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Mozart's Women: His Family, His Friends, His Music
Throughout his life, Mozart was inspired, fascinated, amused, aroused, hurt, disappointed and betrayed by women -- and he was equally complex to them. But, first and last, Mozart loved and respected women. His mother, his sister, his wife, her sisters, and his female patrons, friends, lovers and fellow artists all figure prominently in his life. And his experience, observation and understanding of women reappear, spectacularly, in the characters he created. As one of our finest interpreters of Mozart's work, Jane Glover is perfectly placed to bring these remarkable women -- both real and dramatized -- vividly to life. We meet Mozart's mother, Maria Anna, and his beloved and devoted sister, Nannerl, perhaps as talented as her brilliant brother but, owing to her sex, destined to languish at home while Wolfgang and their father entertained the drawing rooms of Europe. We meet, too, Mozart's "other family" -- his in-laws, the Constanze, his wife, much maligned by history, and her sisters, Aloysia, Sophie and Josefa. Aloysia and Josefa were highly talented singers for whom Mozart wrote some of his most remarkable music. Aloysia was the first woman whom Mozart truly and passionately loved, and her eventual rejection of him nearly broke his heart. Constanze, though a less gifted singer, proved a steadfast and loving wife and -- after Mozart's death -- his extremely efficient widow, consolidating his reputation and ensuring that his most enduring legacy, his music, never be forgotten. Mozart's Women is their story. But it is also the story of the women in his operas, all of whom were -- like his sister, his mother, his wife and his entire female acquaintance -- restrained by the conventions and strictures of eighteenth-century society. Yet through his glorious writing, he identified and released the emotions of his characters. Constanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail ; Ilia and Elettra in Idomeneo ; Susanna and the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro ; Donnas Anna and Elvira in Don Giovanni ; Fiordiligi, Dorabella and Despina in Così fan tutte ; Pamina and the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflö are all examined and celebrated. They hold up the mirror to their audiences and offer inestimable insight, together constituting yet further proof of Mozart's true genius and phenomenal understanding of human nature. Rich, evocative and compellingly readable, Mozart's Women illuminates the music and the man -- but, above all, the women who inspired him.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2005
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897 people want to read
About the author
Jane Glover
25 books11 followersJane Glover has been Music Director of the Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Artistic Director of The London Mozart Players, and has conducted all the major symphony and chamber orchestras in Britain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
March 23, 2017
Mozart's Women is one of the best biographies I've read. Prior to this, the only Mozart biography I'd read was Mozart: A Life in Letters. This primary source bio, filled as it is with letters by Leopold and Wolfgang, is a great resource, but it focuses primarily on the men. While Jane Glover's bio includes the most important male relationships in Mozart's life, its focus is on the women, particularly Nannerl and Constanze, the two women who knew him best, one in his early years, one in his final ones.
The book is divided into four sections: "Mozart's Family", "Mozart's Other Family", "Mozart's Women", "After Mozart" (there's also a Prelude and a Postlude). The section entitled "Mozart's Women" focuses on the music he wrote for women, particularly his operas. As such, it interrupts the more-or-less chronological flow that begins with "Mozart's Family" (which starts with his grandparents) and ends in "After Mozart", which concludes with the death of his last direct descendant, his son Carl (in total, the book covers the early 1700s through the mid 1800s). And yet who would want to be without the transition that connects this section to the last one: "He was, to be sure, entirely at home in Sarastro's (Masonic) world, which he respected, honored, and defended. But for him the presence too of a woman as companion and guide was absolutely essential (308). MOZART'S OWN companion and guide, Constanze, was only twenty-nine years old when she was left a widow with a seven-year-old boy and a four-month-old baby" (311).
Plus, Mozart's Women is rich in the reasons why Mozart was a genius at characterization through his music, makes an argument for his strongest operas being the ones in which he had input on the librettos, and proves that his best operas had casts which not only included great singers, but singers with whom Mozart was well-acquainted. Consider Die Entführung aus dem Serail:
That's not to say that the more biographical sections are lacking. In fact, each section is informative, well-researched, and brimming with the joy that Glover finds in her subject (and his music -- read her comments on "Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio!" and Le Nozze di Figaro, or earlier, his Piano Concerto No. 9). Nor does she give short shrift, in the other sections, to individual arias and piano compositions he wrote with women in mind, particularly Aloysia Weber for the former and Nannerl for the latter.
