The frenzy of Mozart’s 250th B’day anniversary caught up with us here in Mumbai too.
Attended a workshop last Thursday – Mozart In Context. The lecturer, a conductor from London, David Bray, spoke about the life and times of Mozart.
Like a lot of creative people, M died a pauper. He never quite got the respect he commands today, not to mention the monetary benefits, in spite of the fact that even then, he was a household name in Austria.
Apparently Beethoven ‘liked’ Mozart’s music, but he also thought it a wee bit tame. Coming from Beethoven, that’s not surprising.
Anyways, there was this rich creature called Count Valchek or Valcek. He would throw lots of lavish parties for his friends. He had this particular bad habit of passing off music by other composers as his own. Now, his friends knew this, but they would humour him because he wasn’t really bad at heart.
He offered Mozart 30 dockets as advance for writing a Requiem which he would then proceed to pass off as his own. Mozart started writing it and in fact did complete most it, but he passed away without finishing his. His wife, got a few composers to finish it, so she could get the remaining money from the count.
We heard his Requiem in D Minor, the day after the workshop conducted by David Bray. The Bombay Chamber Orchestra and the Newman Choir performed.
It was looooong! Some parts were very intense, some parts a little lacklustre and some very lively. I suppose one has to cultivate a ear for classical music.
Anyways, my snooty friend Alan (who I think will make a good critic) felt some animosity towards the clarinet players, because they never seemed to know when to stop playing. If you heard and extra horn, it was from them. Very disturbing.
Remo attended the performance. I spotted Kanwaljit too. And all the Parsis of Colaba ( wearing pearls) and Catholics from Bandra were there I think.
