The Mozarty Party

Global Gatherings

2012-01-27T10:21:00.001+10:30

With Mr W.A. Mozart, Madame T. Adelaidezone and an assortment of guests

The best birthday party of the year is now underway all around the globe, in the material, digital and ethereal worlds, and perhaps even elsewhere in the universe. Those of us on the westerly side of the earthly international date line are leading the way, as we do for many of the most important celebrations and commemorations.

We are gathering on facebook and on twitter and here in the music room. If someone (possibly Mr Salieri or P.D.Q Bach?) has inadvertently spam-blocked your entry to our celebrations, please send us an email message to twaklin (AT) gmail.com so that we may remedy the situation. Sometimes, a mouse behaves in an erratic way around here, though we do have a few people and putti in attendance who can usually deal with such a situation.

How will you be spending the day?

Make Yourself at Home

2012-01-27T08:36:00.001+10:30

With Mr W.A. Mozart

Well, I hope you will enjoy exploring here with me today, on my birthday. You have arrived in the world's most magnificent music room, here in Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone's little Adelaidean villa, which, as the name suggests, is in Adelaide, the most beautiful city in Australia, and perhaps the world. It is the most wonderful place to be at the moment, especially if you love fresh peaches and uncrowded beaches.

Here are a few peaches someone picked earlier. They are just for show here, but you can go out into the ethereal organic garden if you would like to pick and slurp a few yourself. Stickiness is not advisable in a music room, as all self-respecting musicians know, unless they hope to have at least one hit single and annoy anyone who detests overly catchy tunes. Did you know that such tunes are responsible for the global pandemic of earworm infections?

The remedy for such infections involves eating a few freshly picked peaches, regular walks on uncrowded Adelaidean beaches at dawn and dusk, and a daily dose in the ears of one or two Mozartian sonatas.

Mozart in Social Media

2012-01-27T07:38:00.003+10:30

By W.A. Mozart

It's my birthday today. It's happening on the same day as it did last year, and the year before that and the year before that, right back to 1756. The day of my birth was really difficult for my mother, so I am told, though I can't remember all that much about the day itself. Perhaps you know more about it than I do.

I've already been given some really great presents this year. The greatest gift is that most of my music is still being played all over the world, which is more than can be said about composers of one hit wonders and massive collections of mediocre compositions.

Another great present is one I received this morning. It is a list of passwords for a few social media accounts. I find much of social media to be about mediocrity, like music itself. However, I'm willing to give it a try if it means that some of my own music is introduced to you for the first time. It could change your life for the better, as it has done for millions of other people, and their pets.

I hear that my birthday is being celebrated in Mr Twitter's Coffee House today and I have been invited to be the host at the beautiful @MozartyParty table. Will you join me there for some #MozartChat?

Preparations for the Future

2012-01-09T15:54:00.001+10:30

Guest commentary

Have you seen a magic flute anywhere? I think I left one lying around in here over Christmas. Or perhaps the one I am looking for is currently flying about in Sydney. Did you know that I have been involved at the Sydney Opera House with a slightly cramped production of a well-known opera?

Have we been introduced before? My name is Emanuel Schikaneder, though you probably know that already as I am a very well known celebrity. I'm especially popular with the ladies, as my portrait may indicate.

Now, where is that flute? I really need it in time for Mr Mozart's birthday on 27 January. He's having a party here again this year. It will be 256 years since 1756. How do you usually celebrate Mr Mozart's birthday? Have you received your invitation to the party here yet?

Can you sing, act, play an instrument, say something enlightened, or just stand around looking as gorgeous as I am? Are you quite brilliant at preparing for the future needs of humanity, whether by baking birthday cakes, making beautiful costumes or doing something else quite useful like saving the world from the powers of darkness? Perhaps you are just happy to indulge your impulses and appetites on a daily basis in a somewhat indifferent manner.

Ah, here's my magic flute!

Clearing Up the Global Economy after the Mozarty New Year Enlightenment Party

2012-01-02T18:12:00.009+10:30

With Madame Adelaidezone

Unenlightened persons frequently have an unhealthy obsession with pseudo-celebrity gossip. If there is a murky or cozy deal happening somewhere, a politically and economically ignorant personage will want to know all about it only if the scandal involves someone who regularly appears on television. Ignorant persons often include bankers.

The real deals usually happen behind closed doors, on the higher floors of office blocks, or within the confines of exclusive clubs. I am a member of an exclusive club myself, namely the Australian Political Reform Club. Recently, I overheard a conversation there between President Baroque Obama, a representative of a failing economy, and Emeritus Professor Talleyrand, a colleague of mine at the International Training Centre for the Harmonious Interplay of Beauty, Understanding and Magnificence.

But should I tell you anything at all about that conversation? If you know even just a little bit about fairness, democracy and the prices and availability of tickets for very popular concerts, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will possibly be able to enlighten you for only EUR 30 if you act quickly.

Perhaps I shall place my name in the next ballot for a New Year Concert ticket at the Musikverein, rather than for the presidency of France or the United States of America. The way the global economy is going at present, I may even be able to purchase the currently quite expensive EUR 940 New Year Concert ticket very cheaply. It may be worth less than EUR 30 in twelve months time against the Australian dollar.

From the conversation I overheard, Emeritus Professor Talleyrand believes that future conferences and conversations, whether in Vienna, Washington, Adelaide, Los Cabos or anywhere else in the world, should be built upon substantial BRICS. Perhaps the global economy in the years ahead will reveal more of the journey from Mao to Mozart.

Happy New Mozarty Year 2012

2012-01-01T00:19:00.002+10:30

Well, there are fireworks over the River Torrens to welcome in 2012 in a somewhat noisy manner. Mr Handel is down there to greet anyone who may be interested.

Our more peaceful Mozarty Party party is continuing here in the music room, though many of us have had a rather warm and tiring end to 2011 here in Adelaide.

What will the new year bring? Perhaps you would like to help us to achieve something like this.

Introductory Mozarty Party Procedures and Proceedings

2011-12-31T23:40:00.002+10:30

There are many persons currently gathering here for the festivities of the evening. We shall therefore now provide some indication of the procedures to be followed, especially for guests of more mature years, many of whom have a tendency to become somewhat inebriated at this time of year.

We have engaged a few younger persons to perform some suitably cheerful musical accompaniment for later in the proceedings. Do stay tuned as those of us in Adelaide celebrate the beginning of 2012 quite splendidly. We hope you will be doing likewise if you are unable to be here in person.

The Great Art of our Mozarty Party

2011-12-30T12:35:00.012+10:30

Something urgent from the Press and Impress Media Communications Staff

Whether you are a member of the press, a former empress, an artist with the ability to impress, or just an ordinary sort of personage with a new diary to start writing this weekend, we do hope you have received an urgent notification from one of our officials. The person in question is known to announce our events with a somewhat inappropriate fanfare, possibly because he is usually unable to distinguish between the ethereal and the imperial.

The aforementioned official is sometimes known as the Sir Humphrey Appleby of musical composition. We do hope you can tell the difference between a veneer, a Vermeer and a sneer, and between the ability to impress and the propensity to oppress. You are probably able to distinguish between a Salieri, a salary and a stick of celery, but do you know how to identify celerity, celebrity, hospitality and hilarity?

Mr Pushkin, as you may be aware, has been responsible for spreading a few rumours about Mr Salieri. These have caused all sorts of problems. Mr Pushkin has requested a magic pumpkin to enable him to attend our New Year Enlightenment Party. We may have sent you a bowl of magic fruit or a magic flute.

Sir Peter Shaffer and Mr Milos Forman have found Mr Pushkin's ideas to be quite useful in the development of their own careers, though this may be to the detriment of the Mozarty Party's global credibility to some extent, as well as that of serious wig makers, historians and continuity editors. We at the Mozarty Party always seek - and espouse - truth, beauty, understanding and magnificence in all our policy proposals and works of art.

Truth may be found in many places, as Gerard van Swieten and his son, Gottfried, frequently remind us. Both gentleman visit us from time to time whilst on their way to enjoy the enlightened library, which is just down the corridor from here if you would like to browse its shelves yourself. The library is quite like a very nice one in Vienna.

Mr Vermeer may or may not have deftly painted in his own studio in Delft. We are only aware that some lovely delftware is on display in the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. Do you know of any interesting and factual artistic interconnections, celebrations or party invitations?

Unfortunately, works of art have been used as political weapons on many occasions. We, of course, would never use any art form as weaponry, even here in the material and ethereal metropolis of Adelaide. Our main goal is to create world peace, even if we sometimes use a Yes, Minister strategy in order to be successful.

How will you respond to our party invitation? How do you usually respond to art? How do you usually respond to official announcements? We do hope, at least, that you will have more luck than Mr Pushkin in being able to distinguish between a duel and an artistic jewel.

Perhaps you would like to contact us in a twitterish or facebookerish manner, courteously, artistically and urgently.

A Mozarty New Year Enlightenment Party

2011-12-29T10:51:00.004+10:30

An announcement by an official spokesperson

It has been drawn to my attention that the year 2011 is about to draw to a close. In view of this fact, please be advised that on the last day of the said year, I shall be called upon to attend an official engagement of the utmost importance, namely a Mozarty New Year Enlightenment Party.

The event in question shall be held here, in the Mozarty Party's global headquarters, with additional venues provided of the twitterly and facebookian varieties, subject to the consent of the relevant authorities. Should you wish to gain admission to the party, please be informed that all applicants will be required to present their credentials to me forthwith.

I am, you will no doubt appreciate, a most devoted and humble servant of the Mozarty Party cause.

A. Salieri
Ethereal Director of Authoritative Musical Performances

PS. Please find enclosed a picture representing a few of the eminent persons likely to be in attendance at the aforementioned event. It is therefore advisable to dress in accordance with the standards likely to be set by the most elegant of guests. However, bedsheets may be worn in a suitably classical manner by persons of limited means.

Here is the weather forecast for the occasion:

Last day of 2011 in Adelaide
Sunny (at least during daylight hours)
Minimum temperature 20C
Maximum temperature 37C

First day of 2012 in Adelaide
Sunny. Maximum temperature 39C

Revolutionary Bohemian Mozart

2011-12-21T23:23:00.013+10:30

The Mozarty Party wishes to provide a tribute to the people of Bohemia, and especially to a gentleman named Václav Havel. Many of the principles we apply in our policies are reflected in the triumph of freedom over tyranny. Our standards are those of all persons who continue to uphold the highest qualities expressed in the Velvet Revolution.

You may be aware of Mr Mozart's Bohemian connections, and you may even be familiar with his Prague Symphony, part of our tribute to Václav Havel, as the first link here may suggest. We also believe in a free, fair and united Europe, without oppression or corruption, and without any sort of violence.

We wish the same for every continent, without any one group of persons dominating the rest, or gaining more than their fair share of wealth from natural resources, finances, knowledge or creative excellence.

Does the first movement of the Prague Symphony remind you of another famous tune?

Do you think the first bars of the Prague Symphony may also have helped to inspire something by young Mr Verdi? We know that Mr Verdi, in turn, inspired Mr Muti in his now famous speech in Rome regarding culture and the future of society.

You may think that Europa Regina is somewhat like our global campaign manager. However, our actions and philosophy transcend all geographical boundaries. We believe the actions and philosophy of Václav Havel did the same. In view of this, our tribute also extends to the memory of all persons who share, and have shared, the same spirit of humanity as Mr Mozart, the Mozarty Party, and Václav Havel.