In the final analysis, if it weren't for women, particularly his wife and sister, Mozart's legacy wouldn't be what it is. Both women helped preserve his music and his character after he died. Through this book, I felt I understood all of Mozart's world: the world he entered into, the world he lived in, the world he left behind. For Mozart's world was the friends and family who populated it and the music he composed for them, especially the women. All influenced him, from his big sister who toured with him when they were young, to his mother who died while accompanying him; from his first crush (his "little cousin," the Bäsle) to his first love (Aloysia) to his wife. Without them, there is no Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The book is divided into four sections: "Mozart's Family", "Mozart's Other Family", "Mozart's Women", "After Mozart" (there's also a Prelude and a Postlude). The section entitled "Mozart's Women" focuses on the music he wrote for women, particularly his operas. As such, it interrupts the more-or-less chronological flow that begins with "Mozart's Family" (which starts with his grandparents) and ends in "After Mozart", which concludes with the death of his last direct descendant, his son Carl (in total, the book covers the early 1700s through the mid 1800s). And yet who would want to be without the transition that connects this section to the last one: "He was, to be sure, entirely at home in Sarastro's (Masonic) world, which he respected, honored, and defended. But for him the presence too of a woman as companion and guide was absolutely essential (308). MOZART'S OWN companion and guide, Constanze, was only twenty-nine years old when she was left a widow with a seven-year-old boy and a four-month-old baby" (311).
Plus, Mozart's Women is rich in the reasons why Mozart was a genius at characterization through his music, makes an argument for his strongest operas being the ones in which he had input on the librettos, and proves that his best operas had casts which not only included great singers, but singers with whom Mozart was well-acquainted. Consider Die Entführung aus dem Serail:
Blonde's adorable perkiness and abundant common sense are perfectly expressed in her music. Her two arias are mainly syllabic, indicating both a matter-of-fact defiance in her dealings with Osmin and a beguiling and straightforward sweetness in her relationship with Pedrillo. But since [Therese] Teiber evidently had a marvellous agility in her upper register, which Wolfgang exploited as happily as he did Fischer's low notes, Blonde has in her opening aria, 'Durch zärtlichkeit' (With tenderness) spectacular melismatic flourishes on the word 'entweicht' (banished), taking her aria above the stave as she confidently brushes aside Osmin's boorish commands ('mürrisches Befehlen'). The duet between them, 'Ich gehe, doch rate ich dir' (I'll go, but take my advice and stay away), is a brilliant piece of subtle comedy for Wolfgang's two old friends. He delights in allowing Blonde to mimic Osmin's low notes, taking her way below her normal tessitura before springing her back up again over two octaves. In the central andante section Blonde weaves a manipulative ornamental line above Osmin's bemused and syllabic bass line. And in the final allegro, 'Nun troll dich', which she constantly leads, she firmly threatens to scratch his eyes out ('Es ist um die Augen geschehen') in music which appropriately taunts and stabs. (226-7)
That's not to say that the more biographical sections are lacking. In fact, each section is informative, well-researched, and brimming with the joy that Glover finds in her subject (and his music -- read her comments on "Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio!" and Le Nozze di Figaro, or earlier, his Piano Concerto No. 9). Nor does she give short shrift, in the other sections, to individual arias and piano compositions he wrote with women in mind, particularly Aloysia Weber for the former and Nannerl for the latter.
In the final analysis, if it weren't for women, particularly his wife and sister, Mozart's legacy wouldn't be what it is. Both women helped preserve his music and his character after he died. Through this book, I felt I understood all of Mozart's world: the world he entered into, the world he lived in, the world he left behind. For Mozart's world was the friends and family who populated it and the music he composed for them, especially the women. All influenced him, from his big sister who toured with him when they were young, to his mother who died while accompanying him; from his first crush (his "little cousin," the Bäsle) to his first love (Aloysia) to his wife. Without them, there is no Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
December 13, 2013
In this focused bio Glover lovingly relates Mozart's short life and musical immortality with a focus on Mozart's relationships with women. Inextricably woven in this is his relationship with his emotionally abusive father, Leopold.
Leopold, makes his 15 year old son feel a failure for not securing what "grown ups" with vast accomplishments could not. This same all knowing patriarch relegates his talented daughter, Nannerl, to a life of shadows while he piddles away his own presumed talent, to better his life through his son whom he emotionally undermines.
Mozart's first true love is similarly undermined by his father. Later, Leopold invokes misogynistic ideals to retain his authority when Mozart finally marries. Sadly, Mozart's sister Nannerl is sidelined by the marriage since she is no longer first in her brother's attention and affections. She becomes totally dependent on Leopold.
Why Leopold takes custody of his grandchild by Nannerl is not clear. My speculation is that he had married Nannerl off to a person of wealth who, unspoken to both of them, was accepted as more abusive than he.
A chapter called "Mozart's Women" covers the women critical to his performance career. The chapter title is ironic. These are the women for whom he writes parts. The real "Mozart Women" appropriately consume the larger part of the text. These are his mother, sister, wife and other members of the Weber family.
Mozart's father's support of his son is conditional on Mozart's success in supporting the family/him. Any generosity from Leopold is dubious. His emotional support of Wolfgang is generally negative. The women never let him down, in life and thereafter.
I recommend this book for all those who love Mozart's music. If, like me, you are unschooled in the particulars of Mozart's work, skim the chapter called "Mozart's Women". You will find the material surrounding it interesting, informative and inspirational.
