Between 1769 and 1773, the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his father Leopold Mozart made three trips to Italy . The first visit to the country lasted 15 months and was paid for by performances for the nobility and public concerts, and took place in the most important Italian cities. The second and third trips were to Milan , where Wolfgang finished his operas , which he ordered on his first visit. In terms of Wolfgang's musical development, the journeys were a great success. His talents were marked by honorary titles, including papal chivalry and membership in leading philharmonic societies .
From 1747, Leopold Mozart worked as a musician at the court of the Salzburg Archbishopric , becoming deputy Kapellmeister in 1763, and also devoted a lot of time to the musical education of Wolfgang and Amadeus's older sister, Maria Anna , who was called Nannerner by her family. He took them on a tour of Europe between 1764 and 1766, and spent 1767 and 1768 in Vienna , the capital of the Habsburg monarchy . Children's performances captivated the audience, and the couple made a significant impression on the European society. By 1769, Maria Anna came of age, and Leopold decided to continue the musical education of Wolfgang's 13-year-old son in Italy.
During the first tour, Wolfgang's performances were well received, and his compositional qualities attracted Mozart to orders for the writing of three operas for the Milan Opera Theater Teatro Regio Ducal. He met many of Italy's leading musicians, including the renowned theorist and composer Giovanni Battista Martini , under whose guidance he studied in the Italian city of Bologna . Leopold also hoped that Wolfgang, and possibly himself, would gain a prestigious position in the Habsburg court. This goal has become more important, as Leopold’s promotion in Salzburg has become less likely, but his persistent efforts to ensure employment have displeased the imperial court, which excludes any chance of success. Thus, the journey ended not with a triumphant return, but with disappointment.
Prerequisites
In November 1766, the Mozart family returned to Salzburg after a three and a half year family tour in the main cities of northern Europe, at the beginning of which Wolfgang was seven years old and Maria Anna was twelve. During this tour, Leopold’s goals were fulfilled to demonstrate the talents of children in the world and promote their musical education. A stay in Vienna, which began in 1767, turned out to be less fortunate, since there was an outbreak of smallpox, which led to the death of Archduke Maria Josefa of Austria , which prevented children from speaking at the imperial court and forced the family to seek refuge in Bohemia [1] . They returned to Vienna in January 1768, but by then the children were no longer young enough to cause a sensation at their public concerts [2] . Leopold quarreled with court impresario Giuseppe Affligio and harmed his relationship with court composer Christoph Willibald Gluck because of his excessive desire to ensure the execution of Wolfgang’s first opera орная Cheesy Simpleton ’ [3] . As a result, at court he gained a reputation for importunity [4] .
After returning to Salzburg in January 1769, Leopold considered that the education of 18-year-old Maria Anna should have been almost completed, and he focused his efforts on Wolfgang [5] . He decided to take the boy with him to Italy, which in its pre-unification days was a meeting of states, with the Kingdom of Naples in the south [6] . For over two centuries, Italy has been a source of innovation in the musical style, the home of church music and, above all, the cradle of the opera [7] . According to Leopold, Wolfgang needed to first-hand absorb the music of Venice , Naples and Rome in order to prepare for future orders from European opera houses [7] . Leopold wanted Wolfgang to completely immerse himself in Italian, get acquainted with church music of the highest quality and expand his connections, getting to know influential people [5] . There was also an opportunity, both for Wolfgang and for Leopold, to consolidate positions in the North Italian Habsburg Courts [7] . With these priorities in mind, Leopold decided that Maria Anna and her mother should stay at home, but this caused indignation among family members, but the decision made economic and practical sense [8] .
A few months before their departure, Wolfgang worked fruitfully, receiving the favor of Archbishop Sigmund Christoph von Schrattenbach, who, as Leopold's employer, had to give permission to travel. Travel permits, along with a gift of 600 florins , were granted in October [8] . Wolfgang was awarded the honorary title of Concertmaster (court musician), with a hint that upon returning to this position he would earn a salary [5] .
First Journey
Road to Milan
On December 13, 1769, Leopold and Wolfgang left Salzburg, capturing reviews and letters, hoping that they would smooth their way. Among the most important letters was the introduction of Count Carl Joseph Firman, described as “King of Milan,” an influential and cultural patron of the arts. His support will be vital to the success of the entire Italian tour [10] .