RIP Václav Havel, Mohamed Bouazizi, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and all upholders of human rights, love and dignity.

Greatness and Gratitude

2011-12-16T17:43:00.010+10:30

A few words from a sometimes noisy guest

Here I am today to receive a very special treat. Madame Adelaidezone has baked me a birthday-baptismal cake. I know that I am expected tomorrow in Mr Twitter's Coffee House for the #LvBChat, though I am sure the persons planning to be there often believe me to be amongst them in spirit, especially through my music.

If you are not all that familiar with classical music, Madame Adelaidezone suggests learning something about my own life and compositions first and then working forwards and backwards through history. Mr Mozart's work may be the epitome of excellence, but mine is the epitome of originality and individuality.

Mr Fritz Wunderlich has been singing one of my tunes to the other guests here. Are you aware that the aforementioned tune is called Adelaide or Adelaïde? I wrote the music for it a short while before this very nice portrait of me was painted by Mr Carl Traugott Riedel.

I am sure the original poet of Adelaïde, Mr Friedrich von Matthisson, would agree with me that Madame Adelaidezone and her cakes are always worthy of praise, as does Mr Wunderlich. Here is the latter gentleman again, this time with one of Mr Mozart's tunes.

You may like to know that Madame Adelaidezone kindly mentioned me in some of her earlier blog-pamphlet postings:

Reference one

Reference two

Reference three

Reference four

Reference five

Reference six

How do you recognise greatness and express gratitude?

International Influences

2011-12-15T16:18:00.005+10:30

Guest commentary

As you may be aware, the Mozarty Party has incorporated many international influences into its policies over the years, just as Mr Mozart has incorporated many influential international influences into his various compositions. I am quite well known as an international sort of musical chap myself, having travelled more extensively than my very busy father, JS Bach.

I'm JC Bach. Madame Adelaidezone has kindly allowed me to present a piece of my own music to you today. You may have noticed my influence on a certain younger composer's creations. The Mozarty Party likes to give recognition where it is due, hence my presence here today.

Perhaps you'd like to visit the internationally influential @mozartyparty page on twitter.

You are also welcome to follow the highly regarded international Mozarty Party facebook page.

Queen Charlotte Invites You

2011-12-12T17:10:00.006+10:30

I am honoured to be here today, in Madame Adelaidezone's magnificent music room, to make a very important announcement on behalf of the democratically delightful Mozarty Party. My endorsement of enlightened policies is quite urgently required at present.

You may think that a queen consort would have very little interest in democratic proclamations, though I am very happy to support any expressions of genius from members of the public, even when those members of the public are children.

I even invite you, as a member of the public yourself, to make a magnificent proclamation of one sort or another.

A tune by a child genius of my acquaintance

An introduction to my own wide-ranging activities

The long-term value of my enlightened patronage

As you may be aware, I am currently involved with the 21st century work of the International Training Centre for the Harmonious Interplay of Beauty, Understanding and Magnificence, hence my enthusiastic interest in matters of quality. My former, somewhat unfortunate reputation (of having at least one very bad habit) has now dissolved into history, and I am able to conduct my musical duties without an inordinate degree of sneezing.

One of Madame Adelaidezone's earlier references to my musical influence

Do you consider me to be a woman of some importance?

Unlike many persons in my social position during the 18th century, I was quite fond of my husband for many years. Many other royal ladies were married to tyrants, as were considerable quantities of other female persons. I have even been told that this may still be the case in the 21st century, especially within non-royal marriages and non-marriages.

Even when male persons, of whatever rank, are not particularly tyrannical, they may acceptably be treated with disdain or at least indifference by their spouses if circumstances make such a response quite rational. Both Madame Adelaidezone and Mr Mozart are keen to support me on the matter of tolerable, equitable and affectionate social relationships, even amongst persons of varying degrees of excellence.

One of my well-known and relatively recent public statements

My work now involves the investigation of excellence in a wide range of musical, political and educational environments. Fortunately, I am able to dismiss most types of music as lacking excellence, having been well acquainted with the compositions of Mr Mozart for a very long time. How do you judge excellence, whether of the musical, political, marital or educational varieties?

Is excellence about composition, interpretation, presentation, instrumentation or invitation? Does popularity have anything in common with acceptability? How do you judge beauty, understanding and magnificence in any particular context or contest?

Who has the ability to decide on questions of greatness or even accuracy?

Is public Mozart better than public muzak?

Do you believe Mr Mozart should involve himself in the politics of today?

Well, I am indeed looking forward to receiving your proclamations, even if you do not wish to receive my patronage.

Mozart F.X.

2011-12-04T16:02:00.010+10:30

A special guest presentation

Well, I am not quite sure what to say here. I'm a quiet, reserved sort of chap really. A confirmed bachelor is what most people call me, like my big brother Karl. I'm a man of few words. You are welcome to call me F.X.

Madame Adelaidezone has invited me here today, and she is a lady I can never refuse to assist, even though she is skeptical about the Mozart Effect. Madame Adelaidezone even allows me to call her Aunt Twaklin. The gracious lady is most generous in her praise of my own musical abilities, even though she has little interest in Romanticism or the FX Holden. She knows that we all need to make a living in the best way we can, but I will never be as great a musician as my dad was, or even match the keyboard excellence of Auntie Nannerl.

From the picture of me here, you can see that I look more like Grandpapa Mozart than Dad. I never knew either of them in the material world, though Mum has shown me portraits of my distinguished forebears, and of Granny Mozart and Auntie Nannerl. My brother Karl and I really wish wigs had stayed in fashion, though a beanie or pompom hat often help to cover our bald patches in cold weather.

I suppose neither of us should really complain about hair loss when so many of our siblings died in infancy. Our brothers Raimund and Johann died as babies, as did our sisters Theresia and Anna Maria. I'm sure Mum often thinks they may have provided her with great, great, great, great, great, etc. grandchildren who would be rich pop stars in the 21st century.

Tonight will be really important to members of my family. We will be remembering what Dad went through in the final months and hours of his mortal life. Dad knows all too well what it was like to experience a financial crisis, as does Mum. Fortunately, both are now quite wealthy in the ethereal world, and Auntie Nannerl is finally getting the recognition she deserves, too.

Karl and I are not so well known, maybe because we had no widows or children to continue our legacy, but I have always said Dad was a much better composer than I, or Karl, could ever be. You may like to hear some of my music, though. Karl says you may also like to see the cute picture of us, painted when we were little.

Me and Karl

Aunt Twaklin has been working really hard with the Mozart 220 commemoration preparations. I'm 220 years old myself now. It's hard to believe Dad will be 256 in January.

I'm grateful I have so many wonderful pieces of music left to me, and the rest of the world, by Dad. Perhaps you appreciate his work as much as I do. Many people have not had much of a chance to know their fathers very well and so I feel, in some ways, that I have been fortunate to hear what he was able to express through his compositions.

Aunt Twaklin, and my family, hope you will be able to join us for the commemorations tonight and tomorrow. We look forward to your presence (though don't go to the trouble of providing any presents).

Yours modestly
F.X. Mozart

Miraculous Mozart

2011-11-29T13:42:00.010+10:30

A few days from now, on Monday 5 December 2011, everyone at the International Training Centre for the Harmonious Interplay of Beauty, Understanding and Magnificence will postpone their usual duties to take part in a special, sublime and very serious ceremony. We shall be marking the 220th year of Mr Mozart's permanent passing into the ethereal world.

Perhaps you have no first-hand consciousness of what was happening on Monday 5 December 1791, but you are most welcome to join us to reflect upon the miraculous aspects of Mr Mozart's music. Have you already marked the date in your diary?

Australia, 1791

IMPORTANT UPDATE (1 December 2011)

Here is your official invitation

On the last full day of Mr W A Mozart's material existence, the world's first Sunday newspaper, The Observer, was published by Mr W S Bourne in London, purportedly to share "the spirit of enlightened Freedom, decent Toleration and universal Benevolence". You may be of the opinion that Mr Bourne was not as successful in those worthy aims as Mr Mozart, or even myself.

Two hundred and twenty years have seen many changes in the world. Many persons have been born and have died, even those called Mr Bourne. Even so, there are quite a few individuals who currently have the good fortune of excellent hearing, an awareness of Mr Mozart's music, and at least one electrically-operated audio storage device. Such personages have the ability to listen to timelessly beautiful music whenever they wish to do so. You may think that in itself is a miracle, as may be your own presence in the world, whenever and wherever you were born.

We look forward to greeting you on Monday, dear gentle reader.
Yours affectionately, Milady Twaklin, Madame Adelaidezone

War, Debt and Mozart

2011-11-23T14:56:00.009+10:30

A financial investigation by Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone,
with the assistance of Mr Mozart's bank manager, accountant,
financial advisers, public relations team and personal stylist

Wars can be a distressing inconvenience, especially for persons living on the front line. Wars can be almost as distressing for persons whose financial situation deteriorates as a consequence of war, as Mr Mozart discovered to his own cost. The war affecting his later life began in 1787 and ended in 1791, the latter being the year of Mozart's untimely death.

There appears to have been a great deal of social unrest in Vienna during the Austro-Turkish War, with fears of conscription, a great many deaths from illness amongst the soldiers at the front, high food prices in the city, and financial troubles for many artists and musicians dependent on wealthy patrons for their income.

Mozart's early life was also shaped by war, though he was probably rather less aware of the effects on his life of the Seven Years' War than the Austro-Turkish War. May 1787 was also, significantly, when his father died.

Peter Hoyt's views on Mozart the debtor

Mozart's 1789 Berlin Journey

I do not understand the motivations of Karl Alois, the young Prince Lichnowsky (1761-1814), who was about thirty years old when he won a substantial law suit against Mr Mozart in 1791. Was the prince's subsequent support for Beethoven a consequence of a sense of guilt for the demise of Mozart?

Was it the case that Mozart became overly ambitious after his success in Prague in 1787? It is not unknown for an economic downturn to occur in surprising ways. Truth is a better guide to the past, the present and the future than fiction will ever be. So, what is the truth?

Share your views in my tea parlour, or in Mr Twitter's Coffee House at the #MozartChat table, or at my own small table, or at the lovely table of the Mozarty Party. Lady Facebookian is also hosting a Mozarty Party gathering.

Mozart, Servants and Musical Duties

2011-11-19T16:19:00.006+10:30

An independent opinion by Madame Adelaidezone

Although Mr Mozart himself had many sorts of experiences as a servant, and as an employer of servants, today a vast quantity of persons proclaim themselves to be servants of his music. Like the composer himself, many of those current servants have had both fortunate and unfortunate experiences whilst carrying out their musical duties.

The employer and servant relationship is often fraught with difficulties, as I know from my own experiences as an employer of servants, especially those of the political variety. The operatic stage and the orchestra pit, as well as the concert platform, the policy platform and the political stage are frequently inhabited by servants of variable talents. Some of those servants even appear on television from time to time:

Some servants on digital display in Australia

Many operas and operettas employ servants not just of the music, but also in the context of the libretto. Mr Mozart also included a serpent in at least one of his operas, but that is another story.

Perhaps you would like to inform yourself about my own experiences:

Knowing your place (especially if you are a servant)
It certainly helps your future employment prospects if you are
a musical servant and you know your place in the score

Courtiers for Canberra
A suitable guide for any prospective political or musical servant

Nuisances
Unhealthy servants and invasive acquaintances are often seen as a nuisance.

