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Great Masters: Mozart: His Life and Music
Even from the perspective of time, it is nearly impossible to grasp the full contribution made to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in his brief and glorious life. He composed his first symphony at the age of 8 and reached full artistic maturity by the time he was only 20. And when he died at the age of 35, he left a legacy of more than 600 works of brilliance - symphonies, chamber music, operas, and more - most composed during an incredibly productive 20-year period. But even though it can well take a lifetime to fully grasp the achievement of the man described by Rossini as "the only composer who had as much knowledge as genius and as much genius as knowledge", every step of that journey toward understanding will be a joy - one you can begin with this fascinating eight-lecture series, which can serve as both a stand-alone introduction to this extraordinary composer or as the gateway to a lifetime of appreciation and pleasure. Beginning with an examination of the many myths that surround Mozart to this day, Professor Greenberg offers not only an understanding of his music, but also a realistic view of Mozart the boy and man, from his emergence as youthful prodigy to his posthumous deification.You'll learn about his difficult and ultimately doomed relationship with his father, his troubled marriage, his relationships with luminaries like Haydn, Emperor Joseph II, and his operatic librettist, Lorenzo da Ponte, and the triumphs and disappointments that marked his career - including the astonishing and inexplicable creative recovery that enabled him to create his great Masonic opera, The Magic Flute , only months before his death.
4 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
Robert Greenberg
179 books201 followersRobert M. Greenberg is an American composer, pianist and musicologist. He has composed more than 50 works for a variety of instruments and voices, and has recorded a number of lecture series on music history and music appreciation for The Teaching Company.
Greenberg earned a B.A. in music, magna cum laude, from Princeton University and received a Ph.D. in music composition from the University of California, Berkeley. He has served on the faculties of UC Berkeley, Californiz State University, East Bay, and the San Franciso Conservatory of Music, where he was chairman of the Department of Music History and Literature as well as Director of the Adult Extension Division. Dr. Greenberg is currently Music Historian-in-residence with San Francisco Performances.
Greenberg earned a B.A. in music, magna cum laude, from Princeton University and received a Ph.D. in music composition from the University of California, Berkeley. He has served on the faculties of UC Berkeley, Californiz State University, East Bay, and the San Franciso Conservatory of Music, where he was chairman of the Department of Music History and Literature as well as Director of the Adult Extension Division. Dr. Greenberg is currently Music Historian-in-residence with San Francisco Performances.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 26, 2023
4 ⭐️
The second lecture that I read in Greenberg's 'Great Masters' series, whilst being precisely on par with his Haydn lectures, did highlight the limitations of the short lecture format in trying to cover the "Life and Music" of one with such a turbulent, complex life and prolific career. Greenberg does an absolutely admirable job of covering an astounding amount in just 6 hours worth of lectures but nevertheless I would only advertise these, to anyone reading this review, as extremely worthy introductions to the works and lives of the great composers, nothing more substantial than that. Often throughout the lectures, Greenberg himself laments the unsuitability of deeper analysis of key compositions within the scope of the short course.
I knew little about Haydn before approaching his lectures but a considerable amount more about Mozart which is probably why it was so evident to me here.
If I could recommend one book about Mozart to anyone, it would be Robert Spaethling's translation of Mozart's private correspondence in 'Mozart's letters, Mozart's life'. You won't get to know Mozart better any other way as, reading directly from his pen as well as from those closest to him, it's stripped of all second-hand hero worship entirely and highlights Mozart, the human being; a most endearing, brilliant, hard-working, loyal and profoundly resilient human being. Everything biographical that I read before, or have read or listened to since, his letters (not excluding Greenberg's lectures) has, quite sensibly, borrowed heavily from them, to the point where I would say they are the primary source for biographical material on Mozart.
To farewell you in the style of the little maestro himself, I kiss your hands 1000 times and with kind regard and great fondness, I shit in your cup. Adieu!!
The second lecture that I read in Greenberg's 'Great Masters' series, whilst being precisely on par with his Haydn lectures, did highlight the limitations of the short lecture format in trying to cover the "Life and Music" of one with such a turbulent, complex life and prolific career. Greenberg does an absolutely admirable job of covering an astounding amount in just 6 hours worth of lectures but nevertheless I would only advertise these, to anyone reading this review, as extremely worthy introductions to the works and lives of the great composers, nothing more substantial than that. Often throughout the lectures, Greenberg himself laments the unsuitability of deeper analysis of key compositions within the scope of the short course.
I knew little about Haydn before approaching his lectures but a considerable amount more about Mozart which is probably why it was so evident to me here.
If I could recommend one book about Mozart to anyone, it would be Robert Spaethling's translation of Mozart's private correspondence in 'Mozart's letters, Mozart's life'. You won't get to know Mozart better any other way as, reading directly from his pen as well as from those closest to him, it's stripped of all second-hand hero worship entirely and highlights Mozart, the human being; a most endearing, brilliant, hard-working, loyal and profoundly resilient human being. Everything biographical that I read before, or have read or listened to since, his letters (not excluding Greenberg's lectures) has, quite sensibly, borrowed heavily from them, to the point where I would say they are the primary source for biographical material on Mozart.
To farewell you in the style of the little maestro himself, I kiss your hands 1000 times and with kind regard and great fondness, I shit in your cup. Adieu!!
May 25, 2024
On January 27, 1756, one of the most important and influential composers and musicians of all time was born: Wolfgang Amadeus (Gottlieb) Mozart.
Spoiler Alert! You're gonna be incredulous and go green from envy!
After his own life never amounted to much and his own compositions, while not bad, were nothing too riveting, Wolfgang's father Leopold Mozart was determined to make at least one if not both his surviving children (Wolfgang had an older sister) a success. Originally focusing on Maria Anna, he was astounded to see/hear that little 3-year-old Wolfgang could perfectly copy whatever his then 7-year-old sister was playing. Suffice it to say that Leopold smelled his chance and focused mostly on his son after that. Wolfgang received lessons starting at the age of 4 and already composed little pieces aged only 5. It is known nowadays that some of the more complex music from the child prodigy had been at least proof-read by Leopold - which in no way retracts form the feat of such a young boy already being fluent in the language of music though!
