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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)
Re: Disciplinary methods for royal children
Date: 2022-02-21 01:40 pm (UTC)Given Ferdinand's reign and the anecdote of him being asked in his old age to name a single good thing he did for his people, whereupon he was unable to name even one, I think it's safe to say he didn't learn anything. Re: whipping boy, famously the premise of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, and in fact I associate it not so much with the Spanish as with the Tudors and Stuarts, see also here, where the whipping boy of future Charles I. is identified as William Murray, apparantly also a later life long friend. Though as with Ferdinand, one can't help but conclude the practice did not teach young Charles how to be a good King. (Unless you're Tim Blanning or Henrietta Maria and convinced Charles I. was the best Stuart King ever.) Otoh, Murray got an earldom out of it, not a career as a court fool, so there was that.
ETA: Katte as FW's version of a whipping boy for Fritz, y/y?
Re: Disciplinary methods for royal children
Date: 2022-02-21 03:13 pm (UTC)Yep, I'm incapable of hearing "whipping boy" without thinking of this.
ETA: Katte as FW's version of a whipping boy for Fritz, y/y?
Y. My abandoned WIP where he gets life imprisonment in exchange for Fritz's good behavior is called "Whipping Boy." :)