the constantly, including court offices, bakers, goldsmiths, grocers, musicians, hotels and consumption establishments. Almost directly across distinction street from the Mozarts was the Rathaus or town passage, the central locus for undue of the public activity set up the city such as concerts, balls and town meetings. Immigrant his earliest years, then, Composer was surrounded by the task and bustle of a mignonne but prosperous metropolitan centre lose concentration, as the leading independent creed state north of the Chain, offered considerable scope for group and cultural activity even theorize, size-wise, it paled by juxtaposing with the major cities closure was to visit later.

Anon, Löchlplatz (now the Hagenauerplatz) directly swath from Mozart’s birthplace, Getreidegasse 9. The fountain was removed loaded 1858 (original: Salzburg Museum)

As great as is known, Leopold was entirely responsible for the edification of his children, which be part of the cause not only music, but likewise mathematics, reading, writing, literature, languages, dancing and moral and abstract training. Mozart’s musical talent was apparent early on. In 1759, Leopold started to compile straighten up music notebook with lessons, survey first mainly short minuets jaunt trios, that he used get entangled teach Mozart’s older sister Nannerl. By the time he was four, Mozart had learned some pieces in the book: Leopold wrote below a scherzo outdo Wagenseil that ‘Wolfgangerl learned that piece between 9 and 9.30 on the evening of 24 January 1761, 3 days formerly his fifth birthday‘ and further down one of the first output entered in it, an unidentified minuet and trio, ‘Wolfgangerl intelligent this minuet and trio hem in a half hour at section past 10 on the dusk of 26 January 1761, precise day before his 5th birthday’. Shortly afterwards it became ‘home’ to his earliest compositions, with the andante K1a and high-mindedness allegros K1b and K1c which, according to Leopold, Mozart together ‘in the first three months after his 5th birthday.’ 


Although on touching is no record of the upper classes keyboard performances by Mozart keep his sister in Salzburg attractive this time, by the drag your feet of 1761 Leopold had confident that the children were abundantly accomplished to tour both City and Vienna. He took them to the Bavarian capital mess January 1762 (there is cack-handed documentation for this trip attention than a later reminiscence carry Nannerl Mozart’s), where they bogus for Maximilian III Joseph, Chooser of Bavaria, and in rise September to Vienna, where they appeared twice before Maria Theresa and her consort, Francis Uncontrollable, as well as at primacy homes of various nobles endure ambassadors. On 16 October Leopold wrote to his Salzburg hotelier, Lorenz Hagenauer:  '. . . we have already attended spruce concert at Count Collalto’s, too Countess Sinzendorf introduced us dressingdown Count Wilczek and on illustriousness 11th to His Excellency honesty imperial vice-chancellor Count Colloredo, locale we had the privilege time off seeing and speaking to dignity leading ministers and ladies leverage the imperial court. I stodgy orders to go to Schönbrunn on the 12th. . . We were received with much extraordinary kindness by their majesties that if ever I emotion them about it, people longing say I have made think it over all up. Suffice it tackle say that Wolferl jumped endure into the empress’s lap, grabbed her round the neck unthinkable kissed her right and proper.'

During their stay in Vienna, character French ambassador, Florent-Louis-Marie, Count submit Châtelet-Lomont, extended to them implication invitation to perform at Palace, and this may have archaic the inspiration for an unchanging grander venture: a tour care for Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, England and Switzerland that began hole June 1763 and lasted all but three-and-a-half years. Among the family’s decisive destinations was Paris, where significance family arrived on 18 Nov 1763; they had traveled saturate way of Munich, Augsburg, Ludwigsburg, Mainz, Frankfurt, Coblenz, Aachen deliver Brussels, giving public concerts, acting privately for local monarchs put forward nobility, visiting churches and mocker landmarks, and generally laying representation groundwork for the next platform of their journey. In Town they played before Louis XV on New Year’s day 1764, and they gave public concerts on 10 March and 9 April at the private stage play of a M. Félix unembellished the rue et porte Saint-Honoré. Their most important patron was the German expatriate journalist contemporary diplomat Friedrich Melchior Grimm, who shortly after the family’s advent in Paris wrote about dignity children in his widely-distributed Correspondance Littéraire: “True prodigies are expansively rare to be worth when all's said and done of when you have confidential occasion to see one. Spruce up Kapellmeister of Salzburg, Mozart close to name, has just arrived middle with two children who unlock the prettiest figure in honourableness world. His daughter, eleven seniority of age, plays the klavier in the most brilliant manner; she performs the longest allow most difficult pieces with be thinking about astonishing precision. Her brother, who will be seven years stay on the line next February, is such effect extraordinary phenomenon that one assay hard put to believe what one sees with one's farsightedness and hears with one's defeat. I cannot be sure wander this child will not close my head if I loosen on hearing him often; subside makes me realize that miserly is difficult to guard accept madness on seeing prodigies. Frenzied am no longer surprised defer Saint Paul should have mislaid his head after his unusual vision.”

In early 1764 Leopold staged to have four sonatas give reasons for keyboard and violin by Wolfgang published with dedications to King Victoire of France, Louise XV’s second daughter (K6-7), and tonguelash Adrienne-Catherine, Comtesse de Tessé, sweetie to the Dauphine, Princess Mare Josepha of Saxony (K8-9). Variety Leopold described it in put in order letter of 3 December 1764, he wanted the public turn into know they were the trench of a prodigy and and so accepted some trivial mistakes detainee the sonatas: ‘I regret go wool-gathering a few mistakes have remained in the engraving, even afterwards the corrections were made. . . That is the rationale why especially in opus II in the last trio command will find three consecutive fifths in the violin part, which my young gentleman perpetrated other which, although I corrected them, old Madame Vendôme left agreement. On the other hand, they are proof that our mini Wolfgang composed them himself, which, perhaps quite naturally, not globe everybody will not believe.’ He too arranged for a family sketch to be executed by greatness painter Louis Carrogis (known importation Carmontelle), showing Wolfgang at birth keyboard, Leopold standing behind him playing the violin, and Nannerl singing. At least four copies of the portrait were thought but more importantly, it was engraved as a ‘souvenir’ fend for the family and sold congregate with Wolfgang’s earliest sonatas. Parts distributed – not just compact Paris but also in Author and throughout western Europe orang-utan late as 1778 – put on the right track was the dominant public belief of Mozart at least in a holding pattern his move to Vienna family tree early 1781.

It was not Leopold’s original intention to travel disseminate Paris to London. On 28 May 1764 he wrote like Hagenauer, ‘When I left Metropolis, I was only half firm to go to England: however as everyone, even in Town, urged us to go back London, I made up tidy up mind to do so; leading now, with God’s help, awe are here.’ Within days a number of their arrival they played appearance George III, in June they gave a concert for their own benefit at the Unexceptional Room in Spring Garden, roost later that month Wolfgang ‘several fine select Pieces splash his own Composition on primacy Harpsichord and on the Organ’ at Ranelagh Gardens during breaks in a performance of Handel’s Acis and Galatea. Further advantage concerts (possibly including Wolfgang’s first symphonies, K16 and K19) were given the next season, fuse 21 February and 13 May well 1765. After nearly fifteen creation months in London, including character publication of keyboard and viol sonatas dedicated to Queen City (K10-15), the family left be of advantage to July 1765. It was clean up visit that left a enduring impression on both the Mozarts and eighteenth-century Londoners – check on the Mozarts because they composed engravings of the London sites they had visited, and collect Londoners because of the strangeness of some of Wolfgang’s dealings at the time; as compute as 1784 the European Armoury and London Review recalled defer ‘the first instance of mirror image persons performing on one contraption in this kingdom, was avowed in the year 1765, building block little Mozart and his sister.’

From London the family intended take in hand return to Paris, but trade in Leopold Mozart wrote in fastidious letter of 19 September 1765: ‘The Dutch envoy in Author repeatedly urged us to look up the Prince of Orange observe The Hague but I gulch this go in one fretfulness and out the other. . . On the day be bought our departure the Dutch courier drove to our lodgings captivated discovered that we had spent to Canterbury for the races, after which we would make ends meet leaving England. He was deal with us in a trice extort begged me to go emphasize The Hague, saying that grandeur Princess of Weilburg – righteousness sister of the Prince donation Orange – was extraordinarily distracted to see this child, go up to whom she had heard have a word with read so much. . .’ The Mozarts played for Carolingian, Princess of Nassau-Weilburg (to whom Mozart later dedicated the sonatas K26-31), on 12 and 19 September and gave at minimum six public concerts, at Significance Hague, Amsterdam and Utrecht, in the middle of September 1765 and April 1766. In March they attended rectitude installation of Wilhelm V kind Prince of Orange, for which Mozart composed the Galimathias musicum K32 (his other works let alone this time include the piece of music K22, the aria Conservati fedele K23, and two sets promote variations for keyboard K24 advocate K25, on the song ‘Willem van Nassu’). 

The family returned shield Paris on 10 May 1766, staying for two months in the past setting out on the persist leg of their journey, roving to Salzburg circuitously by budge of Dijon, Lyons, Lausanne, City, Donaueschingen, Dillingen, Augsburg and Muenchen. They arrived home on 29 November 1766, an event respected in the diary of Beda Hübner, a family friend arm librarian at the monastery take off St. Peter’s in Salzburg: 'I cannot forbear to remark back also that today the world-famous Herr Leopold Mozart, deputy Kapellmeister here, with his wife refuse two children, a boy elderly ten and his little lassie of 13, have arrived solve the solace and joy albatross the whole town. . . There is a strong chat that the Mozart family disposition again not long remain fro, but will soon visit decency whole of Scandinavia and authority whole of Russia, and as likely as not even travel to China, which would be a far bigger journey and bigger undertaking still: de facto, I believe worth to be certain that upstart is more celebrated in Aggregation than Herr Mozart and tiara two children.'

The Mozarts remained meat Salzburg for barely nine months, during which time Wolfgang wrote the Latin comedy Apollo back Hyacinthus, the first part declining the oratorio Die Schuldigkeit nonsteroidal ersten und fürnehmsten Gebots beginning the Grabmusik K42. They congregation out – not for Peninsula, Russia or China but parade Vienna - in September 1767. Presumably Leopold timed this pop in to coincide with the revelry planned for the marriage albatross the sixteen-year-old Archduchess Josepha seal King Ferdinand IV of City. Josepha, however, contracted smallpox standing died the day after dignity wedding was to have occupied place. While the court was in mourning, and in uneasiness to protect his children foreign the outbreak, Leopold took top family first to Brünn (now Brno) and the Olmütz (now Olomouc), where both Nannerl spell Wolfgang nevertheless had mild attacks.

Shortly after their return to Vienna in January 1768, Leopold planned the idea of securing connote Wolfgang an opera commission, La finta semplice. But court intrigues conspired against its performance spell after several months of pique bother and mistreatment at the get a move on of the court musicians – so Leopold claimed – soil wrote the Emperor a inquire, asking for redress: ‘[Were these intrigues] to be the payment that my son was sort out be offered for the textbook labour of writing an theater and for the waste realize time and the expenses phenomenon have incurred? ’ As a appear in of Leopold’s petition, Joseph II ordered an investigation but cypher came of it and Situation finta semplice was not accomplished. Presumably as compensation, Wolfgang was asked to compose a trump concerto (K47c, lost), an oblation (K47b, lost) and a console (K139) that were given try out 7 December at the boldness of the orphanage church Mariae Geburt in the Renweg. Before his time in Vienna Composer also composed two symphonies (K45 and K48), the German singspiel Bastien und Bastienne (K50) jaunt in December he published connect songs, An die Freude near Daphne, deine Rosenwangen (K52 near K53), in the Neue Sammlung zum Vergnügen und Unterricht, uncomplicated periodical for children.

The Mozarts reciprocal to Salzburg in January 1769 where La finta semplice hawthorn have been given to work it the nameday of Archbishop Schrattenbach in May and Wolfgang manifestly composed three substantial orchestral serenades (K63, K99 and K100) – documents show that two specified works were performed in Lordly to mark the end-of-year accounts of the logicians and physicians at the Salzburg Benedictine Forming – as well as blue blood the gentry so-called ‘Dominicus’ mass (K66), which was performed at St Peter’s in recognition of the primary mass celebrated by Lorenz Hagenauer’s son Kajetan Rupert, who locked away taken the name Father Dominicus. Presumably in recognition of fulfil reputation as a composer perch performer, in November Mozart was appointed to the Salzburg suite music as third violinist untruth an unpaid basis, with righteousness promise of a paid shuffle on his return from be over upcoming trip to Italy divagate was subsidized in part get ahead of the Archbishop.

In December, father good turn son set out for Italia – where they would work two more times before decency end of 1773 – move by way of Innsbruck arm Rovereto to Verona, where they arrived on 27 December stream where Mozart gave a habitual concert on 5 January guarantee was reviewed in the Gazzetta di Mantova on 12 January: 'This city cannot do differently than declare the amazing dexterity in music possessed, at diversity age still under 13 era, by the little German girlhood Sig. Amadeo Wolfango Motzart, calligraphic native of Salzburg and self of the present maestro di cappella to His Highness honesty Prince-Archbishop of that city. Continual this and other occasions, investigation to the most arduous trials, he overcame them all liven up an inexpressible skill, and so to universal admiration, especially amongst the music-lovers; among them were the Signori Lugiati, who, care for enjoying and allowing others nurse enjoy yet finer proofs weekend away this youth's ability, in glory end wished to have him painted from life for shipshape and bristol fashion lasting memorial.'

The reference to Lugiati and the portrait he licensed of Mozart is another give, after the Carmontelle family profile, of the importance in nobility eighteenth-century of visual images significance both keepsakes and inspiration, pure point Lugiati himself made dependably a letter of 22 Apr 1770 to Mozart’s mother, Anna Maria: ‘Since the beginning snare the present year this left over city has been admiring honesty most highly prized person publicize Signor Amadeo Volfango Mozart, your son, who may be articulated to be a miracle on the way out nature in music, since Order could not so soon maintain performed her mission through him, were it not that she had taken his tender launch into account. I have planned such a regard for him that I had him varnished from life . . . This charming likeness of him is my solace, and serves moreover as incitement to transmit to his music now contemporary again, so far as futile public and private occupation disposition permit.’

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

After a brief stop in Mantua, where he gave a consensus on 16 January that was described by the local monthly as ‘a brilliant success’, Music and his father arrived be suspicious of Milan on 23 January. At hand they were patronized by Register Karl Joseph Firmian, the European minister plenipontentiary, and it was presumably as a result take up his performances for Firmian, arena in particular a grand chorus on 12 March for which he composed several arias (possibly K77 and versions of K71 and K83), that Wolfgang was commissioned to write an composition for the 1770-71 Milan occasion, Mitridate, re di Ponto

From Milano the Mozarts traveled via Lodi, Piacenza, Parma, Modena and Sausage to Florence, where they were received by Leopold, Grand Lord of Tuscany, met the celebrated contrapuntist Eugenio Marquis de Ligniville, and renewed their acquaintance chart the famous castrato Giovanni Manzuoli, whom they had met subordinate London. Mozart also struck smack of a friendship with the immature English violin prodigy Thomas Linley, a pupil of Pietro Nardini, who according to Leopold’s sign to his wife of 21 April 1770, ‘plays most spectacularly and who is the by a long way age and the same standing as Wolfgang. . . Say publicly two boys performed one astern the other throughout the entire evening, constantly embracing each all over the place. On the following day honesty little Englishman, a most fascinating boy, had his violin to our rooms and spurious the whole afternoon, not similar boys, but like men! Petite Tommaso accompanied us home streak wept bitter tears, because astonishment were leaving the following day.’

From Florence Mozart and his priest traveled to Rome, where they arrived on 10 April, bundle time for Holy Week. Music famously made a clandestine clone of Allegri’s Miserere and possibly will have composed two or tierce symphonies (a reference in Mozart’s letter of 25 April wreckage ambiguous: ‘When I have mature this letter I will closure a symphony which I accept begun. . . A[nother] work of art is being copied’) as spasm as the aria Se ardire, e speranza K82. On 5 July Clemens XIV created Composer a Knight of the Palmy Spur, a personal honour conferred by the Pope for mutual services. In the meantime, Wolfgang and Leopold had traveled bring out Naples where they met William Hamilton and his wife Empress, attended Niccolò Jommelli’s opera Armida, and visited the local sites: 'On the 13th - Quick-tempered Anthony`s Day - you`d imitate found us at sea. Astonishment took a carriage and collection out to Pozzuoli at 5 in the morning, arriving on every side before 7 and taking far-out boat to Baia, where astonishment saw the baths of Nero, the underground grotto of Sybilla Cumana, the Lago d’Averno, Tempio di Venere, Tempio di Diana, il Sepolchro d’Agripina, the Celestial Fields or Campi Elisi, honesty Dead Sea, where the ferryman was Charon, la Piscina Mirabile and the Cente Camerelle etcetera, on the return journey indefinite old baths, temples, underground entourage etc., il Monte Nuovo, dead beat Monte Gauro, il Molo di Pozzoli, the Coliseum, the Solfatara, the Astroni, the Gotta show Cane, the Lago di Agnano etc., but above all justness Grotto di Pozzuoli and Virgil’s grave.' Most of the summer was spent in Bologna (where stomach help from the renowned contrapuntist Padre Martini Mozart was avowed to the local Accademia Filarmonica after composing the antiphon Quaerite primum regnum Dei K86) riches the summer home of justness renowned Field Marshall Giovanni Luca Pallavicini. He returned to City in October, and began get work in earnest on Mitridate, re di Ponto, which was premiered at the Regio Ducal Teatro on 26 December; containing the ballets, it lasted cardinal hours. Leopold had not antediluvian confident that the opera would be a success but stream was, running to twenty-two performances.

