MUSIC APPRECIATIONClass #7: Mozart (part 1)

THE MOZART PROJECT

http://www.mozartproject.org/

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

1756-1791

GETREIDEGASSE NO.9

FAMILY: LEOPOLD, ANNA MARIA, MARIA ANNA (“NANNERL”)

PRODIGY

FIRST COMPOSITION

"This piece was learnt by Wolfgangerl on 24 January 1761, 3 days

before his 5th birthday, between 9

and 9:30 in the evening."

PROOF

Witnesses Documentation Opinions

5 years old: Sight Read Compose

TOURING

1756The “circuit”

Small citiesParisVienna

Ages 5-17

CONCERTS

HarpsichordViolin

ImprovisationsStunts!?

2-3 hours3-4 per day

SCHEDULE

Family friendsRoyal Court

SocietyChurchPrivate concerts

MusikabendInvitations

PAYMENTS

CashGoldGiftsClothingJewels

EARLY REPORTS

"Everyone is amazed, especially at the boy, and everyone whom I have heard says that

his genius is incomprehensible."

FATIGUE

1st illness“Scarlet Fever”Tuberculosis

Later illnessRheumatoid arthritis

Constant

COMPOSING

Carriage ridesMusical memory

PARIS!

MARIE ANTOINETTE

“Will you marry me, yes or no?!”

1764

LondonHandelJohann Christian BachHaydn (?!)Royal family

Buckingham palace

REBELLION

Children – pre-teen

Nan Health “Woman’s place”

Wolfgang Composing

Size Health

RETURN TO SALZBURG

Money Employment

Stability Composition

ITALY (14)

Without Nannerl Formal education

Accademia filarmonica of Bologna.

Vatican Order of the Golden Spur.

PERFORMER VS. COMPOSER

Child star Leopold’s pressure

EMPLOYMENT 1771-1781

Salzburg Konzertmeister Employer

Fired “…with a kick in the ass...”

THE LETTERS

"My Pen is Coarse and I am not Polite”

Daily+ Lifetime

Recipients Family Friends Colleagues

Preserved and translated

SIGNATURE

VARIETY

You can see now that I am able to write any way I want to,

beautifully and wild, straight and crooked. The other day, I was in a

bad humor, so my writing was beautiful, straight, and serious;

today I'm in a good mood, and my writing is wild, crooked and jolly."

LUDWIG RITTER VON KÖCHEL

ANTONIO SALIERI (1750-1825)

SALIERI FACTS

Wealthy family Royal appointment from 1774-1824 Wildly popular

Vienna’s favorite composer Celebrated teacher

Mozart’s son, Franz Xaver Franz Liszt Franz Schubert Ludwig van Beethoven

Long, happy marriage with eight children Sabotaged performances of Mozart’s “The

Marriage of Figaro”

SALIERI MYTHS

Alone recognized Mozart’s geniusInsanely jealousSecret patron

RequiemMozart’s murdererBegan?

FUN AND GAMES

Truth or Myths with Salieri and Mozart

http://classyclassical.blogspot.com/2005/08/antonio-salieri-truth-or-fiction.html

AMADEUS

Peter Schaffer 1979 London

Two Olivier Awards Broadway

Three Tony Awards

Milos Foreman 1984 8 Academy awards

Best Movie

MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS 600+

Age 6 - 1791 Every major existing genre

Symphonies (41) Sacred Music

Requiem Concertos

Violin Woodwinds: Clarinet Piano (#21 in C Major, 2nd movement; March 10, 1785!)

Chamber Music “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” (Youtube)

22 Operas Age 11 - 1791

MANUSCRIPT

OPERA

“…everything else I write is just to sustain me until the perfect

libretto presents itself…”

WHY?

Baroque opera traditionsMozart’s goals

“Real” people/emotionsDramaSubconscious

1: SINGSPIEL

VernacularSpoken dialogueLight subject matter

“The Abduction From The Seraglio”

“The Magic Flute”

2: OPERA SERIA

Subject matterMelodramaticMythologicalReligious

IdomeneoTitus

3: OPERA BUFFA

Only comedic? Character development?

LORENZO DA PONTE (1749-1838 NYC)

DA PONTE QUICK FACTS: PROFESSIONAL

Writer Playwright Poet Librettist Royal Court Appointment by (Franz) Joseph II

Close personal and professional friendship with Salieri

DA PONTE QUICK FACTS: TRIVIA

Personal life

Born Jewish, converted to Catholicism Priest Married his mistress Defrocked, opened a brothel Moved to New York

US Citizen Philadelphia grocer Columbia University professor Library of Congress

PIERRE BEAUMARCHAIS (1732-1799)

BEAUMARCHAIS FACTS Watch-maker, inventor, musician, politician, fugitive, spy,

publisher, arms-dealer, and revolutionary (French and American)

Playwright

The Barber of SevilleThe Marriage Of FigaroLa Mère coupable

CHARACTERS

Aristocracy

1. Count Almaviva2. Dr. Bartolo3. Don Basilio4. Rosina (Countess Almaviva)

5. Marcellina6. Don Curzio

Commoners

1. Figaro2. Susanna3. Cherubino*4. Antonio5. Servants

*Trouser role

REACTION TO “THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO”

Napoleon:“Everything you need to know in order to understand the spirit of (French) Revolution is contained in the truths found in Figaro.”

Banned by Marie Antoinette Why?

And her brother?

(FRANZ) JOSEPH II (1741-1790)

DROIT DE SEIGNEUR

Right Of The Lord“Right of the First Night”

“FIGARO”S APPEAL TO MOZART

Conflict Character development

Subconscious Repressed thoughts

Susanna

CONFLICTS

Librettist (Da Ponte) works for the censor (Franz Joseph II)

Librettist is hired to write for “rival” (Salieri)

RESOLUTIONS

Da Ponte’s deal with (Franz) Joseph II

Subject matter Time off repaid

TWO SCENES

Act II Finale

Act III “Recognition” sextet

TWENTY+ UNINTERRUPTED MINUTES!

1. Susanna

2. Count & Countess

3. add Susanna

4. add Figaro

5. add Antonio remove Antonia

6. add Marcellina, Bartolo, Basilio

1. Solo

2. Duet

3. Trio4. Quartet

5. Quintet Quartet

6. Octet

“Recognition” sextet

Allegiances reverse Musical “laughter”

Plot totally changes Authority challenged, thwarted, defeated