Oh and because writing music and playing the cembalo/fortepiano (the latter, while already having been invented, wasn't as popular yet) wasn't enough, little Wolfgang also learned to play the violin - mostly by himself, supposedly.
Naturally, having such Wunderkinder, the Mozart family underwent several trips through Europe, financed by the court in Salzburg, where the family lived. The children (and parents) thus visited Mannheim, Munich, Paris, London, Dover, The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Mechelen, Zürich, Donaueschingen, Bologna, Milan, Rome ... the list goes on.
One such "tour" lasted 3 whole years! Naturally, these trips not only meant promoting their compositions, but also served as a chance to meet other musicians - such as Johann Christian Bach (a son of THE Bach) who was a great influence on Mozart.
When Wolfgang was 8 years old, he wrote his first symphony. Because of course! Haven't we all?! Here she is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4IXX...
Shortly after, father and son went on a trip through Italy. There's the myth that while in Rome, Wolfgang heard Gregorio Allegri's Miserere twice in performance in the Sistine Chapel and subsequently wrote it out from memory, thus producing the "first unauthorized copy of this closely guarded property of the Vatican". Nowadays, this myth is highly disputed but wouldn't it be grande (and not too much of a stretch)?!
Sadly, none of the trips led to Wolfgang being hired, if only because Empress Maria Theresa considered musicians "useless people" and was strictly against hiring them so her son (Archduke Ferdinand of Milan) decided against it despite having a keen interest. However, upon their return home, Wolfgang was employed as a court musician by the ruler of Salzburg for the next 4 years during which he wrote symphonies, sonatas, string quartets, masses, serenades, and a few minor operas. While working at the court, in 1775, Wolfgang developed an enthusiasm for violin concertos, producing a series of five (the only ones he ever wrote), the last three of which are now staples of the repertoire. A year later, he turned his efforts to piano concertos, culminating in what critics consider his breakthrough work.
In 1777, Mozart had enough of Colloredo (the Prince-Archbishop who had hired him) because hewas an ass underpaid him and the theater in Salzburg was closed, therefore leaving on another tour in search of finding a new job. It was during this trip that Wolfgang's mother (of whom only little is known) died. In the end, he returned to Salzburg where his father had organized for another court-appointment for him.
In 1781, following the success of Wolfgang's opera Idomeneo, he was summoned to the court in Vienna. Originally, the archbishop simply had wanted to be seen with his musician (who had to eat with the servants), but Wolfgang was smart and managed to meet the new Austrian Emperor. The archbishop did his best to prevent Wolfgang from performing anything anywhere in Vienna. This resulted in an almost literal fight. First, Wolfgang tried to quit, but was denied, then he was let go but with an actual kick in the ass (not by the archbishop himself but one of his lackeys).
Subsequently, Wolfgang settled in Vienna as a freelance performer and composer with quite some success - though nothing nearly as spectacular as one would expect.
Wolfgang had moved in with a family called Weber, who had to make ends meet by taking lodgers following the death of the family patriarch. Wolfgang had known the family from his days in Mannheim. Originally, he had wanted to marry the oldest daughter, but things didn't work out so he married the third daughter, Constanze, instead. Leopold Mozart and Constanze's mother were against the marriage, but the young couple won out in the end (by making everyone want to save face). The couple had 6 children, two of which survived into adulthood.
In 1784, Wolfgang met Haydn in Vienna and the two became friends. Wolfgang even dedicated quartets to Haydn and they often performed together when Haydn was in Vienna.
After his solo concerts became more popular, Wolfgang finally made enough money to afford him and his growing family more luxury.
In 1786, after Wolfgang had moved away from piano concertos, he collaborated with Lorenzo da Ponte (a librettist) and the world finally got the hugely popular opera Le nozze di Figaro ("The Marriage of Figaro"). After the success of that opera, they collaborated again on the incredible Don Giovanni which premiered in 1787.
The two are among Mozart's most famous works and are mainstays of operatic repertoire almost anywhere today, though at their premieres their musical complexity caused difficulty both for listeners and for performers.
The most interesting biographical fact of the latter opera is that Wolfgang's father had died in May of that same year and much is a metaphorical tale of Wolfgang's complex and not very happy relationship with his father.
In December 1787, Mozart finally obtained a steady post under aristocratic patronage when Austrian Emperor Joseph II appointed him as his "chamber composer". It was a part-time appointment, not paying very much, and requiring Wolfgang only to compose dances for the annual balls, but this meant a steady income which became important when hard times arrived.
Interestingly, in the same year, Beethoven arrived in Vienna and wanted to study with Mozart. However, we do not know if the two ever even only met.
An important side-note: as of 1786, musicians fell on hard times because of the Austro-Turkish War which resulted in the decline of both the general level of prosperity and the aristocracy's ability to support music.
Wolfgang thus didn't give frequent public concerts anymore. It didn't help that he hadn't saved up any or much of the money he had made so far. Thus, the family had to leave central Vienna and move to more modest quarters in 1788. However, this didn't actually cut back on expenses and so Wolfgang began to borrow money. Moreover, he seems to have suffered from depression at the time so his musical output slowed on top of everything else.
It was probably for that reason that he undertook some long journeys (visiting Leipzig, Dresden, and Berlin in the spring of 1789 as well as Frankfurt, Mannheim, and other German cities in 1790) to improve his fortunes.
Wolfgang's final year, 1791, was his most productive. It was the year he composed The Magic Flute as well as Requiem (unfinished) (basically writing his own funeral mass). He also finished two concertos (one for the piano, the other for clarinet) as well as his series of string quartets and the motet Ave verum corpus .
This all improved his financial situation, ironically enough. Sadly, Wolfgang then fell ill while he was in Prague for the premiere of another opera of his. Nevertheless, he continued his professional functions for some time and conducted the premiere of The Magic Flute in September. However, his health deteriorated by November, at which point he became bedridden and suffered from swelling, pain, and vomiting.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died on December 5, 1791, aged only 35.