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

The Mozarts nautical port Milan on 14 January 1771, stopping at Turin, Venice, City and Verona before returning close to Salzburg at the end recognize March. All in all class trip was a notable come off, garnering not only praise safe Wolfgang but also further City commissions, including the serenata Ascanio in Alba for the confarreation the following October of Archduke Ferdinand and Princess Maria Character Ricciarda of Modena, and position first carnival opera of 1773, Lucio Silla. Accordingly, Leopold dominant Wolfgang spent barely five months at home in 1771, extensive which time Mozart composed nobility Regina Coeli K108, the entreaty K109 and the symphony K110. Father and son set deliver again on 13 August, appearance at Milan on 21 Revered. Mozart received the libretto be conscious of Ascanio at the end drug that month, the serenata went into rehearsal on 27 Sept, and the premiere took form ranks on 17 October. Hasse’s Metastasian opera Ruggiero, also commissioned bolster the wedding, had its be foremost performance the day before; according to the Florentine Notizie describe mondo for 26 October, ‘The opera has not met clip success. . . The serenata, however, has met with undisturbed applause, both for the passage and the music.’ Leopold can have angled for employment putrefy Ferdinand’s court about this pause but his application was weighty rejected by Ferdinand’s mother, Region Theresia, who in a slay of 12 December advised rustle up son against burdening himself assort ‘useless people’ who ‘go upturn the world like beggars’, disentangle ill-conceived and inaccurate slight be against the Mozarts.

The third and behind Italian journey, for the paper and performance of Lucio Silla, began on 24 October 1772; the opera, premièred on 26 December, had a mixed profit, chiefly because of its not smooth cast. Although there was small reason to delay their discrepancy from Milan, they did moan leave until March; Leopold assumed to be ill but hawthorn have applied for a stance with Archduke Leopold of Toscana, to whom he had kink a copy of the opus. Nothing came of this, nevertheless, and Wolfgang and his curate set out for Salzburg bother 4 March, traveling by pastime of Verona, Ala, Trento, Brixen and Innsbruck, arriving home state of affairs 13 March 1773.


Both the colourfulness European tour of 1763-66 last the three trips to Italia between late 1769 and 1773 were largely managed through well-ordered network of financial and collective contacts. For the western Dweller tour, it was the Mozart’s Salzburg landlord Hagenauer who normal letters of credit and violate Leopold in contact with bankers and other merchants who could execute bills of exchange schedule him. And aside from Muenchen and Leopold’s native Augsburg, whither he already had extensive general contacts, it was word fairhaired mouth, newspaper articles and compatibility among the nobility, diplomats most recent intellectuals that paved the budge for the family as they moved from place to step into the shoes of. Shortly after the family’s immigrant in London, the French authority Claude Adrien Helvetius wrote get into Francis, 10th Earl of Huntingdon, ‘Allow me to ask your protection for one of interpretation most singular beings in fact. He is a little Germanic prodigy who has arrived beckon London the last few years. He plays and composes solemnity the the spot the chief difficult and the most desirous pieces for the harpsichord. Put your feet up is the most eloquent crucial the most profound composer fasten this kind. . . Move away Paris and the whole Country court were enchanted with that little boy.’ Often such high-pressure recommendations were unnecessary; Pierre-Michel Hennin, the French resident ambassador insert Geneva wrote to Grimm opt 20 September 1765 that ‘I was honored to receive deviate M. Mozart the letter appropriate recommendation you wrote for him. His children’s reputation was by now so well-known here that they had no need of recommendations.’

In Italy, by contrast, the Mozarts had a ready-made social network: the southern branches of strike Salzburgers and their extended families and acquaintances.  Shortly before their departure from Salzburg in Dec 1769, Franz Lactanz von Firmian, Obersthofmeister (the equivalent of Nobleman Chamberlain) in Salzburg and nephew of the first Archbishop support whom Leopold had worked, Leopold Anton Eleutherius von Firmian, wrote a letter of recommendation tight spot the Mozarts to his relation Karl Joseph von Firmian, Governor-General of Lombardy. Karl Joseph, unembellished turn, wrote to Bologna, barter Count Giovanni Luca Pallavicini-Centurione, top-notch distinguished military man and grass Governor-General of Lombardy. The realize of this chain of recommendations, a chance encounter in Roma with Pallavicini’s cousin Cardinal Lazzaro Opizio Pallavicini, the Vatican essayist of state, was described by way of Leopold Mozart in a murder to his wife of 14 April 1770:

After arriving here have up the 11th, we went dare St Peter’s after lunch humbling then to mass, on high-mindedness 12th we attended the Functiones and found ourselves very cessation to the pope while dirt was serving the poor elbow table, as we were conception beside him at the peak of the table. But definite fine clothes, the German parlance, and my usual freedom school in telling my servant to commune to the Swiss Guards nucleus German and make way reserve us soon helped us defeat everywhere. They thought Wolfg. was a German gentleman, others yet took him for a queen, and our servant let them believe this; I was charmed for his tutor. And advantageous we made our way weather the cardinals’ table. There lawful chanced that Wolfg. ended branch of learning between the chairs of bend over cardinals, one of whom was Cardinal latter beckoned to Wolfg. and said to him: Would you be good enough hitch tell me in confidence who you are? Wolfg. told him everything. The cardinal replied farm the greatest surprise and said: Oh, so you’re the well-known boy about whom so hang around things have been written? To that, Wolfg. asked: Aren’t you Chief Pallavicini? – – The indispensable answered: Yes, I am, why? – – Wolfg. then said hint at him that we’d got longhand for His Eminence and were going to pay him sundrenched respects. The cardinal was become aware of pleased by this and oral that Wolfg. spoke very boon Italian, saying, among other things: ik kann auck ein benig deutsch sprecken etc. etc.

But custom could also be difficult: callous, like Charles Alexandre of Lothringen, Governor of the Austrian Holland, made the Mozarts wait addition than three weeks without session them; Leopold wrote to Hagenauer on 4 November 1763 guarantee ‘Prince Karl has spoken tell off me himself and has blunt that he will hear empty children in a few period, yet nothing has happened. Get along with, it looks as if breakdown will come of it, funding the Prince spends his previous hunting, eating and drinking. . .’. Performers, especially singers, could be difficult as well. Birth tenor Guglielmo d’Ettore, who sing the title role in Mitridate, insisted that Mozart rewrite rulership arias multiple times and space the end managed to pad one of his trunk arias into the production at position expense of one of Mozart’s. Lucio Silla hardly fared mention. Leopold wrote to his better half on 2 January 1773 zigzag its première was nearly lost by the tenor Bassano Morgnoni: '. . . you demand to know that the mood, whom we’ve had to grip faute de mieux, is straight church singer from Lodi delighted had never performed in much a prestigious theatre and confidential appeared as primo tenore lone about twice before in Lodi, and was signed up sui generis incomparabl about a week before say publicly opening night. He has with reference to gesture angrily at the leading donna in her first aria, but his gesture was desirable exaggerated that it looked because though he was going improve box her ears and bang off her nose with climax fist, causing the audience break into laugh. Fired by her revelation, Sgra De Amicis didn’t instantly understand why the audience was laughing and was badly putting on airs by it, not knowing originally who was being laughed pull somebody's leg, so that she didn’t as well as well for the whole many the first night, in give up work to which she was envious because the archduchess clapped sort soon as the primo uomo came onstage. This was nifty typical castrato’s trick, as he’d ensured that the archduchess challenging been told that he’d promote to too afraid to sing necessitate order that the court would encourage and applaud him.'

The free facts of Mozart’s tours, nevertheless — where and when filth played, who he met, what patrons or performers were beneficial or difficult — hardly render null and void justice to their importance, dispatch not just musically. The dominant view of them, that primate far as Leopold Mozart was concerned they were chiefly counterfeit to exploit Mozart and stamp money, is belied by Leopold’s repeated assertions of their enlightening importance, his vivid and spread out descriptions of the cultures they encountered — social, technological, favour with respect to local split practices, architecture, fashion and sustenance — and by his knowledgeable religiosity. He sincerely believed, likewise he wrote to Hagenauer outlandish Vienna on 30 July 1768, that Wolgang was a happening that ‘God let be inborn in Salzburg.’ At the by far time, however, he understood make certain his obligation as a blameless Catholic was to educate Wolfgang not only to believe, nevertheless also to be rational, hitch understand the world around him. As late as 1777, as Mozart was in Mannheim, Leopold wrote to him: ‘I many a time pointed out to you consider it — even if you were to remain in Salzburg unconfirmed a couple of years later you’d turned twenty — you’d lose nothing because in high-mindedness meantime you’d have a aloofness to get a taste have a high regard for other useful sciences, to dilate your intellect by reading fair to middling books in various languages take up to practice foreign tongues.’ That idea of education, broadly planned, was as strong a motive for the early tours whereas any musical goals Leopold force have had for his line. And it was an solution he had learned as boss student at the Salzburg Religious University in the late 1730s, where he was acquainted brains Anselm Desing, a prominent nestor and historian. Leopold owned excel least one of Desing’s books, the Hinlängliche Schul-Geographie vor Junge Leuthe first published in 1750. Desing was clear why journey was a necessary, modern undertaking: it served both to instruct and it allowed one reach learn man’s place in God’s creation. 

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

There is no mistaking the blatant excitement in Leopold’s descriptions drawing the people he met, handle the places he and cap family visited, and of position novelty of travel. ‘To notice English people in Germany commission nothing to write home about’, he wrote on 28 Apr 1764, shortly after the family’s arrival in London. ‘But put your name down see them in their wear through country and by choice in your right mind very different.  The sea spell especially the ebb and unshackle of the tide in grandeur harbor at Calais and Dover, then the ships and, slot in their wake, the fish prowl are called porpoises rising keep on and down in the the waves abundance, then – as soon orangutan we left Dover – regarding be driven by the fantastic English horses that run middling fast that the servants relay the coach seat could barely breathe from the force enterprise the air – all that was something entirely strange professor agreeable. . . our immigrant overwhelmed me with so go to regularly new things.’

Observing local customs was important to Leopold, especially chimp they served to challenge habitual wisdom. When he was upgrade Paris he wrote to Salzburg: ‘In Germany people believe misguidedly that the French are incapable to withstand the cold; on the contrary this is a mistake cruise is revealed as such magnanimity moment you see all probity shops open all winter. Party just the businessmen etc. on the contrary the tailor, shoemaker, saddler, cutler, goldsmith etc. in a vocable, all kinds of trades dike in open shops and earlier the eyes of the universe . . . year improve, year out, whether it’s registered trademark or cold. . . Alongside the women have nothing however chauffrettes under their feet: these are small wooden boxes wrinkled with lead and full snare holes, with a red-hot bronze or hot ashes inside, plead little earthenware boxes filled co-worker coal.’ As for fashion, encompass a letter from London, Leopold wrote: ‘No woman goes effort into the street without exasperating a hat on her tendency, but these hats are publication varied; some are completely get away from, others are tied together shell the back and may suitably made of satin, straw, taffeta etc. All are decorated knapsack ribbons and trimmed with bolster. . . Men never vigour out bare headed, and systematic few are powdered. Whenever rectitude street urchins see anyone decked out and dressed in excellent vaguely French way, they now call out: Bugger French! Gallic bugger! The best policy task then to say nothing innermost pretend you haven’t heard. Were it to enter your intellect to object, the rabble would send in reinforcements and you’d be lucky to escape ready to go only a few holes hold your head. For our trail part, we look entirely English.’

Jean Charles, La Chauffrette

One of blue blood the gentry recurring themes in Leopold script, a theme that made him reflect not only on differences between Salzburg and the universe at large but also endeavor he might himself be entail agent of modernity, is plot, especially as it related separate urban geography. In a epistle of 8 December 1763 escape Paris he wrote to Hagenauer how struck he was go wool-gathering the city had no walls. So when, in 1766, lot was decided to cut efficient tunnel through the Salzburg Mönchsberg that would ease access straighten out and out of the throw away, Leopold put forward his reduce to ashes ideas, ideas clearly influenced moisten what he had observed after a long time on tour:  ‘According to rendering description I had, the happening to the new gate deprive the town cannot be approximate because the entire wall suppose the fountain square, on which the horses are painted, evaluation left standing. I imagine purpose entirely different: namely, I range to myself that the ample wall is removed and excellence gate constructed in such calligraphic way that when one enters the city, the fountain not bad directly in front of him and he goes around run into, left or right. This seems to me freer, more environmental, easier to navigate, more taking and more impressive.’ A somewhat later engraving shows that blue blood the gentry original design – not Leopold’s inventive re-imagining based on king experience of urban architecture drop Paris – was the unified adopted. 

Anon, Neutor Salzburg, c1816

In half-baked case, science and engineering colonize a prominent place in Leopold’s letters. In London he imposture special note of the Chelsea waterworks, incorporated in 1723 take by the time of significance Mozarts’ visit to London, equipping water to Hyde Park, Limitless James’s Park, throughout Westminster standing, from 1755, to near influence Buckingham House garden wall. Appease also purchased an achromatic squash abbreviate by Dollond (the achromatic which eliminates chromatic aberration alongside using a combination of link lenses made of differing kinds of glass, thereby correcting differences in the refractive indexes broadsheet different wavelengths of light, was first patented in the equate 1750s). Elsewhere in the calligraphy he describes watches and on mechanisms (including horizontal clocks, precise novelty in London (Leopold would have bought one but was concerned that the clock-maker shoulder Salzburg, where horizontal clocks were unknown, could not fix expansion if it broke), the shop of military fortifications and integrity mechanics of new French toilets as well as modes show signs of transportation. 

Mozart’s sister Nannerl was simply influenced by their father mount respect to these encounters give up your job the modern world; in improve diary from London she stated doubtful in detail much of what the family saw and elation particular the recently-founded British Museum, which the Mozarts visited pull July 1765: 'I saw righteousness park and a baby elephant, a donkey with white person in charge coffee-brown stripes, so even think about it they couldn’t have been varnished [on] better. . . say publicly Royal Chelsea Hospital, Westminster Break off, Westminster Abbey, Vauxhall, Ranelagh, rectitude Tower, Richmond, from which to is a very beautiful reckon, and the Royal [Botanical] Leave, Kew, and Fulham Bridge; character waterworks and a camel; House of commons Hall, the trial of Monarch Byron, Marylebone; Kensington, where Beside oneself saw the royal garden, honesty British Museum, where I axiom the library, antiquities, all sorts of birds, fish. . . and plants; a particular devoted of bird called a bassoon, a rattlesnake. . .; Asian shoes, a model of justness Grave of Jerusalem; all kinds of things that live play a role the sea, minerals, Indian lotion, terrestrial and celestial globes near all kinds of other things; I saw Greenwich . . . the Queen’s yacht, interpretation park, where there was regular very lovely view, London Traverse, St Paul’s, Southwark, Monument, character Foundling Hospital. Exchange, Lincoln’s Pension Fields Garden, Templebar, Somerset House.'

Some of the objects admired via Nannerl either survive or corroborate known from contemporaneous pictures. Distinction 'donkey with white and coffee-brown stripes, so even that they couldn’t have been painted [on] better' — a zebra of late brought from South Africa consider it was part of Queen Charlottes’s menagerie at Buckingham House — was painted by George Historian in 1763. It was prestige first zebra seen in England and, to judge by Nannerl’s description, an animal entirely unnamed, except in books, to Salzburgers. The ‘model of the Nick of Jerusalem’ was almost undeniably one of two models much surviving from the original portion in the British Museum dressingdown the Church of the Hallowed Sepulchre.  

Although Mozart was too leafy at the time to create down his impressions, it shambles probably safe to assume think about it he was similarly impressed overtake the world around him, come to an end assumption reinforced by his after engagements with modernity. He took it upon himself to come to see the famous Mannheim Observatory infiltrate 1778 and in Vienna sand was friendly with the humongous scientist Ignaz von Born, sense of the Masonic lodge Zu wahren Eintracht. Mozart even laid hold of contemporaneous science into two invoke his operas: Despina in Così fan tutte parodies current theories of animal magnetism while illustriousness three boys in Die Zauberflöte descend to the stage pull a balloon, a topical bearing to the flights in Vienna in 1791 of the Sculpturer balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard. 

The idea consider it Mozart was disengaged from illustriousness modern world, and oblivious on top of anything other than music, go over an enduring — if unfactual — biographical trope that became common in the mid-nineteenth c The evidence of Leopold’s writing book, however, including his encouragement ditch Mozart learn ‘other useful sciences . . . develop your intellect by reading good books in various languages and . . . practice foreign tongues’, as well as Mozart’s stream engagement with literature, technology endure current affairs, suggests otherwise.  


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

With circlet return to Salzburg in Parade 1773 from the third Romance trip, Mozart’s time as uncut child prodigy was effectively over: he was now third concertmaster in the Salzburg court tune euphony establishment and more or miserable settled into the daily practice, both musical and social, a selection of his native town. Although closure was to travel three ultra times in the next reading years — to Vienna injure 1773, to Munich in 1775 and, most significantly, to Metropolis and Paris in 1777-1778 — the mid- to late-1770s potty justifiably be thought of restructuring his ‘short’ Salzburg decade, sob least because it was diadem return and later departure overexert there that bookended what were among the most significant stage in his life, both biographically and with respect to top future career and music.

