Patrick Bade
Mozart and the Enlightenment, Part 1
Summary
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) lived for 35 years, 10 months, and one week. And in that short life he created a body of music that is, perhaps, only surpassed in quantity, if not quality, by the work of Bach and Handel. Those two composers, of course, lived almost twice as long; Bach dying at the age of 65, Handel dying at the age of 69. Patrick Bade explains that what makes Mozart so fascinating is that he lived in times of profound change, and that that is reflected in his music. Part 1 of 2.
Patrick Bade
Patrick Bade is a historian, writer, and broadcaster. He studied at UCL and the Courtauld Institute of Art. He was a senior lecturer at Christie’s Education for many years and has worked for the Art Fund, Royal Opera House, National Gallery, and V&A. He has published on 19th- and early 20th-century paintings and historical vocal recordings. His latest book is Music Wars: 1937–1945.
Yes, he would certainly have used them in Italy in the earlier part of his career. I think they were really out of fashion by the time he was writing his great operas in the 1780s.
Yes and no. I will talk about that next time. I think like everybody, I think he was quite shocked by the French Revolution. Didn’t have any time for Voltaire, by the way. When Voltaire died he gloated over the fact and said he’s died like a dog. But on the other hand, I will talk about this next time, Napoleon said the French Revolution would never have happened without the play “The Marriage of Figaro.” So, and that was a very, very bold choice for Mozart and da Ponte. And it always astonishes me that they were actually allowed to set that play as an opera.
Well, who knows? But probably da Ponte, I suppose. Certainly the librettist who inspired his greatest masterpieces. Da Ponte being a converted Jew, as we will hear next time.