Mozart: A Life in Letters: A Life in Letters (44 page)

I would ask you, therefore, as my best of friends, to stand by my father for me and give him courage so that when he hears the worst, he may not take it too badly. I also commend my sister to you with all my heart – please go and see them at once – but don’t tell them that she’s dead, just prepare them for it – do what you think best – use every means in your power, but just try to ensure my own peace of mind – so that I don’t have to dread some other misfortune. – Stand by my dear father and my dear sister. Please reply without delay. – Adieu, I am your most obedient and grateful servant

Wolfgang Amadè Mozart

Monsieur

mon très cher Père!

I hope that you are prepared to hear with fortitude a piece of news that could not be sadder or more painful – my last letter of the 3rd will have placed you in the position of knowing that the news, when it came, would not be good – that same day, the 3rd, at 10.21 in the evening, my mother passed away peacefully; – when I wrote to you, she was already enjoying the delights of heaven – by then it was all over – I wrote to you during the night – I hope that you and my dear sister will forgive me this slight but very necessary deception – concluding from my own grief and sadness what yours must be, I couldn’t possibly bring myself to spring such a terrible piece of news on you – but I hope that you’re both now ready to hear the worst
and that, after giving way to natural and only too justified grief and tears, you will eventually resign yourselves to God’s will and worship His inscrutable, unfathomable and all-wise providence – you’ll easily be able to imagine what I have had to bear – what courage and fortitude I needed to endure it all calmly as things grew progressively worse – and yet God in His goodness granted me this mercy – I have suffered enough anguish and wept enough tears – but what use was it all? – and so I had to console myself; you, my dear father and sister, must do the same! – Weep, weep your fill – but ultimately you must take comfort, – remember that Almighty God willed it so – and
what can we do against Him? – We should rather pray and thank Him that it all turned out for the best – for she died a very happy death; – in these sad circumstances, I consoled myself with three things, namely, my entire trust and submission in God’s will – then the fact that I was present at so easy and beautiful a death, as I imagined how happy she had become in a single moment – how much happier she is now than we are – so much so that at that moment I wanted to take the same journey as she had just done – in turn this wish and desire gave rise to my third source of consolation, namely, that she is not lost to us for ever – we shall see her again – we shall be happier and more contented to be with her than we have been in this world; we do not know when our time may come – but this is no cause for anxiety – when God wills it, then I too shall will it – well, God’s most hallowed will has been done – let us therefore say a devout prayer for her soul and proceed to other matters, there is a time for everything – I’m writing this at the home of Madame d’Épinay and Monsieur Grimm, where I’m now lodging, a pretty little room with a very pleasant view and, so far as my state allows, I’m happy here – it will help me to regain my contentment to hear that my dear father and sister have accepted God’s will with composure and fortitude and that they trust in Him with all their hearts in the firm conviction that He orders all things for the best – dearest father! Look after yourself! – Dearest sister – look after yourself – you’ve not yet enjoyed your brother’s kind heart as he’s not yet been able to demonstrate it – dearest father and sister – look after your health – remember that you have a son and a brother who is doing everything in his power to make you happy – knowing full well that one day you’ll not refuse to grant him his desire and his happiness – which certainly does him honour – and that you’ll do everything possible to make him happy – Oh, then we’ll live together as peacefully, honourably and contentedly as is possible in this world – and finally, when God wills it, we shall meet again there – for this we are destined and created –

