Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart—baptized Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart—was born on January 27^th, 1756. His father was the music composer Leopold Mozart, and his sister, Maria Anna, was also a musician. Mozart was a well-known composer and musician during his time. Although his talent was undeniable, he and his family suffered financially, especially during his last years. On the outside, he was the talented composer with “taste…and complete understanding of composition,” according to his friend and fellow composer, Haydn. His personal letters to family and friends highlight the unity between him and his wife, his relationship with close friends, his feelings of insecurity, his work ethic, and his disdain of composing simply to make money.

According to his collection of letters, Mozart had a small group of confidants. Clearly, he relied a lot on his teacher/father’s advice and support. He also worked closely with his wife to support their family. In one of the earlier letters, Mozart wrote to Herr Geheimrath and expressed his zealousness for German nationalism. He wrote that he would not speak so frankly if he wasn’t writing to a good friend. He also corresponded heavily with Michael Puchberg over borrowing some money because he knew Puchberg to be a true friend.  To the few close friends he had, he seemed to be able to speak with much frankness and honesty. As with his family, he could “be himself.” He even expressed some good-humored sarcasm in a letter to his friend, the Baron Gottfried; he was so amazed at receiving a letter from him, he almost threw “his cap over the roof.”

Mozart used his most romantic and flowery words when writing to his wife. He wrote her constantly while he was away and always missed her terribly. During their collected correspondence, both got dangerously ill. As his wife recovered at home, Mozart always begged her to take care of herself in his letters to her. He often said to “watch out for the chilly mornings” and “don’t spend too much time in the bath.” When he remembered the “good days”, he thought back of when he and his wife were together in Baden those early days. From his letters, I get the sense that he can share anything with his wife—their finances, their children, their memories. He even described some of his “jokes” to his wife; for example, he told her (in great detail and with much excitement) about playing an arpeggio during one of the musician’s performances, thus exposing him as a fake. It’s not a joke he would probably have shared with everyone, probably because it might not be funny to some.

Mozart was clearly unease when it came to having enough money at the end of the month to pay his debts; despite all his hard work, he often had to compose and perform simply to pay off his debts. Even if he had just enough money to pay everything off, the schedule-following, punctual man in himself was uneasy. This is what drove him to borrow so much from his good friend Puchberg. Above all, Mozart cherished honour and credit. He turned to his friend (the same friend) instead of the “money-lenders” because he saw his friends as “brothers”, as people he could really trust. He wrote intensively to Puchberg about how pathetic he felt asking for money and how he understood if Puchberg could only give what he could spare. Money clearly brought out the worst in him. He began some letters to the King for a position and composed many quartets and clavier sonatas to sell for money. He was definitely a hard-working fellow (see his introductions in some of his letters where he apologizes for taking so long to answer because of work). He wrote in a letter that he was “much at others’ dispositions” out of necessity. It is clear that he was frustrated at how his life and work was dictated by his finances. However, the last years proved to be more fruitful for him in his home country [in the last letter from his wife to the Emperor, she states that Mozart could have been extremely successful financially if he had accept the job offers abroad].

-Amanda Puitiza

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian musician and composer of the 1700s, whose many operas, concertos, symphonies and sonatas made classical music what it is. As such a profound musician, he was a very proud individual and had great reason to be. In his set of letters written to several individuals in Letters of Mozart, it is clear to see that Mozart was excellent with words and was able to sweet-talk his way into getting what he needed. His diction indicates his excessive pride as he criticizes individuals through his words “…even if there are to be found among them people as good as, or even better than, those I have named (which I very much doubt), I cannot but feel that the directors of our theatre will prove to be too parsimonious, and too little patriotic…when they could get better singers on the spot…” (p. 228). As an individual held in high esteem, Mozart expectedly looks down on other performers and, in his letters, belittles them.

As the letters progress, it is revealed that Mozart had many financial problems, seeing as how he repeatedly asked to be commissioned and to borrow a great sum of money. On the other hand, he was able to skillfully use his words to convince friends to lend him the money he needed to continue composing and working as a musician. He also appeals to Sebastian Winter in order to try to obtain a position composing music for his Highness’s orchestra and request a yearly salary. Glaringly apparent is his ability to praise others when he is asking for favors. He phrases his requests in such a way that portrays excellence with words, as shown when he writes “I think I see in you a man, who, like myself, if it is in any way possible will certainly help his friend, if he be a true friend, his brother, if he be indeed a brother.” (p. 238). At this point, he is not only praising his friends but also using guilt, testing their loyalty and attempting to evoke sympathy. In a sense, Mozart was very clever to be able to successfully use just words when in need of something.