He was interred in a common grave, in accordance with contemporary Viennese custom. No mourners attended, as was also custom at the time (and yet an outrage).
By the way (and in case you, too, have seen the brilliant albeit often highly fictional movie Amadeus): the expression "common grave" refers to neither a communal nor a pauper's grave, but an individual grave for a member of the common people (not aristocracy). Common graves were subject to excavation after ten years; the graves of aristocrats were not.
Luckily, Mozart's modest funeral had nothing to do with his standing as a composer in the public eye - memorial services and concerts in Vienna and Prague were well attended and his reputation rose substantially in the period immediately after his death.
The cause of his death is highly disputed and over 100 different causes - ranging from acute rheumatic fever, streptococcal infection, trichinosis, influenza, mercury poisoning, and a rare kidney ailment - have been suggested by researchers.
In the end, we'll never know for sure. What we DO know is that the world had never seen anyone like him and probably never will again. He crammed more into 35 years than others do in double that time.
I, personally, have my first active memory of coming into contact with Mozart's music from when I was taken to see The Magic Flute in Karlsruhe as a kid. I was usually not allowed to go with my parents (who had season tickets) on account of them never coming home before midnight which was too late for little Trish back then. But it was my birthday and thus a special treat. I'll never forget it. Not the music, not the stage or costumes or any other element. So yes, he IS one of my undisputed favorite composers of all time (hence the detail to this review).
I very much appreciated Greenberg looking into the myths and legends surrounding Mozart as much as into the actual facts we have. And my gods, the music choices he made to underline certain points were almost perfect.
Even better, though, was how Greenberg put much into context. One always needs it when talking about such great masters or watching / listening to their works (a mistake many make before going to the theater, then not being able to get as much out of the performance as if they had educated themselves beforehand), but I've never seen it done quite like this in a biography. In general, this was, once again, a fantastic biography and presented in the best of ways. *applauds*
Spoiler Alert! You're gonna be incredulous and go green from envy!
After his own life never amounted to much and his own compositions, while not bad, were nothing too riveting, Wolfgang's father Leopold Mozart was determined to make at least one if not both his surviving children (Wolfgang had an older sister) a success. Originally focusing on Maria Anna, he was astounded to see/hear that little 3-year-old Wolfgang could perfectly copy whatever his then 7-year-old sister was playing. Suffice it to say that Leopold smelled his chance and focused mostly on his son after that. Wolfgang received lessons starting at the age of 4 and already composed little pieces aged only 5. It is known nowadays that some of the more complex music from the child prodigy had been at least proof-read by Leopold - which in no way retracts form the feat of such a young boy already being fluent in the language of music though!
Oh and because writing music and playing the cembalo/fortepiano (the latter, while already having been invented, wasn't as popular yet) wasn't enough, little Wolfgang also learned to play the violin - mostly by himself, supposedly.
Naturally, having such Wunderkinder, the Mozart family underwent several trips through Europe, financed by the court in Salzburg, where the family lived. The children (and parents) thus visited Mannheim, Munich, Paris, London, Dover, The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Mechelen, Zürich, Donaueschingen, Bologna, Milan, Rome ... the list goes on.
One such "tour" lasted 3 whole years! Naturally, these trips not only meant promoting their compositions, but also served as a chance to meet other musicians - such as Johann Christian Bach (a son of THE Bach) who was a great influence on Mozart.
When Wolfgang was 8 years old, he wrote his first symphony. Because of course! Haven't we all?! Here she is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4IXX...
Shortly after, father and son went on a trip through Italy. There's the myth that while in Rome, Wolfgang heard Gregorio Allegri's Miserere twice in performance in the Sistine Chapel and subsequently wrote it out from memory, thus producing the "first unauthorized copy of this closely guarded property of the Vatican". Nowadays, this myth is highly disputed but wouldn't it be grande (and not too much of a stretch)?!
Sadly, none of the trips led to Wolfgang being hired, if only because Empress Maria Theresa considered musicians "useless people" and was strictly against hiring them so her son (Archduke Ferdinand of Milan) decided against it despite having a keen interest. However, upon their return home, Wolfgang was employed as a court musician by the ruler of Salzburg for the next 4 years during which he wrote symphonies, sonatas, string quartets, masses, serenades, and a few minor operas. While working at the court, in 1775, Wolfgang developed an enthusiasm for violin concertos, producing a series of five (the only ones he ever wrote), the last three of which are now staples of the repertoire. A year later, he turned his efforts to piano concertos, culminating in what critics consider his breakthrough work.
In 1777, Mozart had enough of Colloredo (the Prince-Archbishop who had hired him) because he
In 1781, following the success of Wolfgang's opera Idomeneo, he was summoned to the court in Vienna. Originally, the archbishop simply had wanted to be seen with his musician (who had to eat with the servants), but Wolfgang was smart and managed to meet the new Austrian Emperor. The archbishop did his best to prevent Wolfgang from performing anything anywhere in Vienna. This resulted in an almost literal fight. First, Wolfgang tried to quit, but was denied, then he was let go but with an actual kick in the ass (not by the archbishop himself but one of his lackeys).
Subsequently, Wolfgang settled in Vienna as a freelance performer and composer with quite some success - though nothing nearly as spectacular as one would expect.
Wolfgang had moved in with a family called Weber, who had to make ends meet by taking lodgers following the death of the family patriarch. Wolfgang had known the family from his days in Mannheim. Originally, he had wanted to marry the oldest daughter, but things didn't work out so he married the third daughter, Constanze, instead. Leopold Mozart and Constanze's mother were against the marriage, but the young couple won out in the end (by making everyone want to save face). The couple had 6 children, two of which survived into adulthood.
In 1784, Wolfgang met Haydn in Vienna and the two became friends. Wolfgang even dedicated quartets to Haydn and they often performed together when Haydn was in Vienna.
