Mozart: The Man and the Artist, as revealed in his own words | Page 8

like it."
(Mannheim, February 28, 1778, to his father. The lovely aria is No. 294
in Kochel's catalogue. The Bach referred to was Johann Christian, the
"London" Bach.)
17. "I haven't a single quiet hour here. I can not write except at night
and consequently can not get up early. One is not always in the mood
for writing. Of course I could scribble all day long, but these things go
out into the world and I want not to be ashamed of myself when I see
my name on them. And then, as you know, I become stupid as soon as I
am obliged to write for an instrument that I can not endure.
Occasionally for the sake of a change I have composed something
else--pianoforte duets with the violin, and a bit of the mass."
(Mannheim, February 14, 1778, to his father. Mozart was ill disposed
toward the pianoforte at the time. His love for Aloysia Weber occupied
the most of his attention and time.)
18. "Herewith I am sending you a Prelude and a three-voiced Fugue
(Kochel, No. 394)....It is awkwardly written; the prelude must come

first and the fugue follow. The reason for its appearance is because I
had made the fugue and wrote it out while I was thinking out the
prelude."
(Vienna, April 20, 1782, to his sister Marianne. Here Mozart gives us
evidence of his manner of composing; he worked out his compositions
completely in his mind and was then able, even after considerable time
had elapsed, to write them down, in which proceeding nothing could
disturb him. In the case before us while engaged in the more or less
mechanical labor of transcription he thought out a new composition.
Concerning the fugue and its origin he continues to gossip in the same
letter.)
19. "The cause of this fugue seeing the light of this world is my dear
Constanze. Baron von Swieten, to whom I go every Sunday, let me
carry home all the works of Handel and Sebastian Bach after I had
played them through for him. Constanze fell in love with the fugues as
soon as she had heard them; she doesn't want to hear anything but
fugues, especially those of Handel and Bach. Having often heard me
improvise fugues she asked me if I had never written any down, and
when I said no, she gave me a good scolding, for not being willing to
write the most beautiful things in music, and did not cease her begging
until I had composed one for her, and so it came about. I purposely
wrote the indication 'Andante maestoso,' so that it should not be played
too rapidly;--for unless a fugue is played slowly the entrance of the
subject will not be distinctly and clearly heard and the piece will be
ineffective. As soon as I find time and opportunity I shall write five
more."
(Vienna, April 20, 1782, to his sister Marianne. Cf. No. 93. [Mozart's
remark that he carried home "all the works" of Handel and Bach, must,
of course, be read as meaning all that were in print at the time. H.E.K.])
20. "I have no small amount of work ahead of me. By Sunday week I
must have my opera arranged for military band or somebody will be
ahead of me and carry away the profits; and I must also write a new
symphony. How will that be possible? You have no idea how difficult
it is to make such an arrangement so that it shall be adapted to wind

instruments and yet lose nothing of its effect. Well, well;--I shall have
to do the work at night."
(Vienna, July 20, 1782, to his father who had asked for a symphony for
the Hafner family in Salzburg. The opera referred to is "Die Entfuhrung
aus dem Serail.")
21. "I was firmly resolved to write the Adagio for the clock-maker at
once so that I might drop a few ducats into the hands of my dear little
wife; and I began it, but was unlucky enough--because I hate such
work--not to be able to finish it. I write at it every day, but have to drop
it because it bores me. If the reason for its existence were not such a
momentous one, rest assured I should let the thing drop. I hope,
however, to force it through in time. Ah, yes! if it were a large
clock-work with a sound like an organ I'd be glad to do it; but as it is
the thing is made up of tiny pipes only, which sound too shrill and
childish for me."
(Frankfort-on-the-Main, October 3, 1790, to his wife. "A Piece for an
Organ in a Clock." [Kochel's catalogue, No. 594.] It was probably
ordered by Count Deym for his Wax-works