King Haddock’s Reviews > Mozart > Status Update

It's been fascinating reading the controversy and acclaim of Solomon's Mozart biography. I cannot read German (yet), but the analysis of Wolfgang and Leopold's motivations through their letters has been fascinating. I think it's clear when Solomon is interpreting and speculating and when he presents data (though of course the data supports his thesis). It's regardless a beneficial means of rethinking Mozart.

"The beautifully curled scroll can improve the tone of the violin just as little as a fancifully curled wig can improve the intelligence of its living wig stand." - Leopold Mozart

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Mozart wrote, frustrated, that people regarded him still as a child. His father shamed Mozart for acting out; whereas as a child he was humble, quiet, serious. Solomon notes Mozart's dramatic actions could be tinged with irony, a borderline rebellious, "Oh? You think I'm a child? SURE! I'll ACT like a child!" Per Solomon: today, we keep treating Mozart like a child-like his father Leopold wanted Mozart to be treated.

The previous Mozart bio I read lauded Leopold, which made me squint. Solomon's approach seems grounded in vaster amounts of data and scrutiny. He examines Leopold as instilling pressured control, using epistolic evidence of a heavy hand, guilt tripping, interference with travels and relationships, etc. He points to Mozart's responses making sense in that framework. You? You, my dude? Keep talking.

I finished "Mozart: A Life" so now I'm starting "Mozart: A Life." Ahahaha!