THE success of "Figaro" did not materially improve Mozart's position in
Vienna. He lived, it is true, in very pleasant intercourse with a large
circle of friends, especially with the members of the Jacquin family
(Vol. II., p. 357), but the necessity he was under of earning his living
as a music teacher and virtuoso was very galling to him. "You happy
man!" said he to Gyrowetz, who was setting out on a journey to Italy;
"as for me, I am off now to give a lesson, to earn my bread."[1] A
glance at the Thematic Catalogue of his compositions succeeding "Figaro"
shows that they were probably suggested by his position as a teacher and
in musical society:--
1786. June 3. Quartet for piano, violin, viola, and violoncello, in E
flat major (493 K.).
June 10. Rondo for piano in F major (494 K.).
June 26. Concerto for the French horn for Leutgeb in, E flat major (495
K.).
July 8. Terzet for piano, violin, and violoncello, in G major (496 K.).
{MOZART IN PRAGUE.}
(118)
1786. August 1. Piano sonata for four hands in F major (497 K.).
August 5. Terzet for piano, clarinet, and violin, in E flat major (498
K.).
August 19. Quartet for two violins, viola, and violoncello, in D major
(499 K.).
September 12. &Twelve variations for the piano in B flat major (500 K.).
November. Variations for the piano for four hands in G major (501 K.).
November 18. Terzet for piano, violin, and violoncello, in B flat
major(502 K.).
Then follow three compositions intended for the winter concerts:--
1786. December 4. Pianoforte concerto in C major (503 K.).
December 6. Symphony in D major (504 K.).
December 27. Scena con rondo with pianoforte solo, for Mdlle. Storace
and myself, in E flat major (505 K.).
We cannot wonder that he turned a willing ear to the entreaties of his
English friends, that he would leave Vienna in the autumn of 1786 (his
wife having presented him on October 27, 1786, with their third son,
Leopold, who died the following spring) and visit England; this plan
was seriously considered, and only abandoned upon his father's strong
opposition to it (Vol. II., p. 274). There soon after reached him
an invitation from another quarter, giving still greater prospect of
success and encouragement. "Figaro" made its way but slowly to most of
the other great towns of Europe,[2] but in Prague, where the "Entführung"
had left a very pleasing impression, it was performed at once, and with
the greatest success.
The national taste for music which early distinguished
{MUSIC IN BOHEMIA.}
(119)
the Bohemians, and which they retain to the present day, arrived at
a high stage of development during the last century.[3] The zealous
attention bestowed upon church music both in town and country, and the
cultivated taste of the nobility, gave to talent an easy recognition,
and no available forces, either vocal or instrumental, were suffered to
remain in neglect. It was the "custom and obligation" for every head of
a school to write at least one new mass during the year, and to perform
it with his scholars. Any youth who distinguished himself was placed
in an institution where he was able to continue his musical education;
there was no lack of patrons ready to support him until he found a
situation in the musical establishment of a prince, a prelate, or a
monastery.[4] "The families of Morzini, Hartiggi, Czemini, Mannsfeldi,
Netolizki, Pachta, &c., were the patrons of many young men; they took
them from the village schools on their territories and brought them to
the capital to swell the ranks of their private musical establishments;
they wore a livery, and formed part of their retinue of servants.
Riflemen were not allowed to wear a uniform until they could blow the
bugle perfectly. Many noble families in Prague required their livery
servants to have a knowledge of music before being considered competent
for service." Under these circumstances, music and all connected with it
must have been held in high estimation at Prague, where the aristocracy
were wont to congregate during the winter. A permanent Italian opera,
especially intended for opera buffa, was founded by Bustelli, who had
also obtained a license in Dresden in 1765. From that time until 1776 he
gave performances at both places with a select
{MOZART IN PRAGUE.}
(120)
company, and acquired great fame thereby.[5] His successor was Pasquale
Bondini, who afterwards gave performances in Leipzig during the
summer,[6] and who was able to uphold the ancient fame of the Italian
opera in Prague. First-rate artists, such as Jos. Kucharz and Jos.
Strobach were engaged as operatic conductors; and other distinguished
musicians were engaged, as, for instance, Joh. Kozeluch (a relation of
Mozart's opponent living in Vienna, Leopold Kozeluch), Wenzel Praupner,
Vincenz Maschek, &c. There was, however, one artistic couple in Prague
of peculiar interest from their influential position and their intimate
friendship with Mozart. These were the Duscheks, whose name we have
already had frequent occasion to mention.[7]
Franz Duschek (born 1736 in Chotinborek), while still a poor peasant
lad, attracted the notice of his feudal lord, Count Joh. Karl von
Spork, by his uncommon talent. He was first sent to study at the Jesuit
seminary at Königgràtz, but being obliged to give up study owing to an
unfortunate accident, he devoted himself entirely to music, and was
sent by the Count to Vienna, where he was educated into an accomplished
piano-forte-player by Wagenseil.[8] As such he had long held the first
rank in Prague, and not only did much by his excellent teaching to
advance the art of pianoforte-playing, but exercised a decided and
beneficial influence on musical taste in general. He was universally
esteemed as an honest and upright man, and his influence with
distinguished connoisseurs made him a powerful patron of foreign artists
visiting Prague. His hospitable house formed a meeting-point both for
foreign and native talent, and concerts were regularly given there on
certain days in the week. The animating spirit at all these meetings was
Duschek's wife Josepha (neé Hambacher),[9] who had received her musical
education from
{MADAME DUSCHEK.}
(121)
him. She played the pianoforte well enough to pass for a virtuoso, and
made some not unsuccessful attempts as a composer; but her forte lay in
singing. Her beautiful, full, round voice was admired equally with her
delivery, which was especially fine in recitative; she accomplished the
most difficult bravura passages with perfect ease, without neglecting
the effect of a perfect _portamento_; she united fire and energy with
grace and expression--in short, she maintained in every respect her
claim to be ranked with the first Italian singers of her time. This
claim was not, it is true, acknowledged by Leopold Mozart; when she was
in Salzburg with her husband, in 1786, he wrote to his daughter (April)--
Madame Duschek sang; but how? I cannot but say that she shrieked out an
air of Naumann's with exaggerated expression, just as she used to do,
only worse. Her husband is answerable for this; he knows no better, and
has taught her, and persuades her that she alone possesses true taste.
Her appearance did not please him either. "She seems to me to show signs
of age already," he writes (April 13); "she has rather a fat face, and
was very carelessly dressed." Schiller's unfavourable remarks upon her
in Weimar, where she was in May, 1788, are quite in accordance with
this.[10] She displeased him by her assurance (Dreistigkeit)--he would
not call it impudence (Frechheit)--and her mocking manner, which
caused the reigning Duchess to observe that she looked like a discarded
mistress.[11] By favour of the Duchess Amalie she was allowed to
give three concerts for the display of her talent and the general
edification; Korner answers Schiller's account of her:[12]--
The Duchess is not so wrong in what she said of her. She did not
interest me very greatly. Even as an artist, I consider her expression
caricatured. Gracefulness is, in my estimation, the chief merit of song,
and in this she seems to me entirely wanting.
{MOZART IN PRAGUE.}
(122)
Reichardt, who became acquainted with the Duscheks in 1773,[13] writes
in 1808 from Prague:[14]--
I have found a dear and talented friend of those happy youthful days in
Madame Duschek, who retains her old frankness and love for all that is
beautiful. Her voice, and her grand, expressive delivery, have been a
source of true pleasure to me,
She was a true friend also to Mozart. In 1777 the Duscheks were in
Salzburg, where they had family connections who were acquainted with the
Mozarts. Wolfgang took great pleasure in the society of the young lively
singer, and if she showed a disposition to hold aloof from Salzburg folk
in general, he too was "schlimm," as he called it, in this respect. Of
course he composed several songs for her (Vol. I., p. 234). The Duscheks
discovered Wolfgang's uncomfortable position in Salzburg; and the
intelligence that he intended shortly to leave the town drew from
them, his father says (September 28, 1777), expressions of the warmest
sympathy. They begged Wolfgang, whether he came to Prague then or at
any other time, to rely upon the most friendly welcome from them. In
the spring of 1786 they came to Vienna, and were witness of the cabals
against which Mozart had to contend before the performance of his
"Figaro." They were quite able to judge for themselves what the
opera was likely to be, and after the success which had attended the
performance of the "Entführung" in Prague they found no difficulty in
rousing interest there in the new opera:--
"Figaro" was placed upon the stage in 1786 by the Bondini company, and
was received with an applause which can only be compared with that which
was afterwards bestowed on the "Zauberflote." It is a literal truth that
this opera was played almost uninterruptedly during the whole
winter, and that it completely restored the failing fortunes of the
entrepreneur. The enthusiasm which it excited among the public was
unprecedented; they were insatiable in their demands for it. It was
soon arranged for the pianoforte, for wind instruments, as a quintet for
chamber music, and as German dance music; songs from "Figaro"
{PERFORMANCE OF "FIGARO."}
(123)
were heard in streets, in gardens; even the wandering harper at the
tavern-door was obliged to strum out "Non più andrai" if he wanted to
gain any audience at all.[15]
Fortunately this enthusiastic approbation was turned to the profit of
the one whom it most concerned. Leopold Mozart wrote to his daughter
with great satisfaction (January 12, 1787):--
Your brother is by this time in Prague with his wife, for he wrote to me
that he was to set out last Monday. His opera "Le Nozze di Figaro" has
been performed there with so much applause that the orchestra and a
number of connoisseurs and amateurs sent him a letter of invitation,
together with some verses that had been written upon him.
He conjectured that they would take up their abode with Duschek, whose
wife was absent on a professional journey to Berlin; but a greater
honour was in store for them. Count Johann Joseph Thun, one of the
noblest patrons of music in Prague, had placed his house at Mozart's
disposal. He accepted the offer gladly, and on his arrival at Prague, in
1787, he found the public enthusiastic for his music, and well-disposed
towards himself. The account which he addressed to Gottfried von Jacquin
(January 15, 1787) is written in the highest spirits:--
Dearest Friend!--At last I find a moment in which to write to you; I
intended to write four letters to Vienna immediately on my arrival, but
in vain! only a single one (to my mother-in-law) could I attempt, and
that I only wrote the half of; my wife and Hofer were obliged to finish
it. Immediately upon our arrival (Thursday, the 11th, at noon) we had
enough to do to be ready for dinner at one. After dinner old Count Thun
regaled us with music performed by his own people, and lasting about
an hour and a half. I can enjoy this true entertainment daily. At six
o'clock I drove with Count Canal to the so-called Breitfeld Ball, where
the cream of Prague beauty are wont to assemble. That would have been
something for you, my friend! I think I see you after all the lovely
girls and women--not running--no, limping after them. I did not dance,
and did not make love. The first because I was too tired, and the last
from my native bashfulness; but I was quite pleased to see all these
people hopping about to the music of my "Figaro" turned into waltzes and
country dances; nothing is talked of here but
{MOZART IN PRAGUE.}
(124)
"Figaro," no opera is cared for but "Figaro," always "Figaro"--truly a
great honour for me. Now to return to my diary. As I returned late from
the ball, and was tired and sleepy from my journey, it was only natural
that I should sleep long; and so it was. Consequently the whole of the
next morning was _sine linea_; after dinner we had music as usual; and
as I have a very good pianoforte in my room, you can easily imagine that
I did not allow the evening to pass without some playing; we got up a
little quartet _in caritatis camera_ (and the "schone Bandl hammera,"
[Vol. II., p. 362] ) among ourselves; and in this way the whole evening
again passed _sine linea._ I give you leave to quarrel with Morpheus on
my account; he favoured us wonderfully in Prague; why, I cannot tell,
but we both slept well. Nevertheless, we were ready at 11 o'clock to go
to Pater Unger, and to give a passing glance at the Royal Library and
at the Seminary. After we had looked our eyes out, we felt a small
menagerie in our insides, and judged it well to drive to Count Canal's
to dinner. The evening surprised us sooner than you would believe, and
we found it was time for the opera. We heard "Le Gare Generose" (by
Paesiello). As to the performance, I can say little, for I talked all
the time; the reason I did so, against my usual custom, must have been
because--but _basta_--this evening was again spent _al solito_. To-day
I am fortunate enough to find a moment in which to inquire after your
welfare and that of your parents, and of the whole family of Jacquin.
Now farewell; next Friday, the 19th, will be my concert at the theatre;
I shall probably be obliged to give a second, and that will lengthen my
stay here. On Wednesday I shall see and hear "Figaro"--at least if I
am not deaf and blind by that time. Perhaps I shall not become so until
_after_ the opera.
At the performance of "Figaro" Mozart was received by the numerous
audience with tumultuous applause; he was so pleased with the
representation, especially with the orchestral part of it, that he
expressed his thanks in a letter to Strobach, who conducted it. The
Prague orchestra was not strongly appointed,[16] nor did it shine
through the names of celebrated virtuosi; but it contained clever and
well-schooled musicians, full of fire and of zeal for what was good--the
best guarantee of success. Strobach often asserted that he and his
orchestra used to get so excited by "Figaro" that, in spite of the
actual labour it entailed, they would willingly have played it all over
again when they came to the end.[17]
{CONCERTS AND COMMISSIONS.}
(125)
The two concerts which Mozart gave in Prague were also highly
successful:--
The theatre was never so full, and delight was never so strongly and
unanimously roused as by his divine playing. We scarcely knew which
to admire most, his extraordinary compositions or his extraordinary
playing; the two together made an impression on our minds comparable
only to enchantment.[18]
We have already given an account of the enthusiasm excited by Mozart's
extemporising (Vol. II., p. 438); the other compositions which he
performed were all loudly applauded, especially the lately written
symphony in D major. The pecuniary gain corresponded to the warmth of
this reception, and Storace was able to announce to L. Mozart that his
son had made 1,000 florins in Prague. The social distractions which
Mozart describes so graphically to his friend appear to have continued;
at least, he accomplished no musical work except the country dances
which he improvised for Count Pachta (510 K.; Vol. II., p. 436), and
six waltzes (509 K.), composed for the grand orchestra, probably for a
similar occasion (February 6, 1787).[19] When, however, in the joy of his
heart Mozart declared how gladly he would write an opera for an audience
which understood and admired him like that of Prague, Bondini took him
at his word, and concluded a contract with him by which Mozart undertook
to compose an opera
{DON GIOVANNI.}
(126)
by the beginning of the next season for the customary fee of one hundred
ducats.[20]
FOOTNOTES OF CHAPTER XXXVII.
[Footnote 1: Gyrowetz, Selbstbiogr., p. 14.]
[Footnote 2: "Figaro" was first performed in Berlin, September 14, 1790
(Schneider, Gesch. d. Oper, p. 59), and praised by the critics as a
masterpiece, while the ordinary public preferred Martin and Dittersdorf
(Chronik von Berlin, VIII., pp. 1229, 1244. Berl. Mus. Monatsschr.,
1792, p. 137). "Figaro" had no greater success in Italy than others of
Mozart's operas: "Mozart's operas, at the hands of the Italian comic
singers and the Italian public, have met with the fate which would
befall a retiring sober man introduced to a company of drunkards; the
rioters would be sure to treat the sober man as a fool" (Berl. Mus.
Ztg., 1793, p. 77). Thus, failure was reported from Florence (A. M. Z.,
III., p. 182) and Milan (A. M. Z., XVII., p. 294). "Figaro" has
lately been on the repertory of the Italian Opera in Paris; since the
unfortunate experiment in 1792 (p. 77, note), the opera has been given
in French at the Théätre Lyrique (1858), with the most brilliant success
(Scudo, Crit. et Litt. Mus., II., p. 458). "Figaro" was first performed
in London in 1813 (Catalani sang Susanna--Parke, Mus. Mem., II., p. 82),
and kept its place as one of the most favourite of operas.]
[Footnote 3: Jahrb. d. Tonk., Wien u. Prag, 1796, p. 108. A. M. Z., p. 488.
Reichardt, Br. e. aufm. Reisenden, II., p. 123.]
[Footnote 4: Gyrowetz, in his Autobiography (Wien, 1848), gives a description of
such an education.]
[Footnote 5: A. M. Z., I., p. 330; II., p. 494.]
[Footnote 6: [Blümner], Gesch. des Theaters in Leipzig, p. 203.]
[Footnote 7: Particulars concerning him and his wife may be found in Cramer's
Mag. Mus., I., p. 997. Jahrbuch der Tonkunst, 1796, p. 113. A. M. Z.,
I., p. 444.]
[Footnote 8: Reichardt (Briefe eines aufmerks. Reisenden, I., p. 116) includes
him among the best pianoforte-players of the time (1773): "who, besides
a very good execution of Bach's music, has a particularly elegant and
brilliant style."]
[Footnote 9: She was born in Prague in 1756, and died there at an advanced age.]
[Footnote 10: Schiller, Briefw. m. Körner, I., p. 280. She had given a concert in
Leipzig on April 22 (Busby, Gesch. d. Mus., II., p. 668.)]
[Footnote 11: We learn from L. Mozart's letters to his daughter, that Count
Clamm, "a fine, handsome, amiable man, without cavalier pride," was the
"declared lover" of Frau Duschek, and "kept her whole establishment."]
[Footnote 12: Schiller, Briefw. m. Körner, I., p. 294.]
[Footnote 13: Schletterer, Reichardt, I., p. 134.]
[Footnote 14: Reichardt, Vertr. Briefe, I., p. 132.]
[Footnote 15: Niemetschek, p. 34.]
[Footnote 16: The violins were trebled, the violas and basses doubled (A. M. Z.,
II., p. 522).]
[Footnote 17: Niemetschek, p. 39. Holmes says (p. 278) that he heard the same
remark made by the first bassoonist after a performance of "Figaro."]
[Footnote 18: Niemetschek, p. 40.]
[Footnote 19: Every "Teutsche" has its "Alternativo," and they are united into a
connected whole, as Mozart especially remarks in a description of them.
The close is formed by a somewhat lengthy coda, and they are for the
most part lightly thrown together, with no pretension but to incite to
the dance. He remarks at the end, "As I do not know of what kind the
Flauto piccolo is, I have put it in the natural key; it can at any time
be transposed." A pianoforte arrangement in Mozart's handwriting is in
André's collection.]
[Footnote 20: Niemetschek, p. 96. 1]
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MOZART 38
BY DAVID WIDGER