Leopold, makes his 15 year old son feel a failure for not securing what "grown ups" with vast accomplishments could not. This same all knowing patriarch relegates his talented daughter, Nannerl, to a life of shadows while he piddles away his own presumed talent, to better his life through his son whom he emotionally undermines.
Mozart's first true love is similarly undermined by his father. Later, Leopold invokes misogynistic ideals to retain his authority when Mozart finally marries. Sadly, Mozart's sister Nannerl is sidelined by the marriage since she is no longer first in her brother's attention and affections. She becomes totally dependent on Leopold.
Why Leopold takes custody of his grandchild by Nannerl is not clear. My speculation is that he had married Nannerl off to a person of wealth who, unspoken to both of them, was accepted as more abusive than he.
A chapter called "Mozart's Women" covers the women critical to his performance career. The chapter title is ironic. These are the women for whom he writes parts. The real "Mozart Women" appropriately consume the larger part of the text. These are his mother, sister, wife and other members of the Weber family.
Mozart's father's support of his son is conditional on Mozart's success in supporting the family/him. Any generosity from Leopold is dubious. His emotional support of Wolfgang is generally negative. The women never let him down, in life and thereafter.
I recommend this book for all those who love Mozart's music. If, like me, you are unschooled in the particulars of Mozart's work, skim the chapter called "Mozart's Women". You will find the material surrounding it interesting, informative and inspirational.
June 28, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this fairly lengthy bio, slanted towards the various women important to Mozart in the various stages of his life. The main sections included first his mother and sister, then his wife Constanze and her mother and sisters, followed by a long section on the women important to him professionally. The wonderful sopranos who premiered his various operas, including his sisters in law Aloysia (also his first love), Josepha and Sophie plus many others, were discussed in connection with the background details of the ways he connected the plots and music in such subtle ways, with many interesting details. It was all tied together in the last unit, After Mozart, with the continued lives of Constanze and their two sons, her sisters and his beloved sister Nannerl. Superb!
June 13, 2012
This is an excellent book. Author Jane Glover examines Wolfgang Mozart's relations with the people in his life, especially the women, and particularly his mother, sister, and wife. Glover also discusses and analyzes the women characters in his operas and shows how he created strong women. The book gives a much different view of Mozart's life and personality than is popularly held. The same is true of Constanze. The Wolfgang and Constanze of "Amadeus" (play and movie) are two-dimensional figures compared to the portraits Glover draws. There is a lot of musical discussion, but this is a good book for anyone wanting to know more about Mozart and his music.
August 8, 2010
Mozart’s Women: His Family, His Friends, His Music was written by accomplished Mozart conductor, Jane Glover. It was published in 2007, and is 372 pages. In it, Glover tells the story of the oft written about musical prodigy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in relation to the women in his family, the women who inspired him, and the women who loved him.
The biography is divided into four sections: “Mozart’s Family”, “Mozart’s Other Family”, “Mozart’s Women”, and “After Mozart.” The first two sections present a complete biography of his life, beginning with an account of the travels of the child prodigy, Mozart, his sister (almost his equal in talent), and his parents. His father, Leopold, is painted as a domineering, motivated, and dour man; but what is most interesting in the early section of the biography, is Glover’s assertion that Mozart’s sister, Nannerl, might have rivaled her brother in talent if she had been given the opportunities that he had been given. It appears that the siblings did have a very close and supportive relationship with one another until Mozart, in his need to break from his father, went out on his own.
The next section, “Mozart’s Other Family” deals with his relationship with the Weber family. The Weber’s had four immensely talented daughters, and reminded him of his own family. Mozart’s first Weber love was the great opera singer, Aloysia, but some years after she rejected him, he fell in love with and married her younger sister, Constanze. Constanze and Wolfgang’s marriage would grow to one of great devotion, and her love for Mozart would inspire some of his best works. This section concludes with the early and untimely death of Mozart while he worked tirelessly (ironically) on his Requiem Mass.
The third section of the biography diverges from the linear movement of the book, and digresses into a fascinating, detailed explanation of each of Mozart’s operas, and the women who inspired and performed them. The final section of the book tells about the rest of Constanze’s life, and the lives of her sisters, and Mozart’s own sister.
I loved this book. It was an independent bookstore treasure that I stumbled upon at the Hard Bean in Annapolis. I was drawn to it by the title, and by my own interest in the composer. My father’s love of classical music, and specifically, Mozart, seeped into my subconscious as I grew, and asserted itself several years ago. I remember falling in love with Mozart’s music when I saw the movie, Amadeus, over a decade ago. The balance of music and story in the movie was captivating and inspiring, and might be what started my true love of historical fiction.
Though Glover is profoundly learned, the text of the book is readable and straightforward. Her love for the composer is transmitted in a clean, warmness of style. Though her affinity for Mozart is clear, she does not put him on a pedestal, but creates a very human portrayal of a great master. I had some difficulty with the third section that broke down his operas in such detail. I would have preferred it to be woven through the linear biography for balance, but that certainly did not take away from my enjoyment of the text.
