How do you convert a Mozart sceptic?

[Arcades Project]

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[gurnemanz]

Sorry if this sounds glib, but given that much of Mozart's output was the work of a child or callow youth, I would simply suggest avoiding anything much before 1780, say K319 onwards to start with. O.k., I know that leaves out such glories as the misnamed "Jeunehomme", but mature Mozart might just grab your friend's ear.

Many favourites mentioned above. Don G , K516 and K491 would be Desert Island candidates. The earliest work I come back to regularly and with huge pleasure is Divertimento K136, specifically in a recording with Herbert Blomstedt and the Dresden Staatskapelle which I acquired as an LP in the 70s and still play. Seems to be rather expensive

[David-G]

How do I react to Mozart? Quite simply - he is the greatest composer of all.

I came to him early; he was already my favourite composer as a child in my mid-teens. My parents were particularly fond of a record of the Divertimenti K136-8, played by I Solisti Veneti with Claudio Scimone. I came to love these pieces very much, and still do. (I am glad to agree with you Gurnemanz!) At University I borrowed LPs from the public library, and became devoted to the chamber music, the piano concertos and the operas.

I came (rather slowly) to Romantic and later music from Mozart forwards; I suspect that "Mozart sceptics" may be trying to go back to Mozart from the Romantics. Perhaps this is more difficult.

How to convert a sceptic? Take him to a good performance of "The Marriage of Figaro". In my opinion the greatest opera ever written, and perhaps the greatest work of art ever created.

Andrew, I would be interested to know which of Mozart's compositions you fail to enjoy - you mentioned that there are some.

[Arcades Project]

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[Dave2002]

Lucia Popp in the Klemperer as Q of the N ! magnificent.

Very tricky. Hardly anyone can sing this aria. A few get close. Edda Moser, Sumi Jo, Diana Damrau, Natalie Dessay and Popp. This is a stunning piece, but maybe it can or should only exist in some ideal world which is impossible to attain. There is another question about this - even as an ideal, what should it be? Mostly I feel it is about anger, but others might disagree. Anger certainly comes into it.

It is not a safe piece though, so might just satisfy the requirements for our OP.

Talking of safety - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtf2Q4yyuJ0 Run for cover!

[Sir Velo]

"How do you convert a Mozart sceptic?" You don't bother. Life's too short to waste trying to convert someone with such abject taste!

[David-G]

Interesting, because for many writers close to Mozart in time he is a Romantic composer. That's certainly Kierkegaard's reading of Don Giovanni in Either / Or & Elaine R. Sisman's little book on the Jupiter symphony shows how contemporaries 'read' the work in terms of (popular versions of) the Romantic Sublime http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Jupit...piter+symphony. But I take your point. That's what I was trying to get at; in presenting Mozart's music, get beyond this idea of its perfection, poise, etc.

I was not trying to contrast Mozart with the Romantics; my point was simply that my musical progress was from Mozart forwards in time.

I would certainly not dispute that Mozart has a Romantic element. I have always felt that there is more than a touch of Romanticism in "La Clemenza di Tito", which I think has hints as to how Mozart opera might have developed had he lived.

Arcades, I am in full agreement with your post no. 16. I could not agree more with you about grittiness and toughness in Mozart, and that this tends to be brought out in period-instrument performances.

[Andrew Preview]

Why do you feel the need to win him over? has he asked you to? Perhaps he's fed up with you banging on about a composer he's just not very interested in. Are there composers he likes & you don't? Has he tried to win you over to those?

I don't think having a couple of good-humoured chats constitutes "banging on". And it's stretching it to say that I "feel the need to win him over". I just find it interesting, and I thought it might spark a good debate here.

And, yes, he has enthused about Shostakovich, and I've started to investigate.

[Hornspieler]

I have a music-loving friend who struggles with Mozart. I've tried to win him over with some choice selections, in conversations reminiscent of Monty Python's what-have-the-Romans-ever-done-for-us. But, ultimately, he concludes that there are just a handful of exceptions to his general indifference. His view, and I've heard it from other people too, is that Mozart is just too darn polite and/or formulaic/obvious.

How do other boarders react to Mozart, and what are the works that you think most likely to convert a sceptic?

An hour listening to Elliott Carter? (or Bert)

HS

[Oliver]

I can understand what the friend means by "polite". I've heard Mozart's music described as "Waitrose music"....middle-class, comfortable and dependable. Classic FM favourites.

Totally wrong, of course. The solution? avoid the Karajan sound and listen to Mozart on original instruments. Hogwood's 1980s collection of the symphonies did it for me, just as Kuijken's Haydn changed my appreciation of those symphonies.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The solution? avoid the Karajan sound and listen to Mozart on original instruments.

O dear. Here we go again.

[Mary Chambers]

I don't think there's any point in trying to win people over, though it baffles me that anyone would need to be converted to Mozart. I have long pondered why some composers appeal and some don't, and come to no real conclusion.

Plenty of people are indifferent or even hostile to my favourite composer, Britten, and although I may go on about him a bit (!) I've never tried to convert anyone. I just accept that he isn't for everyone, although of course I think they're missing a lot, poor things.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

O dear. Here we go again.

Steady, Tiger!

The OP asks for advice to help his friend enjoy Mozart. Many suggestions have been made using recordings in the 20th Century tradition (including my own youTube link to Previn) - Oliver, using his personal experience, is suggesting that, if AP's friend hasn't been convinced by performances/recordings in this tradition, then he may (as Oliver himself was) see the light from HIPP recordings.

[umslopogaas]

Talking of The Queen of the Night, as we were earlier, has everyone heard Florence Foster Jenkins singing 'Der Holle Rache'? Alas I have lent my CD to a friend and cant give the number, but it is currently available, I only just bought it. It is excruciatingly funny, with emphasis on the pain. She was a wealthy American socialite who was convinced she was a great singer and used to fund her own recitals in the nineteen thirties. People flocked to hear her, which only reinforced her opinion of her talents. In fact, they flocked to titter behind their programmes. Even by the standard of those whose singing voice would curdle milk (like mine), she was painful. But she didnt lack courage, a lot of sopranos who can sing would fight shy of 'Der Holle Rache', but not our Florence.

Not sure if this is the right item to convert the Mozart sceptic, but it might be interesting to play him Florence, followed by the real thing, eg Lucia Popp.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Talking of The Queen of the Night, as we were earlier, has everyone heard Florence Foster Jenkins singing 'Der Holle Rache'?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtf2Q4yyuJ0