New butler possibly required
Finding servants of suitable quality for the task at hand can be very difficult,
especially when the current ones should perhaps retire

Maid in Australia
You may find some of the persons formerly amongst my employees to be
more suited to the opera stage. Some have recently been performing in
Australia, as indicated in the first link above.

If you have musical or political duties to perform over the coming months, I do hope you know who you are supposed to be serving.

Classical and Political Mozart

2011-11-13T20:21:00.008+10:30

For your profound enlightenment, by Madame Adelaidezone

We at the Mozarty Party's global campaign headquarters here in Adelaide are very pleased to announce that we have almost completed a manifesto of classically appropriate proportions. In its finished form, our manifesto is likely to be a well-balanced document, measured to perfection, covering all important issues in a harmonious pattern of universally acceptable qualities and sonorities.

If you wish to see your local and global political possibilities elevated to their noblest, most perfect and civilized aspect, then do please peruse some of our earlier briefing documents:

March 2011
The Mozarty Party manifesto

April 2011
A presidential address

July 2011
Delightfully in order

August 2011
The campaign continues

September 2011
World enlightenment outlook

September 2011
Enlightened policies

September 2011
In tune with the public

Dancing About with Mr Mozart

2011-10-28T07:31:00.007+10:30

By a delighted Madame Adelaidezone

Dancing to many of Mr Mozart's tunes can be so delightful, especially when that gentleman himself leads one into the ballroom or reception hall on an important stately or sparkling social occasion. Not only has Mr Mozart written many memorable dance tunes, he is also quite renowned as a dancer himself. Perhaps his love of dancing was the reason he desired to become a composer in the first place.

Have you danced a minuet?

A friend of our great mutual friend was Monsieur Jean-George Noverre, whose name may be familiar to you if you like to dance too. In Paris, in 1778, Monsieur Noverre asked Mr Mozart to write a ballet, which he duly did. It is called Les Petits Riens - The Little Nothings.

See and hear a little sample of the ballet in performance

Mr Mozart also included dances in his operas from time to time, and even some ballet. A large amount of his instrumental music is also based on the rhythms of dance, perhaps meaning that audiences were just as likely to be moving about on their feet as sitting down on their bottoms. Have you danced to a Mozartian tune today?

If you perform any of Mr Mozart's music, whether with your voice or another instrument, it may improve your understanding of his works, and your audiences' appreciation, if you also become familiar with the history and rudimentary technicalities of dancing, regardless of your geography or mobility. Will you allow Mr Mozart to lead?

A Mozartian Education

2011-10-25T08:43:00.006+10:30

Inscribed by the Mozarty Party's esteemed global campaign manager,
the learned-but-always-learning Madame Adelaidezone

If, like me, you have had a very ordinary and haphazard education, you will probably not have had a parent, guardian or tutor who has been able to identify and encourage your genius. There are, in addition, some parents who have delusional ambitions about the abilities and career prospects of their offspring. I am fortunate that my own parents were not in that category.

We are fortunate that Mr Leopold Mozart and his dear wife Anna Maria were not of that sort, either. They had the knowledge, and provided the support, necessary for their pursuit of a Mozartian education for their two surviving children.

Both Nannerl and Wolfie had the necessary prerequisites, of course - ability, interest and opportunity. Their father, Leopold, had the pedagogical requirements, and their mother, like many women, provided the necessary comfort, encouragement and support (even though sometimes reluctantly). But what do we really know about the children's education?

Mr Mozart's compositional method

Mr Mozart's ITCHIBUM influences
(Which may or may not be associated with his role as Perpetual Patron and President of the International Training Centre for the Harmonious Interplay of Beauty, Understanding and Magnificence, as it usually depends on the prevailing qualities and abilities of our staff and students, and on the luncheon menu.)

Some scruffy handwriting:

It appears that Mr Mozart managed to develop a knowledge of several languages during his formative years, probably from his direct acquaintance with them during various musical tours. The most important of those languages, of course, was music itself, the language of the heart.

Music is a precious gift for those who, like me, have the even more valuable gift of perfectly adequate hearing. Equally important is a sensitivity towards beautiful sounds, and human needs. I would be most interested to hear from you if you are acquainted with a Mozartian education, or even a Mozarty one, whether as a researcher, a practitioner or a student, especially if you are able to express your ideas with insight and sensitivity.

Here is a very good source of further education about Mr Mozart's life and work

Here is some information about a catalogue you may find useful

Are you mad about Mozart, just curious, or seeking enlightenment?

In Tune with the Public

2011-09-10T06:44:00.013+09:30

By the exceedingly hard working and euphonious
Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone

It is always very nice to know that the Mozarty Party is far more in tune with the public, all over the world, than is the case for most other political organisations.

In developing our policies, we work closely with the world's most renowned think-tank, namely the International Training Centre for the Harmonious Interplay of Beauty, Understanding and Magnificence. We even share the same parlour.

It would be nice to extend our reach into parliaments, congresses, and similar institutions, but that really depends on you, dear reader. Are we in tune with you? What are your views on our policies?

There are many indications of our approach to politics and policies, in its various forms, here in my music room. Even if your own tastes are not in sympathy with a symphony, a concerto or an aria, we do hope that we can offer something to meet your requirements.

Showing appreciation

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has assisted me in recent weeks in my role as the Mozarty Party's global campaign manager. Mr Mozart, of course, has been a considerable support, ensuring that our policies are always in harmony with public sentiment. He certainly knows the difference between the melodious and the malodorous, which is always a good indication of political integrity.

Some of Mr Mozart's relations have also been very supportive, as you will have gathered if you have visited here in recent months. They know that our policies address all the key issues, in every key of the keyboard, whether of the musical or computational variety. However, they do realise that not everyone has had the opportunity or ability to be as versed in the performing arts as themselves.

I myself am always listening attentively for any signs of discord or chromaticism in the world, hence my very important salon. As an opera composer myself, I know that interdisciplinary considerations are essential. Whether addressing chronic poverty or diatonic disruptions, I aim to ensure that the tone of the Mozarty Party's debates always considers the true scale of any problem.

Respecting enlightened democracy

The Mozarty Party knows that democracy should always be like good music. We encourage moderation, modulation, justice, clear information and just intonation. We also aim at global relevance and equal temperaments whenever possible.

We usually like to raise the tone of policy discussions, pitching our point of view appropriately and listening to any counter points that may be raised. In our view, no-one should be louder or quieter than necessary in matters of performance and practice, especially without a thorough understanding of our theories.

Our policies are in tune with the times and can be delivered at the most suitable tempo. We hope they will be music to your ears. Our rhythms and decisions are dynamic yet we try not to repeat ourselves too often. We are quite upbeat about the future, even when considering the scale of the problems facing the world.

So do consider joining us and contribute to a better world. Your role is instrumental.

Good Parenting - By Mr Mozart's Mother

2011-09-01T09:34:00.009+09:30

Guest commentary

If you believe your child is likely to grow up to be a genius, it is best to avoid sending your little one to school. Teach all children a thing or two about good music. Take them to visit world leaders. Invite your own child to join the company of artists, composers, philosophers, scientists and archbishops. Never allow any child to watch television or eat junk food.

Being a stage mother is hard enough. Being the mother of a genius is even harder, especially without the benefit of cheap airfares.

I hope you consider me to be a good parent. My own mother had to struggle to make ends meet. When I became a mother myself, I had to struggle with the arduous tasks of meeting and greeting a great many great personages, even though the languages of those I was greeting was sometimes beyond my comprehension.

As I am now usually ethereally located in Paris or Adelaide, depending on the time of year, my language skills have improved considerably. Perhaps you are the parent of a child like my youngest. He was a bit of a handful as a boy, and quite rebellious in his youth. I am, of course, quite pleased he grew up to have a successful career.

The Campaign Continues

2011-08-29T14:11:00.010+09:30

With the globally appropriate Madame Adelaidezone

It is very pleasing to be able to give my undivided attention to the Mozarty Party's magnificent manifesto.

Health policy has been of concern to me for some time, and Mr Mozart has done his best to assist me, as have many other notable personages. I wish to thank them most profoundly.

You may wish to read some of my earlier statements on the topic of healthy living. It is very important that I keep you well informed:

Healthy public policy

Moving forward with the Mozarty Party

Creativity, history and simplicity

Healthy Adelaide

A bowl of cherries

Politics in South Australia

I am very lucky to have returned from my journey in relatively sound health. Mr Mozart had many journeys, too, as did most of his immediate family. His poor mother had rather a difficult time in rue du Sentier in Paris, you may recall, ending in her material demise. We are all rather more concerned nowadays in the provision of 21st century health care services.

Here are some frequently asked questions:

1. How do you use social media to raise your concerns?

Social media web 2.0 Twaklin

2. How might the Mozarty Party gain more favour with the electorate?

A true horse race in a very peculiar election

3. How will the Mozarty Party properly fund its promises?

Musical silver snuff boxes and good economic policies

4. What is unique about the Mozarty Party?

Ensuring and enhancing quality of life

5. How do you make the best use of available technology?

Our broadband wagon

6. Where do you believe your policies most needed?

An age old issue

7. How might you overcome the obstacles that are in the Mozarty Party's way?

A super vision

8. Could you tell me more about your role as the Mozarty Party's campaign manager?

A-Z Twaklin

9. How might I have the opportunity to meet you?

How to travel to Adelaide in style

10. How may I acquainted myself with the Mozarty Party's other very important policies?

Adelaidean adventures

11. What are the standards of behaviour you expect of the Mozarty Party's supporters?

Foundlings and philanthropy

12. What is the basis of the Mozarty Party's authority?

On authority

13. What has the Mozarty Party achieved at a local level?

South Australian local government elections 2010

14. Who is involved in developing the Mozarty Party's policies?

Political diaphaneity

15. Are there any job opportunities with the Mozarty Party?

Non-evanescent employment

16. How do you maintain your high public profile?

Good manners and many hats

17. Who is qualified to be a candidate for the Mozarty Party?

Know your Candide dates

18. What are the main priorities of the Mozarty Party?

Saving the world (yet again)

19. What is your position on taxation?

Bastions and belvederes

20. What are your policies concerning Australia's constitutional status?

Royal weddings and ethereal invitations

21. What is particularly visionary about the Mozarty Party's policies?

Sunburn in a mucky country

22. What is the most interesting part of your job as the Mozarty Party's global campaign manager?

The fun of funding

23. How does the Mozarty Party assist rural voters?

A plot of honey

24. Is it possible to obtain your media releases?

More important announcements

25. What do most voters wish to discuss with you?

Talking about the weather

26. How does the Mozarty Party contribute to world peace?

An enlightened guide to etiquette

27. What is the most useful thing a Mozarty Party supporter can do?

This point in history

28. How do you rate the electoral chances of the Mozarty Party?

This is not a pipe dream

29. How do you respond to the excesses of consumerism?

Weddings a la mode

30. What are your most important demographic insights?

Social structure and status in Australia and the world

31. How are you responding to issues of poverty?

Suitably elegant frugality

32. What does the Mozarty Party know more about than any other political party?

How to develop a pleasingly cohesive global society

33. Where do you most frequently campaign?

On the market

Well, I do hope this brief summary will be of interest to you, dear prospective voter, whatever your current musical taste. My colleagues and I look forward to hearing your opinions.

