Mozart: A Life in Letters: A Life in Letters (48 page)

Wolfgang Romatz

My Dear Son,

You’ll have received my letter of the 13th. In it I promised that I’d reply very soon to your last two letters, both of which arrived at the same time. The first, which was written on the 18th and 20th, told me a host of things about the start and growth of your invaluable friendship with Herr Raaff. I hope that his efforts on your behalf, of which you expect so much, may prove effective; but I recall that you once wrote to me from Mannheim to say that Monsieur Raaff was a very honest, decent and sincere old man but that
he was unable to achieve results
: to tell the truth, I found that hard to believe, for a man like that must have a certain standing, even if he may no longer be such a good singer because he’s old. I’ve already written to Padre Martini. Let’s wait and see what happens. What you said about the papers there was nothing but lies from start to finish. Monsieur Hopfgarten, whom we know, wasn’t a soldier but a councillor in the civil service. And as for your comments at the end about the valet and the
25 blows
that he received for not marrying Katherl,
¹
I don’t know if he’d not have received a million if he’d actually married her. My son,
one has to get to know people gradually
. You can’t imagine a worse housekeeper or a more frivolous individual than this Katherl, she spends the whole day calling on others and sponging off them, while avoiding work like the plague. She puts on a new dress or a cap or a pair of shoes etc. and wears them until they’re in tatters or dirty. Rain or shine, she always dresses the same and turned up
at the cathedral
for the
Feast of the Assumption
wearing the same filthy cap and the same ordinary clothes that she’d been walking around in the previous day. She’s an honest girl, but a total fool and no better than a poodle when it comes to shop assistants and students etc., her husband will never be able to give her enough money as she can’t keep control of it etc. And why should he marry her? The Cardinal
of Passau will soon be 80,
²
if he dies, his office will die with him: and how long can things go on with the chief steward?
³
What will become of him then? What other job could he do? – –
Adam
,
⁴
who used to be a
valet de chambre
but who’s now steward, has been trying to get better acquainted with your sister. On one occasion he caught us off our guard, but since then we’ve never been at home, and finally – after he’d repeatedly told our servant Tresel about his love – I told her to inform him that once he was married it would be an honour to welcome him and his wife to our house but that as long as he was a widow, I had to ask him not to visit us as I didn’t want my daughter being gossiped about in town. He then turned his attentions to Katherl, informing both her and her father of his love for her. She’s proud of it and finds it amusing, he’s always round at her place. Is that wise? She’s also conceived a fancy for
Siegmund Haffner
, I hope she’s successful as she needs a match with plenty of money. At least it’s true that Herr Haffner has now thought more seriously about his affair and, after having given the matter some thought, has seen reason, so that the acquaintance has now started to cool off.
Your second letter
of 31 July
⁵
included
details of the illness
of your dearly departed mother. The fact that your mother was the first person you saw die was an example of divine ordinance, indeed I remarked as much to everyone the moment I received your news. My dear son! Fate gave rise to a second and very different remark. Your dear mother was happy to leave Salzb. with you and raised no objections. She was to have returned home once you’d left Mannheim. It was only after you’d got to know the Webers and started to travel around with them that you began to have serious thoughts and decided not to travel with Wendling. – You wrote your letter so late that Wendling had already left before my reply could reach you. I’d seen it all coming, otherwise you wouldn’t have remained behind. And so I had
to write and tell you to be off to Paris as soon as you could as the season was coming to an end. Your dear mother realized what was happening but wanted to spare you every annoyance and at the end of her letter
⁶
she wrote:
My dear husband, you’ll have seen from this letter that when Wolfgang makes new acquaintances, he immediately wants to sacrifice his life and possessions to such people, it’s true that she sings incomparably well but one should never overlookone’s own interests, I never liked him mixing with Wendling and Ramm, but I didn’t dare to raise any objections and no one ever believed me anyway, as soon as he got to know the Webers, he immediately changed his mind: in a word he prefers other people’s company to mine, if I raise objections about things I don’t like, he doesn’t like it. I really don’t think it’s advisable for him to go to Paris with Wendling, I’d rather accompany him there myself at some later date, perhaps you’ll receive a reply from Herr Grimm
