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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)
AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-11 08:37 am (UTC)I, f, loving mother and heartbroken widow, only ever wanted what's best for my children, which clearly is to always listen to me, follow the One true CATHOLIC Religion and be exactly like their late sainted Dad. But for some reason, they can't seem to listen. My oldest never listens, he makes oh-so-clever quips instead. I seem to make progress with my seoond boy, religion-wise, but OMG oldest is such a bad role model about having sex with the wrong people! And my youngest son dares to pretend he knows better what his sainted father would have wanted, just because he was there before my late husband joined the martyrs! Now he's sick, but I'm refusing to see him. I mean, his soul is at stake, and if I hold out, he might convert at the last minute! Or AITA?
Look, I, m, believe in live and let live. (And in not going on my travels again. Had enough of that to last a life time.) Why can't everyone else around me be more chill? Instead, my wife refuses to employ my girlfriend, my girlfriend won't budge and accept another office, my brother is set on a course to piss off everyone (he WILL go on his travels again), and my oldest kid shows signs of wanting my job which is just not on, sorry to say. And don't get me started about Mom (thank God she's living abroad). What am I doing wrong? AITA?
Okay, so maybe telling my oldest daughter her hubby is cheating on her wasn't the most tactful move, but how was I to know she and my wretched son-in-law would initialize a hostile takeover of the family enterprise? I'm the most put upon member of my family. First, Big Bro makes me marry the girl I had sex with just because she was pregnant and her Dad works for him, then everyone gets on my case for following The One True Religion, then, when it finally looks like years of selfless restraint will play off in the long term and I'll get the top job, plus I get a young and hot wife I really like for a change, this uppity kid Big Bro produced starts getting delusions of grandeur. So I did what every sensible CEO would, and now everyone whines because the executioner fucked up, but hey, that's not my fault, is it? Not to mention the business with my oldest daughter and wretched son-in-law, who, I'll have you know, were playing footsies with the kid before I dealt with him, so really, my daughter should beg for my forgiveness, not complain about my marital advice! I ask you: am I a martyr or AITA?
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-11 09:32 pm (UTC)Hee. Although I admit, I didn't get all the details here! Wikipedia provided about James I's daughter's professional screw-up, but not about James' rejection of her...
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-11 10:05 pm (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-11 10:37 pm (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-11 10:49 pm (UTC)Yes, that is Elizabeth, the Winter Queen, and Frederick V of the Palatine. Who ended up being monarchs of Bohemia just long enough (about one winter) to kick off the Thirty Years' War by being overthrown, and who were suuuuper disgruntled with James I for not giving them military support like he heavily implied/possibly outright promised he would in the marriage contract, but never thought he'd have to follow through on! Definitely an AITA moment for everyone involved there.
And yes, you have to read Goldstone! Look, 1) we don't know enough about this period to know if she's terribly wrong about everything in this book too, 2) you have to be open to getting your intro to a subject from a source that is more readable than reliable, see also Massie. Even your intro to Fritz 2.5 years ago was more readable than reliable! :P
I mean, Selena also did a Winter Queen write-up in her blog if you want to (re-)read that instead, but despite all, I remain glad I read the Winter Queen. (Though as Selena said, the MT book does sour the WQ enjoyment somewhat in retrospect, since we don't know that she *wasn't* equally terribly wrong there.)
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-12 07:38 pm (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-12 09:57 am (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-12 07:37 pm (UTC)Thanks for the background info showing that it's always more complicated...
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-12 05:57 pm (UTC)I am delighted by this! I was confused at the beginning but then thanks to your feeding me Alan Cumming I knew who it was before even getting to the translation project :D
OMG oldest is such a bad role model about having sex with the wrong people!
Heh. Also, Now he's sick, but I'm refusing to see him aaaaaaaagh!
Why can't everyone else around me be more chill? Instead, my wife refuses to employ my girlfriend, my girlfriend won't budge and accept another office
LOL I THINK I SEE YOUR PROBLEM
my brother is set on a course to piss off everyone (he WILL go on his travels again)
Heeeeee!
Oh James (II) :PP YTA!
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-13 08:10 am (UTC)The amazing thing remains to see that Charles (II) was able to see quite clearly James would not be able to remain in power for long (and according to more than one sources, even accurately predicted four years), and yet fought like hell to ensure his succession. I mean, in my mind, I get it - if he'd let Parliament dictate an alternate Protestant candidate (be it Monmouth, William of Orange or someone else), he'd have given up on the entire princple of monarchy, plus he and James had shared the entire civil war (as kids and young men) and then exile experience with each other. But it's still deeply ironic. Another thing is, too: Charles would have had as much reason to have his marriage with Catherine of Braganza annulled as Henry VIII ever did with Katherine of Aragon, if not more so (since they didn't even have a surviving daughter), and had ample proof he could have children. And the marriage had been a royal style arranged one, not a love match. It's also very doubtful either Catherine or Portugal on her behalf would have fought against such an act. Andn yet he didn't divorce her. I'm tempted to go with the take the majority of fiction I'm familiar with offers - he wasn't a good husband in the sense of being faithful to her (obviously), but he was a loyal friend.
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-13 06:20 pm (UTC)Any particular recs? *curious*
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-14 07:51 am (UTC)Then there's The King's Touch by Jude Morgan, the Monmouth pov novel which I recced to
TV wise, there's the miniseries Charles II: The Passion and the Power with Rufus Sewell in the title role, Rupert Graves as Buckingham and Helen McCrory as the definite Barbara Villiers, of which there is a British and an American version. The American one is called "Charles II: The Last King" instead and I hear it's severaly cut, with a lot of politics apparantly deemed not interesting in enough for the US viewer, which is idiotic, so try to get the British original. Anyway, Sewell does a great job, and Diana Rigg as Henrietta Maria in the first episode does a brilliant, chilly turn in her scenes with Charles as she refuses to see her dying son Henry.
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-14 05:54 pm (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-14 08:50 pm (UTC)except for Philippe, duc d'Orleans, who is just awful. (I keep meaning to write it up at least a little, and I keep getting distracted!)Unfortunately, it's out of print so idk how easy it would be for you to get a copy -- it's fairly easily available used in the US but idk about where you are. I could maybe send you mine?
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-15 10:39 am (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-15 04:38 pm (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-15 06:08 pm (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-18 03:38 pm (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-18 05:51 pm (UTC)CHARLES: (...) I sometimes wonder whether Jack Churchill has any military stuff in him.
JAMES. What! That henpecked booby! I suppose you know that he got his start in life as your Barbara's kept man?
CHARLES. I know that the poor lad risked breaking his bones by jumping out of Barbara's window when she was seducing him and I came along unexpectedly. I have always liked him for that.
JAMES. It was worth his while. She gave him five thousand pounds for it.
CHARLES. Yes: I had to find the money. I was tremendously flattered when I heard of it. I had no idea that Barbara put so high a price on my belief in her faithfulness, in which, by the way, I did not believe. Poor Barbara was never alone with a pretty fellow for five minutes without finding out how much of a man he was. I threw Churchill in her way purposely to keep her in good humor. What struck me most in the affair was that Jack bought an annuity with the money instead of squandering it as any other man of his age would have done. That was a sign of solid ability. He may be henpecked: what married man is not? But he is no booby.
JAMES. Meanness. Pure meanness. The Churchills never had a penny to bless themselves with.
(The play is here.)
Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-22 05:54 am (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-18 03:36 pm (UTC)Re: AITA, Special Stuart Edition
Date: 2022-02-12 07:11 pm (UTC)Selena, this is hilarious, consider it quoted! <33