Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/30

 22 MOZART studies at Paris, and exhibits proofs of a genius rapidly becoming independent of traditional trammels. It was received with great applause. Mozart had hopes of obtaining a permanent appointment from the elector Charles Theo- dore, when he received a peremptory order from the archbishop to meet him in Vienna. Mozart and two other musicians in the arch- bishop's train dined with the two chamberlains and the three head cooks. The archbishop exhibited his concert master both as performer and composer, but took care that he should have no opportunity of playing where he could increase his income ; and it was only through the persistency of men whose request Hierony- mus dared not refuse that Mozart was permit- ted to play in the grand annual charitable con- cert. The impression made by him on this occasion was remarkable even in Vienna. His success is the only known reason why Mozart was ordered to return to Salzburg early in May. An accident caused him to delay a few days, and when he called on his master to excuse himself and take leave, he was received with a torrent of abuse. Remembering the needy cir- cumstances of his father, he had borne the in- dignities to which he was subjected for six weeks, but he could endure them no longer, and tendered his resignation. The archbishop took no notice of it, and he repeated his appli- cation on June 8, upon which Count Arco, "master of the kitchen," grossly abused him and turned him out of the room. Nothing but the remonstrances of the father prevented the son from publicly calling Arco to account. No cause has ever been suggested for the hatred of the archbishop, except that the Mozarts dis- dained to play the part of flatterers. Mozart now gave lessons and concerts, and published music by subscription. He resided for some months with the Weber family in Vienna, where Aloysia, who had married Lange the actor, was engaged as a singer. The emperor Joseph, who was then busy with his project of establishing an opera devoted to German works, and who was friendly to Mozart, ordered a composition from him. This was the opera "Belmont and Constanza." Mozart received the text in July, 1781, and the music was soon ready ; but owing to the opposition of the sing- ers and orchestra, urged on by the Italian fac- tion, the opera was not produced till July 12, 1782, and then only by express command of the emperor. In the mean time Mozart had become enamored of Constanza Weber, sister of Aloysia, and his father, apparently believ- ing the groundless stories respecting their inti- macy, gave an unwilling consent to their mar- riage, which took place Aug. 4, 1782. They had several children, of whom only two sur- vived infancy. The emperor having given up his idea of establishing a German opera, and the Italian school continuing to thwart his pro- gress, Mozart endeavored in 1783 to compete with it by procuring popular texts, but was successful only after his acquaintance with Da Ponte, who furnished him with the libretto of the "Marriage of Figaro." Beaumarchais's play was just then exciting extraordinary inter- est in Paris. Mozart saw the capabilities of the subject, and proposed to Da Ponte to make it the theme of an Italian opera text. It was finished in six weeks. At the first performance, May 1, 1786, Mozart was obliged to go to the emperor's box after the first act to inform him that several of the singers were singing false pur- posely, to prevent his success. The emperor put an end to these intrigues, and none of Mo- zart's successes was more triumphant. His op- ponents now plotted in secret to prevent its rep- etition, and it was given but nine times, when V. Martini's Cosa rara, with its light pleas- ing music, long ago forgotten, met with such a popular reception that the managers withdrew Jfigaro from the stage for the next two years. But in Prague it was received with so much applause that Mozart was induced to visit that city. His stay there was one of the happiest periods of his life, and he consented to prepare a new piece for the manager of the Prague opera, for which Da Ponte wrote his libretto of Don Giovanni. It was given first on Oct. 29, 1787, the overture being played without rehearsal from parts just from the pens of the copyists, Mozart not having written it out until the night before. On Nov. 3 it was sung for the fourth time and for the benefit of the com- poser. Just as Mozart reached Vienna again, Gluck died of apoplexy (Nov. 15), and the em- peror, aware that the composer was only await- ing adequate proposals to go to London, at once appointed him one of his chamber musi- cians, a sinecure with a salary of 800 florins, which, though small, was higher than that of his colleagues. The report of the first perform- ance of Don Giovanni had excited a desire in Vienna to hear it. It was performed May 7, 1788, but was coldly received. The emperor said to Da Ponte : " The opera is divine ! per- haps finer than Figaro ; but it is no food for the teeth of my Viennese." Da Ponte repeated this to Mozart. " Let them have time to chew upon it," said he. Da Ponte used his influence to have the performances of it follow each other as rapidly as possible, and the result was an astonishing success, as the audience gradually recognized the transcendent merits of the work. A new sphere of activity now opened for Mozart. Starzer, director of the great oratorio, died, and Mozart was engaged in his stead. In Handel's time the deficien- cies of the orchestra were compensated by the organ; but, as the performances in Vienna took place in halls where there was no organ, it was necessary to supply its place with ad- ditional orchestral parts. Four of Handel's works were arranged by Mozart: "Acis and Galatea" (1788), "The Messiah" (1789), and "The Ode for St. Cecilia's Day" and "Alex- ander's Feast" (1790). Although he never worked harder than at this time, his pecuniary condition was becoming deplorable. He was