1 (return)
[ For the history of opera
in Vienna I am much indebted to an article written with full knowledge of
the subject (A. M. Z., XXIV., p. 2651) and still more so to the careful
and accurate communications which I owe to the courtesy of my friend Dr.
Leop. von Sonnleithner; these two accounts form the groundwork of the
present chapter, even where I have not expressly referred to them.]
2 (return)
[ Müller (Abschied, p. 263)
does not indeed mention the younger Stephanie by name, but other accounts
explain his allusions. Schroder wrote to Dalberg (January 19, 1782): "I'm
insisting upon the removal of young Stephanie from all concern in the
affair, but there is no one bold enough to propose to the Emperor to
dismiss a man whom he has appointed, and who will certainly be the ruin of
the theatre."]
3 (return)
[ Meyer, L. Schroder, I.,
p. 358. A. M. Z., XXIV., p. 265. Nicolai heard a performance of Gluck's
"Orpheus" there in 1781 (Reise, IV., p. 537).]
4 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I., p.
194.]
5 (return)
[ A. M. Z., XXIV., p. 269.
Schroder wrote to Dalberg (October 21, 1782): "German opera is abolished
here, and comedy has been strengthened by Reineke and Opiz."]
6 (return)
[ The new operas were:
January 10—Gassmann, "Die Unruhige Nacht" (La Notte Critica),
performed three times; February 9—Gallus, "Rose," or "Pflicht und
Liebe im Streit," performed twice; February 23—J. Weigl, "Die
betrogne Arglist," performed three times.]
7 (return)
[ On January 20, 1781,
Klein submitted his opera "Kaiser Rudolf von Habsburg" to the Electoral
German company; a short notice (Rhein. Beitr. z. Gelehrs., 1781, I., p.
383) gives it extraordinary praise. He afterwards turned the same subject
into a tragedy with similar title, which appeared in 1787.]
8 (return)
[ The letter was published
in facsimile by Gassner (Zeitschr. f. Deutschlands Musikvereine, II., p.
161), and has often been printed.]
9 (return)
[ The new German original
operas which were performed were: 1785—"Die Dorfhandel," or "Bunt
über Eck," by Rupprecht; "Die Dorfdeputirten," by Teyber. 1786—"Die
glücklichen Jager," by Umlauf; "Der Alchymist," by Schuster; "Doctor und
Apotheker," by Dittersdorf; "Robert und Hannchen," by Hanke; "Betrug und
Aberglauben," by Dittersdorf; "Zemirens und Azors Ehestand," by Umlauf.
1787—"Die Liebe im Narrenhause," by Dittersdorf; "Das wüthende
Heer," by Rupprecht; "Im Finstern ist nicht gut tappen," by Schenk; "Die
Illumination," by Kürtzinger.]
10 (return)
[ Wien. Ztg., 1786, No.
11. L. Schneider, Cäcilia, XXIV., p. 148. R. Hirsch, Mozart's
"Schauspieldirector," Leipz., 1859.]
11 (return)
[ "Der
Schauspieldirector." Ein Gelegenheitsstück in einem Aufzuge. Wien, 1786.
Printed, according to Schneider, in Stephanie's Vaudevilles.]
12 (return)
[ Mosel, Salieri's Leben
u. Werke, p. 90.]
13 (return)
[ Wien. Ztg., 1786, No.
13 Anh.]
14 (return)
[ Goethe, Tag-Vund
Jahreshefte, 1791 (Werke, XXI., p. 12).]
15 (return)
[ Goethe, Ital. Reise
(Werke, XIX., p. 360).]
16 (return)
[ A. M. Z., 1864, pp.
465, 649.]
17 (return)
[ The text is printed in
Diezmann's Goethe-Schiller-Museum, p. 15. Goethe can scarcely have had a
greater share in it than the insertion of the songs "An dem schönsten
Frûhlingsmorgen" and "Bei dem Glanz der Abendröthe" (Neues Verz. e.