After his solo concerts became more popular, Wolfgang finally made enough money to afford him and his growing family more luxury.
In 1786, after Wolfgang had moved away from piano concertos, he collaborated with Lorenzo da Ponte (a librettist) and the world finally got the hugely popular opera Le nozze di Figaro ("The Marriage of Figaro"). After the success of that opera, they collaborated again on the incredible Don Giovanni which premiered in 1787.
The two are among Mozart's most famous works and are mainstays of operatic repertoire almost anywhere today, though at their premieres their musical complexity caused difficulty both for listeners and for performers.
The most interesting biographical fact of the latter opera is that Wolfgang's father had died in May of that same year and much is a metaphorical tale of Wolfgang's complex and not very happy relationship with his father.
In December 1787, Mozart finally obtained a steady post under aristocratic patronage when Austrian Emperor Joseph II appointed him as his "chamber composer". It was a part-time appointment, not paying very much, and requiring Wolfgang only to compose dances for the annual balls, but this meant a steady income which became important when hard times arrived.
Interestingly, in the same year, Beethoven arrived in Vienna and wanted to study with Mozart. However, we do not know if the two ever even only met.
An important side-note: as of 1786, musicians fell on hard times because of the Austro-Turkish War which resulted in the decline of both the general level of prosperity and the aristocracy's ability to support music.
Wolfgang thus didn't give frequent public concerts anymore. It didn't help that he hadn't saved up any or much of the money he had made so far. Thus, the family had to leave central Vienna and move to more modest quarters in 1788. However, this didn't actually cut back on expenses and so Wolfgang began to borrow money. Moreover, he seems to have suffered from depression at the time so his musical output slowed on top of everything else.
It was probably for that reason that he undertook some long journeys (visiting Leipzig, Dresden, and Berlin in the spring of 1789 as well as Frankfurt, Mannheim, and other German cities in 1790) to improve his fortunes.
Wolfgang's final year, 1791, was his most productive. It was the year he composed The Magic Flute as well as Requiem (unfinished) (basically writing his own funeral mass). He also finished two concertos (one for the piano, the other for clarinet) as well as his series of string quartets and the motet Ave verum corpus .
This all improved his financial situation, ironically enough. Sadly, Wolfgang then fell ill while he was in Prague for the premiere of another opera of his. Nevertheless, he continued his professional functions for some time and conducted the premiere of The Magic Flute in September. However, his health deteriorated by November, at which point he became bedridden and suffered from swelling, pain, and vomiting.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died on December 5, 1791, aged only 35.
He was interred in a common grave, in accordance with contemporary Viennese custom. No mourners attended, as was also custom at the time (and yet an outrage).
By the way (and in case you, too, have seen the brilliant albeit often highly fictional movie Amadeus): the expression "common grave" refers to neither a communal nor a pauper's grave, but an individual grave for a member of the common people (not aristocracy). Common graves were subject to excavation after ten years; the graves of aristocrats were not.
Luckily, Mozart's modest funeral had nothing to do with his standing as a composer in the public eye - memorial services and concerts in Vienna and Prague were well attended and his reputation rose substantially in the period immediately after his death.
The cause of his death is highly disputed and over 100 different causes - ranging from acute rheumatic fever, streptococcal infection, trichinosis, influenza, mercury poisoning, and a rare kidney ailment - have been suggested by researchers.
In the end, we'll never know for sure. What we DO know is that the world had never seen anyone like him and probably never will again. He crammed more into 35 years than others do in double that time.
I, personally, have my first active memory of coming into contact with Mozart's music from when I was taken to see The Magic Flute in Karlsruhe as a kid. I was usually not allowed to go with my parents (who had season tickets) on account of them never coming home before midnight which was too late for little Trish back then. But it was my birthday and thus a special treat. I'll never forget it. Not the music, not the stage or costumes or any other element. So yes, he IS one of my undisputed favorite composers of all time (hence the detail to this review).
I very much appreciated Greenberg looking into the myths and legends surrounding Mozart as much as into the actual facts we have. And my gods, the music choices he made to underline certain points were almost perfect.
Even better, though, was how Greenberg put much into context. One always needs it when talking about such great masters or watching / listening to their works (a mistake many make before going to the theater, then not being able to get as much out of the performance as if they had educated themselves beforehand), but I've never seen it done quite like this in a biography. In general, this was, once again, a fantastic biography and presented in the best of ways. *applauds*
September 16, 2022
Thankfully debunking the myths of Mozart being some mindless, angelic child-vessel of divine music (his music is divine, though!, no question about that) or an idiotic buffoon poisoned by Salieri ("thanks" to Pushkin, Peter Shaffer and Milos Forman, DUH!) and it still manages to be a moving summary of Mozart's life and music, albeit a very short one.
January 25, 2024
A series of 8 lectures (free on Audible) very well-researched, delivered with great theatrical skills, and with tons of genuine passion. The “villains” of this series are the biographers who portrayed Mozart as either an idiot savant, or as a man child who never became a responsible adult. Neither of these are true, contends prof. Greenberg, and I would agree, based on the many excerpts from Mozart’s correspondence that he shares with us.
One of the sources of these misconceptions about Mozart is, as Greenberg states a few times, the popular movie “Amadeus”, that was based on a play, but being the huge cultural event that it was, it created the “horse-laughing Mozart” in our imagination, and the silly “Salieri killed Mozart” sub plot. In showing us only the events of 1791, his last year of life, that movie gave the world a false image of Mozart as “constantly troubled”, “manic depressive”. It’s a great movie, but unfortunately far too many people, still today, take it as historically accurate.
Mozart lived an extraordinary life, of course, because he was a genius and because he started his career at 5, but most of his life was, in fact, a good life.
He worked very hard, sure, but was also very often recognized even by the highest authorities, and had a normal love life with his wife Constanza (although, like many other celebrities, he had a number of extramarital affairs).
A beautiful, rich series, made even richer by the musical excerpts played at the right time of the biography and commented with passion, wit and great knowledge.