. This, my dear son, is the only thing that your late mother wrote to me in confidence about you during the whole time that you were away. And although she could have expressed herself more clearly and called a spade a spade, she loved us both too much to explain things more plainly. If your mother had returned from Mannheim to Salzburg, she wouldn’t have died, but since divine providence had fixed the hour of your mother’s death for 3 July, she had to leave Salzburg with you and was prevented by your new acquaintance from returning here. Her death, the whole course taken by this affair and the context as a whole shows me that the links in the chain of human destiny and divine providence can’t be broken, otherwise you’d have told me sooner about your decision not to go with Wendling and your reservations about him, and I,
trusting in your intelligence and virtue
, would have talked you out of them, so that you would have left and arrived in Paris at the right time, you’d have furthered your interests and made more friends, and my poor wife would now be in Salzburg. Man’s senses must be clouded, just as the cleverest doctor becomes blind, his remedy fails and he longer recognizes the illness when providence wills it so. May God grant that all that has happened so far does not have far worse consequences for us all. There is still
time to take preventative measures. But if you continue to build castles in the air and fill your head with empty speculations on future prospects that are still very remote, then all that it is particularly important for you to do at present if these prospects are to be realized will be neglected, your head is full of things that render you incapable of dealing with the present; you’ll make no progress like this as you now need some form of livelihood, and
to judge from the thoughts that you plan to reveal to me only when it is time
, you need a good and remunerative job, – but this is not as easy to find as you think, given all the things you want with it, and since you know my circumstances and the
debts that still have to be paid
, I hope that sound common sense will finally prevail and you’ll see that, now that you’re in Paris and the season when you can earn something is approaching, you should think only of making your mark there, ensuring that you become better known and earning a reputation and, with it, some money. As for
Mannheim
, you’ve already done all that can be done

– you must await the outcome, and no amount of speculation will help you here. Whether anything happens or not, you can’t leave Paris at present, whereas if nothing happens, you must remain in Paris in order to survive – for where else could you go? – At all events it’s good that Count Sickingen has offered to find you a post in Mainz – but you mustn’t imagine that it’s certain, you must understand that it means only that he’ll try to find you a post. Whether he succeeds is another matter. There’s an old Kapellmeister in Mainz, Herr
Schmid
, who no longer does anything.
Kreusser
couldn’t have gone to Mainz at a better time, as the concertmaster,
Jacobi
, had just died.
⁷
People liked his symphonies, which are easy to listen to, and so he was made concertmaster straightaway. He’s now studying for the post of Kapellmeister; he’s universally popular and in time will apply for this position.

I can’t forgive you for not having gone
to Mainz
during such a lengthy stay in Mannheim. If you examine the matter impartially, you’ll have to admit that you’ve rarely heeded my advice and acted as I prescribed. A visit to Mainz would have been of more use to you
than that disastrous trip to Kirchheimbolanden, Mainz is a court, after all, with certain prospects, where we’ve many acquaintances among the nobility, as well as other friends. So you see that at present
all your thoughts must be directed solely at supporting yourself in Paris
. As for
Mannheim
,
Mainz
and
Salzburg
, you must wait and not depend on mere empty dreams that serve no useful purpose except to render you incapable of dealing with the most pressing concerns of the moment, at all events nothing happens except that which eternal providence has decreed for us as long as we seize the necessary means and do not harm our present situation by constantly thinking about things that are necessarily still very far off. In
Mannheim
or, rather, in
Munich
, where the court will be moving at the end of this month, there’s unlikely to be much to do, unless they decide to cast round for a composer for the German opera and if
Raaff
and
Cannabich
recommend you.
Wendling
is your friend, but I don’t know if your acquaintance with the Webers has robbed you of the goodwill of the Wendling household.
Singers invariably hate each other
.