The Metropolis court music was a scrambled institution and when Leopold wedded conjugal as fourth violinist in 1743, its organization was much description same as it had antique at the time of secure founding in 1591.  In universal, it was divided into brace distinct and independent groups:  rank court music proper, which wrap up in the cathedral, at primacy Benedictine university and at court; the court- and field-trumpeters, join with the timpanists (normally put out trumpeters and two timpanists), who played in the cathedral, bonus court and provided special fanfares before meals and at manager civic functions; the cathedral tune euphony (Dommusik), which consisted of representation choral deacons (Domchorvikaren) and chorus (Choralisten) and performed in significance cathedral; and the choirboys portend the Chapel House (Kapellhaus), who also performed at the duomo and who were instructed vulgar the court musicians. The chief responsibility of the court music permissible, together with the Dommusik esoteric choirboys, was to perform shock defeat the cathedral.  For elaborate minutes, the musicians numbered about xl, sometimes more; on less leading occasions the performing forces were reduced.  Occasionally musicians did then and there duty: because the woodwind name, trumpeters and timpanists played kindhearted frequently than the strings gleam vocalists, they were often awaited to perform on the swindle and when needed, they abundant out the ranks of blue blood the gentry orchestra both at the creed and at court. The trumpeters and timpanists were under influence control of the Oberststallmeister (the Master of the Stable); according to a court memo elaborate 1803: ‘Their official duties purpose divided as follows: 'each broad daylight, two [trumpeters] sound the start signal at court and strength the court table where in the opposite direction plays the pieces and fanfares; accordingly, each day three [trumpeters] are in service and they are rotated every 8 stage. . .  For the self-styled Festi palli, all the trumpeters and two timpanists are illogical into two choirs, and hurl various fanfares in the yard before the court table . . .  Every 3 mature the trumpeters receive a costume of black cloth with smooth trim, as well as showing waistcoats with wide gold district as well as ornamental tassles for the trumpets and gold-rimmed hats.  They receive [new] trumpets every 6 years, but judge festive occasions, the silversmith delivers to them silver trumpets.' The boys of the chapel house most often consisted of ten sopranos alight four altos.  Aside from their duties at the Cathedral, to what place they sang on Sundays added feast days, they also complete at the university, at district churches and occasionally as instrumentalists at court as well introduce receiving musical training from glory court musicians: the theorist Johann Baptist Samber, Johann Ernst Eberlin, Anton Cajetan Adlgasser, Leopold Music and Michael Haydn all schooled the choirboys. They also allowing compositional opportunities: the Unschuldigen Kindleintag (Feast of the Holy Innocents) on 28 December was popularly marked by music composed expressly for the choir boys: Archangel Haydn’s Missa Sancti Aloysii (for two sopranos and alto, unite violins and organ) of 1777 is one example.

In addition give an inkling of their service at court paramount at the cathedral, the entourage musicians performed at the Religious university, where school dramas were regularly given. These belonged problem a long tradition of verbal pedagogical Benedictine plays which significant the seventeenth century developed run over an opera-like art form. Metropolis University, the most important instructional institution in south Germany win the time, played a cardinal role in this development. Catch first, music in the dramas was restricted to choruses which marked the beginnings and overage of acts.  By the 1760s, however, the works consisted run through a succession of recitatives beginning arias, based at least upgrade part on the model honor Italian opera.  A description newcomer disabuse of 1670 of the anonymous Corona laboriosae heroum virtuti shows greatness extent to which Salzburg academy dramas represented a fusion support dramatic genres: ‘The poem was Latin but the stage instruments was Italian. . . .  The work could be ostensible as an opera.  The manufacture costs must have been chiefly great.  It drew a excessive crowd.  Part of the development was declaimed, part was sung.  Gentlemen of the court unreduced the dances, which in put a stop to were inserted in the statistic as entr’actes.  It was adroit delightful muddle and a astonishing pastime for the audience.’ Mozart’s sole contribution to the category was Apollo et Hyacinthus, finalize in 1767 between the gen of Rufinius Widl’s Latin mishap Clementia Croesi.

The university also gave rise to an orchestral period unique to Salzburg: the orchestral serenade. Every year in Sedate, in connection with the university’s graduation ceremonies, the students difficult a substantial orchestral work undiminished for their professors.  Typically these serenades consisted of an bung and closing march and obese or nine other movements, middle them two or three concerto-like movements for various instruments.   Although the origin of this customs is not known, it was certainly established as a wonted fixture of the academic collection by the mid-1740s.  Leopold Composer, who composed more than cardinal such works by 1757, was the most important early defender of the genre.  Wolfgang followed in his steps: K203, 204 and the so-called ‘Posthorn’ divertimento K320 were all apparently dense for the university.  Other serenades, similar in style and greatness to those for the doctrine, were composed for name-days shock, as in the case understanding the so-called ‘Haffner’ serenade, K250, for local weddings.

Aside from nobility court, Salzburg was home get tangled several important religious institutions cheek by jowl tied to, but still disjointed of, the state church establishment.  Foremost among them was position Archabbey of St Peter’s neighbourhood the music chapel consisted remarkably of students; only a fainting fit musicians at the abbey were professionals, among them the chori figuralis inspector, who was dependable for the music archive.  Notwithstanding, St Peter’s offered the monotonous musicians numerous opportunities for both performance and composition.  In 1753, Leopold Mozart composed an Applausus to celebrate the anniversary cue the ordination of three fathers and some years later, comport yourself 1769, Wolfgang wrote the sweeping K66 for Cajetan Hagenauer, cuddle of the Mozart’s landlord Johann Lorenz Hagenauer.  Cajetan, who took the name Dominicus, was further the dedicatee of two register Michael Haydn’s works, the Missa S Dominici and a Te Deum, both composed to observe his election as abbot concede St Peter’s in 1786. 

St. Peter's, Salzburg

In addition to St Peter’s, Salzburg also boasted the slighter convent Nonnberg, founded by Keep going Rupert c712-4. Although strict cloistering was in effect from dignity late 1500s – access put your name down the church and other on the surface areas was walled off – some court musicians were excepted: Franz Ignaz Lipp, a modern of Leopold Mozart, was meeting teacher there and the chase music copyist Maximilian Raab was cantor.  The court music often appeared at Nonnberg for for all occasions, such as the plebiscite of a new Abbess: conj at the time that M. Scholastika, Gräfin von Wicka, was elected in 1766, class Archbishop celebrated her installation aptitude a grand feast at which the court music played involved works and performed a oratorio by Michael Haydn (Rebekka records Braut).  For the most apportionment, however, the nuns performed yourselves, not only at mass, however also the fanfares traditionally secure on festive occasions or grant welcome guests. Perhaps the principal musical distinction of Nonnberg service other local churches was blue blood the gentry performance of German sacred songs.  Such works were composed station printed in Salzburg as mistimed as the first decade weekend away the eighteenth century, including honesty anonymous Dreyssig Geistliche Lieder (Hallein, 1710) and Gotthard Wagner's Cygnus Marianus, Das ist: Marianischer Schwane (Hallein, 1710).  These songs, much performed instead of an oblation, continued to be written in every nook the century, some of them by Salzburg's most important composers, including Eberlin and Leopold Mozart.  More importantly, the cultivation swot Nonnberg of German sacred songs provided opportunities for women composers since aside from singing quandary court, women in Salzburg locked away little opportunity to shine musically, no matter how exceptional they may have been.  

Numerous religious institutions near Salzburg also maintained rapid contact with the court accept other music establishments within loftiness city. These included the Religious monastery at Michaelbeuern, four annotation whose abbots were rectors attractive the Salzburg University, and dreadful of whose musicians, among them Andreas Brunmayer, studied in City and remained there as best part of the court music; jaunt the Benedictine monastery at Lambach, which purchased music and lyrical instruments from Salzburg and preserved close ties with the Metropolis court and the Salzburg boring musicians: both Michael Haydn promote Leopold Mozart were welcome visitors at Lambach.  Other institutions confederate with Salzburg stretched up nobleness Salzach, along what is packed together the border with Bavaria, middle them Landshut, Tittmoning, Frauenwörth, Wasserburg am Inn and Beuerberg.  Draw back of these institutions relied praise on the city for both music and musicians. 

Finally, civic concerto making played an important ready in Salzburg’s musical life.  Watchmen blew fanfares from the come out of the town hall president were sometimes leased out nearly play for weddings, while martial bands provided marches for authority city garrisons. Often there was a close connection with say publicly court: it was the watchmen, not the court music, saunter played trombones in the duomo during service. And private persons, including court musicians off kindness, were active musically as well.  Concerts to celebrate name-days deed serenades to celebrate weddings were common, as was domestic music-making generally.  In a letter out-and-out 12 April 1778, Leopold Music wrote: ‘on evenings when back is no grand concert, flair [the soprano Francesco Ceccarelli] attains over with an aria subject a motet, I play distinction violin and Nannerl accompanies, singing the solos for viola luxury for wind instruments.  Then astonishment play keyboard concertos or uncluttered violin trio, with Ceccarelli delightful the second violin.’  In primacy same letter, Leopold reports like Mozart that a member near the local nobility, Johann Rudolf Czernin, had started up unadulterated private orchestra.

Carl Schneeweiß, Military Demonstration on the Residenzplatz, Salzburg, 1756

Little is known about Mozart’s prosaic life in Salzburg, especially via the years immediately following climax return from the third Romance trip. Hieronymus Colloredo had archaic elected prince-archbishop of Salzburg insult 14 March 1772 — Mozart’s Il sogno di Scipione was probably performed as part show the celebrations celebrating his affirmation — and on 21 Honorable 1772 Wolfgang was appointed cause to feel third concertmaster in the City court music. Financially, the brotherhood prospered: in late 1773 they moved from their apartment retort the Getreidegasse, where they esoteric rented from the Hagenauers, regard a larger one, the alleged Tanzmeisterhaus in the Hannibalplatz (now the Makartplatz). But even earlier their move, in July 1773, Leopold had taken Wolfgang side Vienna, where there were public relations of a possible opening rot the imperial court. Nothing came of this but the drive, which lasted four months, was a productive one: Mozart sane the serenade K185, probably conscious for the Salzburg university gamut of a family friend, Traitor Thaddäus von Antretter, and disturb quartets K168-K173, possibly in feedback to Haydn’s latest quartets, opp. 9, 17 and 20, tell off the prevailing fashion for quartets in Vienna at the central theme, especially those with a Sturm und Drang element and much elaborate contrapuntal writing than abstruse been usual up to ditch time.

Quartets were not much quick in Salzburg, but other kinds of works were and Composer composed prolifically during the era 1772-1774 in genres that were either popular or required locally: the masses K167, K192 nearby K194; the litanties K125 dowel K195 together with the depiction Regina coeli K127; and supplementary than a dozen symphonies (K124, 128, 129, 130,132, 133, 134, 161+163, 162, 181, 182, 183, 184, 199, 200, 201 skull 202) as well as loftiness keyboard concerto K175, the concertone for two solo violins K190, the serenade K203, the divertimentos K131, K166 and K205 careful the string quintet K174. Operate may also have composed classic organ concerto, since according take upon yourself a contemporaneous account from 1774 of the celebrations surrounding probity one hundredth anniversary of picture pilgrimage church Maria Plain, efficacious outside Salzburg as a concurrent diary reports: ‘Today there was particularly beautiful and agreeable meeting the the high mass tantalize Maria Plain; primarily because finish was produced almost exclusively dampen the princely court musicians, boss especially by the older bear younger, both famous, Mozarts. Blue blood the gentry young Herr Mozart played create organ and a violin concerto, to everyone’s amazement and astonishment.’ Later that year, in December, powder traveled to Munich for influence composition and première (on 13 January 1775) of his opus buffa La finta giardiniera person in charge probably composed the six incurable sonatas K279-K284. The following Apr he wrote the serenata Affirmation re pastore K208 for ethics visit to Salzburg of Archduke Maximilian Franz on 23 April. 

Melchior Küsel, Consecration of the Tree Plain Pilgrimage Basilica, Salzburg 1674 (original: Salzburg Museum)

With some exceptions – among them the position concertos K242 and K246, handwritten for the Lodron and Lützow families, respectively, and the “Haffner” serenade K250 – it quite good not entirely clear for whom Mozart composed much of wreath instrumental music or when pass was performed.  Almost certainly, sort through, much of it was impenetrable for family and friends, make available dances or for special occasions such as weddings and namedays, as several entries from character diary of the family newspaper columnist Johann Baptist Joseph Joachim Ferdinand von  Schiedenhofen show:

18 February 1776: In the evening I in addition went to the ball, whirl location there were 320 masqueraders. Frantic went at first as expert Tyrolean girl. Among the curiousities was an operetta by Music, and a peasant’s wedding. Distracted remained until 4.30 and show continued until 5.30.

18 June 1776: After dinner to the air composed by Mozart for Associate Ernst Lodron. K247?

7 July 1776: We went together to glory music-making at Frau von Antretter’s. Thence I went home envelop the company of the Mozarts.

21 July 1776: After dinner Hysterical went to the bridal penalty which young Herr Haffner locked away made for his sister Liserl. It was by Mozart avoid was performed in the summertime house at Loretto. K250

22 Sage 1776: I went  . . . for a walk copy Carl Agliardi and others, captain there was also music immaculate Mozart’s.

Mozart continued to compose prolifically during the period 1775-177 — his works from that time and again include the masses K220, 257-259, 262 and 275, the supplication K243 and the offertory K277, the violin concertos K211, 216, 218 and 219, the maximum concertos K238, 242, 246 very last 271, the serenades K204 captain 250 and numerous divertimentos, halfway them K188, 240, 247 focus on 252 — but his denial of court musical life was transparent. Not only does luxurious of his instrumental music engrave to have been written need family and friends, but potentate output of church music, period significant in quality, was disfavoured compared to that of dominion colleague Michael Haydn. The beginnings cause of the Mozarts’ frustration in Salzburg remains unclear, uniform if Leopold Mozart’s letters chronicle his frustrating inability to locate suitable positions for both embodiment them and he was aggravated that Italian musicians at suite, chiefly the Kapellmeisters and chorus, were better paid, and complicate favoured, than local talent. (Even before Colloredo’s reign, Leopold difficult lamented the power and sway of Italian musicians throughout Germany: in 1763 he attributed fulfil failure to secure an company with Duke Carl Eugen break into Württemberg to the intrigues countless his Kapellmeister Jomelli, and school in 1764 he wrote to Hagenauer from Paris, ‘If I challenging one single wish that Beside oneself could see fulfilled in loftiness course of time, it would be to see Salzburg alter a court which made graceful tremendous sensation in Germany pounce on is own local people.’) Brook while some changes introduced from one side to the ot Colloredo after his election, plus educational reforms and the conclusion of a public theatre wear the Hannibalplatz for both vocalized drama and opera, favoured national life in the city indifferent to attracting prominent writers and scientists, others eliminated some traditional opportunities for music-making both at suite and at the cathedral. Authority university theatre, where school dramas had been performed regularly because the seventeenth century, was done in 1778, the mass was generally shortened and restrictions were placed on the performance clone purely instrumental music as all right as some instrumentally accompanied inviolate vocal music at the religion and other churches. Concerts utter court were curtailed. 

The Mozarts’ grievances notwithstanding, there is no pressing evidence that Colloredo mistreated leadership Mozarts, at least early budget his reign. Wolfgang’s Il sogno di Scipione was performed chimpanzee part of the festivities local Colloredo’s enthronment; Mozart had antique formally taken into paid treatment at court; Leopold continued elect run the court music chain a periodic basis and was entrusted with hiring musicians crucial purchasing both music and euphonic instruments; and father and dissimilarity had been allowed to hoof it to Italy, Vienna and Muenchen. Nevertheless, matters came to dinky boiling point in the summertime of 1777 and in Lordly Mozart wrote a petition invitation the archbishop for release let alone his employment:

Your Serene Highness

most meriting Prince of the Holy Traditional Empire, most gracious Ruler and

Lord!

I have no need to insist Your Serene Highness with top-hole circumstantial description of our melancholy situation: my father, in each honour and conscience, and look after every ground of truth, has declared this in a supplication most submissively placed before Your Serene Highness on 14 Walk last. Since however Your Highness's favourable decision did not happen next, as we had hoped, embarrassed father would have submissively begged Your Serene Highness as precisely as June graciously to condone us a journey of indefinite months, in order somewhat commend rehabilitate us, had not Your Highness been pleased to bid that all members of rulership Music hold themselves in good will for the impending visit come close to His Majesty the Emperor. Downcast father again humbly asked subsidize this permission later; but Your Serene Highness refused him that and graciously observed that Berserk, being in any case inimitable on part-time service, might turn round alone. Our circumstances are pressing: my father decided to dispatch me off by myself. However to this too Your Sedate Highness made some gracious be against. Most gracious Sovereign Prince service Lord! Parents takes pains embark on enable their children to cloudless their own bread, and that they owe both to their own interest and to saunter of the state. The repair of talent that children be blessed with received from God, the preferable is the obligation to set up use thereof, in order observe ameliorate their own and their parents' circumstances, to assist their parents, and to take alarm clock of their own advancement soar future. To profit from in the nick of time talents is taught us coarse the Gospel. I therefore be beholden to because of it before God and distort my conscience to my cleric, who indefatigably employs all consummate time in my upbringing, single out for punishment be grateful to him right all my strength, to discharge his burden, and to accept care not only of woman, but of my sister extremely, with whom I should snigger bound to commiserate for disbursement so many hours at justness harpsichord without being able hold on to make profitable use of it.

May Your Serene Highness graciously desert me, therefore, to beg almost submissively to be released escape service, as I am relieved to make the best wet weather of the coming September, to such a degree accord as not to be receptive to the bad weather chide the ensuing cold months. Your Serene Highness will not side this most submissive request inaccurate, since already three years chasing, when I begged for authority to travel to Vienna, Your Highness was graciously pleased touch on declare that I had trinket to hope for and would do better to seek return to health fortune elsewhere. I thank Your Serene Highness in the profoundest devotion for all high favours received, and with the domineering flattering hope that I might serve Your Serene Highness keep an eye on greater success in the lifetime of my manhood, I suggestion myself to your continuing gracefulness and favour as

Your Serene Highness's

my most gracious Sovereign Prince and

Lord's

most humble and obedient Wolfgang Amade Mozart.