I highly recommend this book.
The biography is divided into four sections: “Mozart’s Family”, “Mozart’s Other Family”, “Mozart’s Women”, and “After Mozart.” The first two sections present a complete biography of his life, beginning with an account of the travels of the child prodigy, Mozart, his sister (almost his equal in talent), and his parents. His father, Leopold, is painted as a domineering, motivated, and dour man; but what is most interesting in the early section of the biography, is Glover’s assertion that Mozart’s sister, Nannerl, might have rivaled her brother in talent if she had been given the opportunities that he had been given. It appears that the siblings did have a very close and supportive relationship with one another until Mozart, in his need to break from his father, went out on his own.
The next section, “Mozart’s Other Family” deals with his relationship with the Weber family. The Weber’s had four immensely talented daughters, and reminded him of his own family. Mozart’s first Weber love was the great opera singer, Aloysia, but some years after she rejected him, he fell in love with and married her younger sister, Constanze. Constanze and Wolfgang’s marriage would grow to one of great devotion, and her love for Mozart would inspire some of his best works. This section concludes with the early and untimely death of Mozart while he worked tirelessly (ironically) on his Requiem Mass.
The third section of the biography diverges from the linear movement of the book, and digresses into a fascinating, detailed explanation of each of Mozart’s operas, and the women who inspired and performed them. The final section of the book tells about the rest of Constanze’s life, and the lives of her sisters, and Mozart’s own sister.
I loved this book. It was an independent bookstore treasure that I stumbled upon at the Hard Bean in Annapolis. I was drawn to it by the title, and by my own interest in the composer. My father’s love of classical music, and specifically, Mozart, seeped into my subconscious as I grew, and asserted itself several years ago. I remember falling in love with Mozart’s music when I saw the movie, Amadeus, over a decade ago. The balance of music and story in the movie was captivating and inspiring, and might be what started my true love of historical fiction.
Though Glover is profoundly learned, the text of the book is readable and straightforward. Her love for the composer is transmitted in a clean, warmness of style. Though her affinity for Mozart is clear, she does not put him on a pedestal, but creates a very human portrayal of a great master. I had some difficulty with the third section that broke down his operas in such detail. I would have preferred it to be woven through the linear biography for balance, but that certainly did not take away from my enjoyment of the text.
I highly recommend this book.
December 6, 2016
This book is a biography of Mozart as seen through the lens of the women in his life and his relationships with them. Glover concentrates on Mozart's mother Maria Anna, his sister Nannerl, and his wife Constanze, but she also includes Constanze's sisters (especially Aloysia) and several musicians that Mozart knew and worked with over the course of his career. In addition, Glover discusses the women in each of Mozart's operas.
Mozart's Women is a very enjoyable book, providing lots of information and insight in readable, clear prose. So often writers and musicians are tempted to think of these great composers as extremely exceptional and individualistic. In contrast, viewing Mozart in this fashion allows Glover to show how he was connected and integrated into the family, social, and musical life of 18th century Austria. I found the section on Constanze and Nannerl after Mozart's death very interesting. Both women became intimately involved in the preservation of Mozart's memory and legacy during their long and active lives post-Mozart.
Mozart's Women is a very enjoyable book, providing lots of information and insight in readable, clear prose. So often writers and musicians are tempted to think of these great composers as extremely exceptional and individualistic. In contrast, viewing Mozart in this fashion allows Glover to show how he was connected and integrated into the family, social, and musical life of 18th century Austria. I found the section on Constanze and Nannerl after Mozart's death very interesting. Both women became intimately involved in the preservation of Mozart's memory and legacy during their long and active lives post-Mozart.
May 10, 2010
I loved this book! It was an enjoyable, easy-to-read biography that placed Mozart's music in the context of what was happening in his life when it was written. There was a lot of information about Mozarts mother, his sister, and his love interests, but the title is somewhat limiting, in that the author also talks extensively about the relationship Mozart had with his father, and about his collaborative relationships with different musicians and librettists. There is a section that talks about the characters in Mozart's operas, and about how his real-life relationships and his rapport with different opera singers contributed to their development. There is also a really interesting chapter about what happened to Mozart's widow and to his sister after he died.
April 19, 2012
This book cannot be faulted for the amount of detail about Mozart, it is very densely packed with information. It is divided into four parts with the third part a bizarrely positioned musical section. My book group unanimously skipped part three, it would have been better as an appendix. The author's writing was also a little jarring - various characters 'actually' did this and that and at one point Mozart and his wife 'peeled off' to a destination while on a journey. Nevertheless, a fascinating read.
July 20, 2011
I loved this book. It put Mozart in perspective and made me go back to his operas to listen and discover again. The book is scholarly yet completely accessible. A must read for all classical music lovers.
January 9, 2012
Really enjoyed this book and found it full of detail and history. Find it increases my enjoyment of the music and operas. Hope she writes more.