Mainz
doesn’t pay very well, but
Mainz
has the same advantage as
Salzburg
, namely, that it
won’t die
with the death of the prince. –
Mannheim
is on a less secure footing.
Salzburg
– assuming one’s properly paid – has the advantage over
Mainz
that church music in particular is more magnificent – and the town is closer to
Italy
. I’ve already told you that people would like to see you back here again, and that, although I refused to be drawn, they went on at me until finally, following Lolli’s
⁸
death, I was obliged to tell the countess
⁹
that I’d handed in a petition to the archbishop in which I said only
that I commended myself to His Grace after so many years of uncomplaining service
etc. The conversation finally turned to you – I told her quite plainly what was needed, just as I’d told Count Starhemberg. Finally she asked me if you’d come back on condition that the archb. paid me Lolli’s salary and gave you Adlgasser’s,
¹⁰
which – as I’d already worked this out
in advance – would come to 1000 florins a year in total, I could say only that I was in no doubt that, if this came about, you’d accept out of your love of me, especially when she added that there was no doubt whatsoever that the archbishop would allow you to go to Italy every other year, as he himself has always insisted that from time to time one needs to hear different things and that he’d provide you with some good letters of recommendation. If this comes about, I can reckon with some certainty on our having an assured income of at least
115 florins a month
and, as things stand at present, more than
120 florins a month
.
Not to mention what I make from the sales of my violin method
, which
at a conservative estimate
brings in
50 florins
a year, and without taking account of what your sister earns, which is at present
10 florins a month
, which is enough to clothe her, as she is teaching the countess’s
¹¹
2 little daughters, whom she sees every day, while I teach the 2 bigger ones. This doesn’t include any additional fees that you could earn for yourself, because although you can’t count on it here, you know that you’ve earned the occasional extra fee, and in that way we’d be better off than anywhere else, where it’s twice as expensive, and if you don’t have to keep such a close eye on your money,
you can start to enjoy yourself
. But the main point is that I’m not counting on all this as I know how difficult it is for the prince to reach such a decision. That the countess is entirely serious, however, and that there’s nothing she wants more is beyond doubt. And it’s also true that old Arco, Count Starhemberg and the bishop of Königgrätz also want to bring this about in a dignified manner – and, as with all things, they have their reasons: as I’ve told you a thousand times, the countess is afraid, no less than old Arco,
that I too may leave
. They’ve no one to teach keyboard; I have the
reputation
of being a good teacher, and the proof of this is at hand. They don’t know
if
and
when
they’ll get anyone else: and if someone were to come from Vienna, will he give 12 lessons for 4 florins or 1 ducat, when one pays 2 or 3 ducats elsewhere? – – This has placed them all in a predicament. But, as I’ve said,
I’m not counting on it
as I know
the archbishop even though it’s clear that deep in his heart he would like to have you, he’s incapable of reaching a decision, especially when it involves
giving
. The plan that you’ve always had in mind would certainly be furthered by this means, as a visit to Italy or the favourable circumstances here could do a lot. You continue to harp on the difficulties faced by the Webers. But tell me, how could it ever enter the head of any sensible person to think that it had to be you who’s uniquely capable of helping these people to find fame and fortune? You must gradually have come to realize – or at least I hope so –
how much money a single person needs to live a reputable
life. This is the case with you now, – since 23 Sept. of last year, there were 2 of you – your late mother and you – whom, in order to equip for your journey and provide with travelling expenses, I had to support with 300 florins, followed by a further 200 florins in Mannheim. That makes 500 florins, which I owe
for this reaso
alone. You’re now on your own – don’t you have to struggle to survive from one day to the next? And is that enough? – – Shouldn’t you try to save some money in case of emergencies? Suppose – God forbid – that you fell ill and had no savings – what would you do then? – – Wouldn’t you be abandoned to your misery? – Wouldn’t you be obliged to rely on the mercy and compassion of kind-hearted people? – – And where are these kind-hearted people? If,
in health of body
, you already have enough to do to provide for yourself as a single person, while
making friends
and prosecuting your plans, what sort of pitiful plight can someone expect who is prevented by illness or some other indisposition, however slight, from earning any money and dealing with his affairs? If he doesn’t have a ready supply of money in his purse, he’ll be abandoned there and then by the world – his few friends will gradually withdraw – and the one friend who may remain will find himself in the situation of being able to demonstrate his friendship only in words but of not being able to do anything practical as he himself is poor. – And are we poor people safe from being struck down by some indisposition? – – Don’t you have before you the sad example of your own dearly departed mother and of the hundreds of people around you who are healthy today but sick tomorrow? Just think whether, in all the time you’ve been away, you have a single
friend who had the strength to do anything for you? – You yourself told me on one occasion
that you had very many good friends who were not, however, in a position to do anything for you
. There are plenty such friends, who can express only pious wishes and make empty suggestions. If one accepts each such wish and suggestion as though it were uniquely true, one will only be disappointed.