Goethe-Bibl., p. 37). The words of Mozart's pieces are only somewhat
improved in unimportant particulars, being, as a whole, very poor and
insipid.]
18 (return)
[ Theaterbriefe von
Goethe, p. 32.]
19 (return)
[ Hirsch, Mozart's
Schauspieldirector, p. 18.]
20 (return)
[ Printed in the German
Bühnenalmanach, 1861.]
21 (return)
[ Besides the
Bandlterzett (441 K., Vol. II., p. 362), and the air "Manner suchen stets
zu naschen" (433 K., Vol. III., p. 44), the two songs "An Chloe" (524 K.)
and "Die betrogene Welt" (474 K.) are also inserted.]
22 (return)
[ Reichardt (A. M. Z.,
XV., p. 665. Schletterer, Reichardt, I., p. 324): "Opera buffa was at that
time (1783) far better appointed there, and followed its own bent with far
more earnestness and consistency than anywhere in Italy. The orchestra was
also first-rate—full of fire and discretion." Cf. Musik. Wochenbl.,
p. 66. Car. Pichler, Denkw., I., p. 78.]
23 (return)
[ Berl. Litt.-u.
Theat.-Ztg., 1784,1., p. 14. Opera seria was only given as an exception.
When the celebrated male soprano Luigi Marchesi (Cramer, Magaz. f. Mus.,
I., p. 559) passed through Vienna on his journey from St. Petersburg, in
August, 1785, the Emperor directed him to appear in Sarti's "Giulio
Sabino," which was played six times to overflowing houses (Muller,
Abschied, p. 7).]
24 (return)
[ Berl. Litt.—u.
Theat.-Ztg., I., pp. 14,19.]
25 (return)
[ Berl. Litt.—u.
Theat-Ztg., I., p. 313.]
26 (return)
[ Cramer, Magaz. f. Mus.,
II., p. 185.]
27 (return)
[ Meyer, L. Schröder, I.,
p. 345.]
28 (return)
[ This was the opera "Il
Ricco d'un Giomo," which was produced with little success on December 6,
1784 (Mosel, Salieri, p. 86).]
29 (return)
[ Mus. Real-Ztg., 1789,
p. 85.]
30 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I.,
p. 231. Pohl, Mozart u. Haydn in London, p. 169.]
31 (return)
[ Cramer, Magaz. f. Mus.,
II., p. 556.]
32 (return)
[ Mosel, Salieri, p. 74.]
33 (return)
[ Mosel, Salieri, p. 79.
Da Ponte, Mem., I., 2, p. 50.]
34 (return)
[ L. Da Ponte's "Memorie"
appeared in New York, 1823 (2nd edition, 1829-30), and a translation at
Stuttgart, 1847. Cf. A. M. Z., X., p. 679; XLI., p. 788; XLIV., p. 769.]
35 (return)
[ Schink, Dramaturg.
Monate, II., p. 539.]
36 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I.,
p. 235.]
37 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I.,
p. 189.]
38 (return)
[ Da Ponte, Mem., I., 2,
p. 68.]
39 (return)
[ Kelly (Reminisc., I.,
p. 257) gives some interesting notices on the history of "Figaro."]
40 (return)
[ Berl. Mus.-Ztg., 1793,
p. 141.]
41 (return)
[ An account of the fate
of the autograph score, which came into the possession of N. Simrock, of
Bonn, in 1864, is given in the N. Ztschr. fur Mus., XXXVI., p. 261. Cf.
XXXV., pp. 65, 77.]
42 (return)
[ Duschek and his wife
had arrived at Salzburg from Prague at the beginning of April, after a
short stay in Vienna.]
43 (return)
[ Ulibicheff's opinion
that, fortunately for the music, Mozart had to do with mediocre singers
(II., p. 40), is unfounded. Cf. A. M. Z., XXIV., p. 270.]