The first exact destination was the Austrian city of Innsbruck , then the Mozart went to the Brenner Pass on the border with Italy. Then they continued their journey through Bolzano and Rovereto and reached Verona and Mantua , after which they turned west towards Milan. Leopold’s financial plans for the trip were generally the same as for the big family tour - travel and accommodation expenses should have covered the income from concert performances. This 560-kilometer winter trip to Milan took difficult and unpleasant six weeks, with the weather making it necessary to make long stops [10] . In his letters to his family, Leopold complained about unheated hotel rooms: “... freezing like a dog, all I touch is ice” [10] . The first gains from the concerts were modest. According to Leopold, the cost was about 50 florins per week [11] . After Leopold unreasonably boasted of profits from the big tour, he became more cautious in revealing financial details. He sought to emphasize his expenses and minimize his income [12] , writing, for example: “... In general, we will not do much in Italy ... we must generally admit admiration and“ bravo ”as payment“ [13] .
The longest stop lasted two weeks in Verona, where the press praised Wolfgang's concert on January 5, 1770. [14] Father and son attended a performance by Pietro Alessandro Guglielmi , which Wolfgang scornfully described in his letter to Maria Anna [14] . Also, local artist Saverio Dalla Rosa painted a portrait of Amadeus [14] . The next stop was in Mantua, where Wolfgang gave a concert at the Philharmonic Academy with a concert program designed to test his abilities in performing “ from the sheet ” (without preliminary preparation), and improvisation [15] . In Mantua, they were insulted by Prince Michel of the Thurn-i-Taxis family , who informed them through his servant that he had no desire to meet with them [16] . And Count Arco, whose family was a member of the Salzburg court, on the contrary, received them warmly [17] [18] .
On January 23, the Mozartes arrived in Milan and found comfortable accommodation in the Monastery of San Marco, near the palace of Count Firman [19] . While they were waiting for a meeting with the Count, they visited the Niccolo Piccinni Opera House [20] . Firman finally welcomed Mozartov hospitably, presenting Wolfgang a complete edition of the works of Pietro Metastasio , Italy's leading dramatic writer and librettist. [21] Firman also organized a series of concerts, which were attended by many famous figures of the city, including Karl Ferdinand , a possible future patron of the young composer [21] . They were received so warmly that Firman instructed Wolfgang to write an opera to open the next winter carnival in Milan [22] [23] . Wolfgang will receive a fee of about 500 florins and free accommodation during writing and rehearsing [21] . The Mozartes left Milan on March 15, heading south of the country, closer to Florence and Rome , promising to return in the fall and take with them fresh letters of recommendation from Firmian [23] .
Up to this point on the tour, Wolfgang seems to have written quite a bit of composition. The concert in Mantua included a lot of improvisation, but a little of Wolfgang's own music. The only definite compositions of this stage of the tour are the arias written for Firman’s last concert, which concluded a contract with him for the writing of a carnival opera. These were Se tutti i mali miei [24] [25] , Misero me , and Ah più tremar ... [22] .
From Milan to Naples
The first stop on the way south was to Lodi , where Wolfgang completed his first string quartet [26] . After several days in Parma, the Mozarts headed for Bologna, “the center of craftsmen, artists and scientists,” as described by Leopold [26] . A letter from Mozart to Firman introduced them to Count Pallavicini-Centurioni, a leading philanthropist who organized a concert for the local nobility in his palace. Among the guests was Giovanni Battista, a leading music theorist of his time [26] . Martini accepted the young composer for training and practiced exercises in the fugue with him. With an eye on Wolfgang’s prospects in the courtyards of Europe, Leopold sought to interact with the great master, but there was little time, so he arranged for his return to Bologna in the summer for long-term training [27] . Mozart went to Bologna on March 29, taking letters from Count Pallavicini, which could clear the way to the audience with Pope Clement XIV in Rome [28] . Before they left, they met with the Czech composer Josef Myslivecek . Later, in 1770, Wolfgang used the Myslorechka opera as the source of motives for his own opera Mithridates, Tsar of Pontus and various symphonies. In a broader sense, this marked the beginning of a close relationship between Mysvechechok and the Mozart family, which lasted until 1778. Wolfgang repeatedly used his work as an example of compositional style [29] .
