Mozart: A Life in Letters: A Life in Letters (53 page)

Mzt

Mon très cher Père,

I hope you’ll have received my last letter, which I intended to give to the hired coachman but which, having missed him, I sent by post; I’ve received all your letters, including your last one of
31 December
, which Herr Becke passed on to me; – I let him read my letter and he let me read his; –

I assure you, my dearest father, that I’m very much looking forward to returning to
you
, if not to Salzburg, because your last letter convinces me that you know me better than before! – This doubt was the only reason for my long delay in returning home – for the sadness that in the end I could no longer conceal, with the result that I opened up my whole heart to my friend Becke; – what other reason could there have been? – I’m not aware that I’ve done anything that would make me fear any reproaches; – I’ve committed no fault – by fault I mean something that ill becomes a Christian and a man of honour; – in a word, I am looking forward to and already anticipating the happiest and most agreeable days together – but only in the company of yourself and my dearest sister; –

I swear to you on my honour that I cannot abide Salzburg and its inhabitants – I mean the people who were born there; – their language – their whole way of life are intolerable; – you won’t believe what I suffered during Madame Robinig’s visit here; – it’s a long time since I’ve spoken to such a fool; – and to make matters worse, the simple-minded and deeply stupid Mosmayer was with her – but let’s move on; – yesterday I went with my dear friend Cannabich to see the electress and present her with my sonatas;
¹
she’s in lodgings here just as I too shall undoubtedly be one day – just as any private individual can be lodged, nice and cosy, apart from the view, which is wretched – we were with her for a good half hour and she was really very kind; – I’ve ensured that she’s told that I’ll be leaving here in a few days so that I’m paid promptly – you don’t need to
worry about Count Seeau as I don’t think the matter will pass through his hands, and even if it does, he wouldn’t dare say a word against me; – well, to be brief, believe me when I say that I’m burning with desire to embrace you and my dear sister again – if only it weren’t in Salzburg; – but since it’s impossible to see you without going to Salzburg, I shall be happy to go there –

I must hurry as the post is leaving; – my little cousin
²
is here – why? – to please her cousin? – That, of course, is the obvious reason! – But – we’ll talk about this in Salzburg; – and this is why I’d very much like her to come back to Salzburg with me! – You’ll find something in her own hand appended to the fourth page of this letter; – she’d like to come; – so, if you’d enjoy having her in your house, I wonder if you’d be good enough to write at once to your brother, saying that it’s all right – when you see her and get to know her, you’ll certainly be pleased with her – everyone likes her; – now farewell, dearest, most beloved father; – I kiss your hands 1000 times and embrace my dear sister with all my heart and ever remain

Your most obedient son
W A Mozart

Madame Hepp
née
d’Hosson died yesterday in childbirth; – she too was killed by her doctors; –

[
His cousin’s postscript
]
Monsieur mon très cher oncle

I hope that you and my mistress cousin are well; I have had the honour of finding your son
³
in very good health in Munich, he wants me to come to Salzburg, but I don’t know if I’ll have the honour of seeing you:

[
inkblot, beneath it two lines in Mozart’s hand
]

a portrait of my cousin; she’s writing in her shirtsleeves! –

[
In his cousin’s hand
]

but my cousin is a real fool, as you can see. I wish you well,
mon cher oncle
, 1000 good wishes to Mademoiselle Cousine
je suis de tout mon cœur
⁴

[
In Mozart’s hand
]
Monsieur
votre invariable Cochon
⁵

[
In his cousin’s hand
]
Munich the 8 January

1779 Fräulein Mozart

[
In Mozart’s hand
]