Political Mozart - By Joseph II

2011-08-01T11:57:00.007+09:30

Guest commentary

Hi there! I'm Joe 2, an enlightened leader if ever there was one. Whether you're in Vienna, Adelaide, Washington DC, or anywhere else in need of an emperor, I'm your man.

I'm a strong supporter of politically adventurous artists, as long as they don't give me too much of a hard time. Who are the politically adventurous artists you support yourself, most worthy reader of these words?

You may have heard about my financial backing of a young radical musician by the name of Mozart. You may have heard of him, too.

If you are a political activist yourself, you may even have listened to a few tracks of Mozart's tunes. He has written quite a lot of them, and his albums seem to sell well long after their first airplay.

I like to think that I helped to shape Mozart's politics, or was it the other way around?

My career

It would be great to hear from you, as long as your own politics are at least as enlightened as my own.

Mozart for Peace - An Expert Opinion

2011-05-04T13:16:00.014+09:30

Guest commentary

Hello dear visitor to Madame Adelaidezone's music room. I am here to tell you that both of my wonderful husbands are currently assisting Mr Barenboim with his peace efforts in exotic locations. I am sure you are aware, of course, that my husbands and I have quite a range of experiences of travel and diplomacy.

Madame Adelaidezone introduced me to you some time ago, so I believe. I hope you may wish to introduce yourself to me.

My first husband, Mr Mozart, was starting to be rather a nuisance here in the absence of Madame Adelaidezone's wise guidance. He even asked his sister to join him for a game of bölzlschiessen in Madame's salon after luncheon on Sunday. Such behaviour should never be tolerated in the 21st century, especially by presidents.

My second husband, Mr von Nissen, came to the rescue, believing that presidents, like monarchs, should never have too much power. I think the same of husbands and biographers. Most likely you do too, if you are an enlightened person.

Mr Barenboim appears to believe, as we ethereal beings usually do, that peace requires the understanding, bravery and co-operation of well-educated, talented people. However, Madame Adelaidezone and I do have some concerns about idealistic artistic pursuits.

It is all very well to provide good publicity for worthy causes, and a few hours of pleasant distraction for members of an audience, but when such activities may not inspire long-term beneficence between neighbours then there is something else that needs to occur. What might that be?

I have provided these link connections to assist your thoughts:

BBC - Conductor Daniel Barenboim holds Gaza 'peace concert'

The Guardian - Daniel Barenboim brings 'solace and pleasure' to Gaza with Mozart concert

And on a similar theme...

The Independent - Maestro, please stop preaching at us

Madame Adelaidezone and I are quite concerned whenever music is used as a tool in the desire for peace. Even more loudly political causes than social harmony do not usually require excessive decibels, especially when there are people nearby trying to sleep, study, compose a tune or buy a few grocery items.

You may wish to express some of your own opinions on this subject, and even attend Madame's serene salon.

Music often divides people even more than it unites them. Music is about social identity more than it is about personal taste, even though my first husband is known throughout the world as the most universally tasteful of musical composers. More recently, he has been known to blow a trombone inappropriately, which I am sure is not to anyone's taste.

It is easier to show gratitude for wonderful music when it is not marred by platitudes. Mr Barenboim identifies himself, as do his passports, as both an Israeli citizen and a Palestinian citizen. I believe he has also been an Argentinian personage, and a person with many stamps and visas in his passport(s).

Official information about Mr Barenboim

Unofficial information about Mr Barenboim

Unofficial information about me

Peace requires a common purpose, which is quite easy if everyone is playing the same score, and not playing bölzlschiessen instead. However, I wonder if the reaction to Mr Barenboim's Gaza concert would have been different if the overture to Die Entführung aus dem Serail had been chosen, or the Requiem.

A Presidential Address

2011-04-21T15:52:00.034+09:30

By the man himself

Greetings friends, fellow musicians, fellow freemasons, my fans and followers of various unforgetable descriptions, and all you arts and democracy promoters out there who should be doing a better job than you are at encouraging world peace. How have you been using your limited time on Earth?

Here I am today at the Mozarty Party's global headquarters, which has recently moved to its new base in the magnificent music room in Madame Adelaidezone's little villa. I've been having a bit of a practice on a trombone someone left here behind a Louis XV chair, though I'm not the sort of person to blow my own trumpet, as you probably know.

It's great having this place to meet and chat with you on an official basis from time to time. I don't have an agent or any sort of commercial deal these days to prevent me from meeting you here. I often sneak in while the boss is away.

Madame Adelaidezone is in London for the royal wedding there. My sister is here in the music room most days, though she is currently powdering her nose, and her hair, I think.

I'm not yet sure if I've been invited to the wedding in London as the bride and groom are keeping their musical plans a secret. It's a bit of a liberty on their part, though I'm used to that with royalty. If I receive a snuff box in the post, I hope a plane ticket is included, too.

How are you, anyway? And where are you? Have you joined the Mozarty Party yet? I'm looking for a candidate to campaign on our behalf for the position of President of the United States of America in 2012. It's a shame I can't apply for the job myself. You'd think a person with my well-known abilities would have been given honorary citizenship there by now.

Lady Facebookian has been helping out with the Mozarty Party's various activities around the world. She has a cupboard filled with stuff you'll really want to see. Are you campaigning for the Mozarty Party in whatever part of the world you find yourself? If so, take a look at what's on the shelves in the cupboard if you get the chance:

The Mozarty Party main shelf, in the middle of the cupboard, has some really interesting worldwide information about our activities, policies, campaigns, our consultation processes, forums, celebrations and educational resources, though you'll also find some fabulous things here in the music room if you drop by, look around, and hear what's happening here from time to time.

There's also an official group we've started called The Mozarty Party Panel of Experts

If you know anything at all about my music, and you want to make the world a better place, then join the panel and contribute to our manifesto. Just leave a few notes on the shelf in question.

Dad

If you're under the age of 31, you may need permission from at least one parent to be part of the panel. I had to take account of my dad's opinions until that age. He never let his hair down and his dancing was really bad. Was it because he was educated by the Jesuits?

With the help of Madame Adelaidezone, I've started a group called President Mozart and the Mozarty Party of Australia

If you're an Australian citizen and you think the Mozarty Party could do a better job of governing your country than the other parties, or any independent politicians, then give us your support today.

Students of politics may be especially interested in what we are doing. Here's something I've put together about a few Australian students of politics. I'm not sure if they do anything useful:

Australian students of politics who inhabit Mr Twitter's Coffee House for much of their time

If you're in Adelaide you can contribute to the Mozarty Party really easily, and have a very influential role with us while having a great time. All you need to do is answer one simple question: How could we improve the governance of South Australia, and enlighten the public about great music at the same time?

Lady Facebookian also has some stuff in her cupboard about my activities around the place, called Mr Mozart and his Adelaidean Creative Coterie

Well, I must go soon. I'm supposed to be helping out with some rehearsals, as usual. You can see me in action yourself if you are in Adelaide. I'll be on my best behaviour.

An opera of mine, The Marriage of Figaro, will be presented in the Thomas Edmonds Opera Studio at the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds on 21 and 22 May. It'll start at 19:30 and finish at 22:30. I think that means it begins at 7.30 in the evening, so have an early dinner if you want, though I'm told you can even take your dinner along with you.

Contact Co-opera, Opera on the Move, for more about the performances.

I'm also assisting the Australian Chamber Orchestra as it prepares for a little of my night music. The orchestra will be here in Adelaide on 17 May, but will be visiting quite a few other places, too.

If you're in Adelaide at any time and you want to find my music on a recording, one of the best places to go is John Davis Music. Madame Adelaidezone buys my recordings from there herself from time to time, and has even found operas there on dvd. The prices are very reasonable, too.

Do you play the trombone, the clarinet, the violin, the piano, or the fool? Are you sometimes in trouble with your parents, and even find yourself in the news from time to time? We might have a few things in common.

Guest Blog-Pamphleteer

2011-04-13T16:01:00.008+09:30

Guest commentary

Whilst Madame Adelaidezone is away in London, it is my great pleasure to be a guest blog-pamphleteer here at the Mozarty Party headquarters in Madame's magnificent music room. If you have never met me before, do allow me to say a few words about myself.

My name is Mrs Marianne von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg. I'm a big hair sort of a girl, as you can see, and I would, by now, be a fabulously famous musician if my maiden name had been Miss Ciccone, Miss Germanotta or even Miss Bartoli. Alas, my father would not allow me to experience any form of Italian culture first hand. I think he may have heard too much in the tabloid press about a certain Mr Casanova, and perhaps even about a Mr Berlusconi.

My maiden name was, sadly, Miss Mozart. Madame Adelaidezone suggested once or twice in my youth that I could pretend to be a Miss Mozarti, or even a Lady Mozarty, and take my rightful place in the music industry, but I think I quite enjoyed having a quiet life with a clavier and a large blended family in my mother's home town of St Gilgen. Now, as you may know, I have a very quiet and pleasant existence in Adelaide.

The reason for my desire to write to you here is that I am rather concerned about the dangers young women face in the material and musical worlds of the 21st century.

Smallpox may no longer be a source of fear for the image conscious woman of the world, but men, in my experience, never change. They are all the same, even though my silly younger brother thinks Così Fan Tutte means women are all the same. He even had the benefit of a very nice trip to Italy in his teens so he should know better.

Well, I may not be the most progressive or enlightened of blog-pamphleteers, but I know a lecherous count when I see one. My brother should have sought my advice when writing music for the role of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, but, as usual, he chose to ignore my wisdom. The count should have been a castrato and Susanna a contralto.

Sing a Song of Mozart

2011-03-24T12:09:00.011+10:30

A suitable introduction by Madame Adelaidezone,
who received a musical training almost as inadequate as
that of her rather shy and anonymous, non-ethereal assistant

The only keyboard I have ever attempted to master for professional purposes is the one on which I am typing these words. I never had the opportunity to learn even one Mozart sonata as a child, nor to sing any of his songs.

The pianist Artur Schnabel is reported to have said that the sonatas of Mozart are easy for children to play but difficult for adults to master. But what of Mozart's songs? Who would find those easy to sing?

Mozart songs on cd

I have been trying to find well-sung, tasteful versions of nursery rhymes on YouTube today, as a topic for discussion in the Virtual Parlour. How might children learn about good music if they are mainly presented with commercial, and in my opinion, obnoxious versions of traditional songs?

For example, have you ever found a truly beautiful recording of Sing a Song of Sixpence or Polly Put the Kettle On? Should childhood fun always be somewhat tacky, or can it sometimes also be tasteful to an adult Mozartian personage?

There is nothing wrong with learning a jolly tune with funny lyrics. Here is one I quite like, from at least the context of curiosity - When Father Papered the Parlour - as do many children. But it is not sung beautifully, of course.

Here is something that is: Das Kinderspiel, K. 598, sung by Elizabeth Schwarzkopf.

Tasting Mozart

2011-03-09T10:57:00.009+10:30

Something unsuitable for cannibals, by Madame Adelaidezone

You may be someone who associates the music of Mozart with good taste. I am someone who likes to enjoy Australia's fresh and wonderful foods, as well as a range of fresh and wonderful sounds, smells, textures, scenes and atmospheres. I am sure Mr Mozart would approve.

Life is often worth celebrating. And enlightened persons know there is never anything stale about Mr Mozart's music. How do you compliment and complement the sensory pleasures you enjoy?

Sometimes, I like to have a small glass of very nice Australian chardonnay. I am very particular about wines, though my current favourite can be purchased for only $12 a bottle, just down the road from my little Adelaidean villa.

