Mozart: Piano Concerto No 20

When in 1780, Wolfgang Amadeus learned that his first love, Aloysia, had just married another, he did not despair or contemplate suicide. (Notice. Göethe had not yet given to the world his Sorrows of Young Werther...). Instead, he turned a little and set his sights on the black eyes of Konstanze, who was nineteenth, one year younger than her sister Aloysia and was just over there, hanging around.

They married in 1782, and the following years, up until he died in 1791, were probably the happiest in Wolfgang's entire life. Two years later and still deeply in love, Konstanze and Wolfgang would write to Mozart's sister, Nannerl, on the eve of her marriage: "We wish that you two will live together as harmoniously as we two".

They immersed themselves in the dazzling artistic life of the Vienna of those years. The year 1785 found Mozart totally dedicated to his intense musical life; a period that proved to be very productive regarding publications.
Because of its popularity, the Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 20 in D minor stands out amongst his work of that time.
Beethoven, by then a fifteen years old lad, would maintain this concert in his repertoire for many years. Additionally, he would compose the cadenzas (i.e. the solo sections improvised by the interpreter or played according to prepared guidelines) for this and other concerts.

Piano Concerto No 20, in D minor, K. 466
I have chosen a rendition by the excellent Czech pianist Ivan Klansky, because of his amazing technique. He plays with such ease that his gestures seem to directly communicate with his emotions.
The work is in three movements:
00:00  Allegro
15:02  Romanza
23:53  Allegro assai

A decade of triumphs
Roundabout the time of the composition of Concerto No. 20, Mozart's fame was already considerable. A Viennese newspaper, commenting on a concert, mentioned his "well-deserved reputation" and pointed out that Wolfgang was "known universally".

To be truthful, his main source of income was still his music lessons, but he also gave concerts with some regularity, playing as a piano soloist. In addition, there were the proceeds from his numerous publications. Considered individually, they were poorly paid, but the total amount of their sale would have helped him to make ends meet.
Last but not least, one has to consider the earnings accrued from the performances of his operas. Not all yielded all that Mozart would have liked, but some of them certainly did.

The economic straits
This is why is intriguing that the couple suffered persistent economic hardship, to the extreme that Mozart had to borrow money from some fellow Masons. At the same time, he would ask them to send him students, stressing the fact that he charged "low prices".
Several scholars blame poor Konstanze, accusing her of extravagance, frivolity, and a fondness for luxury. Part of it might be true. But we have to take into account that, if one year Konstanze was not pregnant it was only because she was sick. Therefore, I prefer the more pragmatic first-hand opinion of Nannerl: "My brother did not know how to run his finances, and Konstanze was unable to help him on this".

The myth
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died on December 5, 1791, at the age of 35. The following day the myth of the mass grave and the storm was born. None of it is true. Although no one recorded the exact spot of his resting place, he was not buried in a pauper's grave. And on 6th of December, Vienna saw one of the most placid and sunny afternoons of that Autumn.

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Chopin: Waltz op 64-1, "The Minute Waltz"

The young woman in the picture is the Polish Countess Delfina Potocka, at the age of 23. Five years before she had married Count Potocki, thus acquiring both the surname and the title.
But Delfina was unhappy in her marriage, and she divorced the count in 1830. Afterwards, she began her travelling.

First, she toured across Europe, and after living for a while in London finally settled in Paris.
Sensitive by nature, Delfina gathered in her salons the musicians, poets, painters and novelists of her time. There she reencountered Frédérick Chopin in 1831, just when he was considering that giving piano lessons was the only option he had to earn a living. And he took her as a pupil.

It is still rumored that there was more than teaching going on, but there is no evidence to support those rumors. A year earlier, Chopin wrote a friend about a dinner he attended at home of "the beautiful wife of Count Potocki", but that is all.

However, they maintained a regular correspondence for many years, no matter where they happened to be at any one time. In 1847, one of those letters could have revealed to Delfina that Chopin had dedicated one of his compositions to her, a short waltz.

Delfina had been a diligent and able student with Chopin, so it is fair to assume that she was able to play the waltz at the speed specified by her teacher, i.e., molto vivace, which means very lively and animated. The little waltz became popular and came to be called "The Minute Waltz" because of its short duration.

Following, Valentina Lisitsa rendition, trying to play it in just one minute:

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Franz Liszt: Love Dream No 3

The years of 1810 and 1811 witnessed the arrival in the world of three giants of 19th century romantic music: Schumann and Chopin in 1810; Franz Liszt in 1811.
Generally, people tend to think that Liszt is a musician much later to Chopin, but as we already see the latter only precedes by a year to Liszt. The reason is that Liszt lived a good amount of years more than the ill-fated Frédéric. And so, long after Chopin's death in 1849, Franz Liszt was more alive than ever, performing recitals all over Europe, meeting and knowing aristocratic women on a very intimate level, whether a princess or a countess… and creating music.

For all this to happen, at the age of eight, little Franz had to show up his talent. This was not difficult because his parents were able to recognize it immediately: his father Adam Liszt was mayor of Prince Nicholas Esterhazy and had dealt extensively with Joseph Haydn. As soon as Franz turned 9, the Liszt family moved with him to Vienna to receive lessons from the most renowned music teachers. Then came Paris and later the whole of Europe.
Franz was born to conquer.