The next day they arrived in Florence, where, on the recommendation of Pallavicini in the Pitti Palace, they met the Grand Duke and future Emperor Leopold II [30] . In Florence, they met with violinist Pietro Nardini , whom they met at the beginning of their big tour of Europe [31] . Nardini and Wolfgang performed together at an evening concert at the Duke's palace [30] . Wolfgang also met Thomas Linley , an English prodigy and student of Nardini. The two formed a close friendship by creating music and playing “together not like boys, but like men”, as Leopold noted [30] . Robert Gutman wrote that “Thomas melancholy followed the Mozart teacher when they left for Rome on April 6th.” The boys never met again. Linley, after a short career as a composer and violinist, died in a boat accident in 1778 at the age of 22 [32] .
After five days of a difficult journey through the wind and rain, uncomfortably settling in the taverns described as “disgusting, dirty and devoid of food”, they reached Rome [32] . The letters of Pallavicini soon did their job and gave Mozart a meeting with Count Lazaro's sister Opizio Cardinal Pallavicino, Prince of San Angelo and Carl Edward Stewart , known as Handsome Prince Charlie, an aspirant to the throne of England [32] . The Mozarts visited the Sistine Chapel , where Wolfgang heard and then recorded from memory the famous Miserere , a nine-piece complex choral work that was not published. Against the backdrop of this activity, Wolfgang was diligently composing new works [32] .
After four weeks of work, the Mozart went to Naples. Travelers on the route through the Pontic marshes were often harassed by robbers , so Leopold had to organize a convoy of four carriages [33] . They arrived in Naples on May 14th. Armed with their letters of recommendation, the Mozarts soon turned to Prime Minister Bernardo Tanucci and William Hamilton , the British ambassador, whom they knew from London [34] . They gave a concert on May 28, which brought about 750 florins (Leopold did not disclose the exact amount) [35] , and were present at the concert of Niccolo Yommelli at the San Carlo Opera House. Wolfgang was impressed by both the music and the performance, although he felt that he was “too old-fashioned and serious for the theater” [34] . Mozart was offered to write an opera for the next season in San Carlo, but he refused because of his commitment to Milan [34] . When there were no subpoenas for speeches at the royal court, Leopold finally decided to leave Naples, visiting before departure the volcano Vesuvius , the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii , as well as having a rest in Roman baths. June 25, they went to Rome [34] .
Return from Naples
Leopold and Mozart made a quick 27-hour return trip to Rome. During the ride, Leopold received a leg injury that bothered him for several months [36] . Wolfgang received an audience with the pope and became a holder of the Order of the Golden Spur [37] . From Rome, they headed to the famous pilgrimage site - the Holy Hut in Loreto , and later headed along the coastal road to Rimini , however, they were defended by the military, because the road was attacked by pirate marauders [38] . After Rimini they reached Bologna on July 20 [39] .
Leopold's priority was to rest his injured leg. Wolfgang at that time composed a short minuet [40] . According to Leopold’s correspondence, composer Joseph Myslivechek was a frequent guest at the Mozart’s house during their stay in Bologna. The musicologist Daniel Freeman believes that Mozart’s approach to composing arias radically changed at this time, bringing his style into closer conformity with Myshlevechsky [41] .
On August 10, Leopold and Wolfgang settled in the luxurious summer residence of Count Pallavicini and remained there for seven weeks, while Leopold's leg gradually healed, and Wolfgang worked on the recitations of his work “Mithridates” [42] . In early October, when Leopold more or less recovered, they returned to Bologna. On October 9, he passed an exam for membership in the Bologna Philharmonic Academy , proposing the Quaerite primum regnum antiphon as a test sample [42] [43] . According to Robert Guttman, under normal circumstances Wolfgang’s “floundering” attempt in this unfamiliar polyphonic form would not have received serious consideration, but Martini supported him and suggested corrections, and probably also paid an entrance fee. Wolfgang's membership was duly approved, and soon the Mozart went to Milan [42] .
Milan again
The trip from Bologna to Milan was delayed due to storms and floods, but Leopold and his son arrived in Milan on October 18, ten weeks before the first performance. Wolfgang's fingers ached from writing recitatives [44] , and in no case could he begin to work on arias until singers were present before him, collaboration with the main performers was the custom for composers of the time [45] . As the singers gathered, problems arose. Quirino Gasparini, the composer of an earlier version of Mithridates, tried to convince prima donna Anthony Bernasconi to use her settings for her arias, but failed. Leopold wrote: “Thank God that we defeated the enemy” [46] .