Whether you are in Austria or Australia, or somewhere else on the planet, you may not be aware that wines can enjoy tasteful music, just like people can. I have heard that they usually prefer listening to Mozart.

The Mozarty Party Manifesto

2011-03-01T10:46:00.006+10:30

A very important announcement by Madame Adelaidezone

The Mozarty Party's magnificent manifesto will be published in the coming months.

We have already agreed upon a few things, including Mr Mozart's official portrait. Do you like it?

Unlike most other political parties, the Mozarty Party allows all members of the public, all over the world, to suggest suitable policies, principles, and standards of behaviour, for themselves and for others. We now have a presence on facebook and twitter, too, as this is an essential part of our party's participation in the political process.

We allow anyone, aged three years and above, to have their say. The only prerequisite for small children's involvement in our policy work is that they are able to play at least one of Mozart's compositions with relative ease, on an instrument of their own choosing.

Parents of small children may also be involved in developing our policies, even if they are unable to play any of Mozart's tunes. They should, however, be able to locate Mr Mozart's music on youtube and present it to their offspring at regular intervals.

Anyone with an income above starvation level may also wish to support the most accomplished musicians who play Mozart's music - by buying a few suitably beautiful recordings. It will prevent the musicians from starving, which is probably quite a good idea.

So, please let us know what you think of our current policy proposals, and what you believe should be included in our official manifesto document. You may also wish to remember that the world urgently requires our assistance, and especially your own.

The Mozart Family in London

2011-02-02T19:04:00.005+10:30

By an antipodean admirer, Madame Adelaidezone

As a person who has been to London several times, and has even worked there for a while, I still find it difficult to imagine Mr Mozart as a small child in that big and noisy city. Although London was, of course, somewhat smaller then than it is nowadays, it was still a very big place by world standards, and by Salzburg standards.

I am especially interested in Nannerl's experiences in London. As she was in her early teens at the time, and growing up quickly, like most young girls of 13 or 14 I am sure she would have found the city very exciting. The kindness of Queen Charlotte would have helped the family to feel more at home, too.

You may be aware that young Wolfie wrote a few pieces of music for Queen Charlotte. I believe the Opus 3 to be one of the most important commissions Mr Mozart ever received. Here is a copy of the letter he wrote as a tribute and dedication to his patron, a few days before his ninth birthday.

Much has been written elsewhere, by many different authors, about the Mozart Family's grand tour, displaying their virtuosity and genius. I wonder if they would have been invited to perform at the World Economic Forum if such an event had been held in 1764. What are your thoughts on this?

More about the greatest musical tour of the 1760s:

Mozart family grand tour - Wikipedia

Mozart's first European tour - Suite 101

Mozart in London - World travels

Royal Route - Mozart ways

Listen to some of the music you may have heard - if you were very lucky:

Mr Mozart's first three compositions (achieved at age five)

Something written by a little boy on a visit to Paris (at age eight)

The first movement of a piece he wrote after arriving in London (still aged eight)

Metaphysical Mozart

2011-02-01T13:42:00.010+10:30

By an open-minded Madame Adelaidezone

If you have ever taken more than a few moments to think about the meaning and purpose of existence, have you done so whilst listening to some of the music of Mr Mozart?

If your understanding of existence is perhaps a little confused at times, this may or may not have anything to do with your understanding of metaphysics:

Metaphysics - Wikipedia

Metaphysics - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

You may have become aware that my character as a blog-pamphleteer has become more and more ethereal over time. Whether you find this unusual or not may depend on your own views on metaphysics.

Do you believe that some people, especially those who are no longer materially existing, are still with you in some other form? This point of view may be especially so if you are the follower of a religion, but it may also apply in experiences of various arts, and in reading the works of writers from long ago.

We experiencing another person's consciousness whenever we experience a work of that person's mind. In the case of Mr Mozart, it can be a deeply moving metaphysical experience.

Philosophy is meant to be one of the most rational and ordered of mental pursuits, even though many philosophers find it difficult to express their sense of reason and order in a way that non-philosophers can understand. Some other people believe they understand metaphysics yet have no sense of reason at all!

Is music ever rational and ordered? Is music a metaphysical key?

What is it about Mr Mozart's music that can bring alive a beautiful sense of order whenever our thinking, or the world around us, may otherwise be deemed to be chaotic?

Mr Mozart's 255th Birthday

2011-01-27T06:24:00.008+10:30

A celebration organised by Madame Adelaidezone

How do you usually celebrate Mr W.A. Mozart's birthday? There are many ways to do so. Reading this blog-pamphlet may be one of them.

If you are a musically trained sort of person, you may also wish to read Nannerl's Music Book, also known as Nannerl Notenbuch. If, like me, you are just a person who appreciates beauty, understanding and magnificence, then you may only wish to listen to a few pieces of lovely Mozarty music while relaxing with a cup of tea.

Here are some other sources of suggestions:

ehow - How to celebrate Wolfgang Mozart's birthday

Hollywood gossip - Mr Mozart's birthday last year

Classical tv - Mr Mozart's birthday last year

Which pieces of Mr Mozart's music have you already listened to today - and what do you appreciate most about them?

Accepting Invitations but not Imitations

2011-01-20T16:45:00.007+10:30

By the highly experienced and sociable Madame Adelaidezone

It is always wise to be skeptical of imitations, especially when interacting with personages who claim to be the real, true and authentic Mr Mozart. This especially applies when reading blog-pamphlets, visiting Mr Twitter's Coffee House and attending Lady Facebookian's soirées.

I am at an advantage, of course, being an ethereal person myself, with ownership of the copyright of several recently created images of Mr Mozart, such as the example provided here. He is looked remarkably spiffing for a gentleman of his age, even if he says so himself.

Arrangements are well advanced now for Mr Mozart's 255th birthday celebrations on Thursday 27 January 2011. You may have received an invitation to attend, though it is advisable to note the acceptable dress code for entry. Are you a suitably stylish person?

The Mozarty Party is going global this year. It was exceedingly busy in Australia last year, as you may already be well aware. I have been invited to manage this process, being the most qualified person to do so. Lady Facebookian is providing some assistance, of course, as is Mr Twitter. You may wish to be a volunteer yourself. How might you be of help, dear reader?

Ambitiously Mozarty

2011-01-06T19:35:00.009+10:30

A few guidelines by the highly successful Madame Adelaidezone

You may know, as well as I do, dear reader, that a creative artist without ambition is unlikely to leave anything of lasting value. Blog pamphlets will remain unread. Manuscripts will remain unpublished. Musical compositions will never be performed.

If you have participated in the #lessambitiousoperas conversation in Mr Twitter's Coffee House, you will have noted that Mr Mozart never wrote operas with the titles of A duck in the seraglio, The first date of Figaro, Don G Viagra, Tea così, or The ordinary flute.

Being ambitious without being ostentatious is the key to success, especially if your talents are rather more difficult to identify than those of dear Mr Mozart.

Having unrealistic ambitions is an unsatisfactory pursuit in the long term, though such behaviour may assist observers who write comedy.

Listening to the music of Mr Mozart, especially when the acoustics, the performers and the instruments are of some quality, is an antidote for all arrogance and hubris in the world. All mediocre musicians and mediocre politicians should listen to the music of Mozart every day for several hours. They may then decide to take up a different occupation.

Mr Mozart had the ambition to keep going with his work, in spite of every setback. He believed in himself, and usually had the support of his friends and family. He ensured his works would be performed. His work was praised by knowledgeable people. He ensured his musical ideas would published, even though he often did not receive the material rewards he might have expected.

Eminent people are humbled by him

Academic experts respect him

Mozart wanted us to be politically ambitious. He raised awareness of injustices so that we might act to dissolve them. He acted through the beauty of his music, not through the ugliness of endless debate. He saw the arts as a means of liberation.

We do not know why our brains respond to sounds in different ways, though it may have something to do with the instinct to survive. We flee from unpleasant sounds, or fight their source. We embrace sounds we find pleasing in some way, even though the message or perception carried with them may sometimes make us feel uncomfortable.

Without the discomfort, there is no drama. And without drama, there is no ambition.

Fictional Mozart

2011-01-05T11:18:00.017+10:30

An investigation by the elegant literary salonnière,
Madame Adelaidezone

The role of great literature, like many other arts, is to enhance our understanding, appreciation or even enjoyment of real life, real events and philosophical issues. Have any of the fictional accounts of Mozart's life managed to achieve this?

Wikipedia article - Mozart in fiction

Many opinions on Mozart's personality are based on his letters. Do your letters, blogs, tweets, facebook status messages, emails and diaries reflect your personality? Do you write to others to entertain and please them, rather than to reflect a stable psychological, temperamental and philosophical overview of your identity?

I am especially interested in the personality of the mature Mozart, the person he became after his father's death. I usually look at Mozart's life in three phases, the first being his childhood, adolescence and years as a single, young man. This is from 1756-1782. The second phase is from his marriage to 20-year-old Constanze Weber, on 4 August 1782 until the death of his father, Leopold, on 28 May 1787.

Mozart was 26 when he married Constanze, and 31 when his father died. He also became a father to three children during that time, two of whom died in infancy. These events would have had an impact upon his mature personality.

So, who was the real, mature Mozart? He was the man, the husband and father, and breadwinner, who only existed between the ages of 31 and 35. His life between 1787 and 1791, and the social, cultural, political and personal events that may have influenced his artistic output, are of great interest to me. Do you have a similar interest?

Non-musical artistic representations are very different from musical forms. The experience of listening to a piece of music is something I believe to contain nothing that is intrinsically possible to express in words. Its value is in its ability to stimulate parts of our brains that are not stimulated by verbal, visual or other sensory content.

The value of any piece of music depends on the pleasure it gives to the listener, whether that listener is an expert on the theory behind the music, or a complete novice. The difference between many pieces of Mozart's music and those of lesser musicians, is that brains, at least according to my own theory, appear to prefer Mozart's compositions. (My theory applies mainly to children and mature adults - of any culture - but not necessarily to adolescence and young adults, many of whom appear to be more resistant to beautiful sounds.)

Wikipedia - Music and the brain

Neuroscience for kids (and even children!) - The musical brain

I have come across many people whose first encounters with the life and music of Mozart have been through film or television. Perhaps you are familiar with this film:

Amadeus
(Wikipedia article about the play and film)

What may be good fiction, or even good drama, may not necessarily be based on truth. An entertaining account of anything usually seeks a crowd, and perhaps even a paying audience, rather than the truth.

Although I enjoy the use of artistic license when it presents a perspective on truth (especially historical and political truth) in a creative way, I do not support the deliberate distortion of facts when the people experiencing the art are unlikely to be interested in seeking the facts for themselves. This is because misconceptions are the cause of many social and political ills.

Seeking the facts takes time and effort. Seeking entertainment and stimulating the brain are so much easier. And the preference for fiction over fact is a major social problem!

So, how should Mozart be presented in fiction? How should any real person, alive or dead, be presented in fiction? These questions are especially relevant in relation to my own works of fiction, many of which require the suspension of disbelief. Have you read any of them?