One of the sources of these misconceptions about Mozart is, as Greenberg states a few times, the popular movie “Amadeus”, that was based on a play, but being the huge cultural event that it was, it created the “horse-laughing Mozart” in our imagination, and the silly “Salieri killed Mozart” sub plot. In showing us only the events of 1791, his last year of life, that movie gave the world a false image of Mozart as “constantly troubled”, “manic depressive”. It’s a great movie, but unfortunately far too many people, still today, take it as historically accurate.
Mozart lived an extraordinary life, of course, because he was a genius and because he started his career at 5, but most of his life was, in fact, a good life.
He worked very hard, sure, but was also very often recognized even by the highest authorities, and had a normal love life with his wife Constanza (although, like many other celebrities, he had a number of extramarital affairs).
A beautiful, rich series, made even richer by the musical excerpts played at the right time of the biography and commented with passion, wit and great knowledge.
February 3, 2024
This is my third Great Courses audiobook by Greenberg. I’ve given every one of them five stars. And I’m quite a parsimonious rater.
Goldberg does an excellent job of humanizing this man whose talent was so stunning and his output of top-quality work so prodigious that it demands some type of rational explanation. Some have regarded Mozart’s musical compositions as literal miracles texted directly from the mind of God. Others liken these wonders to those of an autistic musical savant. While Greenberg confirms that the numerous stories of Mozart composing complete symphonies in his head and then simply “copying” them onto paper are most assuredly true, he still rejects any contention that Mozart was any more—or less—than a fully functioning, fully feeling, fully human man of amazing talent who worked his butt off to make great music.
It’s a great biography filled with many wonderful and illustrative samples of Mozart’s music. Another winner from Goldberg.
Check out Tom LA’s great review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Goldberg does an excellent job of humanizing this man whose talent was so stunning and his output of top-quality work so prodigious that it demands some type of rational explanation. Some have regarded Mozart’s musical compositions as literal miracles texted directly from the mind of God. Others liken these wonders to those of an autistic musical savant. While Greenberg confirms that the numerous stories of Mozart composing complete symphonies in his head and then simply “copying” them onto paper are most assuredly true, he still rejects any contention that Mozart was any more—or less—than a fully functioning, fully feeling, fully human man of amazing talent who worked his butt off to make great music.
It’s a great biography filled with many wonderful and illustrative samples of Mozart’s music. Another winner from Goldberg.
Check out Tom LA’s great review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 4, 2022
Brilliant!
October 21, 2020
I love classical music, great biographies, and fine writing, so Robert Greenberg’s biography of Mozart, for me, is splendid. I will be reading more of Greenberg’s books about music and composers.
September 14, 2024
The music just parallels the biography. I prefer Greenberg when he analyzes it in relation to earlier styles.
July 24, 2016
This was my first Great Course recording and certainly won't be my last. Greenberg, despite occasional over the top dramatics, is an excellent and enthusiastic scholar, musician and lecturer. The breadth of his knowledge and the selections of Mozart's music and a few of his contemporaries, was just enough to completely whet my appetite for more. As an historian, I appreciated his insistence on going to original sources for his information instead of relying on what other music scholars may have written or posited. There was nothing dry or boring in those sources he quoted. No, quite the contrary. They were often entertaining and always enlightening. Mozart had quite the scatological sense of humor.
For example, Professor Greenberg took great pains to debunk the commonly held [often thanks to movies …I'm talking about you, Amadeus ...] notion that Mozart was some kind of idiot savant. Far from it, while he had his share of "issues", he generally functioned and engaged well in society and enjoyed much success. He was a tireless worker, churning out genius music at a prodigious rate, even when unwell or also working nearly full time as a performer, producer, teacher, husband and father. He was a one of a kind prodigy, which of course means he was/is often misunderstood.
This is not an exhaustive course, with just 8 45+minute lectures, punctuated with snippets of music to illustrate his points, but it was enlightening enough to be riveting. I love listening to classical music but like so many, my appreciation and understanding has been somewhat lacking. Now, I feel enriched enough to listen to Mozart with more appreciation.
For example, Professor Greenberg took great pains to debunk the commonly held [often thanks to movies …I'm talking about you, Amadeus ...] notion that Mozart was some kind of idiot savant. Far from it, while he had his share of "issues", he generally functioned and engaged well in society and enjoyed much success. He was a tireless worker, churning out genius music at a prodigious rate, even when unwell or also working nearly full time as a performer, producer, teacher, husband and father. He was a one of a kind prodigy, which of course means he was/is often misunderstood.
This is not an exhaustive course, with just 8 45+minute lectures, punctuated with snippets of music to illustrate his points, but it was enlightening enough to be riveting. I love listening to classical music but like so many, my appreciation and understanding has been somewhat lacking. Now, I feel enriched enough to listen to Mozart with more appreciation.
March 21, 2016
A relatively brief, but very lively, survey of Mozart's life and music. Robert Greenberg is a high energy, funny, occasionally corny lecturer, but very enjoyable. I wasn't expecting the "PG-13" rated language sprinkled here and there, but it was always in the context of quoting peculiar things Mozart or his family would say (bathroom humor, for instance). If nothing else it made this incredible genius of a composer seem a bit more human.
Getting to listen to so many musical selections, with insight and details provided by Greenberg, was a sheer delight. I definitely learned some things I didn't know, and will listen to more of these courses in the future. Mozart was one of a kind, and I don't imagine his achievements will ever be equaled.
Getting to listen to so many musical selections, with insight and details provided by Greenberg, was a sheer delight. I definitely learned some things I didn't know, and will listen to more of these courses in the future. Mozart was one of a kind, and I don't imagine his achievements will ever be equaled.
October 26, 2012
Really enjoyed this a lot! Mozart's life and music are so interesting... really well done. Also enjoyed all the debunking of the Mozart Myths (of which there are MANY!)
