I remember a punishment I was given in the Army. I was supposed to write a 1000 word essay (yes an essay--very 5th grade, 1950's consequence) on why leaving my belongings unsecured was bad. Toward the end, I started to write about the difficultly of coming up with words to write in a essay, because I left my equipment unsecured. Then, I topped it off with 'How close am I to being done? Oh. I just need two more words. Which two? Oh yeah, I have the perfect ones.... The End.' I had exactly 1000 words. I wasn't expecting him to read it anyway. (For those who wonder if I got further consequences for the work, I will say my squad leader actually read it, and he said he enjoyed it. So, no. I did not get further consequences.)
How much could be truer of writing about someone whom I don't know very well, or don't care for. Maybe, I should just write how hard it was to write. Yeah. I should do that for each of these posts. Hey, ya'll. This stuff is hard to write about.
What better words to throw out for a struggling artist than the words of K. 36? (I realize that Mozart didn't write the lyrics, but I'll address that later.) I couldn't help but laugh at the lyrics to this piece. They are exactly the words I feel all the time. Sure, I do realize they may have been sincere, but the cynic in me wonders. I will give my paraphrase, if you want to whole lyrics look them up in Wikipedia.
Duty compels me to write this song, for this awesome guy, but I can't find the words. I'm trying to beat them out of my head. I'm looking everywhere for inspiration. But nothing. I can't find the right words, because this Schrattenbach fellow is just way too awesome for me to spew out any poetry.
I don't know... It's hard for me to take the words seriously. Maybe the writer did find Archbishop Schrattenbach that awesome. But, as I wannabe writer, I can appreciate the easy way out.
Anyway, on to the Mozarty stuff.
Who was Archbishop Schrattenbach? He was the man in charge before Colloredo. To set up the context of the song, the Mozart's had just returned from the Grand Tour. Three years gone, all while being on the Archbishop's payroll. Maynard Solomon speaks of Leopold's fear of Schrattenbach when the family returned (Mozart: A Life: 1995, pg 68). I know the feeling. Whenever my boss (or my wife) calls me into the office I assume it is because I did something wrong. I'm already tallying the things I know I did wrong, before I even get there. However, the Mozart's tour proves fruitful for the Archbishop as well. Their fame became his fame.
Where as the words of this song convey an artist's struggles, the music starts with that fear of getting called into the office. "What did I do?" Then, the music switches from fear to joy. "Oh. An attendance bonus? (Or something else)." Does this music reflect what he heard from his father? Do they reflect the fears Leopold had after returning from the tour? And, then the possibly exuberance he had when, Leopold found out Archbishop Schrattenbach was in fact happy with Leopold, not angry?
And so, the 10-year-old Mozart, composed a genuine bit of music in honor of Archbishop Schrattenbach's anniversary. His first piece of music after returning home.
Duty compels me to write this song, for this awesome guy, but I can't find the words. I'm trying to beat them out of my head. I'm looking everywhere for inspiration. But nothing. I can't find the right words, because this Schrattenbach fellow is just way too awesome for me to spew out any poetry.
I don't know... It's hard for me to take the words seriously. Maybe the writer did find Archbishop Schrattenbach that awesome. But, as I wannabe writer, I can appreciate the easy way out.
Anyway, on to the Mozarty stuff.
Who was Archbishop Schrattenbach? He was the man in charge before Colloredo. To set up the context of the song, the Mozart's had just returned from the Grand Tour. Three years gone, all while being on the Archbishop's payroll. Maynard Solomon speaks of Leopold's fear of Schrattenbach when the family returned (Mozart: A Life: 1995, pg 68). I know the feeling. Whenever my boss (or my wife) calls me into the office I assume it is because I did something wrong. I'm already tallying the things I know I did wrong, before I even get there. However, the Mozart's tour proves fruitful for the Archbishop as well. Their fame became his fame.
Where as the words of this song convey an artist's struggles, the music starts with that fear of getting called into the office. "What did I do?" Then, the music switches from fear to joy. "Oh. An attendance bonus? (Or something else)." Does this music reflect what he heard from his father? Do they reflect the fears Leopold had after returning from the tour? And, then the possibly exuberance he had when, Leopold found out Archbishop Schrattenbach was in fact happy with Leopold, not angry?
And so, the 10-year-old Mozart, composed a genuine bit of music in honor of Archbishop Schrattenbach's anniversary. His first piece of music after returning home.
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