Here are some of my Adelaide Zone Twaklin references to Mozart in fiction (rather than Mozart's own use of fictional works when composing operas):

Reference One
How to have an enlightened understanding of this blog pamphlet

Reference Two
Twaklin's studio

Reference Three
Story time again

Reference Four
A Mozarty Party

You may also have discovered that my identity as "Twaklin" is somewhat fictional, at least in some people's opinion. The following Wikipedia article may therefore be of interest to you:

Suspension of disbelief

Perhaps you believe, as I do, that raising awareness of the works of Mozart is the purpose of both fictional and non-fictional accounts of his life. Do you believe that bringing new audiences to the pleasures of listening to his music is a noble cause, regardless of whether the means itself has artistic or philosophical merit?

Our Ethereal President - Mr W.A. Mozart

2011-01-01T17:05:00.008+10:30

Something for your edification, by Madame Adelaidezone

If you are to know Mr Mozart as I know him, dear reader, you will need to be very well acquainted with his work as President of the International Training Centre for the Harmonious Interplay of Beauty, Understanding and Magnificence.

Please peruse this link to discover more about Mr Mozart's ethereal activities

It was Mr Mozart's idea to lead an organisation with the acronym of ITCHIBUM. Do you know why?

Mozarty, Mozartian, Mozart Reviews

2010-12-07T11:43:00.010+10:30

By a highly experienced reviewer, Madame Adelaidezone

Sometimes, you may not gain as much enjoyment out of a piece of Mozart's music as you might have expected. This is obviously a disappointment and one that is often unavoidable. The tempo may be too fast or too slow for your taste. A piece you love may be played out of context, or worse still, in an inappropriate and unpleasant context.

Copyright laws as they are mean that no-one can claim ownership over any of Mozart's original compositions any more, which is quite fortunate for those who perform them on either a professional or amateur basis in the 21st century. Mozart had a pauper burial rather a long time ago yet his ethereal life has been a long and prosperous one. So, how do you review the use of Mozart's music?

To understand my own activities as a reviewer, and as a free-range social commentator, policy analyst and cultural critic, you may wish to peruse some of my earlier blog pamphlet postings:

The world in the time of Mozart

Becoming acquainted

The humanity of Mozart

This Mozarty blog pamphlet gives you the opportunity to be an enlightened reviewer, too. Perhaps the questions I consider here are too challenging for you!

Nannerl, Wolfie and Snuffy Charlotte

2010-11-17T23:16:00.011+10:30

A few words by their mutual friend, Madame Adelaidezone

Pietro Antonio Lorenzoni (1721-1782) painted some very nice pictures of the Mozart family between 1863 and 1865. Young Wolfie, aged eight, dedicated his Opus 3 to Queen Charlotte in London on 18 January 1865.

Queen Charlotte's husband, George III, had only recently bought a large family home, called Buckingham House, which he renamed Queen's House in his wife's honour. The Mozart family performed there three times during their London experience.

Elegant Young Nannerl

Young Wolfie was musically influenced, during his London stay, by the newly arrived youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Christian. He also received singing lessons from the Italian castrato, Giovanni Manzuol.

The Seven Years' War had lasted for the first seven years of Mozart's life. The family had been painted in Paris by Louis Carrogis Carmontelle in 1763. The artist had painted Jean-Phillipe Rameau only three years earlier.

What did Nannerl think of her childhood? What did she think of the snuff-taking Queen Charlotte? In adulthood, what would Nannerl, her sister-in-law Constanze Mozart and even Queen Charlotte have made of the libretto of Così fan tutte?

The opera was first performed in 1790, the year before Mozart's death, and two years after the start of the French Revolution. My interpretation of the opera assumes the context of a possible war on the horizon, with the audience knowing what it may mean within social relationships. Did Mr da Ponte intend this?

You may have already read my Adelaide Zone Twaklin Vanity Unfair comments. Was the opera really about the stereotyping of women, especially attractive young women, or was it more about the possessive anxieties of stereotypical young military men?

If you were a young Austrian conscript in the 1790s, perhaps you may have felt like a young Australian conscript in the 1940s. Were the Albanians in Così fan tutte like the Americans in the Second World War?

I doubt very much that Mr Mozart would have thought of his sister, wife and former royal patron in the same light as Fiordiligi and Dorabella. But what do you make of the plot?

A Classic Mozarty Tactic

2010-11-12T08:51:00.008+10:30

Thoroughly investigated by Madame Adelaidezone

Peace reigns whenever Mozart is played, or that is the theory, at least in New Zealand. I am yet to meet an anti-social Mozartian. Most Mozarty people are supremely civilized. Mental misfortune, crime, stress and indigestion may easily be relieved by changing the soundtrack of people's lives, especially with some of Mozart's works of a slower tempo (but avoiding the Requiem when it is not appropriate to play it).

Even that classic criminal, Don Giovanni, becomes refined and civilized (at least when constrained on an opera stage) in the right musical hands. The world is a far better place when liberty reigns, rather than rampaging libertines.

It is interesting to compare Mr da Ponte's libretto with the play by Molière. I have no time for Don Juans or other unpleasant characters, except in fiction, regardless of whether they profess to be religious or atheist.

A classically-enhanced musical environment may be one of the least expensive ways to provide peaceful pleasantness in any community, except when quietness is required. Why is a Mozarty tactic not more commonly applied?

Intriguing Realities

2010-10-26T19:26:00.016+10:30

Suitably explored by Madame Adelaidezone

Monsieur Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais may have spent his youth training to twiddle with the workings of watches, but he was certainly not one to sit around twiddling his thumbs. How did he ever find the time to write three plays about a person called Figaro? We, of course, are most interested here in the second play in that particular series, La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro, written in 1778. It is not the basis of my own opera, The Cabbage of Figure Row.

Monsieur Beaumarchais

Although there is no record of Monsieur Beaumarchais writing a work entitled Le Chou de la Figure de la Rangée, he may have had more success with my work when attempting to gain a premiere. His middle Figaro work did not reach a public audience until 27 April 1784.

And while Mr Mozart may have taken the idea to Mr da Ponte when proposing a topic for their initial collaboration, does this necessarily mean that the librettist was not already familiar with the work? That would be a little like saying that Cecil B. DeMille knew nothing of the Ten Commandments before making his first film on that particular topic in 1923.

There are so many intriguing aspects to consider when attempting an understanding of history, but how many of them are truly based upon reality?

Mozart and Librettists - Part Five

2010-10-04T12:03:00.009+10:30

A subject to be looked at in greater detail, by Madame Adelaidezone

Oh, my goodness! Reading about the lives of adventurous Venetians is quite exhausting. I shall require months, perhaps even years, to complete my understanding of Mr Mozart's exquisite collaborations with Mr da Ponte. If you are able to assist me in this arduous task, dear reader, please communicate your possible patronage at the earliest opportunity.

Alas, the decadence of the late Venetian Republic has now spread to much of the world. I wonder what Mr da Ponte and his friend Mr Casanova would think of the contents of most of today's broadcasting media. Do you have any thoughts on the matter?

Before I continue, perhaps it would be appropriate to provide a review of this haphazard series of blog pamphlet postings:

Part One - Opera Seria

Part Two - Singspiele

Part Three - Mr Schikaneder

Part Four - Mr da Ponte

If you would like to know more about the life of Mr da Ponte, here are some very interesting links for perusal, especially as some of the information I am discovering is rather contradictory:

A very brief biography

The Librettist of Venice

More about the lovely librettist
(from the Lorenzo da Ponte Italian Library)

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vittorio Veneto

An introduction to Venice

I am especially interested in how Mr da Ponte's literary style may have been influenced by that of Mr Goldoni,
just as I hope to understand more about how the compositions of Mr Luchesi may have inspired the Mozart family.

As far as I am aware, Mr Mozart himself visited The Republic of Venice with his father in February of 1771. It must have been an exciting place for a boy in his mid teens, especially as it was the Carnival season. I would be interesting to know of Leopold Mozart's opinions of the place, though I have discovered a little about his son's impressions.

Mr da Ponte's most endearing, and enduringly successful, musical collaborator would have drawn upon his own Italian experiences for inspiration while preparing the three masterpieces of their combined operatic careers. I shall endeavour to examine those masterpieces in greater detail whenever the opportunity arises.

Mozart and Librettists - Part four

2010-09-02T09:02:00.007+09:30

More on this very important topic, by Madame Adelaidezone

Now that Australia has almost decided on the combination of political parties to govern it, my duties as the campaign manager for the Mozarty Party are somewhat lighter. This means that I am able to resume my series on Mozart's relationships with librettists.

Today, I would like to introduce you to the person who wrote the most magnificent of libretti, namely Lorenzo da Ponte. You may have heard of him before now, but you may not be aware of his role as one of the founding fathers of Tin Pan Alley in New York City.

Lorenzo of the magnificent libretti had an even more extraordinary life than Lorenzo il Magnifico, whom I recently mentioned in my main blog pamphlet. Mr da Ponte is likely to be the subject of several Mozarty postings in the coming weeks. Learn more about his life, here.

Mozart in Strasbourg with a Pianoforte

2010-08-06T08:21:00.007+09:30

Something tunefully interesting,
as presented by Madame Adelaidezone

You may be aware that a possibly very important pianoforte has been discovered. The importance of the instrument derives from its connection with Strasbourg at a time when Mozart visited the city.

It is being speculated that the instrument was only about three years old if Mozart played it in 1778. Here are some excerpts of letters written by Mozart on his various journeys, including Strasbourg visits.

If you are able to tell the difference between Strasbourg and Salzburg, and between a pianoforte and a kazoo, you may wish to visit one of my earlier blog-pamphlet postings on the subject of long lost musical instruments.

Complete Perfection

2010-08-04T09:11:00.014+09:30

Something quite expected here, with Madame Adelaidezone

An experience of perfection is a wonderful way to cope with the many less perfect experiences of life. There is also something to celebrate whenever we enjoy a feeling of completeness. On the other hand, the essence of something may be communicated better through relative incompleteness. Music without words. Words without music. Unfinished masterpieces. Sketches.

Here is my attempt to complete Mr Lange's portrait of his brother-in-law, Mr Mozart. Perhaps you think it would have been better left unfinished.

For me, the music of Mozart is a reminder that humans do have the individual and collective capability to create experiences of perfection. A perfect meal. A perfect day. A perfect performance. Perfect grammar (though not in this blog-pamphlet posting).

The difference with Mozart is that the perfection is eternal.

A Major Political Party

2010-07-22T14:07:00.014+09:30

An important announcement by a very excited Madame Adelaidezone

I am taking another excursion away from writing about Mozart's relationships with librettists, and from writing my own opera, so that I can concentrate on something more pressing, namely the campaign for the Mozarty Party to be considered as a major player in Australia's forthcoming federal election.

You may have been following my activities at Adelaide Zone Twaklin, where I have been giving a few insights as the Mozarty Party's campaign manager. You will know, too, that the Mozarty Party is both a major key party and a minor key party. We are able to perform in all of the important keys and on all the key issues.

Today, as well as the policies we have already announced, we will be focusing on one of Mozart's most important works of his late career, namely the Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622, which had its premiere in Prague on 16 October 1791, only two weeks after the premiere of The Magic Flute in Vienna (see my previous posting).

The concerto has three movements. You can hear the second movement, the adagio, through this link to you tube. I think it is a good piece of music for a relaxing lunchtime. The first movement, the allegro, is very good for first thing in the morning, while the final movement, the rondo, is highly appropriate for the early evening.

I have a couple of versions of the concerto on compact disc, and as I have just had my lunch, I think I will play the adagio again. Once I have digested my meal, I will play the whole concerto while doing some tidying up.

