| Uniform title | W.A. Mozart. English |
| Contents |
Editorial note -- Preface -- 1. Childhood -- 2. Travels of the child prodigy -- 3. Works from the grand tour -- 4. Studies in Salzburg -- 5. First operas in Vienna -- 6. Gesellschaftsmusik and church music in Salzburg, 1769 -- 7. First Italian journey -- 8. Second and third Italian journeys -- 9. Opera seria -- 10. Early operas and the oratorio La Betulia liberata -- 11. Church and instrumental works, 1769-1773 -- 12. On the way to La finta giardiniera -- 13. Opera buffa -- 14. La finta giardiniera -- 15. Mozart in Salzburg, 1775-1777 -- 16. Munich and Augsburg -- 17. Mannheim -- 18. Arrival in Paris : tragédie lyrique -- 19. Opéra comique -- 20. The music dramas of Gluck -- 21. Mozart in Paris -- 22. Homecoming -- 23. Service at the Salzburg court -- 24. Sacred and instrumental works, 1779-1781-- 25. König Thamos and Zaide -- 26. Idomeneo -- 27. First steps in Vienna -- 28. German singspiel -- 29. Die Entführung aus dem Serail -- 30. Engagement and marriage. |
| Contents |
31. Mozart's personality -- 32. Relations with Constanze, friends and colleagues, 1782-1786 -- 33. Mozart and Freemasonry -- 34. In the service of the aristocracy and society -- 35. Plans for new operas -- 36. Mozart's artistic creativity -- 37. Profound changes in style : the influence of J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel and C.P.E. Bach -- 38. Chamber and orchestral works between Die Entführung and Figaro -- 39. The great keyboard concertos -- 40. Choral works, lieder and arias -- 41. Operatic fragments between die Entführung and Figaro -- 42. Le nozze di Figaro -- 43. Between Figaro and Don Giovanni -- 44. Mozart in Prague -- 45. Don Giovanni -- 46. The period of the three great symphonies -- 47. Visit to north Germany -- 48. Così fan tutte -- 49. Increasing hardship and work -- 50. Instrumental and vocal works of the final two years -- 51. La clemenza di Tito -- 52. Die Zauberflöte -- 53. Illness and death -- 54. The Requiem -- 55. Beyond the grave -- Appendix 1: Marianne Mozart / Otto Jahn -- Appendix 2 : Transcription of Mozart's church music / Otto Jahn -- Appendix 3 : Mozart's cousin / Otto Jahn -- Appendix 4 : Mozart as a comic poet / Otto Jahn -- Appendix 5 : On the genesis of Idomeneo / Hermann Abert -- Index of Mozart's works by Köchel numbers -- Index of Mozart's works by genre -- Index of names and subjects. |
| Abstract |
Hermann Abert's biography, first published in German more than eighty years ago and itself based on the definitive mid-nineteenth century study by Otto Jahn, remains the most informed and substantial biography of Mozart in any language. The book is both the fullest account of the composer's life and a deeply skilled analysis of his music." "Proceeding chronologically from 1756 to 1791, the book interrogates every aspect of Mozart's life, influences, and experience; his personality; his religious and secular dimensions; and the social context of the time. In "a book within a book," Abert also provides close scrutiny of the music, including the operas, orchestral work, symphonies and piano concertos, church music and cantatas, and compositions for solo instruments." "While the tone of Abert's great work is expertly rendered by Stewart Spencer, developments in Mozart scholarship since the last German edition are signaled by the Mozart scholar, Cliff Eisen, in careful annotations on every page. Supported by a host of leading Mozart scholars, this immense undertaking at last permits English-language readers access to the most important single source on the life of this great composer. |
| General note | Originally published in German as W.A. Mozart by Breitkopf und Härtel, 1923-4; reprinted, with corrections but without appendices, 1956, 1978. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 1389-1453) and indexes. |
| Language | Translated from the German. |
| LCCN | 2006023412 |
| ISBN | 9780300072235 (alk. paper) |
| ISBN | 0300072236 (alk. paper) |