44 (return)
[ It is remarkable that
none of the German vocalists, neither Madame Lange nor Cavalieri nor
Teyber, on whom Mozart had himself reckoned for his "Sposo Deluso" (Vol.
III., p. 60), were employed; a result, no doubt, of operatic factions. We
know from Da Ponte (Mem., I., 2, pp. 109, no, 135) that Cavalieri was
highly favoured by Salieri (Mosel, Salieri, p. 184), whose pupil she was.]
45 (return)
[ So Mozart writes the
name. Kelly was, as he says himself (Reminisc., I. p. 139), called Okelly
in Italy.]
46 (return)
[ She afterwards saog
Pamina in the "Zauberflote."]
47 (return)
[ The Wiener Zeitung
(1786, No. 35) contained only the following brief notice: On Monday, May
1, was performed lor the first time in the National Theatre a new Italian
opera in four acts, entitled 'Le Nozze di Figaro,' adapted from the French
comedy of Mons. de Beaumarchais by Herr Abb. da Ponte, theatrical poet;
the music is by Herr Kapellmeister Mozart. La Sign. Laschi, who has lately
returned here, and La Sign. Bussani, a new vocalist, made their first
appearance as the Countess and the page."]
48 (return)
[ Da Ponte, Mem., I., 2,
p. 90.]
49 (return)
[ Dittersdorf,
Selbstbiogr., p. 237.]
50 (return)
[ In, June, 1787, Balzer
announced (Wien. Ztg., 1787, No. 46, Anh.) that the unanimous approbation
with which Mozart's masterpiece, "Die Hochzeit des Figaro," had been
received in Prague, had induced him to publish a pianoforte arrangement by
Kucharz; he also advertised arrangements for wind instruments, and a
version of the work as a quintet by Abbé Vogler(I).]
1 (return)
[ Confirmed by Kelly
(Reminisc., I., p. 257).]
2 (return)
[ L. de Lomenin,
Beaumarchais et son Temps, II., p. 293.]
3 (return)
[ The piece in various
translations was soon familiar on every stage in Germany. A. Lewald has
lately issued a new translation of it (Beaumarchais, Stuttg., 1839).]
4 (return)
[ In Paris (in 1793) the
unfortunate idea was conceived of performing Mozart's music with
Beaumarchais' complete dialogue (Castil-Blaze, L'Acad. Imp. de Mus., II.,
p. 19). Beaumarchais was pleased with the representation, though not with
the adaptation (Lomenin, Beaumarchais, II., p. 585). A notice of the
performance says: "The music impressed us as being beautiful, rich in
harmony, and artistically worked out. The melodies are pleasing, without
being piquant. Some of the ensemble movements are of extreme beauty."]
5 (return)
[ Schneider, Gesch, d. Oper
in Berlin, p. 59.]
6 (return)
[ Aus einer alten Kiste, p.
177. Meyer, L. Schroder, II., p. 55.]
7 (return)
[ Sainte-Beuve, Causeries
du Lundi, VI., p. 188.]
8 (return)
[ Car. Pichler, Denkw., I.,
p. 103.]
9 (return)
[ From Herder's Nachlass,
III., p. 67.]
10 (return)
[ The intellectual
transformation which the French comedy underwent at Mozart's hands has
often been insisted upon, e.g., by Beyle (Vies de Haydn, Mozart et de
Métastase, p. 359), who, while recognising Mozart's excellence, is yet of
opinion that Fioravanti or Cimarosa would perhaps have succeeded better in
reproducing the easy cheerfulness of the original. Rochlitz also (A. M.
Z., III., pp. 594, 595) and Ulibicheff (II., p. 48) appear to consider the
remodelling of the piece as not altogether perfect. On the other hand, an
enthusiastic article in the Revue des Deux Mondes (XVIII., p. 844,
translated in A. M. Z., XLII., p. 589), extols Mozart as the master who
has given to Beaumarchais' work that which Mozart alone could have
detected in the subject of it, viz., poetry. Cf. Hotho Vorstudien
fur Leben und Kunst, p. 69.]
