Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born 258 years ago today to his father Leopold, his mother Anna Maria and his sister Nannerl. The child was small and sickly; many feared he wouldn't make it through the night. His mother had trouble delivering the placenta and almost died herself. Both grew stronger each day however; the baby growing to become one of the greatest composers this world has ever known.
In Germany and Austria, especially back in the 18th century, birthdays were not celebrated so much as "Name Days," the feast of the child's patron Saint. Mozart most likely would have been given a greater celebration on October 31, the feast of Saint Wolfgang even though he was traditionally given the first name of the Saint on whose feast he was born, Saint John Chrysostom.
Here is a brief video showing the apartment where Mozart was born. If you have been fortunate enough to have seen this in real life, I would love to hear about it! Please leave a comment below!
Happy Independence Day! Although Mozart was not American, he was very much devoted to his own country and people. I thought that today would be a fitting day to share a bit of his patriotism.
In a letter to his father, written on November 24, 1781, Mozart speaks of a concert he had recently given:
The two of us played a sonata [K. 381] that I had composed for the occasion, and which had a success. This sonata I shall send you by Herr von Daubrawaick, who said that he would feel proud to have it in his trunk; his son, who is a Salzburger, told me this. When the father went he said, quite loud, "I am proud to be your countryman. You are doing great honor to Salzburg; I hope that times will so change that we can have you amongst us, and then do not forget me." I answered: "My fatherland has always the first claim on me."
Although German culture was not dominant during his time, Mozart nevertheless felt such a great sense of duty to and pride for his country, which he honored through his music. In a letter to his father, written on May 29, 1778 in Paris, he said:
Frequently I fall into a mood of complete listlessness and indifference; nothing gives me great pleasure. The most stimulating and encouraging thought is that you, dearest father, and my dear sister, are well, that I am an honest German, and that if I am not always permitted to talk I can think what I please; but that is all.
No doubt Mozart's intense love for his country inspired some of his finest works and helped him to always strive to be the best musician he possibly could.
Goodness, it has been nearly a month since I have last written. Life seems to be whizzing by while my poor blog sits here alone and forgotten. To make up for the time it has taken me to write, I will share my new upload of the Coronation Mass, K. 317, written in 1779, along with some quotes about Mozart and a letter excerpt to brighten up the day. Enjoy!
In Bach, Beethoven and Wagner we admire principally the depth and energy of the human mind; in Mozart, the divine instinct.- Edvard Grieg
Mozart's music is free of all exaggeration, of all sharp breaks and contradictions. The sun shines but does not blind, does not burn or consume. Heaven arches over the earth, but it does not weigh it down, it does not crush or devour it. - Karl Barth
It is hard to think of another composer who so perfectly marries form and passion. - Leonard Bernstein
What a picture of a better world you have given us, Mozart! - Franz Schubert
W. A. Mozart - Krönungsmesse in C Major, K. 317
It seems here that Mozart learned a form of sign language. He writes to his sister Nannerl at the age of 15:
Milan, August 31, 1771.
My Dearest Sister,--
We are quite well, thank God! I have been eating quantities of fine pears, peaches, and melons in your place. My greatest amusement is to talk by signs to the dumb, which I can do to perfection. Herr Hasse [the celebrated opera composer] arrived here yesterday, and to-day we are going to pay him a visit. We only received the book of the Serenata last Thursday. I have very little to write about. Do not, I entreat, forget about THE ONE OTHER, where no other can ever be. You understand me, I know.
Anyone who knows more on this subject, please comment with your input and knowledge!
Contrary to popular belief, I have not fallen off the planet. I am alive and well, or, as well as a busy student can be. When the school year started, so did a horrible case of writer's block. There are some topics I would like to post about in the future, but I will need to do some more research first. Until then, I figured everyone can use a good laugh throughout the day, so I posted two of some of Mozart's most humorous letters, both written to his beloved sister Nannerl.
Year: 1770 Age: 14
...I only wish that my sister were in Rome, for this town would certainly please her, as St. Peter's church and many other things in Rome are regular. The most beautiful flowers are now being carried past in the street---so Papa has just told me. I am a fool, as everyone knows. Oh, I am having a hard time, for in our rooms there is only one bed and so Mamma can well imagine that I get no sleep with Papa......I have just now drawn St. Peter with his keys and with him St. Paul with his sword and St. Luke with my sister and so forth. I have had the honor of kissing St. Peter's foot in St. Peter's church and as I have the misfortune to be so small, I, that same old dunce
Wolfgang Mozart, had to be lifted up.