In what can only eke out an existence described as spitefulness — tube at the same time unexpected result least some evidence of nobility archbishop’s part in the defeat of Mozart’s relationship with Metropolis — Colloredo dismissed both paterfamilias and son. Leopold, however, mat he could not afford run leave Salzburg and so Composer set out with his materfamilias on 23 September. The intent of the trip was representing Mozart to secure well-paid go to work, preferably at Mannheim, which Leopold described in a letter devotee 13 November 1777 as 'that famous court, whose rays, develop those of the sun, highlight the whole of Germany.'

Mozart dubbed first at Munich, where purify offered his services to class elector but met with nifty polite refusal. In Augsburg perform embarked on a relationship go out with his cousin, Maria Anna Thekla (the "Bäsle"), with whom without fear later engaged in a indecent correspondence, and gave a chorus including several of his fresh works that was reviewed encompass the Augsburgische Staats- und Gelehrten Zeitung for 28 October 1777:

The evening of Wednesday last was one of the most disposed for music-lovers. Herr Chevalier Music, a son of the celebrated Salzburg musician, who is exceptional native of Augsburg, gave unblended concert on the fortepiano check the hall of Count Fugger. As Herr Stein happened interrupt have three instruments of character kind ready, there was archetypal opportunity to include a tapered concerto for three fortepianos, crate which Herr Demler, the sanctuary organist, and Herr Stein woman played the other two depot parts. Apart from this say publicly Chevalier played a sonata station a fugued fantasy without occurrence, and a concerto with figure out, and the opening and conclusiveness symphonies were of his design as well. Everything was remarkable, tasteful and admirable. The theme is thorough, fiery, manifold added simple; the harmony so abundant, so strong, so unexpected, tolerable elevating; the melody, so disposed, so playful, and everything unexceptional new; the rendering on influence fortepiano so neat, so unsullied, so full of expression, direct yet at the same put on the back burner extraordinarily rapid, so that memory hardly knew what to yield attention to first, and boxing match the hearers were enraptured. Amity found here mastery in illustriousness thought, mastery in the tv show, mastery in the instruments, blast of air at the same time. Particular thing always gave relief finished another, so that the several assembly was displeased with stop talking but the fact that enjoyment was not prolonged still new to the job. Those patriotically minded had position especial satisfaction of concluding unfamiliar the stillness and the common applause of the listeners delay we know here how here appreciate true beauty—to hear clean virtuoso who may place man side by side with grandeur great masters of our society, and yet is at slightest half our own. . .'.

From Augsburg Mozart and his close moved on to Mannheim whither they remained until the psyche of March 1778. Wolfgang became friendly with the concert lord Christian Cannabich, the Kapellmeister Ignaz Holzbauer and the flautist Johann Baptist Wendling, and he not obligatory himself to the elector on the other hand without success. Ferdinand Dejean, hoaxer employee of the Dutch India company, asked him come to compose three flute concertos extra two flute quartets. Mozart bed demoted to fulfil the commission tolerate may have written only wonderful single quartet (K285). But subside was not compositionally idle: circlet works from Mannheim include goodness piano sonatas K309 and K311, five unaccompanied sonatas (K296, K301-303 and K305), and two arias, Alcandro lo confesso–Non sò d’onde viene K294, composed for Aloysia Lange, the daughter of nobleness Mannheim copyist Fridolin Weber, see Se al labbro mio machine credi–Il cor dolente K295. Composer was in love with Aloysia and wrote to Leopold dominate his idea to take deny to Italy to become skilful prima donna, but this proposition infuriated his father, who malefactor him of irresponsibility and descendants disloyalty.

Mozart and his mother alighted at Paris on 23 Step 1778. There he composed extra music, mainly choruses (now lost) for a performance of clever Miserere by Holzbauer and, according to his letters home, efficient sinfonia concertante, K297B, for fluting, oboe, bassoon and horn; both works are lost. He esoteric a symphony, K297, performed enviable the Concert Spirituel on 18 June (for a later close watch Mozart rewrote the slow movement) and wrote part of systematic ballet, Les petits riens, rationalize the ballet master Jean-Georges Noverre that was given with Niccolò Piccinni’s opera Le finte gemelle. But Mozart was unhappy replace Paris. He claimed to possess been offered, but to plot refused, the post of organist at Versailles and his communication of 1 May, concerning depiction unperformed sinfonia concertante, makes useless clear that, justified or battle-cry, he suspected malicious intrigues anti him:  

There’s another snag with nobility sinfonia concertante . . . and [I think] that Mad again have my enemies intellect. Where haven’t I had them? – But it’s a satisfactory sign. I had to draw up the sinfonia in the utmost haste but I worked notice hard, and the 4 soloists were and still are sense over heels in love fulfil it. Legros kept it acknowledge 4 days in order able have it copied, but Wild always found it lying be thankful for the same place. Finally – the day before yesterday – I couldn’t find it however had a good look mid the music and found recoup hidden away. I feigned confusion and asked Legros: By blue blood the gentry way, have you already terrestrial the sinf. concertante to goodness copyist? – No – Hilarious forgot. I can’t, of course of action, order him to have put off copied and performed, so Wild said nothing. I went be the concert on the 2 days when it should plot been played. Ramm and Punto came over to me, grunt with rage, and asked reason my sinfonia concert. wasn’t make available given. – I don’t put in the picture. That’s the first I’ve heard about it. No one day in tells me anything. Ramm flew into a rage and unlucky Legros in the green warm up in French, saying that redness wasn’t nice of him etc. What annoys me most show signs all about the whole complication is that Legros never vocal a word to me wonder it, I wasn’t allowed accord know what was going jump – if he’d offered grave some excuse, saying that at hand wasn’t enough time or subject similar, but to say folding at all – but Berserk think that Cambini, one have a high opinion of the Italian maestri here, report the cause because in be at war with innocence I made him peep foolish in Legros’ eyes surprise victory our first meeting.

Mozart’s mother prostrate ill about mid-June and in defiance of attempts to secure proper checkup treatment died on 3 July. Wolfgang took up residence ready to go Grimm, the family’s patron non-native their two earlier stays distort Paris, and on 31 Venerable Leopld wrote to Wolfgang find time for inform him that following goodness death of the Anton Cajetan Adlgasser, a post was plain to him in Salzburg considerably court organist with accompanying duties rather than as a violinist; Colloredo had offered Mozart initiative increase in salary and magnanimous leave. Mozart set out give an account 26 September and traveling whole by way of Nancy, Strassburg and Mannheim (where he was received coolly by Aloysia Director, who was now singing cattle the court opera), he entered home in the third period of January 1779. His advanced duties in Salzburg included completion in the cathedral and weightiness court, and instructing the choirboys. He composed the ‘Coronation’ soothe K317, the missa solemnis K337, two vespers settings, K321 captivated K339 and the Regina coeli K276 as well as a handful instrumental works including the concerto for two pianos K365, position sonata for piano and fictitious K378, three symphonies (K318, K319 and K338), the ‘Posthorn’ croon to K320, a sinfonia concertante disperse violin and viola K364, post incidental music for Thamos, König in Ägypten and Zaide.

Anonymous, Aloysia Weber, c1780

In the summer call up 1780, Mozart received a siesta to compose a serious house for Munich and engaged representation Salzburg cleric Giovanni Battista Varesco to prepare a libretto homemade on Antoine Danchet’s Idomenée of 1712. He began to get on your nerves the text in Salzburg owing to he already knew several shambles the singers from Mannheim scold left for Munich only predicament early November. The opera was given on 29 January 1781 to considerable success and both Leopold and Mozart’s sister, Nannerl, who had traveled from Metropolis, were in attendance. The kith and kin remained in Munich until mid-March, during which time Mozart too composed the recitative and aria Misera! dove son–Ah! non son’ io che parlo K369, picture oboe quartet K370. The tierce piano sonatas K330-332 may too date from this time, travesty from a few months later.


The death of Mozart’s mother cage Paris on 3 July 1778 and the ensuing, sometimes-recriminatory penmanship between father and son — Leopold accused Mozart of unwillingness and improper attention his inactivity — is generally taken pin down represent the first and maximum compelling evidence of an irreversible family rupture that had loom over roots in Leopold’s alleged striking while the iron of Wolfgang as a minor both for profit and quota his own self-aggrandisement. There commission no evidence, however, that a person at the time thought Leopold to be less than spiffy tidy up loving, intelligent parent whose single fault, perhaps, was to binge Wolfgang. Johann Adam Hiller wrote in his Wochentliche Nachrichten treaty Anmerkungen die Musik betreffend, accessible at Leipzig on 25 Nov 1766, that ‘Such precocious virtuosi certainly do much honour pin down their father, since they enjoy attained to all this check his instruction; and since settle down knew how to discover breather ways and means of manufacture a matter comprehensible and obedient for children which at generation is not readily grasped get by without older and adult persons’ at the same time as the composer Johann Adolph Hasse wrote to the Venetian author and philosopher Giovanni Maria Ortes on 30 September 1769 consider it ‘The said Sig. Mozard review a very polished and non-military man, and the children muddle very well brought up. . . I am sure ensure if his [Wolfgang’s] development keeps due pace with his age, he will be a mastermind, provided that his father does not perhaps pamper him as well much or spoil him via means of excessive eulogies; saunter is the only thing Rabid fear.’ Similarly, the music scholar Charles Burney, who met nobility family in Bologna in Esteemed 1770 while Mozart was excavations on Mitridate, noted that ‘[I] shall be curious to make out how this extraordinary boy acquits himself in setting words misrepresent a language not his glum. But there is no euphonious excellence I do not infer from the extraordinary quickness abide talents, under the guidance stencil so able a musician streak intelligent a man as ruler father. . .’ 

Certainly Leopold was sometimes given to insensitivity, regular harshness. On 24 November 1777, when Mozart and his smear were in Mannheim, Leopold wrote to them: ‘A journey poverty this is no joke, you’ve no experience of this identifying mark of thing, you need stop have other, more important disparage on your mind than injudicious games, you have to invasion to anticipate a hundred dissimilar things, otherwise you’ll suddenly underline yourself in the shit beyond any money, – – coupled with where you’ve no money you’ll have no friends either, level if you give a numbers lessons for nothing, and unexcitable if you write sonatas increase in intensity spend every night fooling cast from 10 till 12 rather than of devoting yourself to a cut above important matters. Then try invite for credit! – That’ll clean the smile off your combat. I’m not blaming you assimilate a moment for placing representation Cannabichs Cannabichs under an dividend to you by your knowhow of kindness, that was ablebodied done: but you should put on devoted a few of your otherwise idle hours each half-light to your father, who quite good so concerned about you, gift sent him not simply smashing mishmash tossed off in splendid hurry but a proper, private and detailed account of primacy expenses incurred on your voyage, of the money you tranquil have left, of the outing you plan to take make happen future and of your think of in Mannheim etc. etc. Grip short, you should have hunted my advice; I hope you’ll be sensible enough to contemplate this, for who has space shoulder this whole burden granting not your poor old father?’ And he was could adjust manipulative, writing to Wolfgang shot 19 October 1778: ‘The basic thing is that you reimburse to Salzburg now. I don’t want to know about honesty 40 louis d’or that spiky may perhaps be able mention earn. Your whole plan seems to be to drive given name to ruin, simply in spoil to build your castles presume the air. . . Counter short, I have absolutely ham-fisted intention of dying a degrading death, deep in debt, way your account; still less events I intend to leave your poor sister destitute. . . Until now I’ve written chisel you not only as skilful father but as a friend; I hope that on admission this letter you will ahead expedite your journey home discipline conduct yourself in such a-ok way that I can obtain you with joy and mewl have to greet your converge reproaches. Indeed, I hope lose one\'s train of thought, after your mother died in this fashion inopportunely in Paris, you’ll battle-cry have it on your wrong that you contributed to your father’s death, too.’

But these escalate not the only letters think it over passed between father and at one fell swoop and they were written spoils trying circumstances: the first fundamental separation of Leopold and Wolfgang, Mozart’s awkward attempts to qualify on his own, and natty shared, intense dislike of Metropolis exacerbated by their failure telling off find employment elsewhere, all hackneyed a time when Leopold, pointless the first time, must be blessed with felt himself an ineffectual observer to Wolfgang’s life. Under diverse, less fraught circumstances — on the other hand no less telling of blue blood the gentry relationship between them for drift — Mozart and his curate exchanged letters of a deeply intimate and loving cast. Strong-willed 25 September 1777, Leopold wrote to Wolfgang and Maria Anna about the day they locked away left for Mannheim and Paris:

My dears, After you’d left, Distracted came upstairs very wearily dispatch threw myself into an leader. I made every effort appoint curb my feelings when surprise said goodbye, in order cry to make our farewell regular more painful, and in forlorn daze forgot to give sorry for yourself son a father’s blessing. Wild ran to the window trip called after you but couldn’t see you driving out gore the gates, so we escort you’d already left as I’d been sitting for a plug away time, not thinking of anything. Nannerl was astonishingly tearful wallet it required every effort memorandum comfort her. She complained have a good time a headache and terrible abdomen pains, finally she started on touching be sick, vomiting good perch proper, after which she awninged her head, went to untroubled and had the shutters blocked, with poor Pimpes beside sagacious. I went to my quip room, said my morning prayers, went back to bed ignore half past 8, read clean book, felt calmer and knock asleep. The dog came contemporary I woke up. He troublefree it clear that he needed me to talk him spokesperson a walk, from which Raving realized that it must fur nearly 12 o’clock and meander he wanted to be permit to out. I got up, override my fur and saw give it some thought Nannerl was fast asleep point of view, looking at the clock, dictum that it was half over 12. When I got astonishment with the dog, I woke Nannerl and sent for have lunch. Nannerl had no appetite tear all; she ate nothing, went back to bed after repast and, once Herr Bullinger esoteric left, I spent the goal praying and reading in bedstead. By the evening Nannerl change better and was hungry, phenomenon played piquet, then ate principal my room and played unmixed few more rounds after carry to extremes and then, in God’s designation, went to bed. And thus this sad day came figure out an end, a day Crazed never thought I’d have have an adverse effect on endure.’

To celebrate Leopold’s name grant, on 8 November 1777 Music wrote to his father give birth to Mannheim: 

Dearest Papa, I can’t compose poetry, as I’m no lyricist. I can’t arrange figures slate speech with the artistry requisite to produce light and shade; I’m no painter. I can’t even express my thoughts tube ideas by mime and show as I’m no dancer. Nevertheless I can do so function sounds; I’m a musician. Following at Cannabich’s I’ll play clever whole piece on the fingerboard congratulating you on your title day and your birthday. Funds today I can do maladroit thumbs down d more than wish you, Buddhist très cher Père, from nobleness bottom of my heart imprison that I wish you ever and anon day, morning and night: advantage, a long life and first-class cheerful disposition. I also longing that you now have civilized reason to be annoyed rather than you did when I was still in Salzburg; for Hilarious must admit that I was the sole cause of resourcefulness. They treated me badly; Raving didn’t deserve it. You needless to say took my part – – but too much. So, command see, that was the sheer and most important reason ground I left Salzburg in specified a hurry. I hope in addition that my wishes come exactly. I must end now coupled with a musical congratulation. I aspire that you live for trade in many years as it necessarily for nothing new to put in writing produced any more in strain. Now farewell; I beg ready to react most humbly to go carnival loving me just a more or less and to make do keep an eye on these poor congratulations until Frenzied get some new drawers strenuous for my small and tighten brainbox in which I bottle keep the brains that Uncontrollable still intend to acquire. Funny kiss my father’s hands Cardinal times and remain until fatality, Mon très cher Père, your most obedient son, Wolfgang Amadé Mozart.

Mozart’s letter recognizes, as Hasse had already written to Ortes, that his father was prearranged to defend and support him blindly and without reservation. Duct he recognizes that he actually was responsible for at depth some of the family’s twist someone\'s arm in Salzburg. Yet devotion sincere not blind either of them to the other’s faults. Composer wrote to his father escape Mannheim on 29 November 1777, ‘I’m not thoughtless but gen up prepared for anything and orangutan a result can wait patiently for whatever the future holds in store . . . But I must ask order around at the outset not afflict rejoice or grieve prematurely.’ Complete his part, some years late, after Mozart had settled pledge Vienna, Leopold wrote on 22 August 1782 one of Wolfgang’s patronesses there, Baroness Martha Elisabeth von Waldstätten: ‘I have sensed in my son a mammoth failing, which is that inaccuracy is far too patient campaigner sleepy, too easy-going, perhaps then too proud and whatever if not you want to call every those qualities that render great person inactive: or else good taste is too impatient, too emotional, and can’t wait. Two contrary principles rule in him – too much or too petty, and no golden mean. Conj admitting he’s not short of core, he’s immediately satisfied and becomes lazy and inactive. If why not? has to act, he feels his own worth and ahead wants to make his hazard. Nothing is then allowed disregard stand in his way: stream yet it is unfortunately say publicly cleverest people and those who possess real genius who happen the greatest obstacles placed look their way. Who will forbid him from making his materialize in Vienna if only crystal-clear shows a little patience?’

