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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)
Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-01-29 06:02 pm (UTC)Next we get a lot of mutually insulted letters between Vienna, Berlin and Dresden on a general note of "how dare you?" Some personal letters between August and FW soothe some feelings until FW caves in March 1719 and provides the requested declaration of honor for Flemming and Manteuffel, the phrasing of which from another man would be called ambigous: „ Je veux bien déclarer que je ne garde aucune rancune contre ces ministres , mes que je pour eux toute l'estime que leur bonnes qualites le meritent."
Meanwhile, poor Legationssekretär Wilhelmi wants to get out of Prussia toute suite after his rough treatment, and doesn't feel better about FW's intentions when a soldier named "Simson" shows up at 7 pm in the evening and announces he's watching Wilhelmi on FW's behalf day and night. Wilhelmi needs a hero to rescue him! Enter Suhm. Suhm at last achieves the permission for Wilhelmi to do as he pleases once he's paid his outstanding debts in Berlin. Except that Dresden and Vienna have demanded Wilhelmi should now be present at Klement's trial as observer. (On the bright side, this means we have Wilhelmi's reports in the Saxon archive. At least we had them, no idea whether they survived WWII.) Since FW stll wants to believe in Klement's original story, Dresden now provides that letter from Klement to Flemming about how FW's ministers really feel about him. FW is stunned. (Again.) This from his friend Klement! He's off to Spandau to confront Klement with this letter. Klement admits to having written it. FW no longer is against the death penalty for Klement.
Unfortunately for Lehmann, his presence at the trial was required, and this new spirit of Saxon/Prussian unity meant he was extradited. Testifying against Klement didn't mean he wasn't accused of participating in the scheme himself by Prussian law. They were both condemned to be pinched twice with hot iron at different places in the city. Then Lehmann was beheaded, and Klement was hanged. The pamphlet about his execution has him say that while he regrets having caused trouble between monarchs with his lies, he did it all for the Protestant faith and FW. FW says if only Klement had been an honest fellow, he'd have prized none more, and supposedly keeps his picture.
Re: Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-01-29 07:07 pm (UTC)Oh, FW. As always, he believes what he wants to believe.
„ Je veux bien déclarer que je ne garde aucune rancune contre ces ministres , mes que je pour eux toute l'estime que leur bonnes qualites le meritent."
Hee, I remember this!
Enter Suhm. Suhm at last achieves the permission for Wilhelmi to do as he pleases once he's paid his outstanding debts in Berlin.
Oh, huh. Is this why Suhm was initially sent to Berlin? Because Wikipedia tells me 1720 is when he began his stint as envoy to Prussia.
Dresden now provides that letter from Klement to Flemming about how FW's ministers really feel about him. FW is stunned. (Again.) This from his friend Klement!
LOL, this is so FW! He's always stunned when his FRIENDS turn on him. Like Lovenorn!
The pamphlet about his execution has him say that while he regrets having caused trouble between monarchs with his lies, he did it all for the Protestant faith and FW. FW says if only Klement had been an honest fellow, he'd have prized none more, and supposedly keeps his picture.
Oh, wow. That's...that's so unbelievable and yet so believable from FW! Who could never quite convince himself that Saxony and Austria hadn't been trying over *something* on him.
You could not make these people up. Thanks for the very detailed summary, that was great!
Re: Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-01-31 08:18 am (UTC)Weber said "Suhm, who happened to be in Berlin" - der sich in Berlin befand - now whether that means he was in Berlin by chance or whether he was sent there but not yet as an envoy, I couldn't make out. The way I understood it that Legationssekretär Wilhelmi had been acting as de facto Saxon envoy ever since Manteuffel got promoted to cabinet minister, but with the understanding a proper successor as envoy had yet to be appointed. Hardly unusual, given all we know about Diplomatic practices in the 18th century by now.
Be that as it may, I suspect Suhm able to get Wihelmi off the hook with FW might have contributed to his official appointment as Saxon envoy the next year?
BTW, in the round of "How dare you?" letters between Prussia, Saxony and Austria, one of FW's points out he's been so helpful to August by sending Countess Cosel back to him as demanded, and how is he repaid? This was all very recent, remember.
Re: Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-02-03 02:32 am (UTC)Ah, yes, this makes sense!
Hardly unusual, given all we know about Diplomatic practices in the 18th century by now.
Yes, and this is why I don't think Peter had reason to be terribly upset in 1747 about Fritz leaving the guy in London who possibly hadn't even taken an oath of loyalty to Prussia. The whole point was that "random guy" Michell wasn't accredited and didn't have to be paid much, if anything at all. You just left someone like him there as a point of contact so you weren't totally out of the loop. You sent, and paid, an accredited ambassador, when you had something to negotiate or your relationship with that state was otherwise very important to you.
Re: Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-01-30 09:29 am (UTC)Ahaha, that's a really nice bit of phrasing - both FW's (if it was his own to begin with) and yours.
Wilhelmi needs a hero to rescue him! Enter Suhm.
Aw.
Re: Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-01-31 06:14 am (UTC)Heeee!
Since FW stll wants to believe in Klement's original story, Dresden now provides that letter from Klement to Flemming about how FW's ministers really feel about him. FW is stunned. (Again.) This from his friend Klement! He's off to Spandau to confront Klement with this letter. Klement admits to having written it. FW no longer is against the death penalty for Klement.
Oh FW. This is just... so FW. (Also, so entertaining :P )
(Tangentially, one of the things I really admire about your recaps is how you can place these little tags early on to be pulled on later, like That Letter. I find that really hard.)
FW says if only Klement had been an honest fellow, he'd have prized none more, and supposedly keeps his picture.
! I... believe that from FW. OMG.
Re: Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-01-31 08:25 am (UTC)Thank you, though I have to admit I did read those 75 pages twice before writing my summary and the second time I certainly paid attention when the letter came up and thus knew I had to point it out in my own write up.
FW says if only Klement had been an honest fellow, he'd have prized none more, and supposedly keeps his picture.
! I... believe that from FW. OMG.
Gotta point out that the phrasing isn't unlike Fritz saying about Voltaire that if only he hadn't had such a rotten character and been dishonest, he'd have been the greatest guy ever. And Fritz definitely kept Voltaire's picture!
Re: Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-02-03 05:51 am (UTC)ahahaha Voltaire, that's true! But of course this means I have to ask: was Klement tall?
Re: Klement: the Weber Version - II
Date: 2022-02-03 07:51 am (UTC)