11 (return)
[ In the very
characteristic and amusing duet for the two quarrelling women in Auber's
"Maurer" the realism of the musical representation is of some detriment to
the grace of expression and delivery.]
12 (return)
[ He declares that he so
astonished Casti and Paesiello by his power of mimicry that, although he
was very young, they intrusted him with the difficult part of Gafforio in
the "Re Teodoro," in which he made a great sensation (Remin., I., p.
241).]
13 (return)
[ Berl. Mus. Ztg. 1793,
p. 138.]
14 (return)
[ Bussani, who sang
Bartolo and Antonio, had been in the Italian Opera in Vienna in 1772 but
left it the following year. He was noted for his "resonant barn voice"
(Müller, Genaue Nachr., p. 73).]
15 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I.,
pp. 121, 196.]
16 (return)
[ P. Scudo, Musique
Ancienne et Moderne, pp. 22, 23.]
17 (return)
[ Thus in Bartolo's air
the close juxtaposition of major and minor at the words "è bassezza è
ognor viltà," exactly expresses the intensification of his feeling of
annoyance.]
18 (return)
[ Rochitz, A. M. Z.,
III., p. 595.]
19 (return)
[ A hasty sketch of the
voice part shows only trifling alterations in the later melody. It is
noteworthy that Mozart made many attempts before hitting upon a
satisfactory conclusion.]
20 (return)
[ A. M. Z., XXIV., p.
284.]
21 (return)
[ She first appeared
October 13, 1788, as Diana in Martin's "Arbore di Diana" (Wien. Ztg.,
1788, No. 83, Anh.).]
22 (return)
[ Wien. Ztg., 1789, No.
76, Anh., announces, "Neues Rondeau von Mme. Ferrarese aus Le Nozze di
Figaro, Giunse alfin Rec. Al desio Rondeau." The air is published with the
character given, "La Contessa," without any further intimation. Mozart's
autograph has disappeared, but André has a copy of the air with the
recitative from Mozart's remains, both marked for "Susanna." This
increases the difficulty which exists respecting it (Sonnleithner,
Recensionen, 1865, p. 721).]
23 (return)
[ In the original score
of "Figaro" the conclusion of the secco recitative is followed by the
words, "Segue Recit. instrumental con Rondo di Susanna." The present
garden aria could scarcely be called a rondo, and this probably refers to
another air, the design of which was abandoned.]
24 (return)
[ It is printed in a
pianoforte arrangement among the songs (Ouvr., V., 20).]
25 (return)
[ Written above it in a
strange hand is, "Le Nozze di Figaro. 13 Atto 2do," and the cue, "e pur n'
ho paura." Counting the pieces this air is in the second act, No. 13, in G
major, like the preceding one; if it is assumed that the opera is divided
into two acts, the garden air would be No. 13 in the second act. The cues
are not to be found in both places, so that an alteration must have been
made in the dialogue. The cue agrees in sense with the words of the
Countess before the dressing song, ( Miserabili noi, se il conte viene).]
26 (return)
[ In the original terzet,
when the parts went together, the highest was given to the Countess;
Mozart afterwards altered it, wherever dramatic expression allowed, so
that Susanna should sing the highest part; this has necessitated trifling
modifications here and there in the disposition of parts. This alteration
was no doubt undertaken with a view to the singers. In the two finales
their relative position was settled before he proceeded to the
working-out.]
27 (return)
[ According to Beyle, it
is only in this duet that Mozart has rendered the character of French
comedy, and even here he takes Figaro's jealousy too seriously (Vies de
Haydn, Mozart et de Métastase, p. 361).]