Which pieces of Mr Mozart's music do you prefer for different activities and times of day?

Mozart and Librettists - Part Three

2010-07-16T16:01:00.019+09:30

Presented, as usual, by Madame Adelaidezone

One of the difficulties in providing examples of Mr Mozart's music here in my ethereally magnificent music room is that the quality of the sound is often dependent upon the quality of your instruments of audio reproduction rather than on the quality of the musicians.

For example, I prefer to listen to Mr Mozart's music within a few steps of an orchestra pit and an orchestral conductor's podium rather than on an ipod while travelling on public transportation, especially if interrupted by a tram conductor wishing to see my ticket.

And if I do not have an orchestra in an orchestra pit close to hand, I do at least like to be able to hear all the instrumentation Mr Mozart's notation requires, without any unpleasant intrusions.

My collection of musical recordings includes vinyl records from several decades of the 20th century, analog audio tape recordings, digital compact disc recordings, analog video recordings, and digital video discs, plus just a few purely digital recordings somewhere in the depths of my computer filing system. One of the digital video discs in my collection includes the following, which you may experience here through youtube, although it has been put there by someone other than me:

The overture to Mr Mozart's Magic Flute, performed by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conducted by Mr James Levine.

As with my previous blog post, this one is about the writing of singspiele. This time only one singspiel will be discussed, namely The Magic Flute, otherwise known as Die Zauberflöte, the librettist for which was a celebrity in his own right, the multi-talented Mr Emanuel Schikaneder.

Mr Mozart and Mr Schikaneder had known each other quite well for over a decade by the time they collaborated on their risky singspiel joint venture. The essential playfulness of the libretto for The Magic Flute may have something to do with the delight Mr Mozart experienced while preparing for and playing a game of Bölzlschiessen.

The storyline for The Magic Flute contains many elements, some of which are quite surreal. You may think the same about my main blog, Adelaide Zone Twaklin, which is mainly written, like this blog, in the English language.

The difficulty faced by those of us who do not understand the German language is that we can easily become lost along the way while trying to follow the stories of Tamino and Pamina, and Papageno and Papagena, panpipes, magic flutes and magic bells, amongst other things. Even if you understand German, perhaps you have similar experiences.

I am not sure what the three ladies who attend the Queen of the Night are meant to represent, nor am I sure who the employer of the three young boys might be, but I have read that the symbolism of The Magic Flute has some connection with Freemasonry. To be consistent with the theme of number three, you may have noticed that this blog post is the third in my series on Mozart and Librettists.

Mr Mozart and Mr Schikaneder were members of the same masonic lodge, so I am led to believe. Freemasonry was also important in the development of Adelaide, but that is a topic for my Adelaide Adagia blog, perhaps.

So, what do you think of the libretto for The Magic Flute? Do some aspects of the story make you feel politically uncomfortable? And what might we learn from the popularity of The Magic Flute, in the past and present?

Mozart and Librettists - Part Two

2010-07-07T14:39:00.009+09:30

A cheerful continuation with Madame Adelaidezone

As far as I am aware, there are no archives containing operettas or musicals or rock operas by Mr Mozart. Nor was he interviewed by anyone called Madame Opera or Lady Oprah to promote his work, though he may have been a special guest of several enlightened salonnières. One such acquaintance led him to become an important composer of singspiele.

Although I am not as musically talented nor as well connected or wealthy as Countess Maria Wilhelmine Thun-Hohenstein, I do aspire to be a patroness of the arts and friend of the talented, like her. Countess Thun had a very important influence on Mr Mozart's career, and was especially supportive of his singspiel Die Entführung aus dem Serail.

Making an impression on influential, established librettists and their theatre manager friends was vital to Mr Mozart's career, too. This was made easier, of course, through the social networks of the Countess. In the days before twitter, facebook and youtube, a few hard copies of one's previous compositions were the main 18th century social networking tools for any aspiring freelance genius, with the help of a rich acquaintance or two.

I am not particularly fond of melodrama so perhaps it is fortunate that Mr Mozart's half-completed singspiel, Zaide, was postponed indefinitely by the difficulties he faced when trying to compose music for the libretto of Idomeneo (see part one of this blog series for more about the latter). Even in its incomplete state, the music for Zaide impressed the powerful but unpoetical Gottlieb Stephanie, who was to become the librettist and plagiarist (of Christoph Friedrich Bretzner's earlier libretto) for Mozart's Seraglio singspiel.

The music for Idomeneo had impressed Count Franz Xaver Rosenberg-Orsini, the manager of the theatre where Seraglio would be performed. So, Mr Mozart's first completed singspiel was a great success, despite its libretto.

As I am not familiar with the German language, I will not be writing a singspiel. It would be interesting, with more knowledge of German, to compare the quality of Johann Andreas Schachtner's libretto for Zaide with Mr Stephanie's collaborations with Mozart. Even though the latter was not the best of librettists, great careers sometimes need the occasional compromise and Mozart was realistic enough to accept him as a partner on his next singspiel, Der Schauspieldirektor.

Well, I have written enough words for one day. If I put a tune to just a couple of the above sentences, I may be able to call this blog post an operetta.

A Little Rest

2010-06-15T17:20:00.009+09:30

for a sleepy and somewhat crotchety Madame Adelaidezone

Writing operas is rather tiring work, as I know from personal experience. Fortunately, as a person of independent means, I am able to retire to my boudoir whenever I feel fatigued. My examination of the relationship between Mr Mozart and his librettists will continue at a later date. However, I am concerned that our dear friend had to work even when tired. It must have had a most disagreeable and detrimental effect on his health.

My own physician frequently recommends rest, walks in the fresh air and wholesome food rather than an abundance of music. If I walk along one of Adelaide's beaches, I sometimes hum the tune of Soave si il vento from Mozart's Così fan tutte. The original libretto is, of course, the work of Mr da Ponte.

My own semi-literal translation may sound somewhat like a pagan prayer though I hope you may enjoy singing it while accompanying the youtube link above, whether you are on a beach, in your boudoir, or on a public omnibus:

May winds blow only gently,
May waves always answer calmly.
All nature be kindly,
Respond always mildly,
And know our needs
And our desires.

Now I shall sleep...

Mozart and Librettists - Part One

2010-05-28T15:12:00.008+09:30

This could be the start of something delightfully enlightening,
by Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone

What is it that makes some of Mozart's operas very special indeed? It is not necessarily the music. He wrote plenty of wonderful music in a wide variety of forms. It is not necessarily the words. Many opera composers have used interesting words. Some composers used the same librettists as Mozart did, for less of a result.

Mozart had an advantage over other opera composers because he could describe character through music far better than anyone else. He could even do so when the raw product of a libretto left a lot to be desired. You may, for example, be aware of the troubles Mozart experienced with the libretto for Idomeneo as provided by Varesco.

A very fashionable librettist during the eighteenth century was Metastasio, whose writings were often employed in the service of opera seria. Mozart used the writer's work as the basis of La clemenza di Tito.

I often wonder why operas have not been written about the life of Mozart, but the more I read about Metastasio, I think an opera about him would be very interesting, too. Could you write a libretto for either? If so, who should the composer(s) be?

If you are interested in the words that accompany Mozart's music, you may find this link of interest: Stanford Libretto List (just scroll down until you reach Mozart's name in the alphabetical list).

Well, I look forward to sharing part two of this series of blog posts with you soon. I have been trying to write an opera myself over recent weeks, including its libretto. The working title is The Cabbage of Figure Row. It will not be an opera seria.

Natural Mozart

2010-05-08T12:27:00.007+09:30

Explorations by the scientifically-minded Madame Adelaidezone

You may not think of Mozart as being a particularly outdoorsy sort of chap. As far as I am aware, he was not a rugged explorer of Alpine peaks and did not hold any records for swimming the Danube. He was urban and urbane for much of his maturity and spent rather a lot of time indoors during his lifetime, playing and composing music, or travelling long distances between cities in uncomfortable carriages.

Yet nature played a large part in Mozart's life and possibly inspired many of his musical accomplishments. He was lucky to have been born with a musical ear or two. It helped, too, that he had a father who was an established expert in musical education.

Mozart was born in the centre of Europe rather than on its periphery, a geographical good fortune. Unlike five of his older siblings, he lived to be well beyond the age of a few months. It is also somewhat miraculous that his mother survived the birth.

If the Mozart household had lived in Lisbon, the history of music may have been very different. Mozart was in his mother's womb when an earthquake and tsunami devastated the Portuguese capital on Saturday 1 November 1755, All Saints' Day.

Mozart and his sister, Nannerl, were reasonably robust children, surviving typhoid in December 1765 and smallpox in November 1767. Their survival is even more surprising when we realise that bloodletting was the most common medical practice from antiquity until about 1900.

Science gained momentum during Mozart's lifetime as a topic of popular education and entertainment. The natural world was still a place of many mysteries, yet it was felt, at least by aficionados of the Enlightenment, that many of those mysteries could be solved.

Mr Mozart had a natural talent; something we still cannot explain in a scientific way. A scientist who had a special affinity with Mozart's music had some amazing natural talents, too. His name was Mr Einstein. I will leave the last word today to him.

Mozart and the Volcano

2010-04-16T17:39:00.009+09:30

Some ponderings by the naturally inquisitive Madame Adelaidezone

If your travel plans are currently being disrupted by an inconsiderate volcano, perhaps the same thing happened a while ago to our dear friend Mr Wolfgang "Love of God" Mozart. His music has often been declared an Act of God, though perhaps not quite in the same way as in the general exclusions that relate to your travel insurance policy.

I am not likely to stray very far from Adelaide this year, and do not plan to fly anywhere at all. Mozart never flew anywhere either, and his parents managed his travel itineraries quite well without even railway trains, motor vehicles or bicycles as options.

Mozart would probably have composed an opera or at least a symphony if he happened to be stuck somewhere similar to an airport, like a coaching inn or a church with a friendly organist.

The volcano of most concern to Europeans in the 1780s was also far, far away in Iceland. The volcanoes probably of most concern to me are in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Even the Sydney Morning Herald today mentions the 1783 Laki volcanic eruption

Read more about Laki on Wikipedia

From the Wikipedia article, you will notice that Prague was one of the cities affected by Laki's smelly cloud. 1783 was the year the Estates Theatre opened in Prague.

Read more about the Estates Theatre's history

Well, I'm hoping to learn more about how the volcano might have impacted on Mozart's life and work, so if you know something about it, do let me know.

A Few Mozarty Moments

2010-03-03T13:23:00.008+10:30

In the company of Madame Adelaidezone

As the sort of person who does not particularly appreciate crowds, I mostly like to enjoy my Mozarty moments in the privacy of my own home, especially here in the music room of my little villa.

Here are a few YouTube Mozarty moments I would like to share with you and your computational machine:

Adagio, Serenade No. 10 in B Flat Major (Grand Partita) K 361 third movement

Voi che sapete, Marriage of Figaro, Frederica von Stade, Glyndebourne, 1973

Allegro, Divertimento in D, K 136 first movement

Il mio tesoro, Don Giovanni, Luigi Alva, Aix, 1960

What are your favourite Mozarty moments?

Music, Morals, Manners and Mozart

2010-02-04T13:52:00.008+10:30

By Madame Adelaidezone's rather shy and
anonymous, non-ethereal assistant

I have met many people who say that Mozart's music is of the past, not of the future. It usually indicates that such people have very little acquaintance with his music and the effect it can have on the human brain.