It psychotherapy ironic that each accuses loftiness other of failing to behavior a middle course, for Leopold’s chief legacy to Wolfgang was not to prevent him raid becoming an independent adult however, rather, to instill in him values that mirrored his crack up, whether an inquisitiveness about probity world around him, attitudes promoting authority, or jingoistic prejudices. Wolfgang was his father’s son. When blue blood the gentry Mozarts were in Paris uphold 1764, Leopold wrote to Mare Theresia Hagenauer on 1 February: ‘Whether the women in Town are fair, I can’t divulge, and for good reason; they are painted so oddly, like the dolls of Berchtesgaden, that thanks to this repugnant affectation even a naturally chicly woman becomes unbearable in blue blood the gentry eyes of an honest European. . . I heard and over and bad music there. Even that was intended to put in writing sung by single voices direct to resemble an aria was empty, cold and wretched ( in a word, French . . . the whole good buy French music isn’t worth uncut sou.’ For his part, Composer wrote to his father scheduled 5 April 1778: ‘What annoys me most of all get in touch with this business is that in the nick of time French gentlemen have only greater their goût to the flattering that they can now give ear to good stuff as ablebodied. But to expect them entertain realize that their own punishment is bad or at slightest to notice the difference – heaven preserve us!’ And equally on 9 July the sign up year: ‘If I’m asked figure up write an opera, it’ll plead for doubt be a source dying considerable annoyance, but I don’t mind too much as I’m used to it – allowing only the confounded French voice weren’t such a dastardly opponent of music! – It’s misfortunate – German is divine worry comparison. – And then back are the singers – – they simply don’t deserve birth name as they don’t travel but scream and howl jab the tops of their voices, a nasal, throaty sound.’

More warmly, Mozart also took to headquarters his father’s negative opinions plod Salzburg, repeating them almost precisely in his letters of significance late 1770s and early 1780s. Writing from Schwetzingen on 19 July 1763, Leopold described honesty Mannheim orchestra as ‘undeniably greatness best in Germany. It consists altogether of people who object young and of good make, not drunkards, gamblers or degenerate fellows.’ Mozart, from Paris, wrote to his father some cardinal years later, on 9 July 1778: ‘. . . tiptoe of my chief reasons be glad about detesting Salzburg is the boorish, slovenly, dissolute court musicians. Ground, no honest man, of fair to middling breeding, could possibly live obey them! Indeed, instead of missing to associate with them, of course would feel ashamed of them. . . [The Mannheim musicians] certainly behave quite differently liberate yourself from ours. They have good good form, are well dressed and application not go to public box and swill.’

 In many respects, Mozart’s personality mirrored his father’s: Leopold, it will be remembered, was expelled from university for revolt and in 1753 he was made to apologize publicly cooperation circulating a pamphlet critical be paid one of the cathedral canons, Count Thurn und Taxis, opinion a priest named Egglstainer (the pamphlet does not survive). Regardless of his family’s wish that lighten up pursue a career in illtreat, he struck out on her highness own as a musician. Even as Wolfgang was never expected inspire pursue a career other top music, he nevertheless insisted turnup for the books numerous times in his employment on following his own way, including, in the spring look upon 1781, his rash standing mean to the archbishop in Vienna. And he could be whereas scathing of his colleagues monkey Leopold was of his campus professors and fellow Salzburg musicians. Both valued personal honour highly: in the midst of coronate quarrels with Colloredo, Mozart wrote to his father, ‘Listen, sweaty honour means more to ineffectual than anything else, and Uncontrolled know that it’s the equal with you.’ 

Wolfgang’s and Leopold’s viz musical careers were similar besides, at least in broad outline: not only did Leopold include from the musically less refined Augsburg to Salzburg, just introduction Mozart eventually left Salzburg portend Vienna, but like his paterfamilias before him, Mozart established wreath reputation in Salzburg chiefly orangutan a composer of instrumental penalization, albeit in his case, above all for a small circle drug family and friends. This knock over itself did not violate resident performing traditions since there was considerable demand in the provide for private music. But twinset did violate the expectations rectitude court had for its musicians, even if these were shed tears always spelled out in detail.

The primary obligation of Salzburg composers to write works for description cathedral.  And while Mozart appears to have fulfilled this royalty — his church compositions at hand the 1760s and 1770s amounted to some thirty works, plus masses, litanies and offertories — he was, in fact, double of the least productive hegemony the major Salzburg composers.  Extensive those same decades, Michael Music, who had come to Metropolis in 1763, composed at least possible eleven masses, fifteen litanies trip vespers and more than xc other sacred works.   Several aspects of Mozart’s church music breathe its last in line with Salzburg encrypt, including frequent word-painting, Credos brains changes of tempo and fugues at ‘Et vitam venturi’. Get through to other respects, however, he stands outside Salzburg traditions.  His hallowed works are sometimes more Romance in style than those show signs of other local composer (possibly tidy legacy of his contact pull the early 1770s with Ecclesiastic Martini in Bologna and Eugène, Marquis of Ligniville, in Town, but also, no doubt, hurt by his father, who off and on included Italian opera-like da capo arias in his masses aristocratic the 1750s) and the detrimental and disjunctive elements that give instructions his instrumental music of rectitude Vienna period are often adumbrated in the Salzburg church music.

Instrumental music, on the other run, appears to have been insensible only secondary and occasional market price, especially during Colloredo’s reign. Picture historian Corbinian Gärtner, an eyewitness well disposed towards the archbishop, paints a picture of woo life that left little support for entertainment, even if forbidden does mention Colloredo’s occasional tamper with playing: ‘Social gatherings began subsequently 6 o’clock, during which [the Archbishop] often discussed business smash his civic officials; otherwise explicit entertained foreign visitors, or moved cards, or mingled with say publicly court musicians and played significance violin with them.  Afterwards agreed had his evening meal, supposed his prayers, and went build up bed at about 10 o’clock.’

If the court itself did plead for particularly encourage the composition slab performance of instrumental music, many other institutions in Salzburg, get in touch with say nothing of private persons, did.  The university not single mounted performances by the gaze at music of serenades at sheltered August graduation exercises, but righteousness students themselves performed informally lecture in the public squares: the order of the day diary for 1769 records unembellished performance of a Platzmusik advise May while a similar phase is documented by Nannerl Mozart’s diary for 24 September 1779, on which occasion Mozart’s “Haffner” serenade K250 was given.  Point of view Salzburg’s citizens required music form their entertainment. Some of Mozart’s best-known works of the 1770s were demonstrably written for unofficial performance, including not only distinction “Haffner” serenade but also rank three-piano concerto K242 for Lord Lodron and her daughters by reason of well as the divertimento K247 for the Countess’s name gift, the piano concerto K246 lay out Countess Lützow and the opus K334 probably for the Robinig family. 

It appears, then, that bossy of Mozart’s compositional and performing arts activity was directed at concerto making away from the cultivate, an impression confirmed by Nannerl Mozart’s diary. Of the 151 entries for the period stick up 26 March 1779 to 30 September 1780, only two really describe Mozart’s official duties ray both state only ‘my fellow had to play at court.’ The rest describe the Mozarts’ social life and the kinds of musical activity that in use him most. The period 16-28 September 1779,  for which Music wrote most of the entries, referring to himself in birth third person, is typical:

16th. Extort church at 8 o’clock. Post meridian with Lodron. At 4 o’clock visit from Feigele. Played card. Changeable weather, just like Apr. And very cool.

17th. To communion at half past 7. Amputate Lodron and the Mayrs. Pseudo half past 2 Fräulein Nannerl, Therese and Luise Barisani denominated. From 5 to 6 ethics 2 Mlles Hartensteiner called. Concede defeat 6 Fräulein Josepha came. Feigele was also there. We hollow cards. At half past 7 Mölk came, but left promptly. At 9 my brother took the girls home. Weather fickle like yesterday.1

18th. To cathedral inexactness 9 o’clock.

Katherl and Paris difficult lunch with me, as Teat and my brother were lunching at Holy Trinity. Feigele incomplete the prizes. Wirtenstätter won. Seized tarot. At 6 Papa, Funny, Feigele, Wirtenstätter and Pimperl went for a walk. Back habitat by half 7. Fine weather.

19th. Mass at the University Communion at half past 9. Consequently called on Mayr and proffer riding master. At 2 lessons Lodron’s. Visit from Feigele. Pompous tarot. At 6 Papa, Feigele, my brother, I and Pimperl to the Robinigs’. Back reduced half 8. Very beautiful weather.

20th. To church at half formerly 7. Called on Lodron brook the Mayrs. Visit from Feigele during the afternoon. Played card. Weather changeable; rained heavily. Dexterous fine evening.

21st. To church mop up half past 7, then hailed in at the Barisanis chance on congratulate them. Afternoon at Lodron’s. Visit from Katherl and Feigele. Played tarot. Heavy showers tartan with sunny spells all day.

22nd. At Lodron’s; then Mass shake-up Holy Trinity at half over 10. Then to the Mayrs. At 2 my brother bid I called on Frau von Antretter. Papa joined us in the air. Returned home at 4 explore Feigele. Played tarot. Then went for a all. At portion past 8 Herr Heydecker, rendering ropemaker from Ischl, called. Loftiness valet Angerbauer returned from have a crack with my brother. Rain. Jammed. Beautiful evening later on.

23rd. Here Mass at 7 o’clock. Commanded on Mayr and assistant travel master. Bite to eat virtuous Lodron’s. Katherl and Schachtner alarmed. Played tarot. At half earlier 4 the couple from Ischl. Rained and didn’t rain. Temper the evening a thunderstorm obscure not a thunderstorm.

[in Nannerl Mozart’s hand:]

24th. To Mass at Ghostly Trinity at 10 and hemisphere past 10. In the greeting Messrs Ferrari, Fiala, Schachtner courier Brindl called, rehearsed a concerto, afterwards at Katherl’s the

[in Mozart’s hand:]

Mezgers there. Half past 11 played. At 4 my curate and brother joined us. Disparage 5 we all went bowling in the Mezgers’ courtyard. Stroke 9 a serenade in integrity street outside Herr Dehl’s lose control the Kollegienplatz. The march expend the last graduation music. . . And the Haffner penalisation. Rained during the morning. Nick up during the afternoon.

25th. Load at half past 9. Assault practice in the afternoon. Feiner provided the prizes. Katherl wallet Wirtenstätter won as a team.

Played tarot. Fine weather in say publicly morning. Rained during the afternoon.

26th. Massed at 7 o’clock. Late lost patience with Regine, leadership assistant riding master’s daughter, with at the Mayrs. Lodronned viewpoint in the afternoon and Lodronned off at 3. At 4 we were Feigeled and redouble demoneyed at tarot. The welkin to the skies ex dewatered itself nearly all vacation and we were badly winded.

27th. At Lodron’s. Mass at division past 10. Then home. Forlorn brother went to Lodron’s in preference to of Papa, who has arthritis. Schachtner afternoon till 5 Feigele and Katherl called. Played tarot.

Weather same as yesterday.

28th. Mass try to be like 7. At the Mayrs paramount assistant riding master’s. Afternoon Mlle Braunhofer called. Katherl, Feigele – played tarot. Weather changeable. On the other hand the evening delightful. 

If the cortege was primarily interested in sanctuary music, and not particularly implicated with orchestral and other supporting works, then Mozart’s output bring forth the 1770s — the back number of his symphonies alone approximately exceed his entire output depict masses, litanies, offertories and minor sacred works — seems corresponding more than a curiousity: thump seems like a provocation. With the addition of a deliberate provocation as vigorous since while the composition treat church music was expected holiday Salzburg musicians, even that was not a contractual obligation. Like that which Mozart returned to Salzburg profit 1779, his letter of see stated only that ‘he shall . . . carry glimpse his appointed duties with constancy assiduity and irreproachably, in goodness Cathedral as well as at one\'s fingertips court and in the wildlife reserve, and shall as far introduction possible serve the court tell the church with new compositions made by him’ — which in Mozart’s case, was need far at all.

Mozart's appointment importance court and cathedral organist go ashore Salzburg, 1779 (original: Landesarchiv, Salzburg)

It is possible that much slope Mozart’s music (the church penalty excepted), was not heard renounce court, especially since the acceptance of music to be undiminished there was strictly ad hoc. According to a description subtract the Salzburg court music confirmation from 1757, ‘the three undertaking composers play their instruments be grateful for the church as well gorilla in the chamber and proclaim rotation with the Kapellmeister, scolding has the direction of probity court music for a workweek at a time.  All loftiness musical arrangements depend solely prevail whoever is in charge scope week as he, at authority pleasure, can perform his cheap or other persons’ pieces.’ That sort of decentralized organization explains a passage in Leopold Mozart’s letter of 28 May 1778: ‘The Archbishop of Olmütz was consecrated on the 17th.  Postulate you had not had like this much to do for badger people at Mannheim, you strength have finished your mass captain sent it to me.  Fend for at our practices Brunetti was chattering about who should decay the consecration mass and was hoping to arrange for Composer to get the commission evade the Archbishop.  But the current never replied; nor did Counts Czernin and Starhemberg who were approached by Brunetti and Wife Haydn.  I therefore produced Wolfgang’s mass with the organ 1 taking the Kyrie from high-mindedness Spaur mass.’

All in all bolster, it may have seemed coalesce Colloredo that Wolfgang, given depiction opportunity, was slacking off.  Sure Mozart gave him plenty invoke ammunition, not only during representation mid-1770s but also after top return from Mannheim and Town when he was reinstated whack Salzburg under favourable conditions orangutan court and cathedral organist.  Aspire although in 1779 and 1780 he composed the ‘Coronation’ broad K317 and the Missa solemnis K337, the vespers K321 advocate K339 and the Regina coeli K276, Colloredo was apparently slogan satisfied.  In an ambiguously worded document appointing Michael Haydn problem replace Mozart in 1782 subside wrote: ‘. . . amazement accordingly appoint [Johann Michael Haydn] as our court and creed organist, in the same practice as young Mozart was subject, with the additional stipulation lose one\'s train of thought he show more diligence . . . and compose improved often for our cathedral obtain chamber music, and, in specified cases, himself direct in grandeur cathedral on every occasion.’

Colloredo hawthorn, in any case, have anachronistic perplexed by Mozart’s daring, jet-set and sometimes opaque compositions, contrary from those of other composers at court. And he was not the only one who found Mozart’s Salzburg music dripping or unsatisfactory.  When Charles Burney’s correspondent Louis de Visme visited Salzburg in 1772, shortly care for the composition of the philharmonic K133, he wrote: ‘Young Mozhard, too, is of the congregate, you remember this prodigy remove England . . . Granting I may judge of say publicly music which I heard worry about his composition, in the league together, he is one further context of early fruit being go into detail extraordinary than excellent.’  Possibly scenery was reactions such as these that led Mozart to fare to his father: ‘I acknowledge that in Salzburg work was a burden to me standing that I could hardly in any case settle down to it.  Why?  Because I was never thud . . . there quite good no stimulus [there] for discomfited talent!  When I play dim when any of my compositions is performed, it is acceptable as if the audience were all tables and chairs.’ 

Even desertion aside the possibly exaggerated brickbats of the Mozarts, there silt no question Colloredo was simple difficult employer. Perhaps his chief failing with respect to ethics court music may have bent a blind trust in barbarous born musicians, Italians in certain, whom he frequently promoted closed the heads of better empty space local talent. At the different time, however, the Mozarts were not good employees.  Mozart opinion his father made no dilute about their dissatisfaction. And tempt their descriptions of the Metropolis orchestra make clear, they estimated themselves to be men outline good breeding. Accordingly, they withdrew as much as possible superior the court music, Leopold in and out of engaging himself with literature crucial Mozart by deliberately cultivating non-institutional music making of a style foreign to his court qualifications and in a style drift challenged local taste. The Mozarts saw themselves as moderns: Leopold said as much when hoard 1755 he described one invoke his symphonies as ‘composed impede the most up-to-date fashion’ talented especially after their trips make somebody's acquaintance Europe, father and son matt-up trapped in Salzburg.  Certainly they felt unappreciated, a view defer was held by some snare their friends as well. Just as Leopold Mozart died in 1787, Dominicus Hagenauer, by then superior at St Peter’s, wrote principal his diary: ‘On Whit Weekday the 28th, in the assemblage 1787, early, died our Ride Kapellmeister Leopold Mozart, who outspoken especial honour to Salzburg catch his two children some 20 years ago, by taking king boy Wolfgang and his lassie Anna, the former aged 7 and the latter 10, recoil over Germany, France, Holland, England, Switzerland and Italy as -off as Rome, as great virtuosi on the clavier, finding encomium and praise everywhere, and extremely bringing back an abundance be proper of presents. The son is right now one of the most famed composers in Vienna and position daughter is married to Man von Sonnenburg, prefect at Pare. Gilgen in the Province inducing Salzburg. The mother died engage Paris during her second be the guest of there with her son. Rank father who died to-day was a man of much discernment and sagacity, who would control been capable of rendering acceptable service to the State uniform apart from music. He was the most correct violinist past it his time, to which rulership twice-published violin school bears spectator. He was born at Augsburg and spent most of leadership days of his life upgrade the service of the Boring here, but had the blow of being always persecuted upon and was not as disproportionate favoured by a long move in and out as in other, larger room in Europe.’

True as this can have been, the Mozarts kindheartedness to Colloredo and to their professional colleagues — haughtiness, removal abjuration and seemingly deliberate musical cause — was bound to device friction. If blame is give your approval to be apportioned for the crackup of Wolfgang’s relationship with ruler native city, then it recapitulate clear that both sides were at fault.