June 1, 2019
I've been breezing through these Robert Greenberg lectures, finishing the one on Haydn earlier in the week, writing a review that was pretty half-assed because it felt a bit too much like preaching to the choir. I'd think that if one is even faintly interested in the topic, the score that's on here is enough of a recommendation and none of these extra words would matter much. But here I am spending a couple of minutes writing all this anyway.
I listened to most of these in the car, driving my family back and forth from home to various meals and movies over the week. While I normally I listen to Great Courses lectures on my own so as not to bother or bore the rest of the passengers in the car with what may seem like esoteric ramblings about mythology or the mystical experience, I thought these might be fine because of the musical interludes scattered throughout. I didn't expect anyone to be listening, but thought it would at least occasionally sound like pleasant background noise to their own conversations.
I had on the 4th lecture of the series as we were off to have lunch at an Indian restaurant. Traffic wasn't too bad and the trip prematurely ended the recording with ten minutes left to go. When I shut the engine off my mom suddenly exclaimed: "Wait, but what happened to Mozart? Did he go back to his father?" I didn't realize she was listening. Or paying attention. So I assured her that I'd pause it and continue it after lunch. It seemed like she wanted to stay in the car and hear it to the end more than I did. I was pretty hungry.
Since then she's been talking about Mozart and his life, how talented he was, how he was treated by his family. As someone who has never heard his own mother express any interest in music in his life—let alone having it be classical music— I think this is worth sharing as a testament to how engaging and entertaining these lectures are.
Now to convince everyone else.
post: As I was about to post this review she suddenly walked into my room and asked: So what happened after Mozart died? Was that the end? I'll let her know later I have one on Beethoven.
I listened to most of these in the car, driving my family back and forth from home to various meals and movies over the week. While I normally I listen to Great Courses lectures on my own so as not to bother or bore the rest of the passengers in the car with what may seem like esoteric ramblings about mythology or the mystical experience, I thought these might be fine because of the musical interludes scattered throughout. I didn't expect anyone to be listening, but thought it would at least occasionally sound like pleasant background noise to their own conversations.
I had on the 4th lecture of the series as we were off to have lunch at an Indian restaurant. Traffic wasn't too bad and the trip prematurely ended the recording with ten minutes left to go. When I shut the engine off my mom suddenly exclaimed: "Wait, but what happened to Mozart? Did he go back to his father?" I didn't realize she was listening. Or paying attention. So I assured her that I'd pause it and continue it after lunch. It seemed like she wanted to stay in the car and hear it to the end more than I did. I was pretty hungry.
Since then she's been talking about Mozart and his life, how talented he was, how he was treated by his family. As someone who has never heard his own mother express any interest in music in his life—let alone having it be classical music— I think this is worth sharing as a testament to how engaging and entertaining these lectures are.
Now to convince everyone else.
post: As I was about to post this review she suddenly walked into my room and asked: So what happened after Mozart died? Was that the end? I'll let her know later I have one on Beethoven.
July 14, 2021
Having listened to many of Robert Greenberg's courses, I was expecting excellence. I got it! Wonderful and witty commentary encompasses the entire set of lectures; breathtaking music is played and explored; his life is respectfully and tastefully examined. Well done, Professor Greenberg. Much appreciation!
April 5, 2020
Peppered with musical excerpts, Professor Greenberg presents a well-researched and engaging biography of the composer, musician, and man Wolfgang Mozart.
The professor is animated, passionate, and extremely knowledgeable about Mozart, his contemporaries, and their music. Using primary sources and providing excellent overviews of the historical, social, political, and musical contexts in which Mozart lived, he debunks the myths that sprung up surrounding Mozart and tries to give the listener the most accurate representation of the actual historical person behind all the legend.
Mozart has never been so accessible to modern minds. Professor Greenberg is able to illustrate Mozart's humanity without downplaying his musical genius.
My only complaint is that this course wasn't longer.
The professor is animated, passionate, and extremely knowledgeable about Mozart, his contemporaries, and their music. Using primary sources and providing excellent overviews of the historical, social, political, and musical contexts in which Mozart lived, he debunks the myths that sprung up surrounding Mozart and tries to give the listener the most accurate representation of the actual historical person behind all the legend.
Mozart has never been so accessible to modern minds. Professor Greenberg is able to illustrate Mozart's humanity without downplaying his musical genius.
My only complaint is that this course wasn't longer.
February 3, 2017
Good lectures overall. Greenberg's main point seemed to be that the depiction of Mozart in "Amadeus" is not at all accurate. He wants us to appreciate the man with all his complexities.
