The Letters, vol 1 | Page 7

The minuet itself is
beautiful. Of course it comes from Vienna, so no doubt it is either
Teller's or Starzer's. It has a great many notes. Why? Because it is a
theatrical minuet, which is in slow time. The Milan and Italian minuets,
however, have a vast number of notes, and are slow and with a quantity
of bars; for instance, the first part has sixteen, the second twenty, and
even twenty-four.
We made the acquaintance of a singer in Parma, and also heard her to
great advantage in her own house--I mean the far-famed Bastardella.
She has, first, a fine voice; second, a flexible organ; third, an incredibly
high compass. She sang the following notes and passages in my
presence.
[Here, Mozart illustrates with about 20 measures of music]

9.
Rome, April 14, 1770.
I AM thankful to say that my stupid pen and I are all right, so we send a
thousand kisses to you both. I wish that my sister were in Rome, for
this city would assuredly delight her, because St. Peter's is symmetrical,
and many other things in Rome are also symmetrical. Papa has just told
me that the loveliest flowers are being carried past at this moment. That
I am no wiseacre is pretty well known.
Oh! I have one annoyance--there is only a single bed in our lodgings,
so mamma may easily imagine that I get no rest beside papa. I rejoice
at the thoughts of a new lodging. I have just finished sketching St. Peter
with his keys, St. Paul with his sword, and St. Luke with--my sister,
&c., &c. I had the honor of kissing St. Peter's foot at San Pietro, and as
I have the misfortune to be so short, your good old
WOLFGANG MOZART
was lifted up!

10.

Rome, April 2l,l770.
CARA SORELLA MIA,--
Pray try to find the "Art of Ciphering" which you copied out, but I have
lost it, and know nothing about it. So pray do write it out again for me,
with some other copies of sums, and send them to me here.
Manzuoli has entered into a contract with the Milanese to sing in my
opera [see Nos. 2-6]. For this reason he sang four or five arias to me in
Florence, and also some of my own, which I was obliged to compose in
Milan (none of my theatrical things having been heard there) to prove
that I was capable of writing an opera. Manzuoli asks 1000 ducats. It is
not yet quite certain whether Gabrielli will come. Some say Madame
de' Amicis will sing in it; we shall see her in Naples. I wish that she and
Manzuoli could act together; we should then be sure of two good
friends. The libretto is not yet chosen. I recommended one of
Metastasio's to Don Ferdinando [Count Firmiani's steward, in Milan]
and to Herr von Troyer. I am at this moment at work on the aria "Se
ardore e speranza."

11.
Rome, April 25, 1770.
CARA SORELLA MIA,--
Io vi accerto che io aspetto con una incredibile premura tutte le giornate
di posta qualche lettere di Salisburgo. Jeri fummo a S. Lorenzo e
sentimmo il Vespero, e oggi matina la messa cantata, e la sera poi il
secondo vespero, perche era la festa della Madonna del Buonconsiglio.
Questi giorni fummi nel Campidoglio e viddemmo varie belle cose. Se
io volessi scrivere tutto quel che viddi, non bastarebbe questo foglietto.
In due Accademie suonai, e domani suonero anche in una.--Subito
dopo pranzo giuochiamo a Potsch [Boccia]. Questo e un giuoco che
imparai qui, quando verro a casa, ve l'imparero. Finita questa lettera
finiro una sinfonia mia, che comminciai. L'aria e finita, una sinfonia e
dal copista (il quale e il mio padre) perche noi non la vogliamo dar via
per copiarla; altrimente ella sarebbe rubata.
WOLFGANGO in Germania. AMADEO MOZART in Italia.
Roma caput mundi il 25 Aprile anno 1770 nell' anno venture 1771.
[Footnote: "DEAREST SISTER,--"I assure you that I always expect
with intense eagerness my letters from Salzburg on post-days.

Yesterday we were at S. Lorenzo and heard vespers, and to-day at the
chanted mass, and in the evening at the second vespers, because it was
the Feast of the Madonna del Buonconsiglio. A few days ago we were
at the Campidoglio, where we saw a great many fine things. If I tried to
write you an account of all I saw, this sheet would not suffice. I played
at two concerts, and to- morrow I am to play at another. After dinner
we played at Potsch [Boccia]. This is a game I have learnt, and when I
come home, I will teach it to you. When I have finished this letter, I am
going to complete a symphony that I have