At 22 he is already a celebrated musical personality in the Parisian salons. In a select meeting between those attending were Chopin, Meyerbeer, Délacroix and Heine, among others, he was introduced to the Countess Marie d'Agoult, a well-known lady in Paris aristocratic environments. Marie, as well, was fond of writing, George Sand style. Also, she was six years older than Liszt and was married, to be exact. But love took hold and as love can do everything, Marie and Franz, despite the scandal caused, managed to unite their lives taking refuge in Switzerland, in a house on the outskirts of Geneva.
There, for almost two years, Franz will love and work intensely.

Love Dream No 3
It is probably the piece with which Liszt is better identified by common people. It belongs to a series of three nocturnes published in 1850, one year after Chopin's death. Altogether, they bear the name of Liebesträume and were conceived from poems.
The Nocturne No 3 consists of a beautiful theme that is repeated three times with intelligent variations linked by cadenzas that demand great technical skill. The second variation (1:41) represents the climax of the small work and is where the interpreter is authorized to destroy the piano if so he wishes. The third variation, on the other hand, is much more delicate (3:14). It dies away little by little to finish with a pianissimo arpeggio.
The version is by the Italian pianist Vanessa Benelli.

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Bach: Prelude No 2

Whilst serving as maestro di cappella in the city of Köthen, Johann Sebastian Bach composed the 24 preludes and fugues that form the Book I of The Well-Tempered Klavier. He had arrived in Köthen in 1717, shortly after his then-employer, the Duke of Weimar, had lifted the punishment he had imposed upon Bach, releasing him from prison.

The Duke had an assortment of peculiarities which had been slowly but surely worsening his relationships with his "lackey" Bach (i.e. an assistant for various purposes), who had been serving him from 1708 as both chamber musician and organist of the Court. To the mix, we should add the rebellious character of Konzertmeister Johann Sebastian, and his stubbornness and obstinacy, traits that accompanied him throughout his life, often hampering his dealings with his superiors.

In 1717, Bach learned that he had been recommended for the position of Kapellmeister at the Court of Köthen, which he accepted with alacrity, sending at once his family to that city. Alas, he had not requested the mandatory authorization from the Duke...

And when he did, it was too late. Exasperated, the Duke did not respond and after Bach’s insistence, surely not very tactful, the boss lost his patience. After four weeks of imprisonment, Bach “was freed from arrest with notice of his unfavourable discharge”, as reads the note by the Registrar of the Court. Eventually, Bach reunited with his family in Köthen and took charge of his post, where he remained until 1723.

JS Bach - Prelude No 2
This rendering of the Prelude No. 2 of The Well-Tempered Klavier, Book 1, by Glenn Gould, is unmistakable, though interestingly rather slow. The Canadian pianist and composer is said to have renewed the interpretation of Bach, despite the fact that he used to play sitting at the piano on a short-legged chair, with his chin almost touching the keyboard! (What we will not see here because I could only get the audio version).

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Beethoven: "Moonlight" Sonata - Mov 1

"Man and Woman Contemplating the Moon". A painting by Caspar D. Friedrich, c. 1824

When, years after Beethoven’s death, the opera singer Magdalena Willmann was asked why she had rejected the maestro’s proposal of marriage, she responded: "Because he was very ugly and half crazy."
We know nothing about Magdalena, but it seems she did not mince her words. However, even if she was exaggerating, the truth is that Beethoven's relationships with women were never straightforward, but rather complex and awkward. His dour features and (according to some contemporaries) the marks of smallpox, did not help the situation either.

Apart of the singer, the list of candidates to become "Mrs Beethoven" was long: the Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, the two sisters Therèse and Josephine von Brunswick, Therèse Malfatti, Bettina Brentano, Amalie Sebald and others.
Despite all his efforts, the genius of Bonn never married. Countess Guicciardi was the dedicatee of Beethoven’s most famous sonata, the popularly known Moonlight Sonata; she was happy to accept the honor but refused to tie the knot.

Although not a great beauty, Giulietta was a charming seventeen-year-old girl when she commenced her music lessons with young Beethoven. Ludwig had recently arrived in Vienna in 1793, and after a few months of mutual education, he succumbed to the spell of la contessina. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old newcomer who was attempting to make his mark in the Viennese musical society was small fry for the young lady.

But Ludwig did not bear a grudge against her. The sonata, composed during Beethoven’s stay at the home of the Brunswicks in 1801 (where he spent the season looking at the already mentioned sisters out of the corner of his eye), was published in 1802. It was dedicated to la contessina with affection, but also with a printing error: "... composta e dedicata alla damigella contessa Guilietta Guicciardi".

The initial movement of the sonata represents a break with the classic mold. Instead of the traditional structure fast - slow - fast, Beethoven started the piece with a very slow adagio, with the precise indication: adagio sostenuto –a beautiful and simple melody against a background of triplets.

The popular title of the sonata is due to Heinrich Rellstab, a poet and music critic of the time, who compared the adagio with the vision of the Swiss Lake Lucerne, on a luminous night. Most titles traditionally given to the sonatas of Beethoven owe their names to the wits of publishers or some enthusiastic romantic poets.

In the last bars, in the low registry, the left hand takes charge of the G sharp with which the melody had started.

Sonata N° 14 Opus 27 N°2 - Adagio sostenuto - Piano: Wilhelm Kempff

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