Your last letter of 29 June
¹
has arrived safely and I’m pleased to
learn that you are both well, all praise and thanks be to God, I couldn’t help laughing at your account of Haydn’s drunkenness, – if I’d been there, I’d certainly have whispered in his ear:
Adlgasser
.
²
– But it’s a disgrace that such an able man should be rendered incapable of performing his duties and have only himself to blame for it – in a post that’s in God’s honour – when the archbishop and the whole court are there – and the whole church is full of people – it’s appalling – this is also one of the main reasons why I detest Salzburg – the coarse, ill-mannered and dissolute court musicians – no honest man of good breeding could live with them; – instead of taking an interest in them, he should be ashamed of them! – also – and this is probably the reason – the musicians aren’t very popular with us and are simply not respected – if only the orchestra were organized as it is in Mannheim! – the discipline that obtains in that orchestra! – the authority that Cannabich wields – there everything is taken seriously; Cannabich, who’s the best music director I’ve ever seen, is loved and feared by his subordinates. – He’s also respected by the whole town, as are his troops – but they certainly behave very differently – they’re well-mannered, dress well, don’t frequent taverns and don’t get drunk – but this can never be the case with you, unless, that is, the prince trusts you or me and gives us full authority,
at least as far as the orchestra is concerned
– otherwise it’s no good; in
Salzburg
everyone – or rather no one – bothers about the orchestra – if I were to take it on, I’d have to have a completely free hand – the chief steward should have nothing to say to me on orchestral matters and, indeed, on anything bound up with the orchestra. A courtier can’t stand in for a Kapellmeister, though a Kapellmeister could no doubt stand in for a courtier – by the way, the elector is now back in Mannheim – Madame Cannabich and her husband are in correspondence with me. I’m afraid that the orchestra will be much reduced in size, which would be an eternal shame, but if this doesn’t happen, I may still remain hopeful – you know that there’s nothing I want more than a
good position, good in character and good in terms of the money – it doesn’t matter where it is – as long as it’s in a Catholic area. – You acted in a masterly way, just like Ulysses, throughout the whole affair with Count Starhemberg
³
– only continue as before and don’t allow yourself to be taken in – and in particular you should be on your guard if conversation turns to that arrogant goose
⁴
– I know her, and you can be assured that she has sugar and honey on her lips but pepper in her head and heart – it’s entirely natural that the whole business is still open to discussion and that many points must be conceded before I could make up my mind and that even if everything were all right I’d still prefer to be anywhere else but Salzburg – but I don’t need to worry, as it’s unlikely that everything will be granted to me as I’m asking for so much –. But it’s not impossible – I’d not hesitate for a moment if everything were properly organized – if only to have the pleasure of being with you – but if the Salzburgers want me, they must satisfy me and all my wishes – otherwise they’ll certainly not get me. – So the abbot of Baumberg has died the usual abbot’s death! – I didn’t know that the abbot of the Holy Cross had died too – I’m very sorry – he was a good, honest, decent man; so you didn’t think that Dean Zöschinger would be made abbot? – Upon my honour, I never imagined it otherwise; I really don’t know who else it could have been! – Of course, he’s a good abbot for the orchestra! – So the
young lady’s
⁵
daily walk with her faithful lackey bore fruit after all! – They were certainly busy and haven’t been idle – the devil makes work for idle hands: – so the amateur theatricals have finally started up? – But how long will they last? – I don’t suppose Countess Lodron will be wanting any more concerts like the last one – Czernin is a young whippersnapper and Brunetti a foul-mouthed oaf.

