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Constanze Mozart
Constanze Mozart

Constanze Mozart (born Constanze Weber) (5 January 1762; Zell im Wiesental, Germany – 6 March 1842; Salzburg), was a soprano singer of the Classical era, the mother of two surviving children, and the wife of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1762 ( MDCCLXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Zell im Wiesental is a town in the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type.

Contents

Life

Constanze was born into a musically-talented family. Her father was Fridolin Weber, who worked as a "bass, prompter and copyist". [1] He was the half-brother of Franz Anton Weber, the father of Carl Maria von Weber. Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber ( 18 December 1786 in Eutin, Holstein, Germany - 5 June 1826 in London All of the Weber girls were gifted in vocal areas and Constanze's sisters Aloysia and Josepha both played an important role in Mozart's later life as performers of his works. Maria Aloysia Louise Antonia Weber (c 1760 &ndash 8 June 1839) was a German Soprano, remembered primarily for her association with the composer (Maria Josepha Weber (later Josepha Hofer, Josepha Mayer; 1758 &ndash December 29 1819) was a German Soprano of the During most of Constanze's upbringing, the family lived in Mannheim, an important musical center of the time. Mannheim is a City in Germany. With 327318 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in the state of Baden-Württemberg after the capital Stuttgart

The 21-year-old Mozart met and befriended the Webers when he visited Mannheim (1777) on a job-hunting tour that ultimately took him to Paris. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city He fell in love, not with the 15-year-old Constanze, but with her older sister Aloysia. [2]

While Mozart was in Paris, Aloysia obtained a professional position as a singer in Munich, and the family accompanied her there. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Aloysia rejected Mozart when he passed through Munich on his way back to Salzburg. is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. [3]

The Weber family moved to Vienna in 1779, again following Aloysia as she pursued her singing career. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. [4] Mozart moved to Vienna himself in 1781. By this time, Aloysia had married the actor Joseph Lange, Fridolin had died, and the girls' mother Cäcilia Weber had set up business in taking in boarders, in order to make ends meet. Joseph Lange ( 1 April 1751 Würzburg - 17 September 1831 Vienna) was an actor and amateur painter of the 18th century The house where the Webers lived (on the second floor) was at Am Peter 11, and bore a name (as houses often did at the time): Zum Augen Gottes ("God's Eye"). [5]

On first arriving in Vienna (16 March 1781),[6] Mozart stayed at the house of the Teutonic Order, along with the other staff and servants of his employer, Archbishop Colloredo. Count Hieronymus von Colloredo ( German: Hieronymus Graf von Colloredo) (31 May 1732 – 20 May 1812 was Prince-Bishop of Gurk from 1761 and Prince-Archbishop On the 1st or 2nd of May, Mozart "was obliged to leave" these lodgings,[7] and he chose to become a boarder in the Weber household. According to Deutsch, "he originally intended to stay there only a week. "[8]

After a while, it became apparent to Mrs. Weber that Mozart was paying court to Constanze, now 19, and in the interest of propriety, she requested that he live elsewhere. [9] Mozart moved out on 5 September to a third-floor room in the Graben.

The courtship continued, not entirely smoothly. Surviving correspondence indicates that Mozart and Constanze briefly broke off their relationship in April 1782, over an episode involving jealousy (Constance had permitted another young man to measure her calves in a parlor game. )[10] Mozart also faced a very difficult task in persuading his father Leopold to give permission to the marriage. Johann Georg Leopold Mozart ( November 14, 1719 &ndash May 28, 1787) was a composer conductor teacher and violinist [11]

The marriage finally took place on August 4, 1782. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Mozarts had six children over a period of about nine years:

Only two of the children, Karl Thomas and Franz Xaver Wolfgang, survived past childhood. As a result of her frequent pregnancies, Constanze is said to have been weak and often confined to her bed.

Mozart died in 1791, leaving debts instead of an estate, placing Constanze and her children in a difficult position. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died at 1 AM on December 5, 1791, following a short illness Year 1791 ( MDCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common At this point Constanze's business skills came into fruition: she obtained a pension from the Emperor, organized profitable memorial concerts, and embarked on a campaign to publish her husband's works. These efforts succeeded, eventually making Constanze financially secure, even well-off.

Toward the end of 1797, Constanze met Georg Nikolaus von Nissen, a Danish diplomat and writer who was, initially, her tenant. Year 1797 ( MDCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Georg Nikolaus von Nissen, (sometimes Nicolaus or Nicolai January 22 1761 in Haderslev, Denmark – March 24 1826 in Salzburg) was a Danish The term Dane may refer to People with a Danish ancestral or ethnic identity whether living in Denmark, emigrants or the descendants of emigrants Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states [12] The two began living together in September 1798,[13] and were married in 1809. Events in September It is the start of the academic year in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Year 1798 ( MDCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1809 ( MDCCCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year From 1810 to 1820 they lived in Copenhagen, and subsequently travelled throughout Europe, especially Germany and Italy. Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1820 ( MDCCCXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Copenhagen (ˌkəʊpənˈheɪgən ˌkəʊpənˈhɑːgən ˈkəʊpənˌheɪgən ˈkəʊpənˌhɑːgən kʰøb̥ənˈhɑʊ̯ˀn kʰøb̥m̩ˈhɑʊ̯ˀn is the capital and largest city Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest They settled in Salzburg in 1824. is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Year 1824 ( MDCCCXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Both worked on a biography of Mozart; Constanze eventually published it in 1828, two years after her second husband's death. The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap

