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

Re: Birthday Boy and His Dogs - The Graves, plus Source Problems

[felis]

Yeah. I see you mentioned the Preuss-reconstructed letter dates for Biche's and Rothenburg's deaths in this comment and if those were true, Fritz couldn't be talking about Rothenburg on the 29th of December, when he says that "j'ai perdu Biche, et sa mort a renouvelé en moi la perte de tous mes amis, de celui surtout qui me l'avait donnée", because that's also the day Rothenburg supposedly died, which you'd think Fritz would mention if it had already happened. Instead he announces Rothenburg's death a day later (also date reconstructed), but without mentioning the strange coincidence of them dying within days of each other. Preuss mentions the dates of Wilhelmine's replies in the footnotes but doesn't include them (and I don't have the Volz edition), so I have no idea if they are conclusive/dated correctly themselves, but he does include Fritz's replies to those, and once again, two completely separate letters, thanking her for taking part in his respective sorrows, but not once making the connection.

Which makes me think that - unless we have different source that corroborates Biche's death? - Biche's death year is wrong and she actually died in December 1752, although that means the Preuss-alleged date of Wilhelmine's reply would have to be wrong, too. It would certainly fit the three bills from above, though! Might even mean that the musketeer got money for caring for her while she was sick/dying in November/December 1752. (Would also put it right in the middle of the Akakia kerfuffle.)

Of course, even if she died a year later, this still doesn't have to mean that the unnamed "one who gave her to me" is indeed Rothenburg, but it would at least make it possible, unlike the Preuss dates. (I actually found one 19th century letter edition that blithely footnotes it with Keyserlingk, but there's no further explanation or source for it. Everyone else seems to be saying Rothenburg and 1744, but I have not yet found a good primary source either.)

Re: Birthday Boy and His Dogs - The Graves, plus Source Problems

[mildred_of_midgard]

Ahhh, this whole discussion is so great, you are such a great detective! Ditto the rhino discussion! I wish I had more time!

Re: Birthday Boy and His Dogs - The Graves, plus Source Problems

[mildred_of_midgard]

Fritz couldn't be talking about Rothenburg on the 29th of December, when he says that "j'ai perdu Biche, et sa mort a renouvelé en moi la perte de tous mes amis, de celui surtout qui me l'avait donnée", because that's also the day Rothenburg supposedly died, which you'd think Fritz would mention if it had already happened.

You're right! I didn't catch that. Yeah, if Rothenburg died when everyone thinks he died, but Biche died a year *later*, then Biche's death could remind Fritz of Rothenburg. But the same day is weird!

Everyone else seems to be saying Rothenburg and 1744, but I have not yet found a good primary source either.

Interesting, I don't think I had a year, even an unreliable one. Let us research this further!