ECHO series -- Mozart in Heidelberg

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:59:00 +0000

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a musical prodigy, was borned 1756 in the small town of Salzburg, Austria. Since very young age, he has showed outstanding talent in music. Father Leopold wanted him to be known throughout whole Europe.

(Fig..1) Mozart as a child. Pietro Antonio Lorenzoni (?) oil painting, beginning of 1763

He wanted to „declare to the world that God has given birth a miracle in Salzburg“(1). Although little Wolfgang was quick in learning to play the pianoforte, he and his sister Nannerl (Maria Anna), who was four years older than him, still had to undergo huge amount of daily practice. The purpose of the father was to create sensation and fame all over the world by showcasing their superb playing skills while the children still young. Therefore, Leopold Mozart took along the young children everywhere, looking for opportunities to present themselves in front of the european nobles.

Set off for Western Europe

On 9^th July 1763, the family, accompanied by a servant, set off for a concert tour which took nearly three and a half years. At the beginning, the journey was not quite smooth. In Wasserburg am Inn, near Munich, the rear wheel of the carriage glitched. They had to stop for reparation. Yet, Leopold did not slack off with the education of the children. He made use of the free time by explaining the pedal technique and functions of a church organ to his son. Little Wolfgang immediately adapted the knowledge. The lad kicked off the tiny stool before him, and began to practice with imitating gestures, 'as if he has learnt it for a few months' (2), Leopold Mozart wrote.

The best orchestra in Germany

The first stop of the Mozarts was Munich, then proceeded to Augsburg, Ludwigsburg, and finally they came to Schwetzingen, where the summer palace of the Palatinate is situated. The prince-elector Carl Theodor and his wife were then residing there. The couple and other nobilities marvelled at the performance of Wolfgang and Nannerl. At the same time, the children were able to experience “doubtless...the best orchestra in the whole Germany”(3). This system of orchestra was reformed by Christian Cannabich, proceeded by Carl Stamitz and Franz Xaver Richter, first commissioned by the elctoral prince, later became the famous Mannheimer School, which forms the classical orchestra this day. The composition style of Mannheimer School had its influence in many of the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

In Heidelberg

On 18^th July 1763, the Mozart family arrived Heidelberg. They accomodated in a guest house “Zu den drei Königen” at the main street Hauptstr. 160. The building was later renovated and being transformed into residential apartments. Seventy years later, another musical legend Robert Schumann moved in here.

(Fig.2) Hauptstr. 160, where Mozart and Schumann lived

In Heidelberg the Mozarts visited the famaous castle in history, as well as the Great Barrel within. Then they paid visit at the Church of Holy Spirit in the old town. Since the Thirty Years War, there had been religious disputes in this area. From 1706 on, the church had been divided into two by a barrier in the middle. This situation had been maintained for 230 years. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was then merely seven years old, sat before the church organ in the choir of catholic section, and began to improvise. This performance has attracted public attention and great admiration. The organ was a double-manual instrument, with twenty-four stops, made by the court organ maker V. Müller. Now the organ does not exist any more. Constanze, the widow of W.A. Mozart recalled that organ was the favourite instrument of her late husband. He had outstanding technique at organ playing.

Unbelievable long distance

Heidelberg made a good impression on the Mozart family. The landscape of this town has many similarity with their home town Salzburg. The Mozarts continued their journey westwards, first Mannheim, then Mainz, Frankfurt, Koblenz, Aachen, Brussels, Paris, London, Lille, Antwerpen, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Amsterdam, Lausanne, Donaueschingen, Munich, reaching home in Salzburg on 29^th November 1766. The family with its two young children experienced long and rough journey throughout, tossing over the waters and drove through bumpy European roads full of holes at that time, covering altogether 4400 kilometres!

(Fig.3) Maria Anna Mozart (Nannerl) as a child. Pietro Antonio Lorenzoni (?) , oil painting, beginning of 1763

Sickness

Although this trip to Western Europe was very fruitful economically, it has but cost everyone's health. The whole family, except for the mother, fell seriously ill. After the previous trip to Vienna, little Wolfgang was already suffering from painful rheumatism. This health problem has plagued him for the rest of his life. During the trip to Western Europe, he suffered severe angina in Paris in February 1764. In London the father has been bedridden for weeks. After that Nannerl was being infected influenza and almost died. Bad luck didn't end there, this time it was little Wolfgang who got infected. The father recounted that the children were “almost unrecognizable”(4) because they were so thin.