A surprisingly good read.....times, culture, music and fathers and sons....
A surprisingly good read.....times, culture, music and fathers and sons....
January 3, 2013
A fascinating look at Mozart's story and how the women in his life shaped him and his music. I imagine that I will revisit this book more than once in my life.
June 12, 2022
Very interesting an informative - I had no idea of the extent of Mozart's sister's musical talent and skills, or how they ultimately remained unfulfilled. Very moving in places.
May 19, 2024
This is not a stunning book, but it has its good points. The author is perhaps overly minute in recounting the events of Wolfgang's life, and her writing style is not, shall I say, enchanting, but the life is, after all, pretty interesting, and some of the anecdotal information is what I think will stick with me in the end.
I was a little puzzled to realize that we were going to get to the end of Mozart's life at just about the midpoint of the book and wondered what the rest of the book would be about. A major portion of that second half is taken up with an exhaustive examination of the staging of Mozart's operas, with a focus on the individual performers he worked with. As the author is a conductor and a Mozart specialist, this was certainly well-informed, although a little dry. The one thing that I really came away with was the extent to which Mozart tailored nearly every role he wrote to a specific performer who was going to be singing it, challenging their strengths and also supporting their weaknesses. He even re-wrote some parts when different performers appeared in those roles.
Glover also brings out how deeply Mozart was concerned with the overall theatricality of his operas, the librettos not just unimportant racks to hang his music on, but vitally significant aspects of the whole creation. This was not the standard attitude at the time.
Among the things that I particularly enjoyed learning: That the notorious Casanova, upon whom the main character of Don Giovanni was transparently modelled (in fact, the librettist had actually known him in Venice years before), actually travelled from Venice to attend the opening night of Don Giovanni. The author, or perhaps history, is silent on the subject of his reaction.
I knew there was some kind of contact between the young Beethoven and Mozart, but I learned a bit more about that here, including, touchingly, that Beethoven played one of Mozart's piano concerti as part of a fundraising performance for Constanze and her children after Wolfgang's death.
I was struck throughout by the high infant mortality of the times. Wolfgang and Nannerl had several siblings who died in infancy or soon after, and Wolfgang and Constanze had six children, only two of whom survived more than a year or so. The many professional female singers of Mozart's world were frequently having babies, and not infrequently losing them, throughout this narrative. As a side note, the author mentions one young soprano who married at 18 and proceeded to have 17 (!) children, including four sets of twins and one set of triplets, during the course of her apparently busy career. (In this case, the author doesn't say how many survived.) Astonishing.
A related point that struck me, and may possibly have some bearing on the dismal statistics above, was this passage from a letter Wolfgang wrote to his father upon the birth of their first child: "And now the child has been given to a foster-nurse against my will, or rather, at my wish! For I was quite determined that...my wife was never to feed her child. Yet I was equally determined that my child was never to take the milk of a stranger! I wanted the child to be brought up on water [!!!]; like my sister and myself. However, the midwife, my mother-in-law and most people here have begged me and implored me not to allow it, if only for the reason that most children here who are brought up on water do not survive, as the people here don't know how to do it properly." [emphasis mine]. I am beyond puzzled to know how Wolfgang and Nannerl did not join their siblings in early death, although I note that neither was robust as children.
And maybe the observation that most struck me had to do with Nannerl. I had always supposed that the reason her talent was not recognized as on a level with Wolfgang's after their childhood was because of the general repression of women in that era and the expectation that they marry and have children and not be present in the wider world. But it seems I was mistaken in this, as throughout this book we are presented with one after another very talented woman who did in fact have successful musical careers, mostly embedded in a community of musicians both male and female (and mostly also having husbands and children). The author does not specifically address this, but I rather think Nannerl's exclusion from performing and making a career was basically Leopold's doing, at first perhaps just because some parents have no compunction about favouring one child over another, and then, after his wife died, because he wanted her to look after him. Argh.
I was a little puzzled to realize that we were going to get to the end of Mozart's life at just about the midpoint of the book and wondered what the rest of the book would be about. A major portion of that second half is taken up with an exhaustive examination of the staging of Mozart's operas, with a focus on the individual performers he worked with. As the author is a conductor and a Mozart specialist, this was certainly well-informed, although a little dry. The one thing that I really came away with was the extent to which Mozart tailored nearly every role he wrote to a specific performer who was going to be singing it, challenging their strengths and also supporting their weaknesses. He even re-wrote some parts when different performers appeared in those roles.
Glover also brings out how deeply Mozart was concerned with the overall theatricality of his operas, the librettos not just unimportant racks to hang his music on, but vitally significant aspects of the whole creation. This was not the standard attitude at the time.
Among the things that I particularly enjoyed learning: That the notorious Casanova, upon whom the main character of Don Giovanni was transparently modelled (in fact, the librettist had actually known him in Venice years before), actually travelled from Venice to attend the opening night of Don Giovanni. The author, or perhaps history, is silent on the subject of his reaction.
