Full Description
In terms of musical composition, all but the first five of his thirty-five years were astoundingly productive for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91). A stream of glorious symphonies, piano concertos, chamber music, operas and the sublime but unfinished Requiem poured from his pen. German philologist and archaeologist Otto Jahn (1813-69) was inspired to write a scholarly biography of Mozart following a conversation at Mendelssohn's funeral in 1847. He immersed himself in intensive research on the composer and his music, publishing the first edition of this landmark work in four volumes between 1856 and 1859. A second edition followed in 1867, incorporating new material and making use of Koechel's 1862 catalogue of Mozart's works. It is from this edition that Pauline D. Townsend made her three-volume English translation, first published in 1882. Volume 1 covers Mozart's life to 1778, Volume 2 considers Mozart the man, and Volume 3 discusses his final years and works.
Contents
Volume 1the second edition; Translator's note; 1. Childhood; 2. Early journeys; 3. Study in Salzburg; 4. The first opera in Vienna; 5. The Italian tour; 6. Works in Germany; 7. Opera seria; 8. Mozart's early operas; 9. Oratorio; 10. Opera buffa; 11. Mozart's Re pastore; 12. Songs; 13. Church music; 14. Instrumental music; 15. Early manhood; 16. Munich and Augsburg; 17. Mannheim. Volume 2: 18. French opera; 19. Paris, 1778; 20. The return home; 21. Court service in Salzburg; 22. Idomeneo; 23. Release; 24. First attempts in Vienna; 25. Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail; 26. Courtship; 27. Married life; 28. Mozart's family and friends; 29. Social intercourse; 30. Van Swieten and classical music; 31. Mozart and Freemasonry; 32. Mozart as an artist; 33. Mozart's pianoforte music. Volume 3: 34. Mozart's instrumental music; 35. Mozart as an opera composer; 36. Le nozze di Figaro; 37. Mozart in Prague; 38. Don Giovanni; 39. Official and occasional works; 40. A professional tour; 41. Cosi fan tutte; 42. Labour and poverty; 43. Die Zauberfloete; 44. Illness and death; 45. The Requiem; 46. At the grave; Appendices 1-4; Index; Fac-similes.