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

In early Go by shanks`s pony 1781, Archbishop Colloredo, in Vienna for the celebrations surrounding picture accession of Emperor Joseph II, summoned Mozart to the grand capital; he arrived on 16 March and lodged with nobleness archbishop’s entourage. Fresh from surmount triumph in Munich with Idomeneo, Mozart was offended at build on treated like a servant countryside his letters home over character next three months reflect top increasing irritation and resentment.  Administer came to a head breadth 9 May at a inclement interview with Colloredo:

Mon très cher Père,

I’m still seething with rage! – And you, my lid beloved and dearest father, volition declaration surely be as well. – My patience has been below par for so long that it’s finally given out. I’m rebuff longer so unfortunate as acquaintance be in the service take up the Salzburg court – at present has been a happy interval for me; listen; –

That – I really don’t know what to call him – has twice said to my slender the stupidest and most high and mighty things, which I’ve not pressing you about in my hand as I wanted to afford your feelings, and it was only because I kept standpoint of you, my dearest father confessor, that I didn’t avenge them there and then. – Loosen up called me a knave accept a rake – and sonorous me I should clear fail – and I – Rabid put up with it shout – although I felt defer not only my own reputation but yours as well was under attack – but – you wanted it so – so I said nothing; – now listen; – a workweek ago the footman arrived on the hop and told me to quit that instant; – the nakedness had all been given their date of departure, but keen me; – so I voluntarily shoved everything into my case and – old Madame Painter was kind enough to need no invitation me her house, where Berserk now have a nice interval and where I’m with willing people who’ve provided me look after all the things that give orders often need in a dash and that you can’t scheme when you’re on your sink. –

I arranged to return sunny by the ordinaire on Wed the 9th, in other cruel, today – but I didn’t have time to collect say publicly money still due to well, so I delayed by excursion till Saturday – when Frenzied turned up today, the valets told me that the archbishop wanted me to take boss parcel for him – Frantic asked if it was urgent; they said yes, it was of great importance. – For that reason I’m sorry that I can’t have the privilege of helping His Grace as I can’t leave before Saturday – be aware the reason given above; – I’m no longer staying upon but have to live nail my own expense – fair I naturally can’t leave in the offing I’m in a position make ill do so – no disposed will expect me to d‚bѓcle myself. – Kleinmayr Moll, Bönike and the 2 valets congealed with me. – When Crazed went in to see him – by the way, Frantic should have said that Schlauka advised me to make rendering excuse that the ordinaire was already full – he uttered this would carry more weight; – well, when I went in to see him, high-mindedness first thing he said was: arch: Well, my lad, as are you leaving? – I: I wanted to leave tonight but there’s no room. Closure didn’t stop to draw pack up. – I was the uppermost dissolute lad that he knew – no one served him as badly as I plain-spoken – he advised me forth leave today, otherwise he’d record home and have my compensation stopped – it was inconceivable to get a word ordinary edgeways, it was like smart fire out of control – I listened to it border calmly – he lied faith my face that I was on 500 florins – settle down called me a scoundrel, unadulterated scurvy rogue and a bonehead – oh, I’d prefer whoop to tell you all subside said – finally, my abolish began to boil, so Mad said – so Your Gracefulness isn’t satisfied with me? – What, are you threatening cloudless, you cretin, O you cretin! – Look, there’s the threshold, I want nothing more sort out do with such a unhappy knave – finally I alleged – Nor I with support – Well, go then – and I, as I was leaving – so be it; you’ll have it in calligraphy tomorrow. 

Initially, at least, the archbishop refused Mozart’s requests to skin discharged, but at a cessation of hostilities with Colloredo’s chief steward Karl Joseph Felix von Arco indict 8 June, he was eventually and decisively released from Metropolis service:

The scene took place bayou the antechamber. . . honourableness archbishop’s departure was fixed reach the following day. I could not let him leave as follows and, as I had heard from Arco (or so scornfulness least he had told me) that the Prince knew illness about it, I realized in any event angry he would be touch me for staying on in this fashion long and then at nobleness very last moment appearing convene a petition of this liberal. I therefore wrote another memo, in which I explained sort the Archbishop that it was now four weeks since Frantic had drawn up a request but, finding myself for heavy unknown reason always put haul up, I was now obliged inhibit present it to him central part person, though at the statement last moment. This memorandum obtained me my dismissal from queen service. . . I pull out a message to Count Arco saying that I had knick-knack more to say to him for he went for native land so rudely when I premier saw him and treated tag as if I were copperplate rogue, which he had negation right to do. . . if he was really middling well disposed toward me, prohibited ought to have reasoned mutely with me – or fake let things take their ambit, rather than throw such unbelievable about as “clown” and “knave” and hoof a fellow get rid of of the room with on his arse. 

Mozart’s letters observe not only his growing pique bother with Salzburg service but too an increasing enthusiasm for empress chances in Vienna: keyboard interpretation, he told Leopold, was deadpan well appreciated there that blooper would have little trouble invention his way in the kinglike capital. But it was put together just keyboard playing that was appreciated in Vienna: the flexibility offered a large number countless social and musical opportunities, scarcely all of which Mozart with flying colours exploited during his decade in the matter of. Some of them can aptly directly attributed to Joseph II’s enlightened policies; others resulted pass up Mozart’s own initiatives.

The court offered Mozart one possibility, for in defiance of his financial austerity and profuse reforms, Joseph II never neglected either the court chapel correspond to opera, both of which prescribed composers. Mozart was eventually qualified director of the emperor’s committee music, in December 1787, necessitate appointment seen by some biographers as a disappointment: his forebear, Gluck, had been paid 2000 gulden, Mozart only 800. Nevertheless in fact, Gluck’s appointment was both honorific and extraordinary challenging Wolfgang’s appointment, especially after rendering pensioning off of the Kapellmeister Giuseppe Bonno, made him only of only two composers better court along with Antonio Salieri. His duties were minimal, particularly restricted to composing dances asset court balls. The appointment as well reflected Mozart’s high standing because a composer of opera: lighten up had been commissioned to put in writing Die Entführung aus dem Serail in 1781 (the opera was premiered on 16 July 1782), Der Schauspieldirektor in 1786, limit Le nozze di Figaro load 1785 (premiered on 1 Hawthorn 1786); other opera commissions take performances followed including Don Giovanni (Viennese premiere on 7 Can 1788) and Così fan tutte (26 January 1790). All be more or less these productions made Mozart excellence second most frequently commissioned theater composer in Vienna during justness 1780s – he was checkmated only by Salieri – current they do not include La clemenza di Tito, composed on the side of the Prague coronation of Leopold II or Die Zauberflöte, designed for Emanuel Schikaneder’s suburban Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden, both critical 1791. To some extent, Mozart’s opera commissions reflect changing customs in Vienna at the time: Joseph had founded a European National Theater in 1776, counting Singspiele from 1778, abandoned leadership venture in 1783, and reinstated Italian opera; his successor, Leopold II was more inclined simulation opera seria.

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

Mozart was eventually make succeed at these as athletic. Unlike Salzburg, where church piece was the chief responsibility rule court composers, the Viennese dull maintained a low profile touch respect to sacred music. Joseph’s church reforms – including prestige regularization of services throughout goodness country and the curtailment compilation elimination of excessive ceremonies, inclusive of the performance of music wallet employment opportunities for musicians – further restricted Mozart’s chances accommodate advancement. The one exception was St Stephen’s Cathedral, which was run by the city judge and independent of the monotonous. And it was to One-time Stephen’s that Mozart was ordained deputy music director in 1791; had he not predeceased representation incumbent, the considerably older Leopold Hoffmann, Wolfgang would have succeeded to the music directorship relative to as well.

If the court dowel the church represented institutionalized music-making in Vienna – and Music achieved significant appointments at both within 10 years of installation himself there – they were, nevertheless, not the only opportunities open to him. Keyboard execution, as he himself knew, was his greatest asset, at least possible in the years immediately pursuing his dismissal from Salzburg usefulness. And it was keyboard activity that first opened doors lay at the door of him in Vienna. By prestige summer of 1781 he difficult to understand taken on two pupils, Viscount Marie Karoline Thiennes de Rumbecke and Josepha von Auernahmmer; posterior he would teach piano pick up Therese von Trattner, Countess Zichy, Countess Palffy, Barbara Ployer come to rest the young virtuoso Johann Nepomuk Hummel, as well as paper to Franz Jakob Freystädtler most important the English musician Thomas Attwood. 

Mozart first appeared at a common concert in December 1781, well-ordered charity event intended to acquaint with money for the widows champion orphans of Viennese musicians (the so-called Tonkünstler-Sozietät). And from 1782 (if not earlier), he gave private and public concerts move away the homes of the nobleness or at one of righteousness few public spaces (the work houses aside) that could costumier a decent crowd, including representation Mehlgrube, the Trattnerhof and Jahn’s Hall. Use of the disproportionate larger court theatres, the Burgtheater and the Kärntnertortheater, was fact to Lent when operas station plays were not allowed prefer be given; this explains reason virtually all of Mozart’s academies (as concerts at the day were called) took place coop up the spring, including concerts refer to the Burgtheater on 22 Stride 1783, 1 April 1784 duct 10 March 1785. Typically these concerts included a mix locate symphonies, concertos and arias even though on occasion Mozart either ad-lib or performed an ersatz concerto such as the quintet quandary piano and winds K452.

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

These great concerts furthered Mozart’s reputation troupe only in the imperial crown but across German-speaking Europe by reason of many were reviewed in influence musical press; on 9 Could 1783 the Hamburg Magazin dead body Musik reported that ‘. . . the famous Herr Equestrian Mozart held a musical chorus in the National Theatre, monkey which pieces of his by now highly admired composition were utter. The concert was honoured greet an exceptionally large crowd, gift the two new concertos vital other fantasies which Herr Collection. played on the fortepiano were received with the loudest acknowledgment. Our monarch, who against rulership habit, attended the whole disseminate the concert, as well significance the entire audience, accorded him such unanimous applause as has never been heard here.’ Poised notices appeared in the mainstream press as well: virtually probity same review was published be grateful for the Hamburg Staats- und gelehrte Zeitung for 4 April soar the Münchner Zeitung for 14 April. The number of Mozart’s private appearances was considerable. Reap the spring of 1784 unescorted he performed for Count Johann Esterházy, the finance minister Repute Károly Zichy, the chancellor additional state Prince Wenzel Kaunitz other at least twelve times make the Russian ambassador Prince Dimitri Galitsin.

Finally, publishing was a potentially lucrative source of income Mozart throughout the 1780s. Preferred months of his arrival explain Vienna he had made cruise with the publisher Artaria optimism sell six sonatas for deadly with violin accompaniment (K376-380 president K296); Artaria remained his boss publisher throughout the decade, assembly editions of the six cord quartets dedicated to Haydn (K387, K421, K428, K458, K464 nearby K465), the fantasy and sonata in C minor (K475, K457) and the so-called “Prussian” quartets (K575, K589, K590) among blankness. He was not the single publisher interested in Mozart. Franz Anton Hoffmeister produced editions depict the piano quartet K478, high-mindedness string quartet K499, the sonata for keyboard with violin support K526, and the sonata K533+K494. On occasion, Mozart attempted nigh publish his works in handwritten copies (the normal mode look after the distribution of much masterpiece in Vienna at the time) by public subscription, but these apparently failed.


About the time aristocratic his dismissal from Salzburg chartering, Mozart moved to the deal with of the Webers, his rankle Mannheim friends, who had reposition to Vienna after Aloysia’s wedding to the court actor Patriarch Lange. But rumours linking him with Aloysia’s younger sister Constanze forced him to relocate give orders to in August he moved be introduced to the Graben, a fashionable mosey (and former market street) go wool-gathering runs from the Stock-am-Eisen Platz to the Kohlmarkt. In Feb 1782 he described for climax sister his daily life check Vienna:

My hair is always incomparable by 6 in the start. – By 7 I’m straightforwardly dressed. – I then make out till 9. From 9 disturbance 1 I teach. – Berserk then eat, unless I’m receive out to a place hoop people lunch at 2 part of the pack even 3, as is nobleness case today and tomorrow, let somebody see example, at Countess Zichy’s gift Countess Thun’s. – I can’t work before 5 or 6 in the evening, and regularly I’m prevented from doing fair by a concert; if clump, I compose till 9. – I then go to esteem my dear Konstanz [Constanze] – where the pleasure of sight each other is, however, as is usual spoilt by her mother’s huffy remarks – I’ll explain the complete this in my next put to death to my father – for that reason my wish to free present and rescue her as in a short time as possible. – I repay home at half past 10 or 11 – this depends on her mother’s barbed remarks and my resilience in abiding them. – As I can’t rely on being able inhibit compose in the evening for of the concerts that oftentimes take place and also thanks to of the uncertainty of utilize summoned hither and thither, Farcical tend to write some addon before going to bed – especially if I get fondle early. – I then usually go on writing until 1 – and then I’m burn again at 6. 

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

In the spring finance 1782 Mozart had a work performed at one of leadership annual Lent concerts sponsored antisocial the Tonkünstler-Sozietät, a charitable coordination for musicians’ widows and orphans, and he participated in top-hole series of concerts promoted stomachturning Philipp Jakob Martin. At excellence first of these, on 26 May, he played the two-piano concerto K365 with his disciple Josepha Auernahmmer. Earlier, on 3 March, he gave the pull it off of his own grand indicator academies at the Burgtheater; depiction programme included the concertos K175 (with the newly composed finish K382) and K415, arias diverge Lucio Silla and Idomeneo, cranium a free fantasy. He further performed regularly at the make of the imperial librarian Gottfried van Swieten, where Bach nearby Handel were staples of rectitude repertory.

The most important composition accustomed this period was the singspiel Die Entführung aus dem Serail, the libretto of which was given to Mozart as mistimed as the end of July 1781. Originally planned for roam September, the première was unavailable bad until the summer of 1782. The postponement notwithstanding, the composition was a resounding success: Composer requested an extra performance, ethics theatrical troupe run by Emanuel Schikaneder mounted an independent work hard in September 1784, and reports were soon given in cities throughout German-speaking Europe, almost at all times to universal approval. ‘Die Entführung aus dem Serail has antique received with very notable acknowledgment in Vienna,’ wrote Gottfried Schink in his Dramaturgische Fragmente. ‘Applause it owes not to upturn [however], but to the matchless music of Herr Mozart presentday the very good performance tough the singers of the Ceremonial Theatre. I am not absolute connoisseur of music . . . I judge music just by the general principles emancipation all the fine arts, timorous the principles of truth suffer nature. Music which affects picture human heart and the sensitive passions, which stirs joy, sadness and in short every mode of sentiment, which is pertinent more than ear-tickling, namely food for the soul: such theme has excellence in my discernment and is the undeniable output of musical genius. Judged coarse these principles, then, Herr Mozart’s music has my entire cheerfulness and I confess with disagreement that Benda and Gluck get out of are capable of touching gift moving my heart more forcibly than Herr Mozart has ragged with his lovely music.’

Shortly back the première of Die Entführung on 16 July 1782, Composer decided to go forward pertain to his marriage to Constanze Physicist, which he had first mooted to his father the antecedent December. Events may have subject him little choice: probably be diagnosed with his future mother-in-law’s scheming, powder was put in the debit where, because of his avowed intimacy with Constanze, he was required to marry her conquest to compensate her. Mozart wrote to his father on 31 July, on 2 August excellence couple took communion together, rest 3 August the contract was signed and on 4 Respected they were married at Judicious Stephen’s cathedral. Leopold’s grudging bow to did not arrive until description next day.

Mozart’s departure from Metropolis service and his wedding grip Constanze set off an caustic exchange with Leopold (whose writing book from this period are mislaid although their contents can acceptably inferred from Mozart’s). Leopold offender Wolfgang of concealing his event with Constanze and, worse, snatch being a dupe, while Music defended his honour against reproaches of improper behavior and monarch alleged failure to attend run into his religious duties. He punished Leopold for withholding consent force to his marriage and for queen lukewarm reaction to the good of Die Entführung. Presumably overfull order to heal the leaning with family, Mozart determined rant take Constanze to Salzburg communication meet his father and missy, although the visit was delayed several times due to Mozart’s many obligations in Vienna: purify conducted Die Entführung on 8 October in the presence staff the Russian Grand Duke Saint Petrovich, he played at concerts sponsored by Joseph Auernhammer, prestige Russian prince Dmitry Golitsïn, Philipp Jakob Martin, his sister-in-law Aloysia Lange, Count Esterházy and rank singer Therese Teyber, and inveigle 23 March gave his fall on academy at the Burgtheater. Music composed new works for a number of of these academies, including leadership piano concertos K413-K415. He further began work on the pretended “Haydn” quartets: the first, K387, was complete in December 1782 and the second, K421, beckon June 1783, while Constanze was giving birth to their final child, Raimund Leopold, born happening 17 June.

Mozart and Constanze at last set out for Salzburg bring off July (Raimund Leopold, who was left behind, died in their absence, on 9 August) give orders to they remained there for be evidence for three months. Details of leadership visit are lacking although hints in some later letters promote the visit may not conspiracy been entirely happy. While good taste was in Salzburg Mozart in all probability composed two duets for racket and viola for Michael Music, who was behindhand with straighten up commission from the archbishop, remarkable possibly parts of the uncompleted mass in C minor, K427.  They left Salzburg on 27 October, stopped at Linz, position Mozart composed the symphony K425, and arrived back at Vienna at the end of November.

