Chapter I: Front Matter

_BIOGRAPHIES OF MUSICIANS._

LIFE OF MOZART

BY
LOUIS NOHL

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN
BY
JOHN J. LALOR.

“_Man’s title to nobility is the heart._”

CHICAGO:
JANSEN, McCLURG, & COMPANY.
1880.

COPYRIGHT,
JANSEN, MCCLURG & COMPANY.
A. D. 1880.

STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED
BY
THE CHICAGO LEGAL NEWS COMPANY.

TRANSLATOR’S NOTE.

Mr. Louis Nohl, the author of the present little volume, has merited for himself in Germany a high reputation as a writer of the biographies of musicians, and some of his larger works have appeared in English on the other side of the Atlantic. The present is the first translation into our language of his shorter Life of Mozart. It will, we trust, prove acceptable to those who desire to learn the chief events in the life of the great composer, to see how his life influenced his compositions, and how his great works are, in many instances at least, the expression of his own joys and sorrows, the picture of his own soul in tones.

The translator’s grateful acknowledgments are due to Mr. A. W. Dohn, of Chicago, who was kind enough to compare the entire translation with the original. His thorough knowledge of music and German, no less than his rare familiarity with the English language, have largely contributed to the fidelity of this translation.

J. J. L.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

CHILDHOOD AND EARLY TRAVELS.

Mozart’s Parentage--Early Development of his Genius--Character
as a Child--Travels at the Age of Six--Received by Maria
Theresa and Marie Antoinette--Mozart and Goethe--Meeting
with Madame de Pompadour--The London Bach’s Opinion of
Young Mozart--Asked to Write an Opera by Joseph II--Assailed
by Envy--Padre Martini--Notes Down the Celebrated Miserere
from Ear--The Pope Confers on him the Order of the Golden
Spurs--A Member of the Philharmonic Society of Bologna--First
Love--Personal Appearance--Troubles with the Archbishop, 7-41

CHAPTER II.

THE GREAT PARISIAN ARTISTIC JOURNEY.

Disgusted with Salzburg--In Vienna Again--Salzburg
Society--Character of Musicians in the Last Century--Jerome
Colloredo, Archbishop of Salzburg--Mozart’s Letter to
Him--The Father’s Solicitude for His Son--Paternal Advice--New
Compositions--Incidents of his Journey--Meets with
Opposition--Secret Enemies--His Ambition to Elevate
the Character of the German Opera--Disappointments--His
Description of German “Free City” Life--Meeting with Stein--In
his Uncle’s Family--“Baesle”--Meeting with the
Cannabichs--Attachment for Rosa Cannabich--Influence of this
Attachment on his Music--The Weber Family--The _Non so d’Onde
Viene_--Circumstances of its Composition, 42-82

CHAPTER III.

IDOMENEO.

New Disappointments--Opposition of the Abbe Vogler--Mozart and
the Poet Wieland--Wieland’s Impressions of Mozart--German
Opera and Joseph II--The Weber Family--Aloysia Weber--Mozart’s
Plans--His Father Opposes them and his Attachment for
Aloysia--Mozart’s Music and Heart-trials--In
Paris--Disappointments there--Contrast Between Parisian and
German Life--New Intrigues Against Him--Invited Back to
Salzburg--“Faithless” Aloysia--Meeting of Father and
Son--Reception in Salzburg--“King Thamos”--Character of
Mozart’s Music Composed at this time--Invitation to Compose
the Idomeneo--Its Success--Effect on the Italian Opera, 83-117

CHAPTER IV.

ELOPEMENT FROM THE SERAGLIO--FIGARO--DON GIOVANNI.

Opinions on the Idomeneo--Tired of Salzburg--Goes to Vienna--The
Archbishop Again--Mozart Treated by Him with
Indignity--Paternal Reproaches--Assailed by Slander--He Leaves
Salzburg--Experiences in Vienna--Austrian Society--The German
Stage--The Emperor Expresses a Wish that Mozart might Write a
New Opera--Mozart’s Love for Constance Weber--Description of
Constance--The New Opera--Mozart’s Marriage--The Emperor’s
Opinion of Mozart’s Music--Mozart’s Interest In the Figaro--Its
Composition--Its Success--Mozart’s Poverty--In Bohemia--His
Popularity in Prague--Meaning of the Don Giovanni--Richard
Wagner on Mozart, 118-180

CHAPTER V.

THE MAGIC FLUTE--TITUS--THE REQUIEM.

Haydn’s Opinion of Mozart--Made Court Composer by Joseph
II--Don Giovanni in Vienna--Mozart’s Extreme Poverty--His
Cheerfulness under Adverse Circumstances--“The Song of the
Swan”--Other Compositions--Mozart’s Opinion of
Handel--Acquaintance with Sebastian Bach--Mozart’s Opinion
of Church Music--Mozart’s Characteristics--Audience
with the Emperor--Petition to His Imperial Majesty--His
Religious Feelings--Joins the Free Masons--History of the
Magic Flute--The Mysterious Stranger--The Requiem--Success
of the Magic Flute--Mozart as Reflected in his Music--His
Industry--Last Illness--Strange Fancies--His Last
Days--His Death, 181-236

THE LIFE OF MOZART.