4 ms·

Even though its historical accuracy isn't great, the movie Amadeus captures that aspect of Mozart's personality quite well.

ksaj 6y ago
It's funny that his love of poop and butt jokes might be the most accurate part of the film. A lot of people are shocked when they learn about Leck mich im Arsch, and would probably be bowled over if they knew just how many of his pieces either have it in their titles, or in their lyrics. History has rewritten a lot of his lyrics as a result.
- hilbert42 6y ago
  It seems that Robert Spaethling's book 'Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life: Selected Letters' says most of it: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2000/sep/24/biography.music https://www.theguardian.com/books/2000/sep/24/biography.musi.... I've been meaning to read it for ages and ages, reckon this story has spurred me on to add it to my next book order. Amadeus was certainly entertaining albeit annoying for its inaccuracies. It's saving grace was F. Murray Abraham's wonderful Oscar-winning performance of Salieri. Another aspect of the film worth noting was the fact that it was filmed in Prague before Communism finally fell, this really added to the visual character of the film. The reasons for filming there were mainly that there were no advertising billboards or hoardings anywhere to be seen across the city and the fact that under Communism there had been very little modern development in the old city which meant that its architecture was still authentically of the Enlightenment period—it'd been preserved par excellence (which was amazing given the ravages of war and the onslaught of the 20th Century). I can attest to that, my first visit to Prague was before Communism fell and it really did look like like that. Some years later when I visited again after Communism's demise there were billboards and hoardings everywhere. The visual change came as damn horrible shock. If you want a lesson in how to make a city ugly in one easy lesson then Prague's the quintessential example.
moron4hire 6y ago
I got to visit Salzburg a few years ago. I like to think he would have said the city was vastly improved[0] by having his balls[1] all over it. [0] Mozart was born in Salzburg, but apparently hated it and couldn't wait to escape to Vienna, where the real music scene was located. [1] in verbally telling this story, I pronounce it as "bawls" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozartkugel https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozartkugel
- ksaj 6y ago
  I've never heard of these Mozart Balls until now. I still remember when I made this unfortunate spelling mistake: "Ein Kleine Naktmusik" I've never seen anyone write about this subtle typo, but I grew up thinking of it as a bit of a Mozart Easter Egg.
- hilbert42 6y ago
  "...Vienna, where the real music scene was located." However, even Vienna turned an eye away from Mozart's salacious Don Giovani which Prague took up the cudgels for. Even today, Prague claims itself home to the famous work (which one soon realizes after visiting there).
  - hilbert42 6y ago
    Duh, you'd think I could spell 'Giovanni' correctly by now. Bloody predictive spelling on smartphones is a curse. This stuff-up isn't too bad but I've posted some monumental nonsense from having missed grossly inappropriate words. (I keep telling myself to turn it off, the trouble is that it's so damn convenient, isn't it?)
- hilbert42 6y ago
  "Original Salzburger Mozartkugeln" There are several different manufacturers of these balls and the original variety is the best. When I was living in Austria I could get them almost anywhere. Now that I don't, I've never seen them except with one exception. My local Aldi store had them one Christmas except they were made in Germany and not original Salzburger Mozartkugeln. Despite that, those who I gave some to try loved them to the extent that they whinged that Aldi only had them as its once-off special deals, so again they quickly became unavailable.

ksaj 6y ago

It's funny that his love of poop and butt jokes might be the most accurate part of the film. A lot of people are shocked when they learn about Leck mich im Arsch, and would probably be bowled over if they knew just how many of his pieces either have it in their titles, or in their lyrics. History has rewritten a lot of his lyrics as a result.

hilbert42 6y ago
It seems that Robert Spaethling's book 'Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life: Selected Letters' says most of it: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2000/sep/24/biography.music https://www.theguardian.com/books/2000/sep/24/biography.musi.... I've been meaning to read it for ages and ages, reckon this story has spurred me on to add it to my next book order. Amadeus was certainly entertaining albeit annoying for its inaccuracies. It's saving grace was F. Murray Abraham's wonderful Oscar-winning performance of Salieri. Another aspect of the film worth noting was the fact that it was filmed in Prague before Communism finally fell, this really added to the visual character of the film. The reasons for filming there were mainly that there were no advertising billboards or hoardings anywhere to be seen across the city and the fact that under Communism there had been very little modern development in the old city which meant that its architecture was still authentically of the Enlightenment period—it'd been preserved par excellence (which was amazing given the ravages of war and the onslaught of the 20th Century). I can attest to that, my first visit to Prague was before Communism fell and it really did look like like that. Some years later when I visited again after Communism's demise there were billboards and hoardings everywhere. The visual change came as damn horrible shock. If you want a lesson in how to make a city ugly in one easy lesson then Prague's the quintessential example.

moron4hire 6y ago

I got to visit Salzburg a few years ago. I like to think he would have said the city was vastly improved[0] by having his balls[1] all over it. [0] Mozart was born in Salzburg, but apparently hated it and couldn't wait to escape to Vienna, where the real music scene was located. [1] in verbally telling this story, I pronounce it as "bawls" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozartkugel https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozartkugel

ksaj 6y ago
I've never heard of these Mozart Balls until now. I still remember when I made this unfortunate spelling mistake: "Ein Kleine Naktmusik" I've never seen anyone write about this subtle typo, but I grew up thinking of it as a bit of a Mozart Easter Egg.
hilbert42 6y ago
"...Vienna, where the real music scene was located." However, even Vienna turned an eye away from Mozart's salacious Don Giovani which Prague took up the cudgels for. Even today, Prague claims itself home to the famous work (which one soon realizes after visiting there).
- hilbert42 6y ago
  Duh, you'd think I could spell 'Giovanni' correctly by now. Bloody predictive spelling on smartphones is a curse. This stuff-up isn't too bad but I've posted some monumental nonsense from having missed grossly inappropriate words. (I keep telling myself to turn it off, the trouble is that it's so damn convenient, isn't it?)
hilbert42 6y ago
"Original Salzburger Mozartkugeln" There are several different manufacturers of these balls and the original variety is the best. When I was living in Austria I could get them almost anywhere. Now that I don't, I've never seen them except with one exception. My local Aldi store had them one Christmas except they were made in Germany and not original Salzburger Mozartkugeln. Despite that, those who I gave some to try loved them to the extent that they whinged that Aldi only had them as its once-off special deals, so again they quickly became unavailable.