For now…

Or any time leading up to your wedding. Don’t invite the loudmouth friend to your party, and for god’s sake, don’t let some gentleman “measure your calves.” And if your man does find out, you better start apologizing!

To Constanze in Vienna (Dresden, April 29, 1782): ”I could have never imagined that a stranger would be allowed to do it—someone about whom I know nothing and don’t care for. —But it’s over now—and a mere acknowledgement of this unwise exhibition would have been enough to make everything all right” (Spaethling 310).

Staying playful, flirty, and sweet is the key to keeping a marriage or relationship young and fresh. Even the oldest grandma still wants to hear “I love you!”

To Constanze in Vienna (Dresden, April 13, 1789): ” Dearest little wife, if I only had a letter from you!—if I wrote you all the things I am doing with your portrait, you’d certainly laugh.—for example, when I take it out of its prison, I say: [translated by Spaethling] “Hello dear Stanzerl—good to see you, good to see you;—oh, you theiving little rogue […] good night, little mouse, sleep well” (Spaethling 405).

Yeah, they might have some dumb ideas or that last opera they wrote may have been REALLY lame. Unless they are hurting themselves or others, keep the hatin’ to yourself. Give them support so they can get even better at what they do! Hell, maybe even make a few polite and tactful suggestions on how they can improve, if you know they will be okay with it. Also, a little friendly competition never hurt anyone!

From Melograni, biographer: “Mozart had been so struck by Haydn’s Russian quartets, composed in 1781, that he took them as his model, imitating them but also attempting to go Haydn one better. In the past Mozart had more than once taken other people’s compositions as a stimulus for his own works, imitating them, but also improving on them and attempting to show himself to be the superior composer. On several occasions he had made an enemy by ceding to that temptation. There was no jealousy between Mozart and Haydn, however, and in fact Mozart’s homage solidified their friendship” (Melograni 177).

So don’t take life for granted. Mozart was always well aware of his mortality and how short life can be. His mother died at his side when he was 22 and in Paris; four out of six of his children died. Momento mori—and let this knowledge fuel your artistic endeavors as it undoubtedly did for Mozart.

To his father in Salzburg (Vienna, April 4, 1787): ”I never lie down at night without reflecting that—young as I am—I may not live to see another day” (Melograni 204).

My old man is all

and we’re about to be all

and then we’ll be on honeymoon all like

so posts may be few and far between in the next month or so.
Thanks for your support!

*Just a disclaimer, he is not dying, just recouping from surgery.

Yes, lyrics can be, and should be, profound, tell a story, and help an opera along. But we all know what people are really here for.

To his father in Salzburg (Vienna, October 13, 1781): “I should say that in opera the poetry must be altogether the obedient daughter of the music. Why do Italian comic operas please everywhere—in spite of their miserable libretti—even in Paris, where I myself witnessed their success? Just because there the music reigns supreme and when one listens to it all else is forgotten” (Melograni 149).

Yeah, the term “hooptie” is being used loosely here. But there were bad rides even back in Mozart’s day! Sometimes a ride is so bad, you may as well walk. Or at least rethink it until something better comes along.

To his father in Salzburg (Munich, November 6, 1780): “That carriage jolted the very souls out of our bodies—and the seats were as hard as stone! After we left Wasserburg I really believed that I should never bring my behind to Munich intact. It became quite sore and no doubt was fiery red. For two whole stages I sat with my hands dug into the upholstery and my behind suspended in the air. But enough of this; it is all over now, though it will serve me as a warning rather to go on foot than to drive in a mail coach” (Melograni 118).

They may end up being more of a family and being nicer to you than your biological family. They’re one of the few families you get to choose.  

From Melograni, biographer: ”Mozart grew closer to all the women of the Weber family, including his mother-in-law Caecilia. He had become fond of the Webers in 1778 in Mannheim, when Fridolin was still alive and he was infatuated with Aloysia. After Fridolin’s death that infatuation subsided, and in 1781-1782, when he became engaged to Constanze, Wolfgang spoke in derogatory terms of the whole family, with the exception of his fiancée. […] Mozart understood that his wife’s family had become his true family. In the Webers he found a serenity and a tolerance that Leopold and Nannerl were incapable of giving him” (Melograni 169).

A little bug with a virus appears to have crawled into our clavier. Hope to have it rid of in the next few days!

A fortepiano, or forte piano, is, as you may have guessed, a slightly earlier predecessor of the piano.

To his father in Salzburg regarding Stein fortepianos (Augsburg, October 17, 1777): “What distinguishes his instruments from all others is that they are built with an escapement. Not one in a hundred will bother about this, but without escapement action you cannot possibly have a Piano forte that will not have a clangy and vibrating after-effect” (Spaethling 77).

Once you’re an adult, your relationship with your parents should change to something more like… well… friends. You’ll always be their son or daughter, but let them know you can manage on your own. Show them a good time, and for god sakes, if they complain, ignore it.

From Leopold to Nannerl Mozart (Vienna, March 12, 1785): “We never get to bed before one o’clock and I never get up before nine. We lunch at two or half past… Every day there are concerts; and the whole time is given up to teaching, music, composing, and so forth. I feel rather out of it all. If only the concerts were over! It is impossible for me to describe the rush and bustle” (Melograni 161).