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: Love and arranged marriages

[selenak]

There's one big difference, though, isn't there, between the marriage of Peter the Great and Martha/Catherine the Lithunian on the one hand, and the possible marriages of Elizaveta to Razumovsky and Catherine II to Potemkin on the other. And that's the question of dynasty and succession. Elizaveta may or may not have had illegitimate children, but if she did, she clearly didn't regard them as qualified for the succession, nor did she try to make them this way. (By, saying, marrying them to legtimate high nobility.) Catherine II. definitely had illegitimate children (no matter who Paul's bio dad was), but again, no attempt to give them quasi legitimate status. Whereas Peter the Great definitely wanted any children from his second marriage to be recognized as legitimate and worthy of crowns, and to continue his dynasty in this way. That's something a male ruler could do (well, try at least), but not a female one.