where the last person has not yet shat –

Mozart arrived backin Salzburg during the third week of January 1779, at which time he formally petitioned Archbishop Colloredo for his appointment as court and cathedral organist: ‘Your Serene Highness was most graciously pleased after the decease of Cajetan Adlgasser most graciously to take me into your service: I therefore most submissively beg that I may be graciously assigned the post of Court Organist in your exalted service; to which end, as for all other high favours and graces, I subscribe myself in the most profound submission.’ On 17 January Colloredo decreed: ‘Whereas We by these presents have graciously admitted and accepted the suppliant as Our Court Organist, that he shall, like Adlgasser, carry out his appointed duties with diligent assiduity and irreproachably, in the Cathedral as well as at Court and in the Chapel, and shall as far as possible serve the court and the church with new compositions made by him; We decree him therefor, like his predecessor, an annual salary of four hundred and fifty gulden, and command Our Court Pay Office to
discharge this by monthly instalments, and to render account for each outlay in the appropriate place.’
(Deutsch,
Documentary Biography
, 181–2).

Mozart composed several substantial works during this period, including the masses K275, 317 and 337, the vespers K321 and 339, the symphonies K318, 319 and 338, the ‘Posthorn’ serenade K320, the sinfonia concertante for violin and viola K364, the concerto for two pianos K365, and the accompanied sonata K378. The diary that Nannerl Mozart kept at this time provides a fascinating insight into the everyday life of the Mozart family. The following extract is typical; the entries were read at the time by Mozart, who added a few comments of his own.

15th. To church at 8 o’clock, at Lodron’s and the Mayrs’:
¹
afternoon Katherl and Feigele and Herr Finck
²
called on us:

[
In Mozart’s hand
]
Rained all day.

16th. To church at 8 o’clock. Afternoon with Lodron. At 4 o’clock visit from Feigele. Played tarot. Changeable weather, just like April. And very cool.

17th. To church at half past 7. At Lodron’s and the Mayrs’. At half past 2 Fräulein Nannerl, Therese and Luise Barisani called. From 5 to 6 the 2 Mlles Hartensteiner called. At 6 Fräulein Josepha
³
came. Feigele was also there. We played cards. At half past 7 Mölk
⁴
came,
but left straightaway. At 9 my brother took the girls home. Weather changeable like yesterday.

18th. To cathedral at 9. Hours. Katherl and Paris
⁵
had lunch with me, as Papa and my brother were lunching at Holy Trinity. Feigele provided the prizes. Wirtenstätter won. Played tarot. At 6 Papa, I, Feigele, Wirtenstätter and Pimperl went for a walk. Back home by half 7. Fine weather.

19th. Mass at the University Church at half past 9. Then to the Mayrs’ and assistant riding master.
⁶
At 2 to Lodron’s. Visit from Feigele. Played tarot. At 6 Papa, Feigele, my brother, I and Pimperl to the Robinigs’. Back at half 8. Very beautiful weather.

20th. To church at half past 7. At Lodron’s and the Mayrs’. Visit from Feigele during the afternoon. Played tarot. Weather changeable; rained heavily. A fine evening.

21st. To church at half past 7, then called in at the Barisanis to congratulate Frau Barisani. Afternoon at Lodron’s. Visit from Katherl and Feigele. Played tarot. Heavy showers alternating with sunny spells all day.

22nd. At Lodron’s; then Mass at Holy Trinity at half past 10. Then to the Mayrs. At 2 my brother and I called on Frau von Antretter. Papa joined us there. Returned home at 4 with Feigele. Played tarot. Then went for a walk. At half past 8 Herr Heydecker, the ropemaker from Ischl, called. The valet Angerbauer
⁷
returned from court with my brother. Rain. Stopped. Beautiful evening later on.

23rd. To Mass at 7 o’clock. Called on Mayr and assistant riding master. Bite to eat at Lodron’s. Katherl and Schachtner called. Played
tarot. At half past 4 the couple from Ischl. Rained and didn’t rain. In the evening a thunderstorm and not a thunderstorm.