Heavy-loaded, unhealthy lifestyle

The seven-year-old Wolfgang was considered by people as musical prodigy. At the performances he not only had to play the pianoforte, but also the violin, church organ, improvisation on the keyboard, composing on the spot and other difficult performances. Other then that, learning Latin, the grammar of German and Italian languages, mathematics, history, and music composition was compulsive during the journey. Not one of the subjects should be dropped out. Since Mozart was six years old, all the unhealthy lifestyles he developed, and the old complaint from the concert tours, has led to his untimely death, ending a 36-year legendary life.

Mannheim & the Webers

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart never returned to Heidelberg, but made several visits to nearby Mannheim. The first time was 30^th October 1777. Here he fell in love with the second daughter of Fridolin Weber, Aloysia. Yet it was the youngest daughter Constanze who later married to Wolfgang. There has been another great composer borned in this musical family, namely Carl Maria von Weber, who later moved to Mannheim with his father, and often spent days in Heidelberg.

Literature source:

Harald Pfeiffer. Kleine Heidelberger Musikgeschichte. Engelsdorfer Verlag Leipzig.
Fritz Hennenberg. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag. (1)Pg.12 (2)pg.18 (3)pg.14 (4)pg.17

Fig.1 &3 Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum(ISM), Salzburg

Fig. 2 photographed by author

The Forerunner of modern piano -- the Clavichord

Sat, 27 Nov 2021 15:14:00 +0000

THE HISTORY OF STRING INSTRUMENTS WITH KEYBOARD is dated back to the middle ages. At the beginning there was the Monochord, which different tones are generated on a single string by shifting the bridge.

In the 12th century the Monochord was provided with several strings of the same length in order to accompany the polyphonic singing. The equipment of the chromatic keyboard is derived from the organ and has been used since the middle of the 12th century.

The Clavichord. The frame and chest are made according to the style of Louis XVI. The strings are arranged diagonally, the tuning peg is to the right of the soundboard. The keyboard ranges from C-g3, the coat of string is made of brass. The Instrument is restored in 1931 and can be played.

These early clavichords^*1 already have the rectangular box shapes with an inserted keyboard. All strings are of equal length and tuned. The pitch is reached by brass pins, which are attached to the rear end of the key, striking different points of the string. The right part of the string is made to sound, the left part is muffled by braided felt band. The first illustration of such clavichord can be found at the beginning of 16th century, drawn by Sebastian Virdung, Musica, Basel at 1511.

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From the beginning of the 15th century the clavichords were also built in two courses, i.e there were two strings for one tone. All instruments are manufactured in the so-called "bound system", in which there are far fewer strings than keys. C and C#, D and D# etc. are struck on a string by various tangents. These first instruments had only 20 to 22 keys.

At the beginning of the 16th century, the keyboard expanded to 3 octaves with 38 keys and 26 strings, in the 17th century to 4 octaves with 45 keys and 29 strings, in the 18th century to 4 octaves with 49 keys and 31 strings. The strings are no longer the same length, but are tuned chromatically.

The Hammerflügel (fortepiano) made by Jean Louis Dulcken (1761-1835) in Munich at 1789. He was the royal fortepiano maker of Electoral Prince Carl Theodor

Until the 16th century, the clavichord was a box-shaped instrument that could be placed anywhere, now got its own feet, but remained detachable from the frame and thus mobile. If the clavichord was in its heyday in the 18th century, clavichord construction was abandoned at the beginning of the 19th century. The instrument, which was primarily built in Germany, was used particularly as teaching and practicing instrument because it can produce peculiar shades of tone that are impossible with the harpsichord.

Historically, clavichord can be seen as the forerunner of the Fortepiano, which in its early days corresponded to both external shape and the type of stringing and string arrangement.

*1 clavis=keys, chorda=the strings

Source: Kurpfälzische Musuem Heidelberg, Germany

Photos by author

Welcome

Sat, 27 Nov 2021 14:51:00 +0000

The world of music is fascinating, to play music is fun. Here you will find tipps for practicing, interesting small stories of music, and some common knowledge of western as well as chinese music. Happy reading! Will keep you updated.

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