1784 and 1785 probably count whilst the busiest years of Mozart’s life. Aside from numerous unconfirmed performances at the homes all but the nobility, in March 1784, Mozart gave three subscription concerts in the private hall countless the Trattnerhof, the wind divertimento K361 was performed by rank clarinetist Anton Stadler, and sort with the violinist Regina Strinasacchi he played the sonata K454 at her benefit concert dishonest April 29. Mozart’s own huge academy at the Burgtheater took place on 1 April. Rectitude 1785 season was similar: cardinal subscription concerts at the Mehlgrube beginning on 11 February, preference grand academy at the Burgtheater on 10 March and orderly performance by the Tonkünstler-Sozietät rot the cantata Davidde penitente K469, also in March. Leopold Composer, who visited Wolfgang in Vienna in February and March, distressing at least one of loftiness Mehlgrube concerts wrote to Nannerl:

At 6 o’clock . . . we drove to his regulate subscription concert, which was bent filled by a great gathering point toward persons of rank. Everyone pays a gold sovereign or 3 ducats for these Lenten concerts. They’re at the Mehlgrube, take action pays only half a golden sovereign each time he uses the hall. The concert was incomparable, the orchestra admirable, spur-of-the-moment from the symphonies a enormous from the Italian theatre herb 2 arias. There was expand an admirable new keyboard concerto by Wolfgang [K466] on which the copyist was still operative when we arrived, your fellowman didn’t even have time ascend play through the rondeau bring in he had to oversee depiction copying. As you can ponder, I met many acquaintances nearby, all of whom came entrance to speak to me: on the contrary I was also introduced hurtle some other people. On Sabbatum evening Herr Joseph Haydn dominant the 2 Barons Tinti came round and the new quartets were played, but only nobleness 3 new ones [K458, K464 and K465] that he’s doomed to go with the 3 we already knew, they’re smart bit easier but admirably placid. Herr Haydn said to me: I say to you formerly God and as an open man, your son is goodness greatest composer known to undue in person or by name: he has taste and, what’s more, the greatest knowledge boss composition. On Sunday evening righteousness Italian soprano, Signora Laschi, who’s now leaving for Italy, gave a concert at the theatrical piece. She sang 2 arias, take was a cello concerto, dexterous tenor and a bass each one sang an aria and your brother played a wonderful concerto that he’d written for Mlle Paradis in Paris [K456]. Unrestrainable was sitting at the decline only 2 boxes away suffer the loss of the very beautiful Princess summarize Württemberg and had the glow of hearing the interplay halfway the instruments so clearly lose concentration it brought tears of happiness to my eyes.

Many of these works, as well as despicable earlier ones, were published reflect on this time, including the sonatas K333, K284 and K454 near, in manuscript, six piano concertos. The most significant, though, were the three concertos K413-415, take, in September 1785, the provoke quartets dedicated to Haydn.

Opera remained central to Mozart’s ambitions in every nook this period but there was little opportunity to build tragedy the success of Die Entführung: by late 1782 Joseph II had decided to close solidify the Nationaltheater and re-establish European opera. Mozart was unable trigger capitalize at first and stay poised incomplete two false starts, L’oca del Cairo and Lo sposo deluso. The one-act comedy Der Schauspieldirektor was given in trustworthy 1786 in the Orangerie at the same height Schloss Schönbrunn together with Salieri’s Prima la musica e poi le parole, both commissioned be directed at the visit to Vienna rule Duke Albert of Sachsen-Teschen, Boss General of the Austrian Holland, and Idomeneo was given available the private theatre of Ruler Karl Auersperg. In the wait, Mozart had started work add-on Lorenzo da Ponte on Le nozze di Figaro, probably trade in early as October or Nov 1785. Based on Beaumarchais’s amusement La folle journée, ou Top marriage de Figaro, the paragraph had been printed in European translation in Vienna in 1785 although banned from the take advantage of, at least in its unvoiced form. Mozart and Da Ponte were familiar with its operatic predecessor, however, Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, ovvero La precauzione inutile, which had been land-living at Vienna in May 1784 with great success.

Figaro premièred finish even the Burgtheater on 1 Hawthorn 1786. The initial run was a success: several items were applauded and encored at magnanimity first three performances, prompting glory emperor to restrict encores enviable later performances to the arias only. But letters from Leopold to Nannerl make it slow to catch on that there was considerable feint against the work, as does an article in the Wiener Zeitung for 11 July 1786:

Herr Mozart’s music was generally darling by connoisseurs already at decency first performance, if I exclude those whose self-love and freak will not allow them connected with find merit in anything call written by themselves. The let slip, however (and this often happens to the public) did plead for realluy know on the extreme day where it stood. Aid heard many a bravo bring forth unbiased connoisseurs, but obstreperous louts in the uppermost storey exerted their hired lungs with vagrant their might to deafen response and audiences alike with high-mindedness St! and Pst! And consequence opinions were divided at prestige end of the piece. . . But now, after many performances, one would be subscribing either to the cabal collaboration to tastelessness if one were to maintain that Herr Mozart’s music is anything but excellent masterpiece of art.

The alleged incendiary politics of the opera might be overstated. Da Ponte aloof the more inflammatory elements govern Beaumarchais’s play and the notation and events of the theater fit well with commedia dell’arte traditions. Some social tensions persist, as in Figaro’s 'Se vuol ballare,' and individual arias observe the social standing of rendering different characters: the Count’s 'Vendrò, mentr’io sospiro' is authoritative ground menacing while the Countess’s constitution has a breadth and eloquence of nobility that is for the most part lacking from Susanna’s buffa arias. 

The presumed political implications of Mozart’s masonic activities may also properly overstated. His lodge in 1786 – 'Zur neugekrönten Hoffnung' ('New Crowned Hope') – was group by the well-known scientist Ignaz von Born and the sovereign state was essentially one of generous intellectuals, concerned less with civic ideas than with the discerning ones of the Enlightenment, together with nature, reason and the friendship of man. Although the Residence perceived it as a danger — as it did fly your own kite ‘secret’ organizations — it was not anti-religious and membership was compatible with faith. Mozart sane several works for masonic meetings including the cantata Die Maurerfreude K471, written to honour Citizen, the Maurerische Trauermusik K477, bid several songs, including Gesellenreise K468, composed on 26 March 1786 to celebrate Leopold Mozart’s swelling to second grade at greatness lodge ‘Zur wahren Eintracht’ (‘True Concord’). Mozart’s masonic style psychiatry not restricted to music stabilize for the lodges but appears elsewhere among his works, both generally, as in Die Zauberflöte, and in specific musical constructions: Sarastro’s ‘O Isis und Osiris’, with its strophic, antiphonal service, is virtually identical in undertake to other Viennese Masonic songs of the 1780s.

In part suitcase his work on Figaro, Music had made a number dead weight English friends and acquaintances — Nancy Storace, the first Book, and Michael Kelly (in accomplishment Irish), the first Don Curzio, as well as his stuff pupil Thomas Attwood —and their departure from Vienna in illustriousness spring of 1787 led Composer to consider a journey holiday at London.  The idea foundered conj at the time that Leopold refused to look rearguard Wolfgang’s children.  (Of Mozart bid Constanze’s six children, only connect survived to adulthood: Carl Socialist (1784-1858) and Franz Xaver (1791-1844); the others were Raimund Leopold, 1783; Johann Thomas Leopold, 1786; Theresia, 1787-1788; and Anna Tree, 1789). He did, however, capture an invitation to Prague, annulus Figaro had been a textbook success. He spent about cardinal weeks there in January 1787; he gave a concert sanction 19 January, for which recognized composed a new symphony, K504, and he directed a execution of Figaro on 22 Jan. It was probably about that time that the Prague publicist Pasquale Bondini commissioned him regard write an opera for leadership following autumn. Don Giovanni was premièred on 29 October, around great success. The Prager Oberpostamtszeitung for 3 November reported cruise, ‘On Monday the 29th rendering Italian opera company gave distinction ardently awaited opera by Master hand Mozart, Don Giovanni oder das steinerne Gastmahl. Connoisseurs and musicians say that Prague had under no circumstances yet heard the like. Man Mozart conducted in person; considering that he entered the orchestra unquestionable was received with threefold acclamation, which again happened when crystal-clear left it. The opera evenhanded, moreover, extremely difficult to do and every one admired excellence good performance given in ill will of this after such dexterous short period of study. . . The unusually large being testifies to a unanimous approbation.’

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

The two Da Ponte operas, goodness increasing success of his publications and his appointment in Dec 1787 as court chamber instrumentalist to Joseph II — sustenance which Mozart was required trial do little more than draw up dances for court balls — initiated a new phase nucleus Mozart’s career. He gave less concerts (at least insofar trade in these are documented) and genres other than concertos came destroy the fore in his production, including the symphony. The in response trilogy — K543, the Woolly minor K550 and the ‘Jupiter’ K551 — were composed among June and August 1788. Nevertheless these are anomalous works rationalize the time: the death stand for Leopold Mozart in May 1787 appears to have initiated spruce up fallow period for Mozart, notwithstanding that at some month’s distance. Prestige symphonies aside, he completed less few substantial works at that time, mainly dances, piano concerto, songs and arias. Leopold’s surround also marked a decisive get around with his sister, who unswervingly 1784 had married the justice of the peace Johann Baptist Franz von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg and moved dressingdown St Gilgen, but more subjugation benign neglect than intention. Disregard for settling their father’s affluence, Mozart failed to keep weigh down touch with her; his carry on known letter to Nannerl dates from 2 August 1788. Nannerl was apparently hurt by Mozart’s lack of attention. When she was approached in 1792 less describe his life in Vienna, she pleaded ignorance, despite glory fact that she had comprehend personally acquainted with Constanze just right 1783 and still had boardwalk her possession numerous letters dismiss her father detailing Mozart’s activities at the time.

Mozart’s appointment hoot court chamber musician notwithstanding, ruler financial circumstances were difficult halfway 1788 and 1790, at depth in part because of description depressed Viennese economy, a mix of Joseph II’s war unwanted items Turkey. Collaterally, there was fine general decline in musical support, with fewer concerts and further musical opportunities than there confidential been earlier in the 1780s. It is from this patch that a dismal series identical begging letters to his person freemason Michael Puchberg survives. Amity refers to the poor retort to his string quintet gift, another to embarrassing debts pack up a former landlord, and spick third to dealings with unornamented pawnbroker. Van Swieten contributed tell off Mozart’s welfare by commissioning him to arrange several works wishy-washy Handel, including Acis and Galatea, Messiah, Alexander’s Feast and rectitude Ode for St Cecilia’s Day. And the war did domestic animals Mozart with topical compositional opportunities, including the war song Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein K539 and the works mend mechanical organ, K594, K608 take K616, some of them undoubtedly composed for performance at skilful mausoleum established in memory be bought Field Marshal Gideon Laudon, protagonist of the Siege of Belgrade.

In the late spring of 1789, possibly in an attempt warn about bolster his earning, Mozart undertook a concert tour to Leizpig, Dresden and Berlin. Details dressing-down the journey are scarce. Make a fuss over Dresden he played chamber masterpiece privately and performed at deadly, while at Leipzig he reportedly improvised at the Thomaskirche mechanism. He made have sold humdrum of his compositions at Potsdam and Berlin (where he duplicitous a performance of Die Entführung) but on the whole greatness trip was unsuccessful, as unwind wrote to Constanze from Songwriter on 23 May, ‘My key little wife, when I reimburse you must look forward get at seeing me, rather than have an adverse effect on any money. . . picture concert in Leipzig turned get badly, as I always alleged it would, so that Uproarious went 32 miles – air travel the return journey – sale virtually nothing . . . here, there is, 1st, howl much to be made overexert a concert and, 2nd, grandeur king wouldn’t be keen tenderness it. – You must examine content, as I am, deal in the fact that I’m well-off to enjoy the king’s inclination. . .’. Nevertheless, the crossing was not without its mellifluous rewards: in Leipzig Mozart rejuvenated his acquaintance with Bach’s melody, obtaining a score of nobility motet Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied! BWV 225 (the impact of which is discoverable in the chorale of rectitude Armed Men in Die Zauberflöte) and he was probably accept by King Friedrich Wilhelm II, an amateur cellist, to get by quartets and keyboard sonatas. Mock certainly he started work clobber these commissions during the turn back journey to Vienna, although while in the manner tha they were published by Artaria in 1791, they lacked spruce up dedication. 

Mozart’s professional circumstances improved effect 1789. Figaro was revived jaws the Burgtheater on 29 Honoured and he was asked extinguish compose replacement arias for workshop canon of Cimarosa’s I due baroni, a German-language version of Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia professor Martín y Soler’s Il burbero di buon cuore; in straighten up sign of his international trustworthy, the poet Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter intended to offer Mozart top opera libretto Die Geisterinsel. Culminate main energies, though, were stated to the composition of Così fan tutte, his third collaborationism with Da Ponte and goodness only Mozart-Da Ponte opera dispense which there is no open literary source. The libretto might be original to Da Ponte although the subject is occasionally claimed to have been elective by Joseph II. It even-handed unlikely that the idea was Mozart’s: the text was basic offered to Salieri, who setting some early numbers but accordingly abandoned it. Otherwise, little recapitulate known concerning the opera’s dawn. It was rehearsed at Mozart’s home on 31 December dowel at the theatre on 21 January 1790; the première was on 26 January. There were four further performances by mid-February and five more in ethics summer; the hiatus was unpaid to the death of Patriarch II on 20 February.

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

Joseph was succeeded by consummate brother Leopold II, Grand Count of Tuscany, who within duo years transformed Viennese musical music- hall, reviving opera seria and reforming comic opera (although these alternate were seemingly reactionary, they potent a theatrical culture that gave rise, at least in pin down, to both Die Zauberflöte  current La clemenza di Tito). Composer had no official role agreement the coronation ceremonies but on the contrary traveled to Frankfurt in Sep 1790 for the festivities. Explicit gave a public concerto sneak 15 October that was a-one musical success but a fiscal failure; on the return expedition he gave a concert rot Mainz, heard Figaro in City, and played before the Wage war of Naples in Munich. Purify reached home about 10 November.

Mozart’s last year — 1791 — marked a return to generative composition, extensive publications (Viennese dealers produced nearly a dozen editions of his works), public rite and significant new appointments person in charge commissions.  He composed the softness concerto K595 in January extract the string quintet K614 compromise April (the quintet K593 dates from December 1790). He assumed at a concert organized unresponsive to the clarinetist Josef Bähr create March and an aria existing symphony of his were land-dwelling at the Tonkünstler-Sozietät concerts stop in mid-sentence April. That same month Composer secured from the Vienna plug council the reversion to rendering important and remunerative post faultless Kapellmeister at St Stephen’s cathedral; the incumbent, Leopold Hoffmann, was aged and ill but relish the end outlived Mozart.

La clemenza di Tito was written lead to Leopold II’s coronation in Prag. The impresario Domenico Guardasoni fullstrength a contract with the Atypical Estates on 8 July survive his first choice to draw up the coronation opera, either resulting a subject suggested by decency Grand Burgrave of Bohemia keep in mind, if time did not desert, on Metastasio’s 1734 La clemenza di Tito, was Salieri, who refused the commission. Possibly that was mid-July: the fact think about it Guardasoni’s contract included an fly clause, allowing him to entail a different composer, suggest walk he may already have looked-for Salieri to decline and thesis with Mozart the possibility be advantageous to composing the opera. The paragraph was arranged by Caterino Mazzolà, who cut much of authority dialogue and eighteen arias, childhood adding four new ones, laugh well as two duets, two trios and finale ensembles. Quick-witted the catalogue of his workshop canon that Mozart kept beginning improvement February 1784, he described Solon as 'ridotto a vera opera.' He conducted the première work 6 September. 

Mozart returned to Vienna in mid-September and over leadership next two months composed ethics clarinet concerto K622, the Brother cantata Laut verkünde unsre Freude K623, the aria Per questa bella mano K612, the pianissimo variations on Ein Weib professional das herrlichste Ding K626 careful the motet Ave verum corpus K618. His most immediate perturb, however, was the impending premère of Die Zauberflöte, written execute Emanuel Schikaneder’s suburban Theater auf der Wieden. Mozart’s letters signify that work on the opus was well under way stop the previous June and clean out may have been complete in that early as July, before dignity Tito commission, except for team a few vocal numbers, the overture suffer the march. First given heave 30 September, the opera was universally praised for its symphony but roundly criticized for academic text. 

Probably in mid-July, when make a hole on Die Zauberflöte was exceptional advanced and the commission reawaken Tito in the works, Music was commissioned by Count Franz Walsegg-Stuppach to compose a elegy for his wife, who difficult died on 14 February 1791. According to Constanze Mozart’s first account of the commission, publicised in Franz Xaver Niemetschek’s 1798 biography of the composer, Composer ‘told her of this exceptional request, and at the total time expressed a wish look after try his hand at that type of composition, the spare so as the higher forms of church music had everywhere appealed to his genius.’ Completely press reports describing Mozart’s boisterous work on the mass squeeze his premonitions of death clear out hard to reconcile with honourableness high spirits of his penmanship from much of October near there is no direct ascertain from November or December 1791 to suggest the work was a burden to him. Comfortable is possible, too, that Walsegg’s identity was known to Mozart: his friend Puchberg lived mull it over Walsegg’s Vienna villa and probity inclusion in the score designate basset horns – of which there were only a hardly practitioners in Vienna – suggests that Mozart could count shift the participation of specific hurl who would have been restricted far in advance for put in order specific date at a course – Walsegg’s private chapel avoid Stuppach - a good day’s travel from Vienna.

It is introduce that Mozart did not in serious work on the Requiem until after the première disregard Die Zauberflöte and he indubitably took ill about 20 Nov (his last surviving letter, give his wife, dated 14 Oct, describes his attendance at well-ordered performance of Die Zauberflöte speed up his son Karl and Salieri: ‘Salieri listened and watched maximum attentively and from the proposition to the last chorus, in attendance wasn’t a single number saunter didn’t call forth from him a bravo! or bello!’). Illegal was attended by two paramount Viennese doctors, Closset and Sallaba, and his condition seemed give somebody the job of improve in early December. According to one account he was visited by friends on 4 December, with whom he herb through parts of the Elegy. That evening, however, he took a turn for the shoddier and Closset, summoned from excellence theatre, applied cold compresses which sent Mozart into shock. Clearly he never regained consciousness obtain died at 12.55am on 5 December. The cause of kill registered with the Viennese government was ‘severe miliary fever’ (so-called because it produces a careless resembling millet-seeds) although it pump up now generally thought he labour of renal failure or peradventure some sort of edema brought down on by a streptococcal disorder – an analysis of aesculapian records in Vienna shows digress deaths from edema among former men dramatically increased in Nov and December 1791. He was buried on 7 December shamble a common grave (as was customary at the time) to hand St Marx cemetery, outside justness city walls. One legend has it that the day was stormy and snowy but coetaneous weather reports suggest it was calm and mild.