I beg you to take pity on yourself and your poor father, see to your present needs and don’t expose me to the risk of becoming an object of mockery and ridicule here
. As far as possible, an effort may be made to help Mlle Weber and in due course to achieve everything else you want, but are our resources really sufficient to assist a family with 6 children? Who can do this? – I? – You? – When we can’t even help ourselves! How can you help others before you’ve helped yourself? You write –
dearest father! I commend them to you with all my heart. If only they could enjoy 1000 florins for even a few years
. My dearest son! When I read that, am I not bound to fear for your sanity? – In God’s name, you expect me to help them out with 1000 florins for a number of years? – Even if I could do so, I’d first help
you
and
me
and your
dear sister
, who’s
already 27 years old and isn’t provided for, while I’m already old
. Where are the courts, where is there a single court at present that will give a singer 1000 florins? – In Munich they get 5–6 or at most 700 florins, and do you really imagine that someone’s going to give 1000 florins straightaway to a young person who’s regarded as a beginner? – – You’ll never find this even if you think about it day and night and imagine it already half done or very easy to arrange, especially since,
as you’re always hearing and seeing for yourself
, one must first make a name for oneself or become famous before one can take bigger steps and find fame and fortune in the world. Even if you spend the whole day thinking about it and imagine that a hundred thousand things are possible, not only will the thing itself not come to pass but, unless you turn your present situation to your own profit and advantage, you’ll spend your time being wholly ineffectual, remaining unknown and poor, ruining the pair of us and helping no one. All that you should do is to write to Cannabich and Raaff and ask them to propose you to the elector and Seeau as a composer for the German opera.
Count Sickingen
should write a similar letter to Baron Gemmingen
and other correspondents, you should also write a letter in French to the
imperial ambassador, Baron Lehrbach. Baron Grimm could draft it for you
. In short! You must write to all the people who may have any influence on the elector, for German operas will always be performed in Munich in future. The opera by Wieland and Schweitzer
¹²
will be given on 4 November, St Charles’s Day, and will presumably continue throughout the carnival. I’ll also make my approaches to Count Seeau from here. Even if you were to get only 600 florins. One has to make a name for oneself. When did Gluck – and Piccinni – and all the others first come to prominence? – Gluck must now be 60, and it’s only 26 or 27 years since people first started to talk about him, and you expect the French public, or even just the theatre managers, to be convinced of your skills as a composer even before they’ve heard a note of your music and know of you only from your childhood as an outstanding keyboard player and a genius of the front rank? In the meantime you must make every effort to get on and be able to prove your abilities as a composer in all the different genres – and for this you must seek out opportunities to do so and be tireless in looking for friends, spurring them on, leaving them no peace and, if they show signs of tiring, encouraging them to redouble their efforts, while never believing that they have already done what they said they would do; I’d have written to Monsieur de Noverre long ago if I’d known his
title
and
address
. Meanwhile I and your friends will do what we can about Munich. Like my own, your thoughts and worries about Herr Weber are futile until your own situation has improved, and to this you must now turn your attention: only when you’re in credit or have a good position will your concern and help have any more force and prove effective, for the present you’ll only dissipate your energies, while harming yourself and not being able to help them.