April 1, 2021
A lot of what we know and don't know about Mozart the person is largely based on his legacy and what people assumed of him after his lifetime as accounts of his life during his lifetime aren't reliable. Even his "middle" name Amadeus, was apparently only a stage nickname that only HE would use in jest in letters but nowhere of it written that that is his name. From some popular culture and also from his wife's account, he was a simpleton but that doesn't seem to match all the evidence of his life. His God like status, literally, isn't quite as undeniable either as Mozart during his lifetime was not liked by all like he likely was after his life. Many including monarchs have criticised his work to be too long and far too complicated for the general public to understand and some have even described it for being vulgar for its sexual nature. A lot of these assumptions about Mozart are made to rationalise his immense skill and creativity residuals at a young age. You make him to a freak, a God or witchcraft like the magic ring on his hand. When trying to explain his abilities, you must bring up his important relationship with his controlling father. Based on the traditional norms in family and career, his father was rather rebellious to his family and eventually pursued music against his families wishes. His only son(besides his eldest daughter) Wolfgang was his main life goal. Wolfgang was pretty much homeschooled and had his father as his primary tutor. At the age of 5 already showing some composing abilities and promise, Leopold took his children on a long and epic European tour which changed Mozart's life from prospect to composer. This tour must have deeply affected his psychology at such a young age. This sickly and small boy always deeply desired the affection and approval of his strict father pushing himself to work harder. But his father also needed his son as he used his son as a crutch for his own unsuccessful career. Interestingly enough, one of Mozart's biggest influences at an early stage in his life bedsides his father was Johann Cristian Bach, one of the many sons of the great J. Sebastian Bach. Although he is short of forgotten in history, unlike his father, J.C still a great composer at the time and was a sort of friend or mentor to Mozart besides the clear age difference and his blending of Italian melody and German rhythm was something that became also characteristic of his work. In different countries, the expectations and reception towards Mozart was different so he was challenged accordingly, particularly in Italy, which his father hated. His father's tight grip on how Mozart would write his music would become key into how Mozart would later rebel against him and alsocompose without him. Some particularly interesting details were how the numbering of symphonies were occasionally wrong. As a young adult his stardom didn't necessarily carry through and he has some difficulties with patron dying/changing and having to work again in music instead of composing. Mozart in his early twenties traveled had some major changes in his life. He traveled to Paris with this mother and had a difficulty finding any job, likely because he didn't want to. He fell in love for the first time too which plays a part in his sexual nature that clearly comes across in his music. This also affected his relationship with his father. His mother died quickly of some disease and things got even worse with his father, blaming him for her death and claiming he owed him money. Eventually when Mozart did marry Constansa, his father did disinherited Mozart and their relationship was never the same again. Mozart likely hated his father especially in the years following this as everything that was withheld from him up to then, was drastically overturned after. Mozart for one of his big breaks in Munich in an serious Opera. By his late twenties, Mozart was becoming a musical superstar in Vienna. He was rich and spent his money well. Had many dogs and a bird, likely a gambler too. I really liked how Greenberg as a lot of personal insights on Mozart like even his obsession on saying "lick my ass" which is such a crass German saying. Lecture tracks about how he was friends and deeply admitted the great Heiden, and the great works that came forth from that. As a musician himself, Greenberg picks up on details such as a distinguishing fracture of Mozart's mature music was using the brass instruments as their own separate element as opposed to just reinforcing the string instruments. By now it is very clear that Mozart unlike what pop culture has portrayed him as, was very hard working and a intelligent man. Not a good given talent to a bumbling idiot that never grew up. A few personal details that were divulged in his let's that is rather impressive though we're the absurd work hours in the early morning or late night he composed for. And by composed I mean he simply copied down what was already in his head. The fact that Mozart has a fantastic eat for music and could improvise well and drafted very little of his music was indeed something very impressive. One account of him performing had him only having time to write down the music for the violin and he would play his part off the top of his head. Finally when his father died, Mozart did not interior anything and was not a sad man at all and wrote a piece to spite the memory of his father.
Mozart in his late twenties and early thirties was in the prime of his career in terms of success (not his finances) and was producing some of his most important operas. He traveled a lot and many argue that Mozart would have reached greater success had he stayed in Prague. I actually really enjoyed how Greenberg explains to people like me who are not as familiar with Mozart's music, what to look out for and what we're some of the stand out features of the operas. There is a tremendous amount of internal politics involved with the creation of these works in terms of the writers and performers and their egos. Besides Mozart's abysmal finances, constantly needing loans and taking jobs that would even require him to give over the credit of his work to other people (like his last piece, the Requiem), his marriage was also not great as being the superstar that he was in theatre and music, the man was a very promiscuous. Well finally in the last lecture, it deals with the mysterious case of his death. There are endless conspiracy theories behind trying to explain it but there is little to no evidence behind any of them, including the one by Salieri himself decades later as a old man after slitting his own throat, saying that he was the one poisoning Mozart. This is where the Hollywood movie Amadeus is based on. What likely did happen was that it was an accumulation of factors. First of and most importantly, Mozart was for pretty much most his life a sickly man and likely had rheumatoid fever which was common at the time, he was likely overworked with very poor sleeping patterns, according to his letters, he was likely depressed and lastly, it's documented that bloodletting was performed on his death which would have worsened everything. Since he was not upper class at the time, Mozart was buried in a common grave along with many others and therefore had no official testing place. Many biographies came in years after his death which spread the majority of the rumours, including one from his wife which she made a lot of money from.
The man had a incredibly short life and even shorter career but in that span, produced a rather large amount of music that had a deep impact at the time and even deeper after his death with his godlike legacy.
Mozart in his late twenties and early thirties was in the prime of his career in terms of success (not his finances) and was producing some of his most important operas. He traveled a lot and many argue that Mozart would have reached greater success had he stayed in Prague. I actually really enjoyed how Greenberg explains to people like me who are not as familiar with Mozart's music, what to look out for and what we're some of the stand out features of the operas. There is a tremendous amount of internal politics involved with the creation of these works in terms of the writers and performers and their egos. Besides Mozart's abysmal finances, constantly needing loans and taking jobs that would even require him to give over the credit of his work to other people (like his last piece, the Requiem), his marriage was also not great as being the superstar that he was in theatre and music, the man was a very promiscuous. Well finally in the last lecture, it deals with the mysterious case of his death. There are endless conspiracy theories behind trying to explain it but there is little to no evidence behind any of them, including the one by Salieri himself decades later as a old man after slitting his own throat, saying that he was the one poisoning Mozart. This is where the Hollywood movie Amadeus is based on. What likely did happen was that it was an accumulation of factors. First of and most importantly, Mozart was for pretty much most his life a sickly man and likely had rheumatoid fever which was common at the time, he was likely overworked with very poor sleeping patterns, according to his letters, he was likely depressed and lastly, it's documented that bloodletting was performed on his death which would have worsened everything. Since he was not upper class at the time, Mozart was buried in a common grave along with many others and therefore had no official testing place. Many biographies came in years after his death which spread the majority of the rumours, including one from his wife which she made a lot of money from.
The man had a incredibly short life and even shorter career but in that span, produced a rather large amount of music that had a deep impact at the time and even deeper after his death with his godlike legacy.
May 25, 2024
There's a reason why so many people hold Mozart up as the best of the best, but his actual story is WILD. Between being a child prodigy, the rebellious rock star of the age, battling the jealousy of his peers, his utter, jaw-dropping brilliance in composing, and so much more, it's easy to come up with many, many theories.