Mozart’s softer side is revealed through his letters to his wife, which are filled with sweet words and longing. In one letter, he writes “To-day is the sixth since I left you, and, by God, it seems a year…love me for ever as I love thee.” (241). His letters to his wife are the only ones that seem truly sincere and reveal a more caring side of him, as he ends each letter to his wife with the words “a million tenderest kisses to thee”. He clearly expresses his excitement in receiving letters from his wife and eagerly tells her about his work and his day, which is very different from the artificial manner in which he writes to others like Michael Puchberg and Franz Hofdemel. Mozart can also be seen as very kind and caring towards his family as he writes to his ill father “I hope, I wish, that while I write this you are getting better. But should you, against all expectation, be no better, I beg you will not…will not conceal it from me, but tell me, or have told me, the whole truth, so that I can come with all human speed to your arms!” (234). Clearly, he feels an obligation to take care of his father and sister, as well as his wife who he loves so dearly.

Overall, Mozart was a brilliant, clever musician and composer during the classical era but unfortunately suffered through many financial difficulties due to the fact that his music was not so greatly valued as it is today.

It is no doubt that Mozart was one of the world’s greatest musical prodigies. As we flip through history books or culturally based texts, we are constantly reminded of how impressively talented Mozart was and how much fame his name continuously acquires. However, what we do not grasp at first glance is who Mozart was as a person – aside from being universally known as “musical genius.” To really understand Mozart as a human being we must analyze his relationships with other people, as well as the way in which his musical skills impacted his life. Fortunately for us, the collection of letters Mozart had written provides us with such insight.

The letters indicate two different sides to Mozart that correlate with the different ways in which music was of value to him. Much of the letters are of Mozart writing to various family members. Throughout each of these we see a side to Mozart that’s warm, kind, and endearing. He expresses enormous love for his wife, immense care for his sister, and deep concern for his father. He uses words like, “I kiss you a million times most tenderly, and am ever thine, true till death,” (240) when writing to his wife while oversees. He writes to his father who is facing a fatal illness, “I hope, I wish, that while I write this you are getting better… so that I can come with all human speed to your arms” (234). He then writes to his “dearest, best sister,” “As I have said and thought a thousand times, I would leave everything to you with true delight in doing so” (234). It is clear to any reader that Mozart truly values family, and in no way hides his strong sense of duty to those he loves.

However we must also examine the role music – as a profession – played in Mozart’s life, and how it affected his relationships with his family. For Mozart, music was not just a talent or an outlet of expression; music was his profession and thus what he relied on to support him and his family financially. To put it simply, music was his source of income. Therefore, while family was indeed a major concern to him, Mozart often times expresses the most emotion in reference to his work or money problems. For example, Mozart expresses to his “best of friends,” Michael Puchberg, “my circumstances are such that I must absolutely get money.” The tone of the letter begins to turn desperate when he pleads, “I am sorry enough to be in this situation, but that is the very reason why I want a fairly substantial sum for a fairly long period.” (238) Our perception of Mozart changes from that of calm, warm, happy, and easy to that of nervous and tense.

In spite of this, however, it does point out that Mozart has a way with his words. When he writing to his family he connects to them by revealing the innermost contents of his heart and allowing them to peak into his soul. When writing with financial regards his diction projects a sense of trust upon the recipients. When he asking to borrow money, due to his financial issues, he promises to his friend that he is “quite willing to pay interest,” and states, “and whoever lends to me is, I think, secure enough by reason of my character and salary.” Additionally, he writes, “I beg you to lend mea few hundred gulden…” (239) Furthermore, this idea is exemplified through the letter Mozart sends to the Prince, begging to “do business” with him. He formulates this elaborate proposition and glorifies himself, although ends his letter by claiming that this offer, “arises from genuine zeal to serve his Highness diligently.” (228) Again, he is portraying this sense of trust upon those he seeks to become financially involved with.

While this implies the different relationships Mozart had, as well as the different ways he viewed these relationships, we need to inquire more to fully understand how this all intertwines with the music aspect. We already know of Mozart’s incredible talent and passion for music, but can we see that in relation to his personal self through these letters? The answer is yes. Through subtle points in his diction, we can gain an understanding of how Mozart values his profession, in relation to the way he values his family. Firstly, let’s not forget that although he writes a beautifully heart felt letter to his wife, he is doing so because he chose to leave her for some time in order to attend to “business” (his musical profession) overseas. He put his financial duties over that of his family. Morever this idea is indicated through the usage of his diction in his letter to Michael Puchberg, where he admits, “i am too much at other people’s disposal and too little at my own.” (236) If we analyze this carefully we can begin to realize that Mozart is constantly apologizing in his letter for either taking a long time to respond, or for simply writing such a short message. For example, in one of the letters he writes to his wife, he signs it with the words, “you must not regulate the length of your letters by that of mine. Mine are short only because I am pressed with business, otherwise I would write whole sheets…” (242)

Thus we can conclude that while Mozart conveyed through the letters to his family and close friends that the thing he valued the most, was the well-being of those he loved, he also prioritized his profession in a way that came before and above all else. He writes with deep passion in reference to his family, however he does so because circumstances separated him from his family – circumstances due to his own decisions.

-Nicole Schneider