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: Klement: the Weber Version - II

[selenak]

Alas the physical description Weber quotes only mentions him being fat and "black and brown", which I take it means black hair, bronzed skin (for a European, but don't forget, most of Hungary was under Turkish rule for eons, and a few centuries earlier, the Mongols were there as well). So mention of his size! But for all we know, he was tall.