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Mozart's family has never received the kind of attention that does justice to the complexity of its relationships or its interactions with colleagues, friends, and neighbors in Mozart's native Salzburg. And most biographies of the great composer have neglected the many passages in the rich Mozart family correspondence that do not bear directly on him. This book turns a bright light on this neglected material, most of which has never before been translated into English, to provide a fascinating look at Mozart's parents, Leopold and Maria Anna, and sister, Nannerl.
Challenging most previous views of the individuals in Mozart's family and the relationships within it, Halliwell introduces a wealth of characters from the family's circle in Salzburg, from chambermaids to princes, and relates the gossip stories the family told to their larger outlook on the world. She also draws on the neglected papers of the Berchtold family (into which Nannerl married) and other rare archival material to provide a sympathetic account of the hopes, fears, and expectations of the family within their social context. An important final section traces the role of Nannerl and Mozart's wife Constanze in using, controlling, and handing on the biographical source material after Mozart's death, addressing the question of how myths surrounding his life and death became so prevalent so early.
| List of Plates | ||
| List of Maps | ||
| List of Figures | ||
| List of Tables | ||
| Abbreviations | ||
| Introduction | ||
| Pt. I | The United Family (1747-1769) | |
| 1 | The Order of Patched Trousers': The Marriage of Leopold and Maria Anna | 3 |
| 2 | The Early Years of the Children: Building a Career | 20 |
| 3 | Wolfgang as Linchpin: The Visit to Vienna in 1762 | 35 |
| 4 | The Grand European Tour (I): Petty Setbacks on the Journey to Paris | 46 |
| 5 | The Grand European Tour (II): Triumphs in Paris | 61 |
| 6 | The Grand European Tour (III): Triumphs in London? | 77 |
| 7 | The Grand European Tour (IV): Near-Disaster on the Journey Home | 96 |
| 8 | The Last Journey as a United Family: The Visit to Vienna in 1767 | 119 |
| Pt. II | Leopold and Wolfgang (1769-1777) | |
| 9 | The Divergence of the Children's Paths: Wolfgang's First Visit to Italy | 141 |
| 10 | The First Quest for an Honourable Appointment: Wolfgang's Second Visit to Italy | 164 |
| 11 | The Intensification of the Quest: Wolfgang's Third Visit to Italy | 177 |
| 12 | Wolfgang's Viennese Sojourn in 1773 | 191 |
| 13 | La finta giardiniera in Munich | 202 |
| 14 | Escalating Grievances in Salzburg | 215 |
| Pt. III | The Fractured Family (1777-1780) | |
| 15 | Hopes of a Mozartian Exodus | 231 |
| 16 | En route to Paris: The Journey to Mannheim | 239 |
| 17 | The First Major Conflict between Leopold and Wolfgang: In Mannheim | 260 |
| 18 | Explaining the Unacceptable: Maria Anna's Death | 291 |
| 19 | Returning to Serfdom | 318 |
| Pt. IV | Wolfgang's Independence (1780-1784) | |
| 20 | The Next Hope of Freedom: Idomeneo in Munich | 337 |
| 21 | The Final Break with Salzburg | 351 |
| 22 | Wolfgang's Marriage | 371 |
| 23 | The Bridal Visit to Salzburg in 1783 | 389 |
| 24 | Nannerl's Marriage | 424 |
| Pt. V | Leopold and Nannerl (1784-1787) | |
| 25 | Nannerl's Wilderness: St Gilgen and the Abersee | 442 |
| 26 | Nannerl's First Months in St Gilgen | 457 |
| 27 | Leopold's Visit to Vienna in 1785 | 471 |
| 28 | Leopoldl | 486 |
| 29 | The Return of Heinrich Marchand | 507 |
| 30 | Towards Death: Leopold's Declining Months | 524 |
| 31 | After the Funeral (I): The Settlement of Leopold's Estate | 545 |
| Pt. VI | The Biographical Legacy (1787-1858) | |
| 32 | After the Funeral (II): The Mozarts and the Berchtolds | 567 |
| 33 | The Women and the Publishers (I): Schlichtegroll's Nekrolog | 581 |
| 34 | The Women and the Publishers (II): The Breitkopf & Hartel Affair | 590 |
| 35 | The Women and the Publishers (III): Nissen's Biography of Mozart | 613 |
| 36 | Handing on the Source Material | 629 |
| App. 1 | The Date of the Mozart/Bohm Schlackademie in Lent 1780 | 643 |
| App. 2 | List of Surviving and Missing Letters between Wolfgang and Leopold Mozart from 17 March to 9 May 1781 | 649 |
| App. 3 | Communication Channels between Salzburg and St Gilgen: Their Occasional Relevance to the Dating of Undated Letters and to the Identification of Mozart's Keyboard Concertos | 651 |
| Glossary | 661 | |
| Bibliography | 667 | |
| Index | 677 |
Anonymous
Posted October 13, 2005
Halliwell's book is a fascinating view into the dynamics of the Mozart family, not just Wolfgang, but his father, Leopold, and sister, Nannerl. It is a mesmerizing character study that delves into why they acted as they did, and thus, why history played out as it did. This book made the Mozarts real and made me empathize with the complications of their lives. How would I have reacted in the midst of such multi-faceted situations? This book is also a study of society and the effects of the 18th century's historical restrictions on a family unit. How would the Mozarts have reacted if they had lived in a time and place that had allowed them easier access to opportunities, communication, and the full attainment of their potential? The fact they survived and produced in spite of the daily limitations and crises they faced is a testament to their strength and fortitude. As far as other Mozart bios I have found interesting? 'Mozart' by Robert W. Gutman is my second favorite. However, I find Maynard Solomon's book 'Mozart' disturbing in his portrayal of the father, Leopold, as a pathological control-freak. He seems way off base. Halliwell's book gives a much more logical, measured view of the family as a whole. Also, her research (especially in regard to the supposed animosity between Wolfgang and Nannerl over their father's estate) is based on information that has come out since the publication of Solomon's book (see page 551). In my opinion, for a book about all the Mozarts, this is the book to read.
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Overview
Mozart's family has never received the kind of attention that does justice to the complexity of its relationships or its interactions with colleagues, friends, and neighbors in Mozart's native Salzburg. And most biographies of the great composer have neglected the many passages in the rich Mozart family correspondence that do not bear directly on him. This book turns a bright light on this neglected material, most of which has never before been translated into English, to provide a fascinating look at Mozart's ...