1/07/2016

Mozart in his last 4 years

Mozart seems to have left a number of posthumous manuscripts. In this site, there are 4 chamber music scores and their performances uploaded, which have been composed unfinished in the 4
years of his life. These scores are in the book;

Christoph Wolff;Mozart at the Gateway to the Fortune:Serving the Emperor 1788 ~ 1791

This work seems to sum up all the recent researchs on Mozart and indicate the way his music was going to. Professor Isoyama, a famous musicologist in Japan, has translated this book into Japanese recently. I would read it very soon.. 

I notice these unfinished musics are more transparent and free than ever the other his works in his earlier life. This characteristics of the music in his latest years is common with the other composers like Beethoven, Faure or Brahms. I have quoted only names coming up in my mind. But the other composers may show the same tendency. Transparent and free. These characteristics make those musics more fascinating to me.

In the older age, they must have been concerned with only things essential to their art. Free from traditions, vanity or showiness. Just listen to the latest string quartets by Beethoven. They sound like playing in the heaven. This freedom from the "common sense" in this world may give the audience the impression of transparency in their works. 

May my last years in life be like those geniuses even if only slightly! And even if my talent could never be compared with them at all.  

Old age is not bad in this respect.   

2 comments:

  1. Shin,
    My xyl and I attended the Seattle Symphony last weekend to hear Beethoven's 9th Symphony. My xyl commented that I've not taken her to the symphony in a quarter of a century! It was great, maybe we'll attend the symphony more often from now on. Tom, NU7J

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    1. Tom,

      It was good for you both to enjoy such a symphony there. Yes, you should bring your wife to concerts often if it is not far from your home. House wives need such cultural stimuli.

      HNY and see you often.

      Shin

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