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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
In una testimonianza del 1955 Barth così si esprimeva: «Debbo confessare che da anni e anni incomincio le mie giornate, grazie all'invenzione del grammofono, a cui non sarà mai resa sufficiente lode, con l'ascolto di Mozart, e soltanto dopo (per tacere della lettura dei giornali) mi dedico alla dogmatica. Debbo anche confessare, per di più che se dovessi mai giungere in paradiso, domanderei anzitutto di Mozart, e soltanto dopo cercherei Agostino e Tommaso, Lutero, Calvino e Schleiermacher. Ma quale spiegazione dare? Forse, in poche parole, questa: il pane quotidiano comprende anche il gioco. Io sento che Mozart — il Mozart degli anni giovanili e quello più maturo, e come nessun altro — gioca. Il giocare è però qualcosa che richiede abilità, e pertanto un impegno alto e severo. Sento in Mozart un'arte del gioco, quale non mi è dato percepire in nessun altro. Il bel gioco presuppone che si abbia una conoscenza infantile del centro — perché la si ha del principio e della fine — di tutte le cose. Sento che la musica di Mozart scaturisce da questo centro».
Il presente volumetto — realizzato nel 1956, in occasione del secondo centenario della nascita del grande musicista (1756-1791) — raccoglie quattro preziosi testi barthiani su Mozart, qui tradotti integralmente per la prima volta in italiano.
Il presente volumetto — realizzato nel 1956, in occasione del secondo centenario della nascita del grande musicista (1756-1791) — raccoglie quattro preziosi testi barthiani su Mozart, qui tradotti integralmente per la prima volta in italiano.
46 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
1 person is currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Karl Barth
453 books262 followersProtestant theologian Karl Barth, a Swiss, advocated a return to the principles of the Reformation and the teachings of the Bible; his published works include
Church Dogmatics
from 1932.
Critics hold Karl Barth among the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century; Pope Pius XII described him as the most important since Saint Thomas Aquinas. Beginning with his experience as a pastor, he rejected his typical predominant liberal, especially German training of 19th century.
Instead, he embarked on a new path, initially called dialectical, due to its stress on the paradoxical nature of divine truth—for instance, God is both grace and judgment), but more accurately called a of the Word. Critics referred to this father of new orthodoxy, a pejorative term that he emphatically rejected. His thought emphasized the sovereignty of God, particularly through his innovative doctrine of election. His enormously influenced throughout Europe and America.
Critics hold Karl Barth among the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century; Pope Pius XII described him as the most important since Saint Thomas Aquinas. Beginning with his experience as a pastor, he rejected his typical predominant liberal, especially German training of 19th century.
Instead, he embarked on a new path, initially called dialectical, due to its stress on the paradoxical nature of divine truth—for instance, God is both grace and judgment), but more accurately called a of the Word. Critics referred to this father of new orthodoxy, a pejorative term that he emphatically rejected. His thought emphasized the sovereignty of God, particularly through his innovative doctrine of election. His enormously influenced throughout Europe and America.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 6, 2022
Short, sharp, sweet
Karl Barth adored Mozart, and in the four short pieces collected here, he explains briefly why.
In hierdie vier kort stukke verduidelik Karl Barth waarom hy Mozart se musiek so uitsonderlik hoog ag.
Karl Barth adored Mozart, and in the four short pieces collected here, he explains briefly why.
In hierdie vier kort stukke verduidelik Karl Barth waarom hy Mozart se musiek so uitsonderlik hoog ag.
March 6, 2023
A wonderful collection of two essays by one of the greatest Christian theologians of the 20th century. Barth is not overly academic nor does he only gush about Mozart's greatness (although he comes close again and again). Rather, Barth considers Mozart's relationship to music, his connection to the world around him, and marvels about Mozart's greatness. I find it interesting that a theologian who wrote about freedom as a theological concept muses about Mozart's freedom in relation to music. The trappings of the world do not hold Mozart back from creating great works of art.
