Pauline Viardot and Don Giovanni

Did you know?

Pauline Viardot-Garcia possessed the holograph of the famous opera Don Giovanni  of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. She left it to the Paris Conservatory Library.

Pauline Viardot [née García] (July 18, 1821 – May 18, 1910) was a 19th century French mezzo-soprano and composer of Spanish descent. She achieved initial fame as “Pauline García”. She referred to herself simply as “Mme. Viardot” after her marriage.

 

Mozart Requiem Completed

Süssmayr Version from the Unfinished Original

© Tel Asiado

Dec 5, 2008

Completion of Mozart’s requiem. Franz Xaver Süssmayr contracted by Constanze Mozart. The Requiem, K 626 (Mass in D minor) was the last composition of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He left it unfinished due to his untimely demise at the young age of 35, on December 5, 1791. Immediately after Mozart’s death, efforts to complete the Requiem began. Constanze Mozart contracted two composers to work on Requiem’s completion: Joseph Eybler (1765-1846). He was a good musician who later became Hofkapellmeister. He orchestrated the “Dies irae” as the “Lacrimosa.” Then he stopped working on it. Here’s the full article — [Mozart Requiem completed]

 

Mozart Requiem History

Mass in D Minor K. 626, Last Composition of Mozart

© Tel Asiado

Dec 5, 2008

Brief history of Requiem Mass in D Minor, K. 626, Mozart’s last musical work left unfinished. The Requiem, K 626 (Mass in D minor) was the last composition of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and one of his most popular works. While confined to bed, he feverishly worked on it. Mozart left it incomplete as he died almost an hour after midnight, December 5, 1791. He was 35. Today marks the anniversary of the death of that brilliant genius. Here’s the full article — Mozart’s Requiem History

 

Happy Birthday Wolfgang Mozart!

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart 

(January 27th, 1756 – December 5th, 1791) 

• Mozart in Literature
• Mozart posts in this website.
•  Mozart, Thanks for the Music

 

Mozart for Mozartians by Mozartians

I’m listening to Mozart’s Piano Quintet, K.452. 

A moment ago I found Mozart Society of America at Facebook after spotting two of my great friends there. Terrific!  

I understand they will be holding a joint conference in Prague, 9-13 June 2009.

There you go. Suddenly, I miss St. Nicholas Church and their evening concerts.

 

Music for the Seasons

Seasonal Time of Mozart, Milhaud, Delius, Chaminade

© Tel Asiado

Oct 27, 2008

Composers write music about feelings, the world, and nature. This article identifies the four seasons as interpreted by Mozart, Milhaud, Delius and Chaminade.

Any classical music lover will be familiar with Antonio Vivaldi’s most famous work, The Four Seasons (Italian: Le Quattro stagione), a set of four violin concertos depicting the four seasons.

Full article … [Music for the Seasons]

 

Lest We Forget Mozart

December 5 marks the death anniversary of the wunderkind Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who passed away in 1791, aged 35.

I wrote these articles while listening to a Requiem CD performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO) conducted by Istvan Kertesz. with Elly Ameling, soprano.

Here are the links to my articles: 

Mozart’s Requiem History

Mozart’s Requiem Completed 

 

Mozart Operas

Operas written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:

• The Magic Flute 1791
• La Clemenza di Tito 1791
• Cosi fan tutte 1790
• Don Giovanni 1787
• The Marriage of Figaro 1786
• Der Schauspieldirektor 1786
• Die Entführung aus dem Serail 1782
• Idomeneo 1781
• Il rè pastore 1775
• La finta Giardiniera 1774
• Lucio Silla 1772 
• Il sogno di Scipione 1772
• Ascanio in Alba 1771
• Mitridate, rè di Ponto 1770
• La finta semplice 1769
• Bastien und Bastienne 1768
• Apollo et Hyacinthus, K.38 1767 

 

Maria Anna Mozart

Austrian Pianist and Composer, Sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

© Tel Asiado

Jul 30, 2008

 

Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart was a gifted musician whose abilities were immediately overshadowed by her famous brother Wolfgang Amadé.

Maria Anna Mozart, or “Nannerl” as family called her, is the older sister of the famous child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and daughter of Leopold and Anna Maria Pertl Mozart.

Here’s the full article … [Maria Anna Mozart]

 

Mozart’s Opera La Clemenza di Tito

Classical Music Lounge Datebook: September 6

Today, September 6 (1791), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera La Clemenza di Tito, written for the coronation of Leopold II in Prague, is performed on the eve of the ceremony.