My friend Raaff is leaving tomorrow; but he’s going via Brussels to Aix-la-Chapelle and Spa – and from there to Mannheim; he’ll let
me know as soon as he gets there, for we intend to stay in touch – he sends you and my sister his good wishes, even though he doesn’t know you. You say in your letter that you’ve heard no more about my composition pupil for a long time – that’s true, but what shall I tell you about her? – She’s not the sort of person who will ever become a composer – all my efforts are in vain – in the first place, she’s thoroughly stupid and also thoroughly lazy – I told you about the opera
⁶
in my last letter – as for Noverre’s ballet, all I’ve ever said is that he may write a new one – he needed just half a ballet and so I wrote the music for it – in other words, 6 numbers are by others and consist entirely of dreadful old French airs, whereas I’ve written the symphony and contredanses, making 12 pieces in all – the ballet has already been given 4 times
⁷
to great acclaim – but I’m now absolutely determined not to write anything else unless I know in advance what I’m going to get for it – I did this just as a favour for Noverre. – Monsieur Wendling left on the last day of May – if I wanted to see Baron Bagge,
⁸
I’d have to have very good eyes as he’s not here but in London – is it possible that I’ve not already told you this? – You’ll see that in future I’ll answer all your letters accurately – it’s said that Baron Bagge will be returning soon, which I should like very much – for many reasons – but especially because there’s always an opportunity at his house to hold proper rehearsals – Kapellmeister Bach will also be here soon – I think he’ll be writing an opera
⁹
– the French are asses and will always remain so, they can do nothing themselves – they have to rely on foreigners. I spoke to Piccinni
¹⁰
at the Concert Spirituel – he’s very polite to me and I to him – whenever we happen to meet – otherwise I’ve not made any new acquaintances – either with him or with other composers – I know what I’m doing – and so do they – and that’s enough: – I’ve
already told you that my symphony was a great success at the Concert Spirituel. – If I’m asked to write an opera, it’ll no doubt be a source of considerable annoyance, but I don’t mind too much as I’m used to it – if only the confounded French language weren’t such a dastardly enemy of music! – It’s pitiful – German is divine in comparison. – And then there are the singers – – they simply don’t deserve the name as they don’t sing but scream and howl at the tops of their voices, a nasal, throaty sound – I’ll have to write a French oratorio for the Concert Spirituel next Lent
¹¹
– the director Legros is amazingly taken with me; I should add that although I used to see him every day, I’ve not seen him since Easter, I was so annoyed that he’d not performed my sinfonia concertante; I often visited his house in order to see Monsieur Raaff and each time had to pass his rooms – on each occasion the servants and maids saw me and on each occasion I asked them to give him my best wishes. – I think it’s a shame that he didn’t perform it, people would have liked it – but he no longer has any opportunity to do so. Where could he find 4 such people for it? One day, when I was planning to visit Raaff, he wasn’t at home but I was assured that he’d soon be back. And so I waited – Monsieur Legros came into the room – it’s a miracle that I’ve finally had the pleasure of seeing you again – yes, I’ve got so much to do – are you staying for lunch? – I’m sorry, but I’ve a prior engagement. – Monsieur Mozart, we must spend more time together; – it’ll be a pleasure. – Long silence – finally: by the way, won’t you write a grand symphony for me for Corpus Christi? – Why not? – But can I rely on it? – Oh yes, as long as I can rely on its being performed – and that it doesn’t suffer the same fate as the sinfonia concertante – then the dance began – he apologized as best he could – but there wasn’t much he could say – in a word, the symphony was universally liked – and Legros is so pleased that he says it’s his best symphony – only the andante hasn’t had the good fortune to win his approval – he says it contains too many modulations and that it’s too long – but this is because the audience forgot to clap as loudly and make as much noise as they did for the first and final movements – but the
andante won the greatest approval
from me
and from all the connoisseurs and music lovers and most other listeners – it’s exactly the opposite of what Legros says – it’s entirely natural – and short.
¹²
– But in order to satisfy him – and, as he claims, several others – I’ve written another one – each is fitting in its own way – for each has a different character – but I like the last one even more – when I have a moment, I’ll send you the symphony, together with the violin tutor,
¹³
some keyboard pieces and Vogler’s
Tonwissenschaft und Tonsezkunst
¹⁴
– and I shall then want to know what you think about them – the symphony will be performed for the second time – with the new andante – on 15 August – the Feast of the Assumption – the symphony is in re and the andante in sol – you’re not supposed to say D or G here. – Well, Legros is now right behind me. – It’s time to start thinking about ending this letter – if you write to me, I think it would be better if you were to do so
chez Monsieur Le Baron de Grimm, Chaussée d’Antin près le Boulevard
– Monsieur Grimm will be writing to you himself very shortly. He and Madame d’Épinay both ask to be remembered to you and send you their heartfelt condolences – but they hope that you will be able to remain composed in the face of a matter that can’t be changed – take comfort – and pray fervently, this is the only expedient that is left to us – I was going to ask you to have Holy Masses said at Maria Plain and Loreto – I’ve also done so here. As for the letter of recommendation for Herr Beer,
¹⁵
I don’t think it’ll be necessary to send it to me – I still haven’t met him; I know only that he’s a good clarinettist but a dissolute companion – I don’t like associating with such people – it does one no credit; and I’ve no wish to give him a letter of recommendation – I’d be truly
ashamed to do so – even if he could do something for me! – But he’s by no means respected – many people haven’t even heard of him – Of the 2 Stamitzes,
¹⁶
only the younger one is here – the older (the real composer
aà la
Hafeneder) is in London – they’re 2 wretched scribblers – and gamblers – drunkards – and whoremongers – not the kind of people for me – the one who’s here has scarcely a decent coat to his back – by the way, if things don’t work out with Brunetti, I’d very much like to recommend a good friend of mine to the archbishop as first violin, a decent, honest, upstanding man – a stolid individual; – I’d put him at around 40 – a widower – he’s called Rothfischer
¹⁷
– he’s concert master to the princess of Nassau-Weilburg at Kirchheimbolanden – between ourselves, he’s dissatisfied as the prince doesn’t like him – or rather he doesn’t like
his music
– he’s commended himself to me and it would give me real pleasure to help him – he’s the best of men. – Adieu. I kiss your hands 100,000 times and embrace my sister with all my heart. I am your most obedient son