Finally, the forward by John Updike is a delightful introduction to the text. It makes the book a wonderful read.
Finally, the forward by John Updike is a delightful introduction to the text. It makes the book a wonderful read.
October 30, 2024
Pagine commoventi, di una bellezza delicata e illuminante, quelle che Barth dedica a Mozart. Un udito innamorato è pari ad uno sguardo quando ci offre in trasparenza l'attenzione e la finezza che si devono all'autore e all'uomo che accompagna le primizie del giorno. E Barth lo fa con la conoscenza non dello studioso o dello scienziato, dell'interprete o dell'esteta, ma dell'amico caro, del devoto che ammira, di colui il quale è stato trasformato dalla musica di Mozart e che ha contribuito a trasformare a sua volta con le sue straordinarie capacità letteraria e umana, restituendoci una possibilità e una nuova ricezione, del tutto personalissima e, al contempo, universale.
Se qualcuno volesse comprendere l'incontro eterno tra sé e uno spirito del passato, sia solo per sapere in cosa consiste il mistero della letteratura, della filosofia, dell'arte, Barth ci consegna un impareggiabile esempio.
Se qualcuno volesse comprendere l'incontro eterno tra sé e uno spirito del passato, sia solo per sapere in cosa consiste il mistero della letteratura, della filosofia, dell'arte, Barth ci consegna un impareggiabile esempio.
August 4, 2025
“When the angels praise God in Heaven I am sure they play Bach. However, en famille they play Mozart, and then God the Lord is especially delighted to listen to them."
Barth’s prose is lucid and riveting, as this quote shows. The book is pleasantly short, and convincing in its argument that Mozart remains a miracle unique among all artists. Worth a read for fans of music, theology, literature.
Barth’s prose is lucid and riveting, as this quote shows. The book is pleasantly short, and convincing in its argument that Mozart remains a miracle unique among all artists. Worth a read for fans of music, theology, literature.
August 2, 2021
Barth è in grado di ravvisare coloro ai quali il più famoso musicista di tutti i tempi non sta poi così simpatico.
L’idolatria che ha nei suoi confronti si può recepire da una delle prime frasi che scrive a tal proposito: “Debbo anche confessare, per di più che se dovessi mai giungere in paradiso, domanderei anzitutto di Mozart, e soltanto dopo cercherei Agostino e Tommaso, Lutero, Calvino e Schleiermacher. Ma quale spiegazione dare? Forse, in poche parole, questa: il pane quotidiano comprende anche il gioco. Io sento che Mozart — il Mozart degli anni giovanili e quello più maturo, e come nessun altro — gioca. Il giocare è però qualcosa che richiede abilità, e pertanto un impegno alto e severo. Sento in Mozart un'arte del gioco, quale non mi è dato percepire in nessun altro. Il bel gioco presuppone che si abbia una conoscenza infantile del centro — perché la si ha del principio e della fine — di tutte le cose. Sento che la musica di Mozart scaturisce da questo centro”
L’idolatria che ha nei suoi confronti si può recepire da una delle prime frasi che scrive a tal proposito: “Debbo anche confessare, per di più che se dovessi mai giungere in paradiso, domanderei anzitutto di Mozart, e soltanto dopo cercherei Agostino e Tommaso, Lutero, Calvino e Schleiermacher. Ma quale spiegazione dare? Forse, in poche parole, questa: il pane quotidiano comprende anche il gioco. Io sento che Mozart — il Mozart degli anni giovanili e quello più maturo, e come nessun altro — gioca. Il giocare è però qualcosa che richiede abilità, e pertanto un impegno alto e severo. Sento in Mozart un'arte del gioco, quale non mi è dato percepire in nessun altro. Il bel gioco presuppone che si abbia una conoscenza infantile del centro — perché la si ha del principio e della fine — di tutte le cose. Sento che la musica di Mozart scaturisce da questo centro”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2024
“It is as though in a small segment the whole universe bursts into song because evidently the man Mozart has apprehended the cosmos and now, functioning only as a medium, brings it into song!”
