18th-Century Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 34

[cahn]

And 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)

Comments

FW vs. George II

[mildred_of_midgard]

Re Selena asking what grudge FW held against G2, because there's a dearth of obvious legitimate ones.

I would say that it doesn't have to be anything nearly as rational as what you were looking for in that post. If they were getting into fistfights as kids, that suggests that they *already* hated each other, probably for childish reasons. Someone as short-tempered as FW would easily have carried that grudge into adulthood. After all, once you hate someone, you're prone to interpreting everything they do in the worst possible light, and heaping up grudges to add to your resentment. And I see no reason that two monarchs already not known for their warm and fuzzy personalities, who disliked each other intensely as children, would have seen their relations improve after becoming monarchs of countries with conflicting political interests.

It could have been as simple as G2, when they were kids, thinking that he should be able to boss FW around because he was older, and Tiny Terror FW, who pushed chamberlains out of windows when not threatening to throw himself out of a window rather than be told what to do, refusing to go along with it. The situation escalated, and thirty years later, they were still hating on each other. Only now they were squabbling over things like political influence in Mecklenburg and forcibly recruited soldiers.

In conclusion: you were an only child as far as I know, but I had siblings. ;)

Re: FW vs. George II

[selenak]

I had a brother, who died at age 16 when I was 21, but you couldn't know that. Anyway, argument accepted re: G2 & FW.

I still want that AU where the duel happens, though...

Re: FW vs. George II

[mildred_of_midgard]

I'm sorry to hear that; I left that possibility open in my wording (I also had a sibling die young), but was hoping that wasn't the case. Anyway, my family is/was dysfunctional enough that FW makes way too much sense to me. :P

I want that AU as well! Preferably where they both die, a la the Katte brothers, for maximum satisfaction on the part of the reader, or at least this reader.

ETA: AU where my surviving sister and I are heads of neighboring German states in the 18th century, because there so would have been a duel by now. :P

Re: FW vs. George II

[cahn]

<3 (That's the same age difference between my kids, too.)

Anyway, yes, I'd read the duel AU too!