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: Karin Feuerstein-Praßer: Sophie Dorothea von Preußen

[selenak]

Algarotti and Suhm: true, you're right. she liked them as well, but:

a) with Suhm, I don't think she ever saw him as a boyfriend. I mean, the interactions she could have observed between him and Fritz were when Fritz was still a teenager, so she certainly put him in the friendly older mentor category, like Duhan.

b) Algarotti: probably was that irresistably charming. Also not one of the settling sort, and thus not genuine competition for Fritz' affections. And while she wrote friendly about him to Fritz from Italy, she didn't try to get them back together again the way she lobbied for Brother Voltaire.

(As you once put it, Wilhelmine clearly was able to identify a Hohenzollern soul in an Arouet body.)

Re: Karin Feuerstein-Praßer: Sophie Dorothea von Preußen

[mildred_of_midgard]

(As you once put it, Wilhelmine clearly was able to identify a Hohenzollern soul in an Arouet body.)

It's funny 'cause it's true. :D