The year 1789 has been a terrible time for Wolfgang Amadé Mozart: there were only few customers who ordered compositions, he was lonely and deeply depressed. He wrote in a letter to his wife: ‘My heart is cold as ice’ (Mein Herz ist kalt für mich, eiskalt). The year 1790 was even worse than the former. And then there came 1791 and he started with Klavierkonzert in B Dur 595, proceeded with Quintet for Strings in E Flat Major 614 (Streichquintett in e Moll), Motet ‘Ave verum corpus’ 618, Zauberfloete 620, La clemenza di Tito 621, Concerto for Clarinet (Klarinettenkonzert) 622, and finally Requiem 626. An absolutely incredible firework of creativity in only eleven months: because on December 5 of 1791 he died!
It is only my personal supposition that this mental effort, exceeding all limits of normal human capabilities, has been the true reason for his unexpected and much, much too early death in the age of 35 years. His body could not bear the effort of his brain. He died almost alone, left by his wife and by most of his friends, until the last minute composing his Requiem that he left unfinished. Why did nobody among his Vienna contemporaries recognize what tragedy for manhood had happened? And why could nobody help? Why medicine in 1791 was not yet able to cure? Why his body has been thrown into an anonymous mass grave without the lightest touch of any celebration and with no people participating this moment at all?
These questions will remain among the most not understandable and not excusable facts forever!
In Mozart’s last year 1791 he created 29 compositions, comprising some of the most famous and greatest works of music. A normal composer would need a whole live to create an equivalent to the results of one year’s activity. Among all of the famous latest works of Wolfgang Amadé Mozart I like and admire most the Klavierkonzert in B Dur 595. This concerto exceeds all limits of beauty, esprit and inspiration in an incredible way and gives a feeling of happiness to the auditory, warming the heart while there are also some moments of deepest sadness.
The first movement (Satz) is the most beautiful. It starts with an extremely simple melody, almost consisting only of a triad sequence (Dreiklangszerlegung) played by the strings, immediately answered and interrupted by a short dropping signal played by the wind and continues with increasing complexity into a culmination of piano virtuosity that only Mozart himself could invent and play on the piano. The contrast between the simplicity of the melodically motives and the complexity of their arrangement forming a large and absolutely perfect masterpiece characterizes the unique style of Mozart’s opera.
The second movement expresses contemplation and sadness. Although not being as exciting as the first movement it requires more concentration and sentiment from the pianist. It must not be used for the insertion of own inventions or decorations! The theme is as simple as the well known ‘Sonata Facile’ KV. 545 which had been terribly misinterpreted by Glenn Gould! The problem of great pianists who are unable to understand and play Mozart authentically will be discussed later on.
But then comes the wonderful ‘Komm, lieber Mai und mache die Bäume wieder grün…’ (come, lovely may and make the trees green again) song theme introducing the third movement of the concerto. This movement is almost more happy and beautiful than the first, some sort of ‘Swing’ music at the end of the 18th century. The piano roulades (Läufe) are pearling like champagne while the orchestra plays the ‘Komm, lieber Mai…’ as counterpart in the basses. The song KV. 596 was composed by Mozart and had become a children tune in our country. And it was composed in the winter time in Vienna, a place where winter days can be the worst days of the year with terrible cold combined with fog and temperature inversion. There are months not showing the sun in the city. This is the time, when he wrote his famous song with piano, titled ‘Sehnsucht nach dem Frühling’ (Desire for spring time) that begins with the words ‘Komm, lieber Mai…’.
It is interesting that the two initial themes of the first and third movement are based on almost the same tones but very different rhythms and tempos. This is a wonderful example of Sergiu Celibidache’s hypothesis, in good music the end returns always to the beginning.
I would suggest a new classification of pianists: Only the best pianists in the world are able to play Mozart, as it is the most difficult music to play, although it listens like the most easy! In this ranking I think women belong to the best, such as Clara Haskil, Maria João Pires, or Mitsuko Uchida. Among the pianists: Friedrich Gulda, Murray Perahia, Christian Zacharias and some more. To the worst pianists I would count Vladimir Horowitz and Glenn Gould. These later have proved to be absolutely unable to understand Mozart, Sviatoslav Richter has wisely admitted himself that he cannot play and remember Mozart well.
Listen to this concerto and you may know what I am trying to describe with very imperfect phrases! Maybe after listening, you will think this is the end of music at all, nothing else needs to be expressed by music that is not included herein already.
Note: Wolfgang Amadé Mozart has been born on January 27, 1756, 250 years ago at Salzburg. I am pride in creating and posting a new slogan:
dedicated to all citizens of Salzburg, as I am.
© 2006 Wolfgang Baudisch, All rights reserved
Date of publishing: January 19, 2006.
Last revision: 1/19/2006.