![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cahnAnd including Emperor Joseph II!
from Derek Beales: Joseph II, Volume 2: Against the World, 1780 - 1790:
Joseph's alleged comment to Mozart about the Entführung, "Too many notes", has been taken as evidence of his ignorance. But he probably said something like, "Too beautiful for our ears, and monstrous many notes." It is always necessary to bear in mind, when appraising the emperor's remarks, his peculiar brand of humor or sarcasm. He was usually getting at someone. And he did not use the royal "we". The ears in question were those of the Viennese audience, whom he was mocking for their limited appreciation of Mozart's elaborate music.
(though not gonna lie, I think it is a LOT of notes)
from Derek Beales: Joseph II, Volume 2: Against the World, 1780 - 1790:
Joseph's alleged comment to Mozart about the Entführung, "Too many notes", has been taken as evidence of his ignorance. But he probably said something like, "Too beautiful for our ears, and monstrous many notes." It is always necessary to bear in mind, when appraising the emperor's remarks, his peculiar brand of humor or sarcasm. He was usually getting at someone. And he did not use the royal "we". The ears in question were those of the Viennese audience, whom he was mocking for their limited appreciation of Mozart's elaborate music.
(though not gonna lie, I think it is a LOT of notes)
From last post: Joseph, FW, rebellious princesses
Date: 2022-01-14 05:55 am (UTC)IDK, I can totally see him being very genuine and heartfelt (and awkward in a genuine way) in letters and in close relationships (like with the Five Princesses), and being not-emo-enough and too sarcastic and/or awkward in an offputting way with everyone else, especially when it intersected with his idealism. This is basically just bolstering my view of him as Quintessential Geek :) And this is why I am so fascinated by him, because I totally empathize with the type :D If I were an absolulte monarch and raised as one, I'd totally be like him! (well, probably not as sarcastic, but only because I'm not very good at coming out with sarcastic quips, I would if I could!)
Aaaanyway. What's always worth remembering is that in the last years of his life, FW was in constant physical pain due to his illnesses, and his idea of self medication was to drink, which didn't help his general temper problem. If you're in constant pain and have a hair trigger temper, you lash out at familiar targets. For FW, these were his oldest children, Gundling, G2 and (if she brought up the English marriage project or otherwise argued with him), SD.
:( Yeah, thanks for the reminder -- I don't imagine I'd do well being in constant pain either. Though, ugh.
You won't be surprised that the Marquis d'Aiseau would dare to aspire to a queen, but what's really surprising is that such a well-formed young man would fall in love with such a little monster.
Hee. But seriously, Weber's account has the virtue not only that Louise Elisabeth comes out much more sympathetic, but it also just seems a lot more believable to me!