I knew there was some kind of contact between the young Beethoven and Mozart, but I learned a bit more about that here, including, touchingly, that Beethoven played one of Mozart's piano concerti as part of a fundraising performance for Constanze and her children after Wolfgang's death.
I was struck throughout by the high infant mortality of the times. Wolfgang and Nannerl had several siblings who died in infancy or soon after, and Wolfgang and Constanze had six children, only two of whom survived more than a year or so. The many professional female singers of Mozart's world were frequently having babies, and not infrequently losing them, throughout this narrative. As a side note, the author mentions one young soprano who married at 18 and proceeded to have 17 (!) children, including four sets of twins and one set of triplets, during the course of her apparently busy career. (In this case, the author doesn't say how many survived.) Astonishing.
A related point that struck me, and may possibly have some bearing on the dismal statistics above, was this passage from a letter Wolfgang wrote to his father upon the birth of their first child: "And now the child has been given to a foster-nurse against my will, or rather, at my wish! For I was quite determined that...my wife was never to feed her child. Yet I was equally determined that my child was never to take the milk of a stranger! I wanted the child to be brought up on water [!!!]; like my sister and myself. However, the midwife, my mother-in-law and most people here have begged me and implored me not to allow it, if only for the reason that most children here who are brought up on water do not survive, as the people here don't know how to do it properly." [emphasis mine]. I am beyond puzzled to know how Wolfgang and Nannerl did not join their siblings in early death, although I note that neither was robust as children.
And maybe the observation that most struck me had to do with Nannerl. I had always supposed that the reason her talent was not recognized as on a level with Wolfgang's after their childhood was because of the general repression of women in that era and the expectation that they marry and have children and not be present in the wider world. But it seems I was mistaken in this, as throughout this book we are presented with one after another very talented woman who did in fact have successful musical careers, mostly embedded in a community of musicians both male and female (and mostly also having husbands and children). The author does not specifically address this, but I rather think Nannerl's exclusion from performing and making a career was basically Leopold's doing, at first perhaps just because some parents have no compunction about favouring one child over another, and then, after his wife died, because he wanted her to look after him. Argh.
April 23, 2018
Halfway through this fascinating biography, Mozart dies "on an unresolved dominant chord" while working on his anonymously-commissioned Requiem. The genius composer's wife, sister, and favorite singers would all outlive him, which is probably why Jane Glover decided to shape her narrative the way she did. I like the result, which taught me a lot that I did not know (for example, that Mozart tailored his music to the people who would perform it whenever he liked them well enough to do so -- and that A major was his favorite key for music meant to be seductive).
I have two quibbles with the author: First, she did not include a glossary of the musical terms that she uses so smoothly, particularly when writing about the performers who created the operatic roles for which Mozart composed music. Second, she pays short shrift to Mozart's purely instrumental work. What I mean is that Jane Glover writes with aplomb about the operas, giving each its due and explaining who performed what and why. Meanwhile, she treats Mozart's symphonies and piano concertos like bit players (The "Prague" Symphony was written in that city? The "Jupiter" symphony -- Mozart's last -- is especially powerful? Duh!)
On the other hand, the psychological insights that Jane Glover brings to bear on Mozart himself and the women who loved him (or were loved by him) seem astute, and written with rare generosity of spirit. I'm glad I read the book. If all you know of Mozart's life is from Amadeus, the award-winning movie based on Peter Shaffer's stage play of the same name, then Jane Glover seems a trustworthy guide to many other things worth knowing about Mozart and the women who either inspired or confounded him.
I have two quibbles with the author: First, she did not include a glossary of the musical terms that she uses so smoothly, particularly when writing about the performers who created the operatic roles for which Mozart composed music. Second, she pays short shrift to Mozart's purely instrumental work. What I mean is that Jane Glover writes with aplomb about the operas, giving each its due and explaining who performed what and why. Meanwhile, she treats Mozart's symphonies and piano concertos like bit players (The "Prague" Symphony was written in that city? The "Jupiter" symphony -- Mozart's last -- is especially powerful? Duh!)
On the other hand, the psychological insights that Jane Glover brings to bear on Mozart himself and the women who loved him (or were loved by him) seem astute, and written with rare generosity of spirit. I'm glad I read the book. If all you know of Mozart's life is from Amadeus, the award-winning movie based on Peter Shaffer's stage play of the same name, then Jane Glover seems a trustworthy guide to many other things worth knowing about Mozart and the women who either inspired or confounded him.
April 6, 2021
Dame Jane Glover is renowned for her work as conductor, but she should be equally esteemed as an author. I read her Handel in London just over a year ago, and was utterly enchanted, revelling in the joy with which she wrote about the music and the musicians. The same is true of this book, which paints a vivid picture of the all-too-short life of the prolific composer, and sets his rich oeuvre against the context of his family life.