Year: 1772 Age: 16
I hope you are well, my dear sister. When you receive this letter, my dear sister, my opera will be being performed that same evening. Think of me, my dear sister, and do your best to imagine, my dear sister, that you are watching and hearing it too, my dear sister. Admittedly that is difficult, as it is already eleven o'clock; what's more, I believe beyond any doubt that during the day it is brighter than at Easter. My dear sister, tomorrow we dine at Herr von Mayer's, and why is this, do you think? Guess! Because he has invited us. Tomorrow's rehearsal is at the theater, but the impresario, Signor Castiglioni, has urged me not to say anything about it, because otherwise everybody will come rushing along, and we don't want that. So, my child, I beg you not to tell anyone anything about it. Otherwise too many people would come rushing along. That reminds me, do you know what happened here today? I'll tell you. We left Count Firmian's to go home and when we reached our street, we opened the front door and what do you suppose happened then? We went in. Goodbye, my little lung. I embrace you, my liver, and remain, my stomach, ever your unworthy brother,
Wolfgang
Please, my dear sister, something is biting me - please scratch me.
Nannerl in 1763, wearing a dress given to her by Empress Maria Theresa when she and Wolfgang performed for her.
Mozart's sister, Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart, or Nannerl for short, was born on July 30, 1751 in Salzburg. She was the fourth child born to Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart, but the first to survive infancy.
Nannerl was one of Mozart's greatest heroes. As a child he would watch her play the piano and take lessons from Leopold, and then he would try to play her pieces. Like her brother, Nannerl was a child prodigy, but since she was a woman, she couldn't pursue a career like him.
On August 23, 1783, Nannerl married twice-widowed Johann Baptist Franz von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg and moved to St. Gilgen (the town where her mother was born). She took care of his five children and eventually had three of her own, two daughters and one son.
Nannerl in 1785.
Wolfgang often composed piano duets to perform with his sister while they were young. In 1765, at nine years old, he composed this piece, which the two performed together:
On October 29, 1829, Nannerl passed away in Salzburg, where she lived after her husband died in 1801.
I finally obtained information about Bimperl/Bimbes/Bimpes/Pimperl the dog. From 1773 - 1777, the Mozarts kept a female fox terrier, called these four names by different members of the family. Wolfgang and Anna Maria usually called her Bimperl, Bimpes or Bimbes, while Nannerl and Leopold called her Pimperl. These are all various forms of the same name.
In 1777, Bimperl died and the Mozarts bought a male dog, giving him the same name. I found this information on the Mozart Forum.
We read in a letter from 14-year-old Wolfgang to his sister Nannerl on May 19, 1770 about a little canary that the Mozarts kept. He wrote:
Write me, how is Mr. Canary? Does he still sing? Does he still pipe? Do you know why I am thinking of the canary? Because there is one in our anteroom that makes the same little sounds as ours.
. . .
A Dog
Unfortunately, I can't seem to find much information on the dog that the Mozart family kept. Some sources say that it was a fox terrier.
Mozart family letters refer to a "Miss Bimbes", a "Bimperl", and a "Pimperl". After much research, it sounds to me like they are all the same dog, but sometimes it's hard to tell. If I can find out any more, be assured that I will post it.
In a letter dated August 21, 1773 (at age 17), Mozart wrote to his sister:
How is Miss Bimbes? Please present all manner of compliments to her.
In an October 1777 letter from Leopold to 21-year-old Wolfgang (who was in France with his mother at the time), we read:
As the weather is fine, [Nannerl and I] take an early walk every day with our faithful Bimperl, who is in splendid trim and only becomes very sad and obviously most anxious when we are both out of the house, for then she thinks that because she has lost you two, she is now going to lose us as well. So when we went to the ball and she saw us masked, she refused to leave Mitzerl, and, when we got home, she was so overjoyed that I thought she would choke. Moreover, when we were out, she would not stay on her bed in the room, but remained lying on the ground outside the porter's door. She would not sleep, but kept on moaning, wondering, I suppose, whether we should ever return.
Then, while Mozart was writing and rehearsing Idomoneo, K. 366, in 1780, he wrote to his father:
Give Pimperl a pinch of Spanish snuff, a good wine-biscuit, and three busses (kisses).
On May 27, 1784, Mozart noted in his expense book that he had bought a pet starling. In the same book he also wrote down a tune that the bird whistled for him, and noted, "That was beautiful!"
Besides the two G sharps, the notes are identical to the theme of the third movement to Mozart's 17th Piano Concerto, K. 453, which had been written earlier that year. It is unknown whether he taught this to the bird, or if the bird whistled it for him (having been taught the tune by someone else), and that is what made him buy it.
The bird died on June 4, 1787. Mozart wrote a sad little poem on the occasion and buried the bird in his back yard.
Mozart wrote to his wife, who was at the spa in Baden due to illness, in 1791:
Now as to my mode of life: As soon as you were gone I played two games of billiards with Herr von Mozart who wrote the opera for Schickaneder's theatre (The Magic Flute); then I sold my nag for fourteen ducats; then I had Joseph call my primus (valet)and bring a black coffee, to which I smoked a glorious pipe of tobacco...
Since his health was failing, Mozart's doctor advised him to buy a horse and ride every day. However, Mozart didn't care for the exercise and sold his horse.