 

Mozart’s Music in Films

You think you don’t know Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s music. Chances are you’ve been hearing them while watching a movie, TV, or DVD. This list includes movies with his music in them.

 

After Peter Shaffer’s 1984 film Amadeus, directed by Milos Forman, many people not into classical music “turned on” to Mozart. To Mozarteans or lovers of Mozart, the general initial reaction about the movie was one of disgust since it was not historically accurate, but that’s Hollywood. On the other hand, the good side is that …. [Full article]

 

 

Mozart’s “Great” Mass in C

Classical Music Lounge: August 25

August 25, 1783. This day, Mozart’s “Mass in C, K.427 (417a)” was performed in Salzburg, Austria.

As a thanksgiving offering after his marriage to Constanze Weber, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed this ”great” Mass in C in 1782 and 1783. In a letter written to his father, Leopold Mozart, on January 4, 1783, he mentioned the score of “half a mass lying on his desk bearing witness to the promise.” Later that year in St. Peter’s Salzburg (October 26) the completed sections of the mass were performed - the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, and Benedictus had been completed, but the Credo was not set in full. It was scored in Mozart’s usual draft, and the Agnus Dei was not even begun.Constanze Mozart sang one of the solo soprano parts in the ”Mass in C.” 

Orchestral masses compositions had fallen out of favour in Austria during the reign of Emperor Joseph II, and Mozart composed it during this time. Even the older Joseph Haydn did not compose any between 1782 and 1796.

Of the remainder of the mass, the Credo was never completed, the Sanctus and Benedictus, although complete, subsequently became partially lost; and the Agnus Dei had never been contemplated by Mozart beyond some sketches he made for the Dona nobis pacem. 

 

Mozart’s Divas of His Day

Catarina Cavalieri, Anna Gottlieb, Nancy Storace, and Others

© Tel Asiado

May 25, 2008

 

Featuring the prominent divas in Mozart’s operas who performed during his time, like Catarina Cavalieri, Nancy Storace, Adriana Ferraresi.

 

Prominent divas who sang in Mozart’s operas during his Vienna years are spotlighted. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived there as a freelance musician from 1781 until his death in 1791. He collaborated with Lorenzo Da Ponte in three of his greatest operas – Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte - and the last one in 1791, Die Zauberflöte, with Emanuel Schikaneder.

Here’s the full article — Mozart’s Divas of His Day 

 

Nannerl Mozart’s Love

I’d like to share with my friends and visitors a very interesting email (dated August 1, 2008, Sydney time) which I got from Mrs Agnes Selby, author of Constanze, Mozart’s Beloved. I received this after I posted my article on Maria Anna Mozart.

 Dear Tel,

The greatest love of Nannerl’s life was Franz d’Yppold, a cavalry officer.

Her father, Leopold Mozart, opposed the marriage and Nannerl spent time in absolute misery,

even escaping her father’s house and staying with d’Yppold’s mother.

Mozart wrote to her to join him and his wife in Vienna. He felt that

she and d’Yppold could marry in Vienna and make a living there most

comfortably.  But it wasn’t to be.

 

Nannerl married the man of her father’s choice a widower with many children

for her to look after. Her own son, Leopoldus was born in her father’s house

and at the request of her father, left to him to make another Mozart of him.

Luckily for Leopoldus, Leopold Mozart died and Leopoldus, who had no musical talent,

grew up not as a failed musician but a well respected public servant.

 

Nannerl made a number of Wills. In her final Will she requested to be buried

in St. Peters Cemetery. 

 

During my study visit to Salzburg, I was taken to the furthest right hand corner

of St. Peters cemetery, to a little grave where d’Yppold was buried. Perhaps

in death Nannerl was reunited with the greatest love of her life.

Best regards,

Agnes

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Thanks a lot Agnes. This is terrific information… Tel)  

 

Happy Birthday Nannerl Mozart

Classical Music Datebook: July 30

Whether it’s 30 or 31 July, it’s the birthday of Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart, the older sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. “Nannerl”, as her family called her, and Wolfgang, were the only two of their parents’ seven children to survive. Their father, Leopold Mozart, encouraged his children’s musical talent. 

From letters of Mozart to his sister, it’s apparent she wrote music, with his younger brother Wolfgang praising her compositions. Unfortunately, none of her work survives. When they were young, Wolfgang and Nannerl were very close—they made up a secret language and they invented a kingdom where they were king and queen. But as Nannerl grew older, she was expected to end her career and get married.