Melody is the essence of music. I compare a good melodist to a fine racer, and counterpoints to hack post-horses.
To every good friend I send my greet feet; addio nitwit. Love true true true until the grave, if I live that long and do behave.
Directly after God in heaven comes a Papa.
I do not hear in my imagination the parts successively, but I hear them gleich alles zusammen – at the same time all together.
Nevertheless the passions, whether violent or not, should never be so expressed as to reach the point of disgust...
If Germany, my beloved fatherland, of whom you know I am proud, will not accept me, then must I, in the name of God, again make France or England richer by one capable German – and to the shame of the German nation.
Neither rejoice nor lament prematurely; for whatever may happen, all will be well if we only have health; for happiness exists – merely in the imagination.
Now let the matter rest as it is, or as it may be, what avail useless speculations? What is to occur we do not know; still in so far we do! what God wills!
As I love Mannheim, Mannheim loves me.
To win applause one must write stuff so simple that a coachman might sing it.
They probably think because I am so small and young, nothing of greatness and class can come out of me; but they shall soon find out.
I beg you most humbly to go on loving me just a little and to make do with these poor congratulations until I get some new drawers made for my small and narrow brainbox in which I can keep the brains that I still intend to acquire.
It is, of course, a money marriage, nothing more. I wouldn’t want to enter into this kind of marriage. I wish to make my wife happy and not make my happiness through her.
If you would dance, my pretty Count, I’ll play the tune on my little guitar...
What else is genius than that productive power through which deeds arise, worthy of standing in the presence of God and Nature, and which, for this reason, bear results and are lasting? All the creations of Mozart are of this class; within them there is a generative force which is transplanted from generation to generation, and is not likely soon to be exhausted or devoured.” CHIPS.
If one has the talent it pushes for utterance and torments one; it will out; and then one is out with it without questioning.
The human voice vibrates naturally – but in such a way – to such a degree that it all sounds beautiful – it is the nature of the voice. We imitate such effects not only on wind instruments, but also with violins – even on clavier – but as soon as you go beyond the natural limits, it no longer sounds beautiful – because it is contrary to nature.
I had the honour of kissing St. Peter’s foot at Sanct Pietro, and because I have the misfortune of being so small I, the same old numbskull, Wolfgang Mozart, had to be lifted up.
If a passage occurs twice it is played slower the second time; if three times, still slower.
The organ is in my eyes and ears the king of all instruments.
Everything here is too far to walk – or too muddy; for the dirt in Paris is beyond all description.