During Constanze's last years in Salzburg, she had the company of her two surviving sisters, Aloysia and Sophie, also widows, who moved to Salzburg and lived out their lives there. is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Maria Aloysia Louise Antonia Weber (c 1760 &ndash 8 June 1839) was a German Soprano, remembered primarily for her association with the composer Maria Sophie Weber (1763? - 1846 was a singer of the 18th and 19th centuries [14]

Influences on Mozart's music

Constanze was a trained musician and played a role in her husband's career. Two instances can be given:

The extraordinary writing for soprano solo in the Mass in C Minor (for example, in the "Christe eleison" section of the Kyrie movement, or the aria "Et incarnatus est") was intended for Constanze, who sang in the 1783 premiere of this work in Salzburg. The Große Messe ( German, lit Great Mass) No 17 in C minor K Maynard Solomon in his Mozart biography speculatively describes the work as a love offering. Maynard Solomon (born January 5, 1930) has carried out a multiple career he was a co-founder of Vanguard Records as well as a music producer and later

During the period of the couple's courtship, Mozart began making visits to Baron Gottfried van Swieten, who let him examine his extensive collection of manuscripts of work by Bach and Handel. Baron Gottfried van Swieten ( Leiden, October 29, 1733 - Vienna, March 29, 1803) was a diplomat librarian and government WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" Mozart was excited by this material, and prepared a number of compositions in Baroque style himself. An important impetus was Constanze, who apparently fell in love at this time with Baroque counterpoint. This is known from a letter Mozart wrote to his sister Nannerl, 20 April 1782. Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart ( July 30, 1751 – October 29, 1829) nicknamed " Nannerl " was a famous musician in The letter was accompanied by a manuscript copy of the composer's Fantasy and Fugue, K. 394.

I composed the fugue first and wrote it down while I was thinking out the prelude. I only hope that you will be able to read it, for it is written so very small; and I hope further that you will like it. Another time I shall send you something better for the clavier. My dear Constanze is really the cause of this fugue's coming into the world. Baron van Swieten, to whom I go every Sunday, gave me all the works of Händel and Sebastian Bach to take home with me (after I had played them to him). When Constanze heard the fugues, she absolutely fell in love with them. Now she will listen to nothing but fugues, and particularly (in this kind of composition) the works of Händel and Bach. Well, as she has often heard me play fugues out of my head, she asked me if I had ever written any down, and when I said I had not, she scolded me roundly for not recording some of my compositions in this most artistically beautiful of all musical forms and never ceased to entreat me until I wrote down a fugue for her. [15]

The experience of writing in Baroque style had an important influence on Mozart's later work, in the C Minor Mass as well as in later secular works, such as the last movement of the 41st Symphony or the opera The Magic Flute. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed his Symphony No 41 in C major ( K The Magic Flute (German Die Zauberflöte, K 620 is an Opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Treatment by biographers

According to the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Constanze was treated harshly and unfairly by a number of her biographers: "Early 20th-century scholarship severely criticized her as unintelligent, unmusical and even unfaithful, and as a neglectful and unworthy wife to Mozart. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an Encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians Such assessments (still current) were based on no good evidence, were tainted with anti-feminism and were probably wrong on all counts. "[16] Complaints about unfairness to Constanze also appear in several recent Mozart biographies: Braunbehrens (1990), Solomon (1995), and Halliwell (1998). [17]

Photograph

1840 photo allegedly showing Constanze Mozart at the very left
1840 photo allegedly showing Constanze Mozart at the very left

Some scholars, including the editors of the Grove Dictionary, judge that a surviving photographic image from the mid 19th century includes the 78-year-old Constanze Mozart. The picture was supposedly taken in Altötting in Bavaria in 1840. Altötting is a town in Bavaria, capital of the district Altötting. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Year 1840 ( MDCCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Not all Mozart scholars endorse this view, however. For instance, it is claimed that the picture was taken with a short exposure that, for technical reasons, was not yet possible in 1840. [18] Selby (1999) states that Constanze could not have traveled to visit Maximillian Keller during the period when the photograph was taken, as she suffered from crippling arthritis at the time.

Notes

  1. ^ Grove, article "Mozart", section 4
  2. ^ Solomon 1995
  3. ^ Solomon 1995
  4. ^ Solomon 1995
  5. ^ Solomon 1995, 253
  6. ^ Deutsch 1965, 193
  7. ^ Deutsch 1965, 196
  8. ^ Deutsch 1965, 196
  9. ^ Solomon 1995, 255
  10. ^ Solomon 1995, 259
  11. ^ Solomon 1995, 258
  12. ^ Grove Dictionary
  13. ^ Deutsch 1965, 485-486
  14. ^ Solomon 1995, 502
  15. ^ Text of letter taken from http://www.schillerinstitut.dk/bach.html
  16. ^ Grove, article "Mozart", section 4
  17. ^ The earlier biographers accused of unfairness variously include Alfred Einstein, Wolfgang Hildesheimer, and Arthur Schurig .
  18. ^ Vivien Schweitzer, "Mozart Experts Claim Picture of Constanze is a Hoax, in Playbill, 12 July 2006. Retrieved 5 January 2007.

References

External links

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