The Mozart Myths: A Critical Reassessment

By William Stafford

Book Overview

This book is an ambitious attempt to separate what is actually known (and can be known) about Mozart from the many myths and legends that have grown up about his life, character, and death. It subjects individual myths to critical and scholarly scrutiny--weighing the evidence on which it is based, and critically assessing the reliability of that evidence.

The author first considers the question of Mozart's death in 1791 at the age of 35, a subject that intrigued his contemporaries and has continued to fascinate posterity. No other aspect of Mozart's life has engendered so many dramatic and colorful myths. The stage play and movie Amadeus incorporated virtually all these myths and, indeed, most of the other myths associated with Mozart.

In the remainder of this book, the author treats in similar fashion other legends relating to Mozart's alleged maturity, drinking, extravagance, unreliability, womanizing, and professional failure. There is also much material on the nature of Mozart's genius, the influence of Freemasonry on his work, and the value of his last compositions. The book is illustrated with 8 pages of halftones and line drawings.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0804722226
• ISBN13: 9780804722223
• Release Date: December 1993
• Publisher: Stanford University Press
• Length: 300 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Well written documentary

I acquired this book over a year ago and I'm still reading a lot of detail that seems to be more accurate. It allows one to have an open mind, especially when comparing Mozart's life to some of the more popular movies such as Amadeus.

Debunked at last!

From first page to last, Mr Stafford delivers as promised, a thorough review of primary as well as secondary sources. I couldn't help but be amazed at the omnipresence of the idiotic gossip that has masqueraded for centuries as "revelations" of Mozart's life and work, now unmasked by Mr Stafford. Essential in any library of Mozart biography!

Beware Acqua Toffana!

This book is really a piece of work. The author clearly relishes retelling the many ludicrous myths surrounding W.A. Mozart, and the retelling, more so than the delightful debunking of the stories, is the really wonderful part of this book. That said, the debunking is pretty cool too, and will give you a pretty good overview of the biographical literature on Mozart to boot. My favorite tale is the one spun by the wife of General VonLudendorff (yes, one of the Heroes of Tannenburg), a Naziess, about how the freemasons (not Salieri!) poisoned Mozart because, as a nascent german nationalist, he had decided to turn his back on their international brotherhood.