Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 2.djvu/402

390  the theatre, he composed in haste a new symphony (425).

In 1785 the father returned his son's visit, staying with him in the Grosse Schulerstrasse (now No. 8) from Feb. 11 to April 25. He was rejoiced to find their domestic arrangements and money matters for the time being in good order. He found a grandson too—'little Karl is very like your brother.' Though not yet on thoroughly good terms with his son or his daughter-in-law, he derived all the old pleasure from his successes as an artist, and listened with delight to his productions. He had come just at the right time, when concerts were succeeding each other as fast as possible, and his son taking part in all; and at the first he attended his eyes filled with tears of happiness at Wolfgang's playing and compositions. The day after his arrival Wolfgang invited his friend Haydn and the two Barons Todi; and his father wrote home a full account of this memorable evening; memorable indeed! for setting aside other considerations, it was not often that two men of such remarkable solidity of character as Leopold Mozart and Haydn could be found together. 'Three new quartets were played,' writes the happy father, 'the three (458, 464, 465) he has added to those we already have (387, 421, 428); they are perhaps a trifle easier, but excellently composed. Herr Haydn said to me, I declare to you before God as a man of honour, that your son is the greatest composer that I know, either personally or by reputation; he has taste, and beyond that the most consummate knowledge of the art of composition.' In return for this avowal Mozart dedicated to Haydn, with a laudatory preface, these six quartets, 'the fruits of long and arduous toil.' 'It is but his due,' he said, 'for from Haydn I first learnt how to compose a quartet.' The success of his pupil Marchand, and the great progress of Aloysia Lange, both as a singer and actress, also afforded pleasure to Leopold Mozart. It is a significant fact that a man of his way of thinking should have joined the Freemasons, avowedly through his son's influence. This however was their last meeting, for soon after his return from Vienna his health began to fail, and on May 28, 1787, he ended a life which had been wholly consecrated to his children.

Mozart the son belonged to the eighth and oldest Freemasons' lodge ('zur gekrönten Hoffnung') in Vienna. His interest in the order was great, indeed he at one time thought of founding a society of his own to be called 'Die Grotte,' and had drawn up the rules. A letter to his father, during his illness, in which he enlarges upon the true significance of death to a Mason, is a proof of the serious light in which he considered his obligations. His connection with the order also inspired many of his compositions. For it he wrote—'Gesellenlied' (468); 'Maurerfreude' (471), a short cantata, at the performance of which his father was present shortly before his death; 'Maurerische Trauermusik' (477), for strings and wind; 'Lied.' with chorus, and a chorus in 3 parts, both with organ (483, 484), for the ceremony at the opening of the 'Neugekrönten Hoffnung' (by a decree of the Emperor Joseph) in 1785; and a short cantata for tenor, with closing chorus (623), composed Nov. 15, 1791, the last of his recorded works which he conducted himself. A short adagio for 2 corni di bassetto and bassoon (410); an adagio for 2 clarinets and 3 corni di bassetto (411); and an unfinished cantata (429) were probably intended for the same.

In March 1785 Mozart produced at the concert of the Tonkünstler Societät, a cantata, 'Davidde penitente' (469), the materials for which he drew from his last unfinished mass (427), writing the Italian words below the Latin, and adding two new airs. There was an object for this work; his name was down at the time for admittance into the Society, but in accordance with the statutes he was rejected, on the ground that he could not produce the certificate of his baptism!

After a long delay he was again gratified by an opportunity of writing for the stage. An opera-buffa had been organised as far back as April 1783, and the Emperor had secured an excellent company; and after a failure the National-Singspiel had been revived in October 1785. A libretto, 'Rudolf von Habsburg,' sent to Mozart from Mannheim remained unused, but at length he and Salieri were requested to supply German and Italian 'pièces de circonstance' for some fêtes in honour of distinguished visitors at Schönbrunn. To Mozart's lot fell 'Der Schauspieldirector' (486), a disjointed comedy by Stephanie junior, produced at Schönbrunn Feb. 7, 1786, and afterwards at the Kärnthnerthor Theatre.

In the next month a gratifying performance of 'Idomeneo' took place at the palace of Prince Auersperg, by a troupe of titled and efficient performers, under Mozart's own supervision. This mark of the favourable disposition of the aristocracy towards him bore fruit, attracting the attention of Lorenzo da Ponte, the well-known dramatist. His proposal to adapt Beaumarchais's 'Mariage de Figaro' for Mozart received the Emperor's consent,—reluctantly given on account of the offensive nature of the plot in the original,—and the first performance of 'Le Nozze di Figaro' (492) took place after violent intrigues, on May 1, 1786. The theatre was crowded, and the audience enthusiastic; several numbers were repeated twice, and the little duet three times, and this went on at succeeding representations till the Emperor prohibited encores. Kelly, who took the parts of Basilio and