28 (return)
[ Cramer, Magaz. f. Mus.,
1788, II., p. 48. She first appeared on September' 24, 1784, with success
(Wien. Ztg., 1784, No. 79, Anh.), and she appeared again after a pause in
"Figaro" (Wien. Ztg., 1786, No. 35, Anh.).]
29 (return)
[ Berl. Mus. Ztg., 1793,
p. 134.]
30 (return)
[ Da Ponte, Mem., I., 2,
p. 111; cf. p. 135.]
31 (return)
[ The fragment of a
sketch in score for this air is identical in the first division; the words
"solo ai nomi d'amor, di diletto," are treated differently. A pianoforte
arrangement of the air with violin accompaniment, entirely in Mozart's
handwriting, is in Jules Andre's collection.]
32 (return)
[ Dohrn, N. Ztschr. Mus.,
XL, p. 168.]
33 (return)
[ The duet has undergone
three unnecessary abbreviations in the printing. The sketch of a few bars
to serve as an introduction to another duet has the superscription "Atto
2do, Scena 3, invece del Duetto di Susanna e Cherubino." This was
apparently never continued.]
34 (return)
[ This connected
construction of the different sections of the finale is seldom found; they
are generally merely successive scenas, as, for instance, in Casti's "Re
Teodoro."]
35 (return)
[ Mozart has written
above it, "Andante di molto," and not "Andante con moto" as it is printed;
and it may further be noted that Susanna comes out of the closet "tutta
grave."]
36 (return)
[ Holmes says (Life of
Mozart, p. 269) that Mozart wrote this finale in two nights and a day,
without stopping; in the course of the second night he became unwell, and
was obliged to desist when there only remained a few pages to
instrumentalise.]
37 (return)
[ Zelter, Briefw. m.
Goethe, V., p. 434.]
38 (return)
[ Basilio and Don Curzio
being intrusted to one singer, as well as Bartolo and'Antonio, the score
contains the names of the four characters, but only two musical parts;
supernumeraries were brought on the stage in similar costumes when
required.]
39 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I.,
p. 260.]
40 (return)
[ At first he gave
Susanna's charming melody to the bassoon and flute as well, but afterwards
struck out both instruments, in order to allow the voice full play. The
instrumentation throughout the sestet is very moderately treated.]
41 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I.,
p. 260.]
42 (return)
[ The running passages at
the close of the air for the Countess (Act III., 2) were not originally
written by Mozart, but were added later, probably at the wish of the
singer.]
43 (return)
[ Cf. Kossmaly to
Ulibicheff, Mozarts Opern, p. 368.]
44 (return)
[ This exquisite touch is
completely lost in the German translation, where the Countess only begins
to dictate after the ritornello.]
45 (return)
[ A writer in the
Deutsch. Mus. Ztg., 1862, p. 253, conjectures that an orchestral piece in
D minor (101, Anh., K.) included among Mozart's remains, but unfortunately
lost, may have been this middle movement.]
46 (return)
[ The Emperor Joseph's
remark has been already mentioned. Carpani (Le Haydine, p. 49; cf. p. 35)
is of the same opinion. Grétiy's shrewd criticism in answer to a question
by Napoleon: "Cimarosa met la statue sur le théätre et le piédestal dans
l'orchestre; au lieu que Mozart met la statue dans l'orchestre et le
piédestal sur le théätre," has been justly praised by Fétis (Biogr. Univ.,
IV., p. 106).]
47 (return)
[ Carpani, Le Haydine, p.
202. Beyle, Vies de Haydn, Mozart et de Métastase, p. 362. Stendsal, Vie
de Rossini, p. 40.]
48 (return)
[ Südd. Zeitg. f. Mus.,
1861, p. 24.]
49 (return)
[ H. Berlioz (Voy. Mus.,
II., p. 267) characterises Mozart as the master who, above all others,
followed in Gluck's footsteps.]
50 (return)
[ Tieck, Dramaturg.
Blatter, II., p. 325.]
1 (return)
[ Gyrowetz, Selbstbiogr.,
p. 14.]