The basic facts are well known (although I have to confess that, before reading this book, my own understanding of Mozart’s life was formed essentially through the prism of the film Amadeus): the child prodigy who grew into one of the most gifted and prolific composer of his, or indeed any, time. Because of my familiarity with the film, I had known that his father, Leopold, was a major influence on Mozart’s life and output. I had not, however, appreciated how talented his sister, ‘Nannerl’ was, or that the two of them had been touted around Europe. I didn’t even know that the Mozart family had visited England as part of the tour showcasing the two child stars, and lived in London for the greater part of a year. Indeed, I was amused to read that, during an outbreak of plague [with all the stark resonances that brought as a book read during lockdown] while the Mozarts were living in London, they decided to move out to the country, relocating to a house that is now in Ebury Street, Chelsea.
Beautifully written, and (I presume) exhaustively researched, this book is a joy from start to finish: highly informative, but supremely accessible.
The basic facts are well known (although I have to confess that, before reading this book, my own understanding of Mozart’s life was formed essentially through the prism of the film Amadeus): the child prodigy who grew into one of the most gifted and prolific composer of his, or indeed any, time. Because of my familiarity with the film, I had known that his father, Leopold, was a major influence on Mozart’s life and output. I had not, however, appreciated how talented his sister, ‘Nannerl’ was, or that the two of them had been touted around Europe. I didn’t even know that the Mozart family had visited England as part of the tour showcasing the two child stars, and lived in London for the greater part of a year. Indeed, I was amused to read that, during an outbreak of plague [with all the stark resonances that brought as a book read during lockdown] while the Mozarts were living in London, they decided to move out to the country, relocating to a house that is now in Ebury Street, Chelsea.
Beautifully written, and (I presume) exhaustively researched, this book is a joy from start to finish: highly informative, but supremely accessible.
October 28, 2017
Great book. I love learning more about a historical subject through the women involved (the Russian Revolution through the Romanov daughters, for example) so this book was right up my alley. It is both a biography of Mozart and the women in his life (most particularly his mother, sister, wife and mother- and sisters-in-law) and a description of his creative process and how those women were involved in it. The author is a conductor and music scholar and it shows, especially in the section on Mozart's female characters and the singers who first sang them. Mozart tended to write to his performers' strengths, so the music says a lot about what the original performers excelled at. While reding it, I had YouTube close by so I could look up the piece of opera discussed. It really added to the experience.
And I came out loving Constanze. History has sadly put her away as a bit of a silly woman, standing in the shadow of her hypertalented husband. Her portrayal in the movie Amadeus as kind of a ditz hasn't helped. But in reality she was so strong and so canny, and a very talented singer to boot! She almost singlehandedly saved her husband's legacy. She was awesome.
And I came out loving Constanze. History has sadly put her away as a bit of a silly woman, standing in the shadow of her hypertalented husband. Her portrayal in the movie Amadeus as kind of a ditz hasn't helped. But in reality she was so strong and so canny, and a very talented singer to boot! She almost singlehandedly saved her husband's legacy. She was awesome.
June 26, 2024
The middle section of this book is a true gem as Glover takes each opera that Mozart wrote and shows how he tailored each role to a friend who would sing it, concentrating on the wonderful women, especially the Webers, a musical family of 4 daughters, all fine singers who performed in multiple cities and localities during Mozart's life. Although this part was my favorite, the last part, which describes Constance's life after Mozart's death, was gratifying because I had always thought she died impecunious as did Mozart. On the contrary, she turned out to be a clever businesswoman, who saw her husbands legacy was well paid for, and even ended up supporting his sister and two of her own sisters toward the end of their lives.
October 4, 2018
Initially, I found this book to be fascinating and was going to give it 4 stars. But soon, it became repetitive and opinionated, containing a little too much speculation.
It didn't help that I was reading a library copy that had been heavily underlined in pencil by a previous reader. Page after page was at least half underlined. Several of the underlined pages included margin notes. (Who does that? Sure, if it's your own book, maybe that's okay. Then again, maybe not. Has this person never heard of making and writing on bookmarks??)
I tried to use an artgum to erase the offending pencil marks. But it took too long and the text just didn't seem worth the effort.
It didn't help that I was reading a library copy that had been heavily underlined in pencil by a previous reader. Page after page was at least half underlined. Several of the underlined pages included margin notes. (Who does that? Sure, if it's your own book, maybe that's okay. Then again, maybe not. Has this person never heard of making and writing on bookmarks??)
I tried to use an artgum to erase the offending pencil marks. But it took too long and the text just didn't seem worth the effort.
August 5, 2020
This was a bit of an odd read for me, because I really enjoyed the part up until Mozart's death, and then I found the writing took a dull turn. Whilst very informative, the last 150 or so pages seemed oddly paced and shoehorned in. If the information in these pages had been added in to the previous section I would definitely have given this book four stars. I also docked a star because, for a book titled Mozart's women, after his death there did not seem to be much emphasis on the women who influenced Mozart (in my opnion, anyway). Nevertheless, this is a solid biography and a very informative start to someone who may not know the intricacies of Mozart's life.