Greenberg delightfully distills it down to some great common sense. He was not only composing everything in his head, just transcribing the notes fully formed, but he was a virtuoso in every other way, rocking all the instruments, being hell on apolitical wheels for his sponsors, and being just TOO GOOD at what he was about, often never being anything close to being appreciated in his lifetime. Some, yes, and those who GOT the music were blown away, but it was only repeated listenings and new generations that truly understood what they heard.
And this is no different then than today. Mozart is everywhere and still so very loved, and yet during his lifetime, he'd gone through so much craziness, only to be dumped in a communal grave at age 35, that it's enough for me to start screaming.
Well, maybe I'd couch my scream in the Magic Flute, but you know what I mean.
Great biography! Funny, pretty amazing, and rather more realistic, if not proven, look at his life.
Despite all that, a little part of my heart will always think the move Amadeus is cannon. :)
Greenberg delightfully distills it down to some great common sense. He was not only composing everything in his head, just transcribing the notes fully formed, but he was a virtuoso in every other way, rocking all the instruments, being hell on apolitical wheels for his sponsors, and being just TOO GOOD at what he was about, often never being anything close to being appreciated in his lifetime. Some, yes, and those who GOT the music were blown away, but it was only repeated listenings and new generations that truly understood what they heard.
And this is no different then than today. Mozart is everywhere and still so very loved, and yet during his lifetime, he'd gone through so much craziness, only to be dumped in a communal grave at age 35, that it's enough for me to start screaming.
Well, maybe I'd couch my scream in the Magic Flute, but you know what I mean.
Great biography! Funny, pretty amazing, and rather more realistic, if not proven, look at his life.
Despite all that, a little part of my heart will always think the move Amadeus is cannon. :)
June 23, 2021
Amadeus has been one of my favorite movies since I was a teen. Greenberg gives a more nuanced account of Mozart's life and separates the myth from the man in a highly engrossing series of lectures. Being a non-musician, I appreciated his ability to explain musical concepts in an easygoing, understandable manner, which was then followed by the actual, wondrous music itself. Greenberg has a very conversational style of delivering his lectures, complete with wit, humor, and "dad jokes," so there was never a moment where this series became tedious. I will definitely seek out more of his Great Courses!
March 26, 2019
“I write as a sow piddles.” - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Another great course from Professor Greenberg!
The best part of these courses is listening to the great music and learning the whys and wherefores on how they became.
The most important things I learned in this course were the stupid myths that were torn down by Mr. Greenberg and the fact that Mozart was a person with a peculiar sense of humor.
I highly recommend this course as it was one of my favorites. I checked it out at my local library.
Another great course from Professor Greenberg!
The best part of these courses is listening to the great music and learning the whys and wherefores on how they became.
The most important things I learned in this course were the stupid myths that were torn down by Mr. Greenberg and the fact that Mozart was a person with a peculiar sense of humor.
I highly recommend this course as it was one of my favorites. I checked it out at my local library.
May 4, 2019
This is mainly about the life of Mozart. His music is bought out but is mainly examined in light of its progression and impact. The music itself, as music, is lightly touched upon but as the Professor repeatedly mentions this course is too short to properly address the music.
The main thing you get from this course is that Mozart was human. Extremely talented but not an idiot savant, bumbling buffoon, or child-like (once he was no longer a child). By the end of the course you will have a far greater appreciation of Mozart and a far better understanding.
The main thing you get from this course is that Mozart was human. Extremely talented but not an idiot savant, bumbling buffoon, or child-like (once he was no longer a child). By the end of the course you will have a far greater appreciation of Mozart and a far better understanding.
January 29, 2022
Admittedly I'm just starting this series, which I found by accident while flipping around channels (True History #473 on Roku) - but I'm giving it 5 stars immediately after completing the first episode.
After reading a few of the other reviewer's remarks, some of which occur to me as condescending (referring to the lecturer as "dramatic" and "corny") I'm eager to get back to what I consider Dr Greenberg's juicy and delicious study of everything Mozart - and already planning, as with many a good "book", to start again at the beginning as soon as it ends. YUM!!
After reading a few of the other reviewer's remarks, some of which occur to me as condescending (referring to the lecturer as "dramatic" and "corny") I'm eager to get back to what I consider Dr Greenberg's juicy and delicious study of everything Mozart - and already planning, as with many a good "book", to start again at the beginning as soon as it ends. YUM!!
July 21, 2022
In terms of exploration, Mozart isn't an island, he's a continent. A few minutes into this lecture series, I thought, "I'll never get my poor mind around this continent." And though I still think that, Professor Greenberg was a great guide. A very entertaining guide. I also commend him for discrediting the popular idea that Mozart was an obnoxious oaf. Skip "Amadeus" and listen to these lectures instead.
October 17, 2020
Yay! The GC+ has added more of Professor Bob's lectures, and this short (8 part) GC is most entertaining.
I thought there might not be much new here given how many of his previous lectures I've done and how much he'd covered in them. I was wrong. Lots of interesting tidbits here, especially about his childhood and his dysfunctional family. (Leopold Mozart was such a pill.)
I thought there might not be much new here given how many of his previous lectures I've done and how much he'd covered in them. I was wrong. Lots of interesting tidbits here, especially about his childhood and his dysfunctional family. (Leopold Mozart was such a pill.)
October 8, 2019
Listened to it in Audio book form, and Robert is phenomenal.
I don't normally call my self somebody who is interested in music, and had hoped that I would get an understanding of why people enjoy music. Robert delivered and more.
I don't normally call my self somebody who is interested in music, and had hoped that I would get an understanding of why people enjoy music. Robert delivered and more.
October 6, 2017
Great lecture to listen to!
November 18, 2017
A thoughtful scholarly research, delivered by a wildly entertaining teacher!
August 3, 2018
Can't ever go wrong with my favorite Music Professor
November 1, 2021
Great history on Mozart! Recommend to anyone who is interested in classical music.
February 19, 2022
Fun and interesting listen. Learned a lot about Mozart, and liked that there were experts of music that played during the course.
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