Cramer's "Anecdotes sur Mozart" (Paris, 1801), is a mere translation of
the anecdotes; some of them, together with a general account, are also
given by J. B. A. Suard,
"Anecdotes sur Mozart," in his "Mélanges de Littérature", (Paris, 1804),
Vol. II., p. 337, as well as by Guattani, in the "Memorie Enciclopediche
Romane" (Rome, 1806) Vol. I., pp. 107, 134. A work of more pretension is
"Mozarts Geist. Seine kurze Biographie und äthetische Darstellung seiner
Werke. Ein Bildungsbuch für junge Tonkünstler" (Erfurt, 1803). Zelter
asked Goethe to tell him who was the author of this "short biography
half dedicated to Goethe," which was "neither short nor aesthetic, nor a
good likeness of the man," and was not a little surprised to learn that
Goethe knew nothing either of the work or its author ("Correspondence,"
Vol. I., pp. 56, 67,65). It was, however, by J. E. F. Arnold, of
Erfurt, whose subsequent publication, "Mozart und Haydn. Versuch einer
Parallele" (Erfurt, 1810), was scarcely calculated to draw a more
favourable expression of opinion from Zelter.
Of no greater intrinsic value are Hormayr's statements:
{LIFE OF MOZART.}
(vi)
in the "Austrian Plutarch" (VII., 2, 15; Vienna, 1807), or Lichtenthal's
"Cenni biografici intorno al celebre Maestro Wolfgango Amadeo Mozart"
(Milan, 1816). I have not been able to procure the "Elogio' storico
di Mozart del Conte Schizzi" (Cremona, 1817). The articles in Gerber's
"Tonkünstlerlexicon" are carefully compiled, but not complete; and
"Mozarts Biographie," by J. A. Schlosser (Prague, 1828; third edition,
1844), is a compilation altogether wanting in judgment.
An unsuspected wealth of fresh resources was brought to light by the
"Biographie W. A. Mozarts," by G. N. v. Nissen. Leipzig, 1828 (with an
appendix). In order to estimate this book justly, and to make a right
use of it, it is necessary to ascertain how and whence it proceeded, a
task of considerably more difficulty than merely mocking and railing at
it.
Nissen, who came to Vienna, after Mozart's death, as a Danish
diplomatist, became acquainted with his widow, and interested himself in
her unprotected condition. He had a great turn for business matters, and
was fond of arranging papers, writing letters, and even copying, without
understanding what it was that he was occupied about. He therefore
willingly undertook to put Mozart's effects in order, to assist
the widow in all her business arrangements, and to carry on her
correspondence. A long series of letters which he wrote in her name
show him to have been a well-meaning, sensible man, somewhat
over-circumstantial in his style of writing. After his marriage with
Mozart's widow he felt it his duty to labour with the same conscientious
care for his memory as he had formerly done for his property, and
he employed the leisure of his remaining years, which were spent at
Salzburg, in carrying out this design.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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