This is not a biography of Mozart, but a brief appreciation of Mozart consisting of Barth’s letter to the musician and a speech that Barth delivered at a Mozart celebration. In this book, you get many great insights from Barth on his philosophy of art and cultural engagement. There is also a foreword to the book from John Updike that is just as rich. Hear this excerpt from Updike:
“Karl Barth’s insistence upon the otherness of God seemed to free him to be exceptionally (for a theologian) appreciative and indulgent of this world, the world at hand. His humor and love of combat, his capacity for friendship even with his ideological opponents, his fondness for his tobacco and other physical comforts, his tastes in art and entertainment were heartily worldly, worldly not in the fashion of those who accept this life as a way-station and testing-ground but of those who embrace it as a piece of Creation.”
Barth deeply admires and even seems to idolize Mozart, discussing how Mozart’s work shapes his own theological pursuit and how he desires to meet Mozart when Barth gets to heaven. You can see an example in this book of how art may shape theological thinking.You also see a bit of Barth’s ecumenical thinking as he is certain about God’s miraculous work through the mere musical genius of Mozart—a Catholic and later Freemason. The foreword notes how Barth’s appreciation gives some insight into Barth’s own theological vision, and I agree with this claim. I was specifically drawn to this book because I play piano and have always loved Mozart’s music. It is cool to see a famous theologian dedicating a unique work to this musician! Both Barth and Einstein were huge Mozart fans so that is a neat mutual interest! For Barth, Mozart is an exemplar of the free human living out the creativity that God endowed men with. Read this work if you are interested in theology and the arts in general, or Barth in particular.
This is not a biography of Mozart, but a brief appreciation of Mozart consisting of Barth’s letter to the musician and a speech that Barth delivered at a Mozart celebration. In this book, you get many great insights from Barth on his philosophy of art and cultural engagement. There is also a foreword to the book from John Updike that is just as rich. Hear this excerpt from Updike:
“Karl Barth’s insistence upon the otherness of God seemed to free him to be exceptionally (for a theologian) appreciative and indulgent of this world, the world at hand. His humor and love of combat, his capacity for friendship even with his ideological opponents, his fondness for his tobacco and other physical comforts, his tastes in art and entertainment were heartily worldly, worldly not in the fashion of those who accept this life as a way-station and testing-ground but of those who embrace it as a piece of Creation.”
Barth deeply admires and even seems to idolize Mozart, discussing how Mozart’s work shapes his own theological pursuit and how he desires to meet Mozart when Barth gets to heaven. You can see an example in this book of how art may shape theological thinking.You also see a bit of Barth’s ecumenical thinking as he is certain about God’s miraculous work through the mere musical genius of Mozart—a Catholic and later Freemason. The foreword notes how Barth’s appreciation gives some insight into Barth’s own theological vision, and I agree with this claim. I was specifically drawn to this book because I play piano and have always loved Mozart’s music. It is cool to see a famous theologian dedicating a unique work to this musician! Both Barth and Einstein were huge Mozart fans so that is a neat mutual interest! For Barth, Mozart is an exemplar of the free human living out the creativity that God endowed men with. Read this work if you are interested in theology and the arts in general, or Barth in particular.
April 6, 2025
A really enjoyable read. The two forewords are a little longer than they need to be; the publishers may have thought it necessary to add some length, since Barth's actual part of it is so short, but it really wasn't. The book may be short, but it's still worthwhile.
January 20, 2008
Karl Barth, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Eerdmans, 1956)
Karl Barth, never the world's most orthodox theologian, released a small number of monographs on Mozart during his life, culminating in a keynote speech at a Salzburg festival honoring Mozart's 200th birthday. Eerdmans reprinted the lot of them not long after the festival. So what is it, exactly, that a theologian, no matter how unorthodox, would have to say about one of history's greatest iconoclasts?
