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Chapter 16: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1756～1791, died at age 35)
Salzburg, Wolfgang Mozart's birthplace, was a small Roman-style city with a strong Catholic influence. The father, Leopold Mozart, had his elder daughter Nannerl and younger son Wolfgang learn the clavier from an early age, and Wolfgang showed extraordinary talent.
Leopold took 6-year-old Wolfgang and 11-year-old Nannerl on a concert tour to Munich, and the following 10 years were spent on concert tours to Paris, London, Amsterdam, and Italy. From the age of 17, Wolfgang worked as a court musician in Salzburg for seven years. While traveling to Mannheim, he fell in love with Aloysia of the Weber family, but was heartbroken. He then married Aloysia's younger sister Constanze at the age of 26. At the age of 25, he broke up with the Archbishop of Salzburg and settled in Vienna, aiming to become an independent musician.
The works he composed one after another were enthusiastically received by the citizens, but his wife Constanze lacked the ability to manage the household, so it did not necessarily mean financial success. He witnessed the deaths of his eldest and third sons and his father, and he himself fell seriously ill, so in the last four years of his life, contrary to his worldly success, he lived a gloomy life both physically and mentally. At the age of 32 (1788), he completed the so-called three great symphonies in two months, and at the age of 34, just before the completion of the opera "The Magic Flute," he was visited by an unknown man dressed in gray clothing and asked to compose "Requiem," but he died at the age of 35 without completing it.
The following is a short summary of my impressions of Mozart's music from the performance I watched and listened this time.
Symphony: In the short period of two months in 1788, when Mozart was struggling financially, he composed Symphony No. 39, No. 40, and No. 41 (Jupiter), which would later be referred to as his "last three great symphonies." These are wonderful works, with no dark, mundane shadows to be found anywhere in the clear beauty of No. 39, the noble sadness of No. 40, and the glorious splendor of No. 41. Of Mozart's 41 symphonies, only No. 25 and No. 40 were written in minor keys. In a recent recording of a concert, the consecutive performance of No. 39, No. 40, and No. 41 by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Tokyo performance in 2006) was particularly moving, as it evoked the sounds of Mozart's hometown. Sinfonia Concerto: I listened to Sinfonia Concerto in E-flat major, K.364 on a CD I bought at a concert held at the Vienna Philharmonic, a memorable piece. It is a masterpiece composed by Mozart after returning to Salzburg during his trip to Mannheim and Paris (1797-1799). The Sinfonia Concerto was a popular piece at the time, with multiple solo instruments.
Violin Concertos: The first movement of Violin Concerto No.3 features a wonderful exchange between the orchestra and the soloists, and the extremely beautiful melody of the Adagio resonates pleasantly. In No.5, a musical idea with a Turkish rhythm suddenly appears in the middle of the third movement, and the performance by the virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin is a masterpiece that makes the most popular masterpiece among Mozart's violin concertos enjoyable.
Chamber/Orchestral Music: Serenade No.13 "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" is a masterpiece as well. This time I listened to the performances by the Dresden State Opera Orchestra conducted by Otmar Suitner and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Furtwängler, and I was reminded of this once again. I listened to the Divertimento in D major performed by I Musici, and it was a wonderful performance with a clear and light feel. No. 17 consists of six movements including two minuets, and the third movement, Minuet, in particular, is famous as the so-called "Mozart Minuet."
Clarinet Concerto: I also listened to the Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K.622, on a CD purchased at a concert held at the Vienna Philharmonic Society, which I hold fond memories of. It is a masterpiece that weaves together the right proportions of orchestra and solo, composed for his friend Anton Stadler (clarinetist) a few months before his death. The Clarinet Quintet in A major, K.581, has the subtitle "Stadler", and as this piece was composed for a friend, it is a masterpiece among masterpieces, with a strong emotional expression, concerto-like treatment of the instruments, chamber music-like precision, and impeccable instrument arrangement. In particular, the performance by Leopold Urach (Cl)/Wiener Konzerthaus Quartet is by far the best, allowing you to fully enjoy the essence of the Viennese performance style.
Flute Concerto: Concerto for Flute and Harp, K.299, was composed at the request of duc de Guînes during his stay in Paris, and sounds like elegant salon-style music, with elegant musical ideas that make full use of the characteristics of solo instruments and a graceful progression. Flute Concerto No.2 is more beautiful than Flute Concerto No.1, but James Galway is a natural flutist.
I listened to Flute Quartets No. 1 to 4, and I felt that the clarinet, as a solo instrument, is much more compatible with the string section than the flute. There are records that Mozart did not like the flute very much due to its lack of functionality and unstable pitch.
Piano Sonatas and Concertos: Piano Sonatas No.1 to 7 and No.9 are performed by Glenn Gould, and are all excellent pieces that are pleasant to listen to. Piano Sonata No.8 is performed by Dinu Lipatti with exquisite style. Piano Sonata No.11 "Turkish March" is a masterpiece with a fast tempo and an exceptionally pleasant rhythm. Piano Concertos No. 20 and 21 are extremely beautiful masterpieces among all of Mozart's works. The 21st was performed by Barenboim and Lipatti, and the second movement in particular was used in the Swedish film "Brief but Beautiful", so the fleeting but beautiful melody touched my heart. I listened to the 23rd performed by Rubinstein, and the melancholic melody of the second movement, Adagio by Siciliano, and the third movement, Rondo, were particularly memorable. Mao Fujita's Mozart recital at the Verbier Festival 2021 in
Switzerland was a truly light, energetic and magnificent performance. Horowitz's performance of Piano Sonata No. 10 was touching, as the scene showed the great maestro Argerich leaning back and praising his delicate and soft touch on the keyboard. The "Sonata for Two Pianos" and the three "Piano Duet Sonatas" by the greatest pianists of our time, Argerich and Barenboim, were a precious and well-coordinated performance by the two.
Sacred music: The motet "Dance, Rejoice, Thou Blessed Soul" is a masterpiece among masterpieces. I listened to Maria Stadel's soprano again for the first time in a long time. I also listened to the mass "Coronation Mass" for the first time in a long time. The "Requiem," said to be the greatest requiem in music history, was a masterpiece that soothes the soul no matter how many times I listen to it, and I sang it on stage as
a choir member when I was a student. I like listening to Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic on record, but the performance by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Klaus Mäkelä on video is overwhelming. Also, the performance by the Musica Eterna Orchestra and Chorus of the Felsenreitschule in Salzburg and the video recording of the Vienna Philharmonic Chorus' concert in Japan are unique and wonderful.
Arias: I listened to about 20 of Schwarzkopf's songs, but I particularly liked "Das Vilchez" and "Longing for Spring (Sehnsucht nach dem Frühling)."
For your reference, the following table lists the works of composers that I listened to again when writing this collection of thoughts.
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