Rehearsals began on December 6th. Wolfgang’s mastery in the Italian style was discovered as practice progressed, and the run of the instrumental score showed his professionalism [48] . Leopold wrote in his letters home: “A lot of this undertaking, may God be blessed, ended safely, and, thank God, once again with honor! [49] “On December 26, Wolfgang staged the first public performance at the Milan Grand Opera House. Amadeus on this occasion put on a scarlet coat , sheathed in blue lining, bordered with gold [49] . The reason was triumphant: the audience demanded an encore and finally cried, shouting “Evviva il maestro!” (Long live the master!) [46] . The Milan newspaper praised the work: “A young maestro di chapella, who is not yet fifteen, studies the beauties of nature and presents them, adorned with the rarest musical graces [50] .” There are no records of further performances with Mithridates until the revival of Mithridates in Salzburg in 1971 [46] .
Fulfilling his main obligation on his first trip to Italy, Wolfgang gave a concert in the palace of Firman on January 4, 1771. A few days later the news came that Wolfgang was granted membership in the Verona Philharmonic Academy. On January 14, they went to Turin for two weeks, where they met many leading Italian musicians: the outstanding violinist Gaetano Pugnani , his 15-year-old student Giovanni Battista Viotti and composer Giovanni Paisiello , whose opera "Annibale in Torino" in Turin, Leopold declared magnificent. They returned to Milan for a farewell dinner with Firman before leaving for Salzburg on February 4 [51] .
Way home
On the way back to Salzburg, Leopold and Wolfgang stopped for a while in Venice, on the way to Brescia to watch the opera buffa [52] . While in Venice, Leopold used his letters of recommendation to meet with the nobles and negotiate a contract with Wolfgang to write an opera for the San Benedetto Theater [53] . Wolfgang held several concerts and may have played in the buildings of former orphanages, which became respected music academies. [54] The Mozartes were generously received, but Leopold was dissatisfied. “Father seemed to lift the shadow.” - the Vienna correspondent wrote in his article [54] .
Leaving Venice on March 12, the Mozart went to Padua , where, while watching local attractions, don Giuseppe Siemens ordered Wolfgang to write an oratorio for the city [55] .
Notes
- ↑ Sadie, 1980 , p. 132-134.
- ↑ Blom, 1935 , p. 38.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 135–139.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 140–141.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Halliwell, 1998 , p. 142-143.
- ↑ Roberts, 1980 , p. 486.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Sadie, 1980 , p. 176.
- ↑ 1 2 Sadie, 2006 , p. 177.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 179-233.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Halliwell, 1998 , p. 145.
- ↑ Halliwell, 1998 , p. 146.
- ↑ Solomon, 1995 , p. 58.
- ↑ Solomon, 1995 , p. 86-87.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Sadie, 2006 , p. 181–184.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 185–186.
- ↑ Gutman, 1999 , p. 260–261.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 185-186.
- ↑ Gutman, 1999 , p. 548-549.
- ↑ Halliwell, 1998 , p. 146–148.
- ↑ Zaslaw, 1991 , p. 163.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Halliwell, 1998 , p. 146-148.
- ↑ 1 2 Sadie, 2006 , p. 190.
- ↑ 1 2 Gutman, 1999 , p. 263.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 613-621.
- ↑ Zaslaw, 1991 , p. 558-561.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Sadie, 2006 , p. 190–191.
- ↑ Gutman, 1999 , p. 266-267.
- ↑ Halliwell, 1998 , p. 148.
- ↑ Freeman, 2009 , p. 225–255.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Gutman, 1999 , p. 268–269.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 39.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Sadie, 2006 , p. 193–196.
- ↑ Gutman, 1999 , p. 274-275.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Sadie, 2006 , p. 196-199.
- ↑ Halliwell, 1998 , p. 150.
- ↑ Halliwell, 1998 , p. 151.
- ↑ Gutman, 1999 , p. 280–281.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 200-201.
- ↑ Gutman, 1999 , p. 281.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 2006.
- ↑ Freeman, 2009 , p. 229–235.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Gutman, 1999 , p. 282–284.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 210-211.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 212.
- ↑ Halliwell, 1998 , p. 153-154.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Osborne, 1992 , p. 55.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 188.
- ↑ Gutman, 1999 , p. 285.
- ↑ 1 2 Halliwell, 1998 , p. 154.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 228-229.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 228–229.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 230.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 230-231.
- ↑ 1 2 Gutman, 1999 , p. 288-289.
- ↑ Sadie, 2006 , p. 232-233.
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