While I am as skeptical as any other reasonable person about unsubstantiated claims, I do believe that beautiful, harmonious music, at the right time and in the right place, can provide the world with an antidote to the many discordant cultural tones in our lives. The pleasure of focussed listening can be meditative and restorative.

Some of my most prized possessions include the books I have inherited from my grandfather, an amateur violinist. One of those books is Music and Morals, by H.R. Haweis. It is a sixth edition copy of 1875, meaning that my grandfather probably either inherited the book from one of his relatives or bought it second hand.

Read the brief Wikipedia article about the author, Reverend Hugh Reginald Haweis

Music and Morals - Google Books

Here is a quote from the book:

To open Mozart's letters is like opening a painted tomb. We are surrounded by people long dead, - we read the once familiar names, forgotten now, - we look curiously at the busy every-day life of a century ago, -we almost catch the ringing laugh and the sound of voices. The colours are all fresh, the figures are all distinct. Let us select one group. There is Leopold Mozart, the father, with his old threadbare coat, and oaken stick, a God-fearing, sensible, but somewhat narrow-minded man; his wife - the very model of a thrifty housewife. There is pretty little Nannerl, now about fifteen, who "looks like an angel in her new clothes," and plays the clavier to the astonishment of Herr von Mölk, the stupid lover, and the other Court musicians who frequent the worthy Capellmeister's house at Salzburg. There is Bimberl the dog, who gets so many kisses, and the canary that sings in G sharp; and last there is the glorious boy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, now thirteen, in his little puce-brown coat, velvet hose, and buckled shoes, and long flowing curly hair, tied behind after the fashion of the day...

We often forget that people in the past, including our own ancestors, lived lives just as vividly as we do. We also tend to think of future lives in terms dissimilar to our own. Many decisions by powerful people look at the lives of others in abstract terms, as if we have no true existence or value.

Where there is Mozart, there is hope.

Avant-garde Mozartians

2010-01-04T23:44:00.019+10:30

A daringly provocative opinion by Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone

Mozart in the 20th century often had a contradictory relationship with the mass media and mass markets.

Until quite recently, his music was often thought of as the preserve of those who exclusively appreciate the higher forms of culture. There was a perception, especially amongst many who thought of Western classical music as only being for a wealthy elite, that Mozart's music could only be accessible to a mass audience through its arbitrary use in films and television advertisements.

Fortunately, in the 21st century there is a seriously enlightened and delightfully widespread interest in discovering the treasures of Mozart's work and world on a deeper level. The growing popularity of the fragmented entertainment known as pop opera has given some tunes a new audience. Unfortunately, this has also frequently given rise to tacky commercialism over past decades and a debasing of the noble sentiments and pursuit of excellence that true Mozartians prize.

Are you a true Mozartian?

Mozart's music represents the epitome of beauty, understanding and magnificence. It is not only for the wealthy or the musically educated or the exponent of religion or the opera fanatic or the seeker of pleasant tunes. Mozart's extraordinarily gifts and prodigious output are for all of us to admire, even if we can never hope to aspire to his level of genius and humanity in our own creative lives.

My hope is that the decades ahead will give rise to a cultural movement in which Mozarty sentiments will become the new avant garde; gently and humorously brushing aside the vicious, the vulgar and the vacuous aspects of culture that have dominated the mass media for some time. Perhaps the Internet can help this new cultural movement to thrive.

For those seeking some inspiration and information on the above topics, perhaps these Wikipedia articles can be used as a starting point:

Cultural movement

Avant-garde

You may also wish to do a Google search for "Mozart/Mozartian avant garde" to find some relevant articles.

I wish you many pleasant musical moments, and abundant peace between them, in the year ahead.

Mozarty History

2009-12-16T18:10:00.014+10:30

Historically informed possibilities, with Madame Adelaidezone

Beautiful... extraordinary... bravo caro maestro... perhaps these were some of the words Mozart heard from audiences and fellow musicians in his day.

Does anyone know exactly what the audiences did utter during and after performances of Mozart's music, especially before 1792?

Over the past few months, I have mentioned Mozart in my main blog on several occasions. I like looking at history, and the present, from a wide range of perspectives.

Here are some Mozartian links to my Adelaide Zone Twaklin blog:

Adelaide in the time of Mozart

Understanding this blog

Making yourself at home

Twaklin's studio

Just another Adelaide blogger writing a blog

If you would like to see all of the above all at once, then you can do so here.

Today I have provided a little Mozartian Parlour in the left hand column of this blog for those who wish to enjoy a few Mozarty interludes in 2010.

Mozart at Christmas

2009-12-14T17:45:00.005+10:30

A jolly interesting topic to discuss with other guests,
as introduced by Madame Adelaidezone

I do not yet know how Mozart would have spent his Christmas times in the 1700s. Do you?

Which pieces of Mr Mozart's music are most suitable for a celebratory gathering, in your view?

The Universality of Mozart

2009-12-08T15:17:00.007+10:30

By the suitably global Madame Adelaidezone

Do you believe that the music of Mozart belongs to the whole world?

Do you think Mozart might be the world's most popular musician of all time?

Does Mozart have the ability to cross cultural boundaries like no other artist?

Where is the evidence to back up your own points of view?

Well, that is enough of my Mozarty questions for you to ponder over, at least for today. If you would like some link connections to assist you in forming an informed opinion, you may wish try these:

Here is something for those who love philosophy

Here is something for those who love opera

Here is something for those who love Mozart

If you would like to know more about my own views on the universality of Mozart, do stay tuned into my further Mozarty explorations.

Mozart's Music - An Introduction

2009-11-26T19:31:00.009+10:30

Provided by Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone

For those who are unfamiliar with Mozart's music, or perhaps think they know very little about it, today I shall be providing two presentations of some of his greatest hits. If you are one of those people, you may discover you know quite a few tunes after all.

If you already know Mozart's music quite well, which are your favourites? Although I don't have any videos of my own to show you, I found these delightful introductions on You Tube. I hope you will enjoy these snippets of Mozartian magic.

So, which are your favourite pieces of Mozart's music?

Encountering Cherubino

2009-11-06T15:59:00.007+10:30

By a non-employer of unruly pageboys, Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone

If you are a young male, between the ages of 12 and 25, or you have ever been a young male, you may know what it is like to experience the feelings of a character like Cherubino. In Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, the page boy (pronounced in English as Ke-rub-eeno) is about 15 years old. He has rampaging hormones. He is confused about his identity. He is beginning to enjoy chasing after females. His boss forces him to join the army.

Most 15 year old boys do not understand enough about themselves to express the music as Mozart intended. That is why Cherubino is played by an adult female singer, usually a mezzo soprano.

I sometimes wonder if Cherubino is Mozart. The composer had a reputation for challenging authority, especially that of the second Prince Archbishop of Salzburg to employed him, Count Hieronymus Joseph Franz de Paula Graf Colloredo von Wallsee und Melz.

All I know is that there is nothing new about the behaviour rebellious teenagers, even though they may think otherwise.

The Adelaide Concerto

2009-10-20T14:41:00.012+10:30

By an Adelaidean lady, Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone

As someone who lives in a place called Adelaide, and knowing that our town was not on Mozart's gig schedule, the Adelaide of the concerto's title was Princess Marie Adélaïde de France, one of the many (legitimate) daughters of Louis XV. The "lost" manuscript of c.1766 was "found" in 1933.

Mozart's Adelaide Concerto might arguably be his greatest achievement, mainly because it is now known that he had been dead for quite some time before the piece was composed. Only an extraordinary composer with Mozart's talent might have achieved such a feat, though I am rather skeptical about anyone having the ability to work at a musical composition while buried in a mass grave.

It is reasonable to agree that Marius Casadesus did not uncover a long lost manuscript by a 10-year-old Mozart. The hoax fooled some very well known musicians, as far as I am aware. A man named Einstein (the musicologist not the physicist) managed to figure it out, though.

Mozart Today

2009-07-23T23:12:00.014+09:30

By the historically well-informed, transcendental and
space-time appropriate Madame Adelaidezone

When you think of Mozart, do you think in terms of the past, the present or the future? Perhaps you think of his music as being beyond temporal considerations. Does it have a divine origin perhaps?

I shall leave you to ponder over such matters while I provide a few links to online resources about Mozart's life, mind, work and legacy:

The Mozart Project

Media Library

Classical Archives

Mozart's Letters

How does music usually make you feel about musicians as individuals? Does the mood generated by sounds delude us in some way? Do sounds really mean nothing at all except when associated with words?

Is it possible to know the real Mozart? I find that listening to his operas is the nearest I might ever be to understanding his mature mind. But does that really matter one way or another? Is it just the enjoyment of a particular moment that matters?

The Humanity of Mozart

2009-06-24T16:01:00.013+09:30

As explored by Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone

How might artistic people best express humanity through their work? Mozart appears to have been a reasonably humane and peaceful person even though he lived through turbulent times.

I am not sure if ideas such as a sense of place, a sense of belonging, a sense of being and a sense of purpose are more of the Enlightenment or Romanticism. They all appear to be cultural themes of modernity nevertheless, though rejecting modern life's more brutal aspects.

What can we learn from Mozart about the future of human cultural achievement? And how might we match his humanitarian expressiveness?

Becoming Acquainted

2009-06-19T15:56:00.019+09:30

Suitable introductions by Madame Adelaidezone and her
rather shy and anonymous, non-ethereal assistant

For anyone who is unfamiliar with Mozart and the world of his day, perhaps Wikipedia can provide a useful introduction.

Mr Mozart on Wikipedia

If you wish to comment on this blog-pamphlet, I will assume that you are familiar with the basics of Mozart's biography, but not necessarily with much of his music. I can't read music very well and have received very little formal musical training.

When growing up, my family's radio was usually tuned to pop, rock or blues. Mozart has become more familiar to me in the last two decades and I no longer enjoy listening to pop, rock or blues.

I was a singer-songwriter in my youth, playing the guitar and developing a folky, European, acoustic style. I also played the recorder - the reason, perhaps, why I have difficulty reading music. I found it very easy to play by ear.

Even today, I improvise vocal melodies but usually based vaguely on opera arias rather than folk tunes. Verdi and Handel are the composers I prefer for the purpose - Mozart is too pure.

The question I would like to ask today is this: Can you imagine what life was like inside Mozart's mind?

If that question is quite a difficult one to answer, then you may just like to introduce yourself. That on its own would be lovely.

The World in the Time of Mozart

2009-06-17T20:24:00.014+09:30

In the opinion of Madame Twaklin Adelaidezone

There are many biographies about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. There are many scholarly articles about his life and work. There are many musicians who bring us the art of Mozart each day. There are probably quite a lot of blogs about Mozart, too. Why, then, is there a need for yet another Mozart offshoot?

If you have seen my Adelaide Zone Twaklin blog-pamphlet recently, you may have discovered why. I want to explore the world not from Mozart's perspective but from the point of view of someone looking afresh at important world events that occurred during his lifetime - ones that still affect us today.

My look at history will also draw upon a knowledge of events and influences that had a direct or indirect impact on Mozart's life, thoughts and creativity. It will also draw on knowledge of the biographies, websites, blogs and music that reflect the influence of Mozart today, and over the past 200 years or so.

I also hope to make a few new discoveries along the way, and improve my own creative expression. If you can assist, or you have an insightful or entertaining comment to make, or you would just like to say hello in some sort of Mozarty way, your presence in the parlour would be most agreeable.