Amadeus Fires Back

Haven been taken to task by his father, Mozart fired off a defensive letter:

I always thought that you would disapprove of my trip with the Webers, but I never had any such intention. When people lose confidence in me I’m likely to lose confidence in myself. The days when I stood on a stool and sang some nonsense Italian and kissed the tip of your nose are long gone. But have you ever lost my reverence, love, and obedience?

The bitter way you write about my innocent relationship with your brother’s daughter makes me justifiably indignant. But since it’s not what you think I see no need to respond to you on the subject.

But never mind. You wrote in a moment of irritation. Everything you write about Mademoiselle Weber is true, but her singing goes to the heart. But when I wrote you I knew as well as you do that she is still too young and first must be taught to act and has to rehearse often on stage. Lately I have made her practice the passages in the Grand Aria because if she goes to Italy she’ll have to sing bravuras. The cantabile she’ll certainly never forget because that’s her natural inclination.

So now you know everything. I still recommend her to you with all my heart and I beg you not to forget about sending the arias, cadenzas and other things I asked for. I embrace my sister lovingly. She’s not supposed to worry about every little trifle or I won’t come back to her.

Aloysia soon spurned Mozart, and four years later he married her younger sister Constanze.