Listen to a translation of an 1807 letter written by Constanze, Mozart’s widow, to her older son Karl Thomas Mozart, discussing her younger son Franz Xaver, read by actor Carolyn Bost.
Constanze Mozart (1762 – 1842)
Autograph letter to Karl Thomas Mozart
Vienna, January 30, 1807
International Mozarteum Foundation, DocBD 1375, L2026.98.54
. . . Every Monday, which has been my usual society day for a couple of years now, we have
beautiful music here at home, thanks to the foreign virtuosos... In particular Herr Seidler from
Berlin, a quite outstanding violinist…You should just hear him playing your father’s quartets! –
What would I give if you could join us to hear them.
…Your brother is now [studying music with] Salieri and Hu[m]mel. Both have a great deal of
affection and friendship for him, my only fear is that he does not make the use of them that he
should, for [it] is not always good if one has too much help because one relies on it too much,
and when one no longer has any, one cannot help oneself, and this is really my complaint.
He, who receives help from every direction, does almost nothing if one does not force him.
Now he has the 3 great masters Salieri, Albresberger and Hu[m]mel…