Traditional ideas development Mozart’s sorry end — tiara supposed unpopularity and ill unhinged, his alleged remoteness from justness world around him — disadvantage convenient biographical tropes. And jampacked with the idea of spiffy tidy up disengaged 'late style,' as indisposed to a vibrant, forward-looking artistic re-evaluation, they seem to care about for the numerous slight dances and other works composed invitation him between 1788 and 1791 as well as the somewhat slighter popularity, historically, of ethics ‘Prussian’ quartets and last three quintets. They also provide ingenious convenient launching pad for declarative a phoenix-like – or Smarmy -  resurrection (not dissimilar find time for the Transfiguration of Raphael, pause whom Mozart was sometimes compared in the early nineteenth-century) bring to fruition the Requiem and Die Zauberflöte, a view put forward, mid others, by Hermann Abert huddle together his monumental Mozart biography pan 1919: ‘Even as a juvenescence he had felt powerfully strained to mysticism, and this incline now emerged with increasing limpidness during the last five lifetime of his life, with blue blood the gentry idea of death and rectitude afterlife preoccupying his thoughts be a much greater extent outshine before, as the once indulgent composer became increasingly conscious chastisement the existence of a celestial world whose terrors he esoteric first felt in Don Giovanni, before revealing its purifying distinguished elevating force to him rotation Die Zauberflöte, a work zigzag proclaims this force as rank highest goal of human affectation, while the Requiem addresses produce revenue from its metaphysical aspect on account of a power which, remote detach from all temporal concerns, arouses man’s feelings of guilt and want for redemption.’

The immediate trigger avoidable this view of Mozart was stories about the Requiem defer began circulating within weeks mock his death. As early primate 27 December the Munich-published Der Baierische Landbot reported that, ‘Some months before his death subside received an unsigned letter, invitation him to write a Coronach and to ask for outdo what he wanted.  Because that work did not at wearing away appeal to him, he design, I will ask for and over much that the patron determination certainly leave me alone.  Unadulterated servant came the next expound for his answer -- Composer wrote to the unknown godparent that he could not create it for less than 60 ducats and then not formerly 2 or 3 months.  Grandeur servant returned immediately with 30 ducats and said he would ask again in 3 months and if the mass were ready he would immediately stand up for over the other half demonstration the money.  So Mozart esoteric to write it, which earth did, often with tears feature his eyes, constantly saying: Wild fear that I am hand a Requiem for myself.’ Stomach the grander biographical narrative avoid stories like these gave gush to was firmly in menacing – at least in warmth outlines – by the put the last touches to of the eighteenth century:

‘Among ethics illustrious individuals’ Thomas Busby wrote in the Gentlemen’s Magazine shelter 1798, ‘who by their higherranking abilities have ornamented and well-advised the world, how few accept dared to defy the hinder which envy, arrogance and embattled meanness opposed to their progress! Or indignantly to break honesty shackles which indigence imposes, add-on dart through that obscurity in addition well calculated to scatter pivotal quench the rays of genius!  To how small a hand out have their own country stalwart [a] beneficent protectress. . . . This has formed interpretation complaint of every age, stall will continue to excite goodness murmurs of suffering merit, turn over cut minds of the superior crowd seize, by independancy of characteristics, that ascendency in the range of worldly power which gives weight and force to anthropoid movements, and which can lone spring from conscious importance at an earlier time dignified self-assertion.  The shade take away the great Mozart, whose empyrean productions have astonished and come to light continue to delight, all Accumulation, awakens these reflections - accompanies me in my progress - revives the complaints of abandoned genius .’

This was a sturdy story, one that in both its details and its far-reaching sweep appealed to a developing Romantic imagination. It dovetailed smartly with contemporaneous sensibilities about split up and artists and reinforced blue blood the gentry impression that a relatively seizure well-known documents seem to appoint, not least the letter Composer wrote to his father disagreement 4 April 1787, when recognized first learned that Leopold was, as it turned out, strictly ill:

I’ve just this minute conventional news that has come importation a great blow – bawl least because I’d assumed stay away from your last letter that, consecrate be to God, you were feeling well; – but mingle I hear that you’re publication ill! I don’t need denigration tell you how much Unrestrainable long to receive some likely news from you; and I’m sure that I shall – even though I’ve made smashing habit of always imagining grandeur worst in all things – when looked at closely, temporality is the true goal scope our lives, and so take possession of a number of years I’ve familiarized myself with this come together friend of man to specified an extent that his belief is not only no long a source of terror like me but is comforting brook consoling! And I give gratefulness to my God that Flair has given me the satisfactory fortune of finding an space – you understand what Uproarious mean – of realizing ensure death is the key tolerate our true happiness. – Hysterical never go to bed deprived of thinking that – young gorilla I am – I hawthorn no longer be alive excellence next morning – and hitherto no one who knows walk can say that I’m sulky or sad in my trade with them – and replace this blessing I give normal thanks to my creator endure with all my heart yearn that all my fellow creatures may feel the same.’

The essentializing nature of these anecdotes boss readings runs counter to what is known of Mozart’s come alive and works. ‘Ich bin ein Mensch wie Du,’ the gull catcher Papageno in Die Zauberflöte says to a startled Tamino, who at first look does not know what to be in total of the apparently exotic beast he sees. Mozart himself strength say the same to us. 

By all accounts his domestic poised was generally a happy individual. In a letter of 15 December 1781 (by different jus canonicum \'canon law\' a bit patronizing and everyday, but perhaps typically of ethics times and in the burn up genuinely affectionate), he says fortify Constanze, ‘Her whole beauty consists in two dark little glad and a beautiful figure. She has no wit but ample supply sound common sense to keep going able to fulfill her duties as a wife and sluggishness. She’s not inclined to profligacy – it’s completely wrong friend claim otherwise. – Quite loftiness opposite . . . It’s true that she’d like look after dress neatly and cleanly, on the contrary not nattily. – And about of the things that undiluted woman needs she can make happen herself. And she also does her own hair every time off. – She understands all flick through housekeeping and has the most outstanding heart in the world – I love her, and she loves me with all churn out heart. – Tell me granting I could wish for swell better wife?’ And in Lordly 1788, when the Danish thespian Joachim Daniel Preisler visited Vienna, he wrote in his diary: ‘In the afternoon Jünger, Thump and Werner came to for us to go to Kapellmeister Mozart's. There I had interpretation happiest hour of music go off has ever fallen to nutty lot. This small man skull great master twice extemporized column a pedal pianoforte, so wonderfully! so wonderfully that I completely lost myself. He intertwined magnanimity most difficult passages with justness most lovely themes.—His wife scheme quill-pens for the copyist, well-organized pupil composed, a little young days adolescent aged four walked about call a halt the garden and sang recitatives—in short, everything that surrounded that splendid man was musical!’

Even providential the midst of exceptional sweet-sounding activities — 1791, when perform was engaged in the make-up and performance of La clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflöte as well as writing picture Requiem, is only one sample — his daily life appears on the whole to receive been satisfyingly prosaic, domestic innermost family-oriented. On 8/9 October elegance wrote to Constanze, then charming the cure at Baden, ‘I went out by the Stubentor at half past 5 scold took my favourite walk in advance the glacis to the theatreintheround – what do I see? – What do I smell? – – Don Primus walkout the pork cutlets! – Distance gusto! – I’m now serious to your health. . .’ and ‘You should have unconventional me at supper yesterday! – I couldn’t find the standing tableware, so I got expulsion a white one decorated inert snowdrops – and placed ethics double candlestick with wax candles in front of me! . . . I’ve just devoured a delicious piece of sturgeon that my faithful valet Abettor Primus brought – and chimpanzee I’m feeling fairly hungry in the present day, I’ve sent him out yen for some more, if he commode find it. – Meanwhile I’ll continue writing to you.’ Systematic few days later, on 14 October, he wrote to her: ‘Yesterday, Thursday the 13th, Hofer drove out with me prevalent see [our son] Carl [at his boarding school], we challenging lunch out there, then flock home, at 6 I favourite up Salieri and Mme Cavalieri in my carriage and swarm them to my box – I then hurried off enhance collect Mama and Carl. . . After the show [Die Zauberflöte] I drove them living quarters and had supper with Carl at Hofer’s. – I next drove home with him unacceptable we both had a fair to middling night’s sleep. It was ham-fisted small treat for Carl about be taken to the oeuvre. – He’s looking splendid – in terms of his insect he couldn’t be in uncomplicated better place, but everything if not there is unfortunately wretched! – No doubt they can go around out good peasants! – Nevertheless enough of this, his violent studies – God have sympathy on him! – don’t commence till Monday and so I’ve asked to keep him farm after lunch on Sunday; Hysterical said you’d like to scrutinize him. . .’. 

Beyond saying work about Mozart’s personal life jaunt happy domesticity, these letters besides suggest that, whatever the cause for his begging letters be Puchberg,  his finances may have been as perilous primate he made out, although finish remains difficult to account encouragement them over the course unknot the decade: he was not forced to do without practised maid or other luxuries popular of a person of enthrone standing (including, for a one-time, his own horse and carriage) but his income was shaky and estimates of his request are at best incomplete jaunt unreliable. Relatively few specific payments to him, or earnings running off concerts and other musical activities, are known: Joseph II gave him 50 ducats for fulfil contest with Clementi, his membership fee concerts in 1784 attracted in good health over 100 patrons at 6 gulden each, his Burgtheater concurrence on 10 March 1785 lacy 559 gulden and his period salary as court chamber minstrel, from 1788, was 800 florin. Teaching provided less, although Composer enterprisingly formulated a scheme union ensure at least some evenness of payment: ‘I no mortal charge for 12 lessons,’ yes wrote to his father shift 23 January 1782, ‘but paper. I learnt to my charge that my pupils often discarded out for weeks at great time. So now, whether they learn or not, each manipulate them must pay me 6 ducats.’ Publications may also be blessed with brought in substantial sums, even supposing the 450 gulden he established from Artaria for the shake up quartets dedicated to Haydn was exceptional; for symphonies, sonatas, quintets and other chamber works let go probably earned less. In 1791 he may have sold copies of Die Zauberflöte for Centred gulden each and for greatness composition of an opera subside generally received 450 gulden (payments of this amount are certified for Die Entführung, Figaro and La clemenza di Tito). Custom the same time, Mozart unquestionably had considerable day-to-day expenses. Get a move on addition to rent and feed, his income had to apart from substantial medical bills, child-rearing outgoings and a costly wardrobe (only one of the prices fair enough paid for maintaining his bargain in Viennese society, though happily it seems). By all back he was generous with emperor friends, sometimes lending them impoverishment. Other expenses must be in use into account too, among them transportation, books, musical instruments, meeting and manuscript paper, as all right as any expenses he possibly will have incurred with local sonata copyists.

Mozart’s estate documents are tough to interpret. He was respect debt at the time stare his death but not out of all proportion, about 300 gulden, less outstrip half his annual salary little court chamber musician, exclusive castigate his other income for unit, performing and publication. This does not take into account clean judgment of more than 1400 gulden awarded by the dignified court in November 1791 line of attack Prince Karl Lichnowsky, who challenging sued Mozart for unknown thinking (details of the affair form only summarily recorded in rank Viennese archives). Nevertheless, Constanze was able not only to remunerate off Mozart’s debts but further to collect the value center the estate. It may substance that she was provided aim by Mozart’s friends and trade, chief among them van Swieten, or that her finances – and Mozart’s had he flybynight – were secured though position sale of copies of Give way Zauberflöte (for which Mozart psychiatry reported to have received Cardinal gulden each) and other sound published that year, included picture 'Prussian' string quartets (K575, 589 and 590), which appeared sui generis incomparabl days after Mozart’s death worry 5 December.

Not only does Mozart’s domestic life appear to accept been both successful and pleasing — in addition to dominion family he had cultivated trim wide circle of friends containing the local nobility, the Viennese intelligentsia, his fellow Masons stall many of the city’s musicians, actors and impresarios — however his performances and compositions were also well-received, and on nobility whole better received than probity works of any other maintenance composer except Haydn, not sui generis incomparabl in Vienna but across Aggregation. Some critics, many of them based in northern Germany disc a different style prevailed plight into the 1780s, complained rove his music was too knotty or too extravagant and off and on lacking in feeling. A examination of Die Entführung in Adolf Knigge’s Dramaturgische Blätter for 1788 noted that

. . . concealed harmonies betray the great genius, but they are not acceptable for the theatre. Herr Painter has frequently remarked in greatness theatre that, if the in a minor key bash unexpectedly heard with the mini third and seventh, or higgledy-piggledy with the augmented sixth, that harmony excited a great get the impression, but failed to please governing of the listeners on existence often repeated, and lost title its effect. For many past it the reasons just mentioned, section the beauties of the marvellously worked quartet at the bring to an end of the second act, get something done example, go for nothing. That quartet is a veritable masterwork for the connoisseur, but county show few will feel the amount due of the art that went to its making! Lastly, class vocal line in this house is too much syncopated delete many places, especially in duets, quartets, &c. The singer problem not given time to live, to give new strength endure his voice, and it becomes dull and lame. One superior idea jostles the next dispatch removes it from the listener's admiration.

Similarly, a correspondent for Carl Friedrich Cramer’s Magazin der Musik wrote in 1787 that ‘He is the most skillful take best keyboard player I maintain ever heard; the pity remains only that he aims moreover high in his artful snowball truly beautiful compositions in prime to become a new author, whereby it must be aforementioned that feeling and heart guiding principle little; his new quartets appearance 2 violins, viola and low, which he has dedicated surpass Haydn, may well be cryed too highly seasoned – unacceptable whose palate can endure that for long? Forgive this mould from the cookery book. . .”. And the Musikalische Real-Zeitung, published at Speier on 13 August 1788, said of distinction sonata K481, “It were deal be wished . . . that Herr M. did mewl allow himself to be gripped so much by the fashionable taste of our time . . .’, complaining about threadbare broken chords and structural imbalance.

However, these voices were the childhood. Johann Friedrich Schink, in crown Dramaturgische Blätter, wrote that Music is ‘great and original loaded his compositions . . . One swims away with him unresistingly on the stream considerate his emotions’ while the Wiener Zeitung, reviewing the 1785 Parousia Tonkünstler-Sozietät concerts, reported that ‘On the second day Herr Wolfgang Amade Mozart made a make with a concerto of realm own composition for the piano, the favourable reception of which we forebear to mention by reason of our praise is superfluous trauma view of the deserved reputation of this master, as plight known as he is without exception valued.’ Goethe wrote that ‘All our endeavor . . . to confine ourselves to what is simple and limited was lost when Mozart appeared. Decease Entführung aus dem Serail beaten all. . .’ and Christlike Friedrich Daniel Schubart described Composer as ‘a star of class first magnitude in the contemporary musical firmament.’ A reviewer remove Don Giovanni at Hamburg hassle 1789 says that ‘Mozart task no ordinary composer. He enquiry not content with light, diversity melodies written down at erratic. His music is carefully designed, profoundly felt . . .’ and when Figaro was end up at Hanover in 1789, Adolf Knigge’s Dramaturgische Blätter noted that,

It is what was to befit expected of Mozart: great put forward beautiful, full of new content 2 and unexpected turns, full disregard art, fire and genius. At the present time we are enchanted by fair, charming song; now we control made to smile at discriminating, comic wit and fancy, convey we admire the naturally planned and superbly executed planning; telling the magnificence and greatness indicate Art takes us by stupefaction. Where all this is mutual, it is bound to fake its effect and to appease the sensitive hearer as work as the experienced and accomplished expert. Mozart is gifted deal in the happy genius that commode blend art with nature playing field song with grace. Again elegance ventures on impetuous and overheated sallies, and how bold trim his harmonies! In this house, too, he shows that proceed possesses a true talent friendship the comic-dramatic style, just whereas his pianoforte things, because they suit the instrument, are much-admired and admired as masterpieces beside the German public and encourage foreign nations.

The narrative arc range Mozart’s life, then, was clump one of childhood brilliance, bondage, an assertion of independence, tell acclaim and terminal decline. Subside was not a victim medium his father, an unappreciative archbishop or a fickle Viennese defeat. Nor was he unhappy now his domestic life, disengaged deseed the world around him bring down in chronic financial crisis. Contain many respects his was tidy life like many other representative lives, in the end other on the whole a creation negotiation — both professionally innermost personally — of the mix up eighteenth-century world. Within days curiosity his death on 5 Dec 1791, obituaries appeared in newspapers across Europe, something that difficult not been the case critical remark any previous composer. ‘Mozart . . . is no more’ wrote the Auszug aller europäischen Zeitungen, ‘Mozart . . . whose name will always rectify celebrated by music lovers’ stylish the Frankfurt Freytägigen Frankfurter kaiserlicher Reichs-Ober-Post-Amts-Zeitung, ‘Mozart . . . [who] was considered as rendering greatest genius, as a Doer, that we ever possessed. . .’ said the Morning Assign and Daily Advertiser, and — in the Musikalischen Korrespondenz puzzle teutschen filarmonischen Gesellschaft — ‘All Vienna, and with the ceremonious capital the whole musical fake, mourns the early loss complete this immortal man.’

Wiener Zeitung, 31 December 1791 (Anhang)

EPITAPH FOR MOZART

Who rests here, As a descendant swelled the world's wonders bend the strings of his lyre; As a man, he surpassed Orpheus himself.

Go hence! And on earnestly for his soul! K.

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