Bibliothek der Grazien, eine Monatschrift
für Liebhaberinnen und Freunde des
Gesangs und Klaviers. Zweiter Jahrgang.
[Library of the Graces: a monthly publication
for female amateurs and friends of song and
keyboard. Volume 2].
(May be purchased at the New Berlin Music
Store for 3 Thaler, 16 Groschen.)
Herr Councilor Bossler has without doubt
earned himself the thanks of the public through
the editing of this publication, above all in that
he appears particularly to have been directed by
the taste of the amateur, who views light and
flowing song as the ultimate in music. [...]
[...] Ouverture aus dem Liebhaber von funfzehn
Jarhren von Martini. Granted it is not Mozart;
however, those who tarry with Italian instrumental
music and can bear the droning on one note will
enjoy this. Liebe machet nur beherzt etc. from
Betrug durch Aberglauben [by Dittersdorf].
La Bataille, by Mozart; a farce. [...]
Ouverture to Le nozze di Figaro. This
excellent piece will also give pleasure at the
keyboard.
Commentary
Bibliothek der Grazien was a monthly periodical of printed music published by Heinrich Philipp Bossler in Speyer from 1789 to 1791. The title page of the first volume states that the music is intended for “Liebhaberinnen und Freunde des Gesangs und Klaviers” ([female] amateurs and friends of song and keyboard). Four pieces by Mozart were published in the Bibliothek der Grazien: “Vedrai carino” and “In quali eccessi . . . Mi tradì” from Don Giovanni, published respectively in the issues for Jan and Feb 1789; the contredanse La bataille, K. 535, published in the issue for Feb 1790; and an arrangement for solo keyboard of the overture from Le nozze di Figaro, published in the issue for Jun 1790 (see Neue Folge 116–17, and NMD document 158; see also Dokumente, 320 and 324).
Bibliothek der Grazien, title page
This review of the second volume of the Bibliothek der Grazien from 1790 appears in issue XIII of Musikalisches Wochenblatt, from early Jan 1792. The review is signed “. . . . n,” probably Friedrich Ludwig Æmilius Kunzen, the principal editor of the Wochenblatt. The review refers to Mozart’s La bataille without comment, apart from calling it “eine Posse” (a farce or burlesque). Of the keyboard arrangement of the overture to Figaro the reviewer writes: “This excellent piece will also give pleasure at the keyboard.”
Mozart is also mentioned in the reviewer’s brief comments about the overture to Der Liebhaber von fünfzehn Jahren. This title refers to a German translation by Johann Gottlieb Stephanie d. J. (1741–1800) of the opera L’amoureux de quinze ans by Johann Paul Aegidius Martin (“Martini”, 1741–1816), on a libretto by Pierre Laujon. L’amoureux de quinze ans was first performed at the Théâtre italien in Paris on 18 Apr 1771 and became a great success (see Michtner 1970, 365, note 53). However, Stephanie’s German version was performed just twice in Vienna, on 29 and 31 Dec 1778 (Hadamowsky 1966, 78; Michtner 1970, 60–61). Of the arrangement of the overture for keyboard in the Bibliothek der Grazien, the reviewer writes: “Granted it is not Mozart; however, those who tarry with Italian instrumental music and can bear the droning on one note will enjoy this.”
Notes
A slightly different extract from this review is included in Haberkamp (1997, 254–55), but without commentary apart from the identification of the pieces by Mozart. She does not include the reference to Mozart in the comments on Der Liebhaber von fünfzehn Jahren. This review is missing from Schwob (2015).
On Musikalisches Wochenblatt, see our entry for 10 Oct 1791. RISM B2 (113) lists several complete copies of volume 2 of Bibliothek der Grazien, including one in the Austrian National Library (ÖNB); see the catalog records for K. 535 and the overture to Figaro.
Bibliography
Haberkamp, Gertraut. 1997. “Anzeigen und Rezensionen von Mozart-Drucken in Zeitungen und Zeitschriften. Teil V.” In Mozart Studien, vol. 7, edited by Manfred Hermann Schmid, 229–292. Tutzing: Hans Schneider.
Hadamowsky, Franz. 1966. Die Wiener Hoftheater (Staatstheater). Verzeichnis der aufgeführten Stücke mit Bestandsnachweis und täglichem Spielplan. Teil 1, 1776–1810. Vienna: Georg Prachner Verlag.
Michtner, Otto. 1970. Das alte Burgtheater als Opernbühne von der Einführung des deutschen Singspiels (1778) bis zum Tod Kaiser Leopolds II. (1792). Theatergeschichte Österreichs, 3/1. Vienna: Hermann Böhlaus Nachf.
Schwob, Rainer J. ed. 2015. W. A. Mozart im Spiegel des Musikjournalismus, deutschsprachiger Raum 1782–1800. Beiträge zur Mozart-Dokumentation, vol. 1. Stuttgart: Carus Verlag.
Credit: DE
Author:
Dexter Edge
Search Term: figaro
Categories:
Reception
First Published: Fri, 19 Sep 2014
Updated: Mon, 16 Jan 2023
Print Citation:
Edge, Dexter. 2014. “Mozart in a review of Bibliothek der Grazien, 2. Jahrgang (2 January 1792).” In: Mozart: New Documents, edited by Dexter Edge and David Black. First published 19 September 2014; updated 16 January 2023. https://www.mozartdocuments.org/documents/2-january-1792/
Web Citation:
Edge, Dexter. 2014. “Mozart in a review of Bibliothek der Grazien, 2. Jahrgang (2 January 1792).” In: Mozart: New Documents, edited by Dexter Edge and David Black. First published 19 September 2014; updated 16 January 2023. [direct link]