Barth makes the argument that Mozart was quite the opposite, the living voice of God on Earth. He attempts to understand the glory of Mozart's music (and in the process refute various tunnel-vision styles of Mozart scholarship popular at the time) in light of Mozart's single-minded, exclusive dedication to music (pointing out a number of times that Mozart was almost impervious to other forms of media, as well as current events). Not an original response to Mozart, but one that, perhaps, had never previously been codified-Barth gives us an understanding of Mozart from the gut, running it through the brain in order to translate it into words.
Barth is always a good writer. Where many of his books in English fail is in the translation; German can be a nasty language viewed from the perspective of English speakers. The translation here is hands down the best I've ever seen in a piece of Barth's work. The book is easy and accessible. Too bad the same translator didn't work on the Dogmatics.
Wonderful stuff, highly recommended not only for Mozart fans but also for those who want to gain an understanding into why Mozart's music is so revered. ****
Karl Barth, never the world's most orthodox theologian, released a small number of monographs on Mozart during his life, culminating in a keynote speech at a Salzburg festival honoring Mozart's 200th birthday. Eerdmans reprinted the lot of them not long after the festival. So what is it, exactly, that a theologian, no matter how unorthodox, would have to say about one of history's greatest iconoclasts?
Barth makes the argument that Mozart was quite the opposite, the living voice of God on Earth. He attempts to understand the glory of Mozart's music (and in the process refute various tunnel-vision styles of Mozart scholarship popular at the time) in light of Mozart's single-minded, exclusive dedication to music (pointing out a number of times that Mozart was almost impervious to other forms of media, as well as current events). Not an original response to Mozart, but one that, perhaps, had never previously been codified-Barth gives us an understanding of Mozart from the gut, running it through the brain in order to translate it into words.
Barth is always a good writer. Where many of his books in English fail is in the translation; German can be a nasty language viewed from the perspective of English speakers. The translation here is hands down the best I've ever seen in a piece of Barth's work. The book is easy and accessible. Too bad the same translator didn't work on the Dogmatics.
Wonderful stuff, highly recommended not only for Mozart fans but also for those who want to gain an understanding into why Mozart's music is so revered. ****
April 7, 2014
"What occurs in Mozart is rather a glorious upsetting of the balance, a turning in which the light rises and the shadows fall, though without disappearing, in which joy overtakes sorrow without extinguishing it, in which the Yea rings louder than the ever-present Nay." --Karl Barth
"'Though without disappearing'" - thus the theologian acknowledges the inextinguishable problem of evil. He implies a cosmic paradigm in the way in which Mozart sweeps into his magnificent lightness everything problematical, painful, and dark. Mozart's music, for Barth, has the exact texture of God's world, of divine comedy." -- John Updike
Karl Barth was one of the 20th century's most influential theologians. For most of his life, he began each day by listening to one of the 18th century's greatest composers. Barth even considered Mozart to be a kind of prophet: "I even have to confess that if I ever get to heaven, I would first of all seek out Mozart and only then inquire after Augustine, St. Thomas, Luther, Calvin and Schleiermacher." First published on the 200th anniversary of Mozart's birth, Barth's little book is less biography and more appreciative eulogy. Interesting short read, but I learned less about Mozart and instead more of Barth's enjoyment of Mozart.
"'Though without disappearing'" - thus the theologian acknowledges the inextinguishable problem of evil. He implies a cosmic paradigm in the way in which Mozart sweeps into his magnificent lightness everything problematical, painful, and dark. Mozart's music, for Barth, has the exact texture of God's world, of divine comedy." -- John Updike
Karl Barth was one of the 20th century's most influential theologians. For most of his life, he began each day by listening to one of the 18th century's greatest composers. Barth even considered Mozart to be a kind of prophet: "I even have to confess that if I ever get to heaven, I would first of all seek out Mozart and only then inquire after Augustine, St. Thomas, Luther, Calvin and Schleiermacher." First published on the 200th anniversary of Mozart's birth, Barth's little book is less biography and more appreciative eulogy. Interesting short read, but I learned less about Mozart and instead more of Barth's enjoyment of Mozart.
