One of his most violent friendships had for its object a young Italian
singer of nineteen, Luigia Polzelli. Apparently she was not happy with
her husband, and a bond of mutual sympathy drew the composer to her.
After the death of her husband, she persuaded Haydn to sign a promise to
marry her if his wife should die, but the composer afterward repudiated
the agreement, very likely not wishing to repeat his first matrimonial
blunder.
Another romance is found in the love-letters sent to the composer by a
charming London widow named Schroeter. Without overstepping the bounds
of propriety, he was able to draw some profit from this episode, for he
gave lessons to his fair admirer, and allowed her to do manuscript
copying for him. Apparently the friendship was more of her seeking than
of his own, as her letters to him bear witness. These are copied neatly
in one of his note-books, along with various amusing "Anectods," a
description of a London fog, "thick enough to be spread on bread," and
an excellent receipt for making the Prince of Wales's punch.
Mozart was another musical genius who was forced to accept as second
choice the sister of his first love, though in his case the results
were not so disastrous as with Haydn. It was in Mannheim, on the way to
Paris, that Mozart made the acquaintance of the copyist Weber, and
succumbed to the charms of his daughter, Aloysia. But Leopold Mozart,
wisely playing the role of stern father, soon sped the susceptible youth
on his way to the French capital. It is a French proverb that tells
us,--
"Nous revenons toujours
A nos premiers amours,"--
and a year later he returned. But Aloysia, now famous by her singing,
soon made it plain that his affection was no longer returned. Mozart
seems to have borne the blow well, and soon after her marriage to the
actor Lange, who proved a jealous husband, he wrote home his decision to
wed her younger sister, Constance. After much opposition from members of
both families, he carried out his intention.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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