Somehow I doubt that the man needs much introduction, but anyway. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is perhaps the most famous composer in the history of music. He wrote countless masterpieces from a very young age, and time has proven him to be one of the most outstanding talents in human history. Mozart lived the short, rather painful life so common in the eighteenth century, dying in only his thirty-fifth year, yet the contributions he made to the human portrait will last a hundred times longer.
For all of his undeniable talent, Mozart was caught up in his own beautiful world too often to live a happy and peaceful life in this cold reality. A predominant theme in Mozart’s letters is his perpetual debt. His letters to Michael Puchberg are no more than Mozart begging his friend for money. Clearly, the struggling artist trope is in full evidence here. Despite working for some of the most powerful members of the nobility, Mozart’s fanciful nature prevented him from ever achieving the sort of financial and personal stability of a Bach, for instance. His letters to Puchberg border on (and indeed likely cross the line) into groveling, as he continually apologizes for failing to repay previous debts while simultaneously asking for more money and insuring Puchberg that his character and morals should leave him with no doubt that the money will be repaid.
However, it is quite evident that Mozart is not simply preying on the kindness of others to make up for his own shortcomings. There is no hint of malice, no indication that Mozart is using Puchberg. Indeed, the writing style employed by Mozart in all his letters is of an excessively conciliatory nature which cannot be seen as a put on, but as a genuine reflection of Mozart’s personality. His letters all open with “Dearest Friend” or something to that effect, and end with “Faithfully yours” or something similar. In between, Mozart writes in the same graceful and flowing style that one might expect after listening to his compositions. Even when he is upset with someone, as he is shown to be in his letter to his sister after she neglected to inform him of their father’s death, Mozart still chooses his words in a very dainty manner.
Speaking of dainty, Mozart’s letters to his wife must be some of the most hopelessly romantic pieces of writing ever put to paper. Often calling her his “little” or “littlest wife”, Mozart must have truly loved her or been truly a bit insane, as his letters show someone so infatuated with a woman as to lead me to believe he viewed her as an ideal more than anything. The artist must often latch onto to something for inspiration, and it seems Mozart certainly found that in his wife. His letters to her are gooey and sappy, yet blatantly honest. One at no time doubts Mozart when he talks about “all the things I do with your dear portrait” or sends his wife “a thousand kisses” with complete sincerity. It is also interesting that Mozart often sends along his well wishes to his children is a postscript; it is not clear if this is because he is forgetful, was too focused on the topic at hand (how much he really really loves his wife), or if perhaps he wanted his children to see they had their own part of the letter from him. In any event, it is interesting to see that, as with Wagner, Mozart’s personality as evidenced through his writing was reflected so closely in his music.
A man so famous, that his first, middle, and last names are irrevocably associated with him, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has rightfully gone down in history as one of the greatest artists in human history. His own writing show a man very much like his music: impassioned, sweet and beautiful, yet removed from reality. For all his financial woes, Mozart was still able to compose hundreds of pieces whose fame and beauty survives through the present day.