February 14, 2025
Interesting and well researched book about the women who played a crucial role in Mozart's life and legacy. It is a well-balanced view of Mozart's wife Constance, showing how her caring nature enabled and enriched his short life. I found it interesting how closely Mozart co-operated with the librettists and singers when he was composing his operas, writing music depending on the strengths and vocal range of the particular singers engaged for each role. For many of us, the film Amadeus has captured the spirit of the times, but it is wide of the mark in important areas. For those interested in the truth, this is an excellent account. The middle section can easily be skipped.
September 1, 2017
Virginia Woolf's famous formulation was, "What if Shakespeare had a sister?" In Mozart's case, we already know the answer: Nannerl, the first child prodigy in the Mozart family, performed to great acclaim until she married, which ended her career forever. Jane Glover, a respected conductor and Mozart scholar, writes sympathetically and perceptively about Nannerl as well as Mozart's wife, Constanze, his sister-in-law Aloysia, and many other women who helped inspire, shape, and support the great composer.
February 10, 2019
"You may trust, believe, opine, hold the opinion, cherish the constant hope, consider, imagine, think, and be confident that we are well."
Gotta love Mozart's humor! This is a fascinating detailed account of the artist and the influential women in his life. As expected, it only made me appreciate him more. I loved the playful relationship he had with his sister Nannerl, his personality and his seemingly endless creativity—although the lifestyle (combined with fragile health) may have partially contributed to his untimely death at 35.
A worthy read by an expert author on the subject.
Gotta love Mozart's humor! This is a fascinating detailed account of the artist and the influential women in his life. As expected, it only made me appreciate him more. I loved the playful relationship he had with his sister Nannerl, his personality and his seemingly endless creativity—although the lifestyle (combined with fragile health) may have partially contributed to his untimely death at 35.
A worthy read by an expert author on the subject.
July 6, 2019
Superb! It deserves a 10 rating! So well researched and compiled into three fascinating parts.
Mozart's parents, birth, life, struggle, marriage, success and then death.
Second part goes into the operas he wrote! The stories and his ability to match the score to the singer.
The last part is about the people left behind and materials gathered to write about him.
It will take time to digest all this wonderful information. The author also wrote Handel in London and I look forward to curling up with that book in the fall season!
Mozart's parents, birth, life, struggle, marriage, success and then death.
Second part goes into the operas he wrote! The stories and his ability to match the score to the singer.
The last part is about the people left behind and materials gathered to write about him.
It will take time to digest all this wonderful information. The author also wrote Handel in London and I look forward to curling up with that book in the fall season!
August 20, 2017
A different look at Mozart by this esteemed conductor and Mozart scholar. The book looks at his relationship to his mother and sister, his wife and her sisters and various women who were his prima donnas for his operas. A very easy and enjoyable read. With a perspective that is also very informative in overlooked ways. For example, she posits that given the list of singers for the first productions of Don Giovanni the lead female character is Zerlina, rather than Donna Anna.
December 15, 2018
I’m not much of a nonfiction or biography reader, so this took some time getting used to. To be fair, this was interesting, I’m just not used to this type of writing. I think I now understand Mozart a little better, and for sure there are also some important lessons in parenting and self discipline! My heart went out to his sister Nannerl and the cards she was dealt with. Constance indeed was a formidable person in her own right.
March 24, 2019
I admire the effort it took to put this book together. I learned so much and it makes me want to read more biographies! My only complaint is the section "Mozart's women", the author really describes the plays in too much detail and it is so hard and boring to follow along. The author does great in the rest of the book.
August 17, 2020
If you know me, you KNOW why I read this!!! It was a fascinating account of Mozart's life through the eyes of his sister and his wife and her family. And in the last section, there was a whole part devoted to Constanze, his wife, and I learned alot about her. Excellent book for the Mozart enthusiast (like me!!!)
January 3, 2022
This book needed a different title, like 'Mozart: I'm a fan. Oh also he knew some women so I will talk about them occasionally'. Interesting history but not what I was expecting (I was thinking it would be a series of intersecting biographies of the women connected with Mozart).
Drinking game: drink every time the author uses the word 'coloratura'.
Drinking game: drink every time the author uses the word 'coloratura'.
August 11, 2022
This is an enjoyable well written biography of Mozart focusing on his relationships, both personal and professional, with the women in his life.
The first two parts adopt a chronological approach. The third examines his operas. This section assumes a detailed knowledge of the works under discussion, so is of less interest to the general reader.
The first two parts adopt a chronological approach. The third examines his operas. This section assumes a detailed knowledge of the works under discussion, so is of less interest to the general reader.
February 24, 2019
As the name shows this book focuses on people around Mozart, especially women who were the bricks for composer's imaginative wall. You can find some interesting/unknown facts but don't expect too many things...
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