[
In Nannerl’s hand
]

24th. To Mass at Holy Trinity at 10 and half past 10. In the afternoon Messrs Ferrari,
⁸
Fiala, Schachtner and Brindl
⁹
called, rehearsed for a concert, afterwards at Katherl’s the [
In Mozart’s hand
] Mezgers
¹⁰
there. Half past 11 played. At 4 my father and brother joined us. At 5 we all went bowling in the Mezgers’ courtyard. At 9 a serenade in the street outside Herr Döll’s on the Kollegienplatz. The march from the last graduation music.
¹¹
‘Lustig sind die Schwobemedle’.
¹²
And the Haffner music.
¹³
Rained during the morning. Cleared up during the afternoon.

25th. Mass at half past 9. Target practice in the afternoon. Feiner
¹⁴
provided the prizes. Katherl and Wirtenstter won as a team. Played tarot. Fine weather in the morning. Rained during the afternoon.

26th. Massed at 7 o’clock. Later lost patience with Regine, the assistant riding master’s daughter, and at the Mayrs. Lodronned on in the afternoon and Lodronned off at 3. At 4 we were Feigeled and then demoneyed at tarot. The sky dewatered itself nearly all day and we were badly winded.

27th. At Lodron’s. Mass at half past 10. Then home. My brother
went to Lodron’s instead of Papa, who has rheumatism. Schachtner afternoon till 5 Feigele and Katherl called. Played tarot. Weather same as yesterday.

28th. Mass at 7. At the Mayrs and assistant riding master’s. Afternoon Mlle Braunhofer
¹⁵
called. Katherl, Feigele – played tarot. Weather changeable. But the evening delightful.
¹⁶

In the late spring or summer of 1780, Mozart was commissioned to compose the opera
Idomeneo, re di Creta
(’Idomeneo, king of Crete’) for Munich. He left for the Bavarian capital on 5 November, arriving the next day. An extended correspondence between Leopold and Wolfgang survives from this time, detailing Mozart’s compositional decisions and Leopold’s involvement in them. The following letters, though by no means complete, are representative.

Mon très cher Père
,

I arrived here happy and contented! – Happy, because nothing untoward happened to us on the journey, and contented, because we could hardly wait for the moment when we reached our destination on account of the journey which, although short, was very uncomfortable; – I assure you that it was impossible for any of us to get even a minute’s sleep all night – this type of carriage jolts the very soul out of your body! – And the seats! – As hard as stone! – After we’d left Wasserburg I began to think I’d never get my backside to Munich in one piece! – It was really sore – and presumably bright red – for
two whole stages I sat supporting myself on my hands on the upholstery, holding my backside in the air–––but enough of this, it’s all behind me now! – But as a rule I’d prefer to walk in future – anything rather than travelling by mail coach. – Now for Munich. – We didn’t arrive till 1 in the afternoon but by the evening I’d already been to see Count Seeau and left a note as he wasn’t at home – the next morning I went back there with Becke, who sends his best wishes to everyone, including the Fialas and all his other acquaintances in Salzburg; – Seeau is like putty in the hands of the Mannheimers – as for the libretto, the count says it’s not necessary for Abbate Varesco
¹
to copy it out again before sending it here – it’s being printed here – but
I
think he should write it out straightaway and not forget the
stage directions
and send it here as soon as possible, together with the synopsis – as for the names of the singers, this is the least of our worries, as these can easily be added here.

Some small changes will have to be made here and there – the recitatives need shortening a little – but it will
all be printed
;

I’ve a request to make of the Abbate; – Ilia’s aria in the second scene of act two
²
I’d like to change a little to bring it into line with what I need –
se il padre perdei in te lo ritrovo
: this line couldn’t be better – but then comes something that has always struck me as unnatural – I mean in an aria – namely,
an aside
. In a dialogue these things are entirely natural – a few words are hurriedly spoken as an aside – but in an aria, where the words have to be repeated, it creates a bad impression – and even if this weren’t the case, I’d still prefer an aria here – if he’s happy with it, the opening can stay as it is, as it’s delightful – an aria that flows along in an entirely natural way – where I’m not so tied to the words but can just continue to let the music flow, as we’ve agreed to include an andantino aria here with 4 concertante wind instruments, namely, flute, oboe, horn and bassoon. – Please make sure I receive it as soon as possible. –