L. Mozart notes the standing war between French and Italian music, and
the position which Grimm took up on the side of the Italians served to
confirm him in his preconceived opinions. According to him none of
the French music was worth a groat; in church music all the solos and
everything approaching to an air, were "empty, cold, and wretched,
in fact French." But he did justice to the choruses, and lost no
opportunity of letting his son hear them.[20026] In instrumental music
the German composers, among them Schobert, Eckart, and Hannauer, were
beginning to make their influence felt, so much so that Le Grand[20027]
abandoned the French style and composed sonatas after German models.
The revolution to be wrought by Gluck, was as yet, indeed, not to be
foreseen; but L. Mozart hoped that in ten or fifteen years the French
style would be extinguished.
On April 10, 1764, the Mozart family left Paris. At Calais, Marianne
notes in her diary, "how the sea runs away and comes back again." Thence
they crossed to Dover in a small vessel, the packet being over full, and
were very sea-sick; an experienced courier, whom they had brought with
them from Paris, arranged the journey direct
{LONDON, 1764-65.}
(39)
to London.[20028] They were heard at court on April 27, and their reception
surpassed all expectation. "The favour shown to us by both royal
personages is incredible," writes L. Mozart; "we should never imagine
from their familiar manner that they were the King and Queen of England.
We have met with extraordinary politeness at every court, but this
surpasses them all. A week ago we were walking in St. James's Park; the
King and Queen drove past, and although we were differently dressed,
they recognised us, and the King leant out of the window smiling and
nodding, especially towards Wolfgang."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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