Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life [Paperback]

Robert Spaethling (Author), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 19, 2005

"A wonderful collection that gives Mozart a voice as a son, husband, brother and friend." —New York Times Book Review

"Mozart's honesty, his awareness of his own genius and his contempt for authority all shine out from these letters."—Sunday Times  (London). " In Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life, Robert Spaethling presents "Mozart in all the rawness of his driving energies" (Spectator), preserved in the "zany, often angry effervescence" of his writing (Observer). Where other translators have ignored Mozart's atrocious spelling and tempered his foul language, "Robert Spaethling's new translations are lively and racy, and do justice to Mozart's restlessly inventive mind" (Daily Mail). Carefully selected and meticulously annotated, this collection of letters "should be on the shelves of every music lover" (BBC Music Magazine). 16 pages of illustrations

Editorial Reviews

Review

Mozart's honesty, his awareness of his own genius and his contempt for authority all shine out from these letters. -- Sunday Times [London]

About the Author

Robert Spaethling was raised in the Bavarian town of Weissenstadt. He attended the Universities of Regensburg and Würzburg and has a Ph.D. in German from the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Larkspur, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (December 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393328309
• ISBN-13: 978-0393328301
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( M ) > Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mozart from the Heart, February 1, 2007

By 

A Minstrel in the Gallery "Chris" (Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life (Paperback)

Almost since the moment of his death in December 1791, people have been writing about W.A. Mozart, some of it accurate, but a great deal misguided, and false. Although I have enjoyed reading various Mozart biographies (Maynard Solomon's is my favorite), I found it quite refreshing to finally to sit down and read a collection of Mozart's own words. While the composer was somewhat a prankster in his younger days ( the "Eternal Child" stereotype unfortunately perpetuated by the film "Amadeus"), his letters undeniably demonstrate that Mozart was also a very thoughtful and passionate human being who enjoyed the highs and endured the lows of life, just like the rest of us. In this book, readers will get to know a man who wanted to be loved and lead a full life, only to die at the young age of 35!
Mozart's correspondence proves that for most of his life he sought a coveted position as a kappellmeister or court composer somewhere in Europe, which would mean a steady demand for compositions, as well as a handsome annual salary. In February 1778, he wrote to his father:
"I am a composer, and I was born a Kapellmeister. I must not and cannot bury my Gift for Composing, that a benevolent God has bestowed upon me in such rich a measure."
Despite his relentless determination, irrepresible spirit, and legendary talent as a performer and composer, Mozart never received the court post he so desperately desired, and this lack of a steady income pushed him deeper into debt during his last few years. Considering his financial problems and the other demands in his life, the quantity and quality of the work he produced during his final year is mind-boggling. Mozart's life was also marred by other tragic events; the gutwrenching letters describing his mother's death in Paris in 1778 are particulary moving, as are his emotional attempts to mend the strained relationship with his father after Mozart left Salzburg and moved to Vienna in the early 1780s. Perhaps most interesting of course, are Mozart's discussions of his art. My favorite quote of all comes from a letter of December 27, 1777, in which Mozart told his father as he sat at the organ, "The playing just flowed from my heart." To me, that one line captures why this remarkable human being and his timeless music still captivate us today. This book does not offer a completely rounded view of Mozart's life and times, but it is still a scholarly collection of Mozart's correspondence that will inspire and inform.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Piano, piano, si va lontano", May 5, 2006

By 

Nadine Granoff "nadine" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life (Paperback)

These letters are pleasing to read, a dignified but casual translation. Spaethling's commentary is never intrusive, always enlightening. It's fascinating to trace Mozart's maturity, his move away from his father, his flirtatiousness, sometimes erotic writing, with his wife. The preening and posturing show the genuis's very human side.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime, December 25, 2007

By 

Amanue A. Zarzosa "Caeli anarrant gloriam Dei" (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life (Paperback)

It will fascinate those who know nothing about Herr Mozart & intrigue those who know something already.
Robert Spaethling's translation of Mozart's letters, gets you to Meet Mozart with out adding nor taking away anything ! simply Amazing, A Must !!!!