March 25, 2015
I'm sorry but i simply don't understand the appeal of this book. A copy was given to me by a dear departed friend back in 1987. He was someone who turned me on to lots of great music. I know this book was very special to him, but I just got around to reading it. It was indeed a struggle and the only reason I was able to finish it was because it is so short. I don't feel the author says much of anything in its 60 page length. I learned very little about Mozart other than he was short, had blue eyes and blond hair and that his music was never about him. I just feel that whatever points the author was trying to make were completely lost in the excessive gushing about his subject. I'm pretty well-read in composer biographies, but I would not recommend this one to anyone. Perhaps it should be approached as a work of philosophy rather than biography.
January 21, 2016
Barth adores Mozart. Barth’s translator adores commas. A few good lines:
“Mozart’s music is not, in contrast to that of Bach, a message, and not, in contrast to that of Beethoven, a personal confession. He does not reveal in his music any doctrine and certainly not himself… Mozart does not wish to say anything: he just sings and sounds. Thus he does not force anything on the listener, does not demand that he make any decisions or take any positions; he simply leaves him free.”
“The Mozartean ‘center’ is not like that of the great theologian Schleiermacher - a matter of balance, neutrality, and, finally, indifference. What occurs in Mozart is rather a glorious upsetting of the balance, a turning in which the light rises and the shadows fall, though without disappearing, in which joy overtakes sorrow without extinguishing it, in which the Yea rings louder than the ever-present Nay.”
“Mozart’s music is not, in contrast to that of Bach, a message, and not, in contrast to that of Beethoven, a personal confession. He does not reveal in his music any doctrine and certainly not himself… Mozart does not wish to say anything: he just sings and sounds. Thus he does not force anything on the listener, does not demand that he make any decisions or take any positions; he simply leaves him free.”
“The Mozartean ‘center’ is not like that of the great theologian Schleiermacher - a matter of balance, neutrality, and, finally, indifference. What occurs in Mozart is rather a glorious upsetting of the balance, a turning in which the light rises and the shadows fall, though without disappearing, in which joy overtakes sorrow without extinguishing it, in which the Yea rings louder than the ever-present Nay.”
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December 9, 2012 Di come stiano le cose, a proposito della musica, là dove ora lei si trova, ho soltanto un'idea molto vaga. Ho però un sospetto, a questo riguardo... Forse gli angeli, quando sono intenti a rendere lode a Dio, suonano musica di Bach, ma non ne sono del tutto sicuro; sono certo, invece, che quando si trovano tra di loro suonano Mozart ed allora anche il Signore trova particolare diletto nell'ascoltarli.
Ho scoperto che da questo libretto vengono tutte le mie idee su Mozart. Ma non il mio amore per la sua musica.
Quello viene prima ed è al di là delle idee.
Ho scoperto che da questo libretto vengono tutte le mie idee su Mozart. Ma non il mio amore per la sua musica.
Quello viene prima ed è al di là delle idee.
March 24, 2015
A gem! Karl Barth, profound systematic theologian, wrote a letter to Mozart (as part of a civic celebration of the 200th birthday celebration of WA.Mozart. Barth also gave a brief talk to an audience waiting to hear a concert during that celebration. This book includes those two pieces plus offers an appreciative foreword by John Updike. As Updike pointed out, reading Barth's gentle-hearted admiration for Mozart helps us see the humanity of Karl Barth the thunderous theologian. Simply a nice reading diversion.
May 25, 2013
I read this book for class. It is short. You can tell that Barth really cares about Mozart, though it didn't necessarily make me care about him.
December 24, 2015
excellent little lecture by Barth on the theology of Mozart. It explores through a theological lens how we can see the full gamete of life in Mozart's music - the darkness but also the light.
October 17, 2018
“No laughter without tears, no weeping without laughter.”
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews