Great ! I am glad you don't try also !! Since, those who study a subject are able to say what is nonsense and what is not.
The mass media tells us one thing and reality is another. Sound familiar ?
Regards
10 THINGS YOU REALLY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MOZART
1. W.A. Mozart (1756-1791) never spent a single day at school in his entire life.
2. Mozart never studied music at any school. He was at no time under any recognised teacher of composition or harmony.
3. The belief that 'Mozart was taught by his musical father, Leopold, in Salzburg' is fiction. In fact, Leopold Mozart was a failed philosophy student who came to Salzburg from Augsburg. He walked out of his classes in Salzburg and was finally taken on in the Salzburg orchestra as a 4th violinist. This after a period of working in Regensburg. The most minor post. There he remained for a decade. (4th violin is the simplest part of all). In 10 years of service with this orchestra he only rose to the position of 2nd violin. He knew virtually nothing of composition. Nor did he teach harmony or composition to anyone.
4. In the year of Wolfgang's birth (1756) Leopold Mozart published a textbook on Violin in his own name which later became famous. This, you might think, is proof of Leopold's musical abilities. In fact, the contents of this book (which was later published in Germany, Holland and France) are taken from an unpublished tutorial made by the Italian virtuoso violinist, Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770).
5. Leopold Mozart had good 'connections' with the fraternities of his home town of Augsburg. His Jesuit education brought him connections and it secured him jobs. One of which was to act as the Salzburg agent for various music publishers. Among them was the famous firm of Breitkopf, a major music publisher. This is why all kinds of music have been wrongly attributed to Leopold Mozart. In fact, Leopold Mozart did not study composition or harmony at any time of his life also.
6. Shortly before his first European tour Leopold Mozart received a sudden promotion, from the post of 2nd Violinist to 'Deputy Kapellmeister' at Salzburg. A responsible job. But given to him only as a token position. A few weeks later he left with his son for tours outside of Austria. This promotion made many people in Salzburg angry. In fact Leopold stayed away from Salzburg for close to 7 years on various tours. It got so bad there is a record at Salzburg explaining that Leopold was still, officially, the Deputy Kapellmeister.
7. A letter exists from Mozart's father (writing to the famous music teacher Padre Martini, in Italy, Bologna) shortly before their tour of Italy. In this letter (written from Salzburg) Leopold writes to explain his son knew almost nothing of music or composition and asking Martini if he could help his son. The 'help' lasted a few weeks at most. In fact, Mozart's entrance exam to the music institutue which was taken in Bologna is filled with basic musical errors. But the entrance certificate was given. 'Out of friendship'.
8. The famous story of Mozart writing down from memory a mass he heard at the Vatican in Rome is pure fiction. In fact, the work was an Allegri mass which was already known in Vienna. A copy was kept at the Vienna cathedral and had already been made by the father and son before they arrived in Rome. In fact Mozart visited that church in Rome not once, but twice, and each time had the manuscript in his hands as he sat listening to the performance. The score which Mozart made has never been seen and has never been in the catalogue of Mozart works. In the early 20th century was a report that it had been found in a German library. But the finder pointed out that it was filled with crude musical errors. It disappeared shortly afterwards and has never been seen since.
9. In 1768 Mozart (now 12 years old) was in Vienna with his father. The Viennese musicians did NOT believe in the talents of W.A. Mozart and they openly said so. This angered the father and he managed to get an interview with the Emperor and Empress of Austria. They tried to repair the situation and commissioned the young boy to write an opera for them. 4 months later, they returned from Salzburg with the 'new' music. The opera's name was 'La Finta Semplice'. (Surely this would prove the 'genius' of the young boy). But no sooner was the manuscript presented to the opera manager Affligio than he noticed that it was music in the style of Gassmann and others. The boy clearly knew almost nothing of its contents. And this scandal caused Affligio to cancel the performance, saying that this music was NOT by the boy Mozart. An investigation of the case was started by the Emperor and Empress and they decided that the father and son should not be paid. The opera was NOT by Mozart. Empty handed they returned to Salzburg. Some years later Giuseppe Affligio was singled out for revenge. He was arrested by enemies and accused of 'forgery'. A charge he strongly denied. But his enemies were so great that they destroyed him. He was found guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment on the island of Elba. Where he died a few years later still protesting his complete innocence.
10. With only one exception not a single symphony of 'Mozart' before the year of 1778 (age 22) shows any sign of being composed by Mozart. The first 7 piano concertos of 'Mozart' (all written before he was 21) are NOT by Mozart. They are arrangements of works by other composers including J.C. Bach. This was finally proved in the 20th century.
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These are a few of literally hundreds of facts which, today, are little known about the legendary Mozart. The myth of Mozart as a 'musical genius' hides the reality of his career and is responsible for robbing many talented composers of the 18th century from any recognition. The facts of musical history are hidden by the Mozart industry. And the above examples are only a tiny fraction of evidence from his early years. The Vienna years of 'his' greatest triumphs is another story. (1781-1791).
Let me leave you with a quote by J.S. Bach -
'I assure you there is no substitute for hard work, for detailed study, and if you believe otherwise you may become famous and you may even become celebrated, but what is that ?'.
In the early 19th century the publishing business and the sheer power of the performance industry, together with the posthumous publication of works in 'Mozart's' name made him an icon of western musical history. This myth manufactured over decades. Close to 600 works appeared after Mozart's death which, in fact, he never wrote. The full story of this manufactured career has hardly been told.
Near the end of his life, while on a short tour, Mozart is recorded as having been completely amazed when he heard a performance for the first time of this beautiful work in a church. By J.S. Bach -
Johann Sebastian Bach
'Sleepers Awake'
Cantata 140
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir
Director - Ton Koopman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGzew...om=PL&index=50
'It was', Mozart recorded, 'something from which I can learn'. Decades later Bach was 'rediscovered'. But by that time the music industry have taken over.
Regards

