Mozart: A Cultural Biography

Rating:
Summary: A flesh-and-blood Mozart
Review: Though I'm not much of a Mozart buff, and his music generally does little for me, it's impossible to deny his genius or to escape its fascination. So, after again having watched the entertaining nonsense of the movie Amadeus a while ago, I felt compelled to find out a bit more about the REAL story (I knew the gist of it only from Peter Gay's tiny book). What luck then, to find this beautifully produced, comprehensive tome lying around in the remainders corner of a book store. It was worth every cent of the modest price I paid for it. This is biography as it should be. It covers all details of Mozart's personal life, his family, and the troubled relation with his father; it covers many details of his works besides. It also shows his constant wavering on the brink between the dictates of protocol on the one hand and his sense of superiority through creative genius on the other. This delicate balance defined his dealings with Colloredo in Salzburg, with Joseph II in Vienna, and with the hosts of princes, dukes and bishops who governed the mind-boggling patchwork of states that constituted the Holy Roman Empire at that time. In dealing with these issues, Gutman never loses himself in speculation and is eminently sober. Where information is spread thin because of a lack of correspondence or interrupted work on a diary, he just tells us so and moves on. If you are looking for scurrilous anecdotes of the Amadeus kind, you will look in vain here. Mozart, no matter how convinced of his own qualities, would never have dreamt to bow low with his back turned to the ruler of Salzburg, showing him his behind. You will only find his insolence tucked away in a few defiant sentences in a letter, thickly covered by all the servile formulae that were expected of a courtier who ranked no higher than a footman. Neither will you find sycophantic ravings about Mozart's precocious talent. Though the works he produced at a young age were certainly exceptional, their flaws stand out clearly, and many of them also betray the hand of Leopold, as Gutman patiently points out. In fact, I noticed, the flow of great masterpieces only starts once your two-thirds through the book; before that lie the years of the child prodigy dragged all over Europe by his ambitious father, and those of the young composer struggling to find his voice and an audience. By the way, the description of Mozart's work strongly focuses on the opera's, and the sometimes over-extensive (psycho)analysis of the libretti struck me as the only weak aspect of this book. On the whole, however, this book is far more about the man and his world than about the music.
You will also look in vain for uncanny overtones in the visit of the masked messenger who ordered the Requiem, and neither is there the tragic end of the neglected genius dumped in a pauper's grave. Mozart had a standard third class funeral, Gutman tells us, as did most Viennese citizens, and the proceedings surrounding it were quite in keeping with those customary at the time. Nor was the composer a death-ridden derelict in his final year; on the contrary, he was in high spirits, and on the brink of the artistic recognition and ensuing financial success that allowed his widow to spend the many years she survived him in the greatest comfort.
So is this a boring book then? By no means! Gutman replaces the sensational but stale caricature with a flesh-and-blood human being, and a very likeable one at that, who almost jumps off the pages. His treatment of Mozart's psychology is highly refined and subtle. He was no divine spirit incarnate, he was a man like you and me, this book tells you.
But it tells you lots more. It delves deeply into the complicated politics of 18th century Europe, with all its competing rulers, many of them afflicted with strange personalities. Culture and customs are described in similar detail. The ample footnotes contain thumbnail-biographies, delightful anecdotes and musical details alike and almost form a book in themselves. The 800 pages are densely packed with information, not making for a relaxed bed-time read; this book demands your time and concentration, and deserves both! You will reap rich rewards from your investment.

Rating:
Summary: So Much Mozart
Review: Until now, my only exposure to Mozart was the acclaimed film, Amadeus. While I do love that movie, this book offers a much more textured, nuanced view of Mozart's life. I think it's a must read for anyone who has watched that movie, offering a more well-rounded and worthwhile view of the music mastermind. Mozart's music is brilliant, and so is this book.