Mozart : his character, his work / Alfred Einstein ; translated by Arthur Mendel and Nathan Broder.
| Author/creator | Einstein, Alfred |
| Other author | Mendel, Arthur, 1905-1979, translator. |
| Other author | Broder, Nathan, translator. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | New York, London : Oxford university press, 1945. |
| Description | viii, 492 pages : facsimiles, music, plates, portraits ; 20cm |
| Subjects |
| Uniform title | Mozart, sein Charakter, sein Werk. English |
| Contents | The man. The traveler ; Genius and human frailty ; Mozart and the eternal feminine ; Catholicism and freemasonry ; Patriotism and education -- The musician. Universality ; Mozart and his contemporaries (imitation and affinity) ; The fragments and the process of creation ; Mozart and counterpoint ; Mozart's choice of keys -- The instrumental works. Chamber music for strings ; Divertimento, cassation, serenade ; The symphony ; The clavier ; Chamber music including clavier ; Concertante and mechanical elements ; The synthesis: the clavier concerto -- The vocal works. Church music ; Aria and song -- Opera. Mozart and opera ; Opera seria ; Opera buffa ; The German opera ; Conclusion. |
| Abstract | This critical biography of Mozart is divided into two parts. The first deals with the life of Mozart in a fresh and penetrating manner. Instead of recapitulating the well-known facts of the composer's life, the author has chosen to train his biographical lens on various phases of Mozart's life: Mozart as Catholic and Freemason; his relations with women; his relations to his contemporaries; etc. As a result, Mozart emerges for us in a completely new light. The second and longer part of the book is devoted to Mozart's instrumental and vocal works, the one reaching its greatest height in his piano concertos, the other in his operas. Piano music, chamber music, and symphonic music are discussed separately. Special chapters are devoted to Mozart's church music and operas. Throughout this second part of the book, the author's purpose is to provide the historical background for Mozart's work, at the same time evaluating the single works and the work as a whole in terms of the man himself. The book, which will be welcomed by music lovers everywhere, reflects on every page the author's intimate and detailed knowledge of Mozart. |
| Local note | Little-46964 |
| General note | Catalogue of works: pages 473-483. |
| LCCN | 45001487 |