2 (return)
[ "Figaro" was first
performed in Berlin, September 14, 1790 (Schneider, Gesch. d. Oper, p.
59), and praised by the critics as a masterpiece, while the ordinary
public preferred Martin and Dittersdorf (Chronik von Berlin, VIII., pp.
1229, 1244. Berl. Mus. Monatsschr., 1792, p. 137). "Figaro" had no greater
success in Italy than others of Mozart's operas: "Mozart's operas, at the
hands of the Italian comic singers and the Italian public, have met with
the fate which would befall a retiring sober man introduced to a company
of drunkards; the rioters would be sure to treat the sober man as a fool"
(Berl. Mus. Ztg., 1793, p. 77). Thus, failure was reported from Florence
(A. M. Z., III., p. 182) and Milan (A. M. Z., XVII., p. 294). "Figaro" has
lately been on the repertory of the Italian Opera in Paris; since the
unfortunate experiment in 1792 (p. 77, note), the opera has been given in
French at the Théätre Lyrique (1858), with the most brilliant success
(Scudo, Crit. et Litt. Mus., II., p. 458). "Figaro" was first performed in
London in 1813 (Catalani sang Susanna—Parke, Mus. Mem., II., p. 82),
and kept its place as one of the most favourite of operas.]
3 (return)
[ Jahrb. d. Tonk., Wien u.
Prag, 1796, p. 108. A. M. Z., p. 488. Reichardt, Br. e. aufm. Reisenden,
II., p. 123.]
4 (return)
[ Gyrowetz, in his
Autobiography (Wien, 1848), gives a description of such an education.]
5 (return)
[ A. M. Z., I., p. 330;
II., p. 494.]
6 (return)
[ [Blümner], Gesch. des
Theaters in Leipzig, p. 203.]
7 (return)
[ Particulars concerning
him and his wife may be found in Cramer's Mag. Mus., I., p. 997. Jahrbuch
der Tonkunst, 1796, p. 113. A. M. Z., I., p. 444.]
8 (return)
[ Reichardt (Briefe eines
aufmerks. Reisenden, I., p. 116) includes him among the best
pianoforte-players of the time (1773): "who, besides a very good execution
of Bach's music, has a particularly elegant and brilliant style."]
9 (return)
[ She was born in Prague in
1756, and died there at an advanced age.]
10 (return)
[ Schiller, Briefw. m.
Körner, I., p. 280. She had given a concert in Leipzig on April 22 (Busby,
Gesch. d. Mus., II., p. 668.)]
11 (return)
[ We learn from L.
Mozart's letters to his daughter, that Count Clamm, "a fine, handsome,
amiable man, without cavalier pride," was the "declared lover" of Frau
Duschek, and "kept her whole establishment."]
12 (return)
[ Schiller, Briefw. m.
Körner, I., p. 294.]
13 (return)
[ Schletterer, Reichardt,
I., p. 134.]
14 (return)
[ Reichardt, Vertr.
Briefe, I., p. 132.]
15 (return)
[ Niemetschek, p. 34.]
16 (return)
[ The violins were
trebled, the violas and basses doubled (A. M. Z., II., p. 522).]
17 (return)
[ Niemetschek, p. 39.
Holmes says (p. 278) that he heard the same remark made by the first
bassoonist after a performance of "Figaro."]
18 (return)
[ Niemetschek, p. 40.]
19 (return)
[ Every "Teutsche" has
its "Alternativo," and they are united into a connected whole, as Mozart
especially remarks in a description of them. The close is formed by a
somewhat lengthy coda, and they are for the most part lightly thrown
together, with no pretension but to incite to the dance. He remarks at the
end, "As I do not know of what kind the Flauto piccolo is, I have put it
in the natural key; it can at any time be transposed." A pianoforte
arrangement in Mozart's handwriting is in André's collection.]
20 (return)
[ Niemetschek, p. 96. 1]