“The Marriage of Figaro” by W.A. Mozart Classes and French Revolution

Mozart and Political Views in His Music Compositions
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Over the years there have been various artists who have used their artistic skills and attributes not only to entertain and dazzle audiences but also to pass and expound crucial and sensitive messages in societies. For centuries, there have been reputable and renowned individuals whose forms of art have been warmly received and harshly criticized in equal measure because of the messages they conveyed. Music is one of the forms of art that has been heavily used in that aspect by different communities around the world since time immemorial. It is vital to note that the different communities globally appeal to diverse genres of music. Similarly, music is quite dynamic and it has transformed significantly through the years. Nonetheless, all these different forms of music usually pass some distinct messages and themes including political religious views. One notable music composer who is fondly remembered and renowned for prodigious ability of composing pieces that harbored strong political views is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Austrian born composer was a staunch and devoted Catholic who remained utterly steadfast and loyal to the Church that ruled and reigned supreme during that period. The above fact is cemented by the over 60 pieces of religious music. Additionally, Mozart continuously exhibited disdain and resistance to authority. As a result of Mozart’s resistance, composing of music became embraced as an occupation and music was accepted as an industry. The research paper purposes to extensively expound on the influential composer that was Mozart and particularly focus on the political views depicted in his compositions.
Brief Overview of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the renowned and reputable composers of the classical period. He was born in Salzburg during a period when the Holy Roman Empire reigned supreme. As such, he out rightly became a staunch and devoted Catholic. Mozart was born on 27th January 1756 to Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria in Salzburg. Five of his elder siblings died at infancy thus leaving him with one older sister called Maria Anna Mozart (Nannerl). Leopold Mozart was an experienced teacher and a minor composer. It is believed that it is this music background that contributed to Mozart’s passion. For instance, when Nannerl was 7, her father began giving her piano lessons while three-year old Mozart looked on. He began showing an extraordinary ability in music at the age of five when he could faultlessly play and compose little pieces of music after only a few lessons. His first pieces, K. 1-5 are recorded in the Nannerl Notenbuch. In the year 1762-1773, his family made several European tours, during which Mozart and his sister performed as child geniuses. Mozart acquainted himself with the works of different composers as they visited the courts of Munich, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich and Dover. In the year 1770, Mozart wrote the opera Mitridate, re di Ponto. The successful performance of this piece guaranteed other opera commissions.[Benard, Williams. On Opera. Yale University Press, 2016, p. 30.] [Alex, Ross. The Storm Of Style". The New Yorker, 2006, /magazine/2006/07/24/the-storm-of-style n.p]
Additionally, his father accompanied him during his two visits to Milan hoping his son would be professionally employed. Mozart was later employed as a court musician in Italy in the year 1773 by the ruler of Salzburg. While in Salzburg, he developed a passion for violin concertos and came up with creations which critics claim to be breakthrough work. In 1777, he resigned his job and visited Paris, Munich and Mannheim while searching for employment. Among his popular works which were written on his expedition to Paris are the A minor piano sonata, the "Paris" Symphony (No. 31),  and the Concerto for Flute and Harp in C major. In 1781, Mozart met the emperor in Vienna who eventually ended up supporting his career with commissions and a part time position. During his stay in Vienna his considerable musical talents earned him the reputation of the finest keyboard player in Vienna. The opera ‘Die Entführung aus dem Serail’, also positively impacted his reputation of a skilled composer. Mozart married Constanze on 4th August 1782 after a difficult courtship.[]
In 1784, Mozart became friends with Joseph Haydn. This friendship inspired Mozart to compose six quartets that are of immense value to the music world (K. 387, K. 421, K. 428, K. 458, K. 464, and K. 465). Haydn later told Leopold Mozart, "I tell you before God, and as an honest man, your son is the greatest composer known to me by person and repute, he has taste and what is more the greatest skill in composition." Mozart mounted solo concerts and concertos from the year 1782 to 1785 that enabled him to live in luxury. On 14th December 1984, he joined Freemasonry. His two most famous works: The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni were successfully premiered in the years 1786 and 1787. At the end of 1787, Mozart was appointed by Emperor Joseph II to the ‘chamber composer’ post. His financial situation changed when he stopped frequenting public concerts in 1786. Mozart eventually visited Berlin, Frankfurt and Dresden in the hopes of improving his financial situation. He died on 6th September 1791 after composing The Magic Flute, Clarinet Concerto, a series of string quartets and the motet Ave verus corpus.[Brigham Young University Studies , 2004, Vol. 43, No. 3, SPECIAL ISSUE:Mozart'S Magic Flute (2004), pp.20]
Mozart’s Works
Mozart composed over 600 works for the musical genres of his time. However, the following pieces have archived international renown. First and foremost, the Marriage of Figaro is one of his most popular works. Mozart came up with the idea to turn a scandalous play into an opera. Critics have often marveled at his ability to communicate and connect and communicate with his audience that is evident in this opera. Mozart knew that he could not directly go against the authorities thus subtly integrating irony into the plays. Additionally in, ‘A History of Modern French Literature’ Susan Mulan states that, ‘Figaro was an attack on the central values of the ancient régime. It denied that those who occupied lofty positions were superior to ordinary people; it attacked the very idea of ascribed status.’ By doing this, he showed people how theatre could be a useful tool in passing across messages of social injustice if used in the right manner. Secondly, his 41st symphony turned out to be a masterpiece. This is a revelatory demonstration of the results of simultaneously combining thematic pieces in complex ways. The symphony eventually earned the nickname of Jupiter (king of the gods). Additionally, Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor was also popular. The piece goes to show that Mozart was haunted by an intuition of the death. He eventually dies before completing it and it is used as his own requiem. Thirdly the Quintet in A for Clarinet And Strings, K581 was also popular. His affinity for the clarinet is especially demonstrated in the pieces he wrote for Anton Sadler to play. Few composers have been able to match the beauty Mozart could draw from this instrument. The forth piece is the Piano Concerto No. 23 In A, K488.[Edmund J. Goehring "Ironic Modes, Happy Endings: "Figaro" Criticism And The Enlightened Stage". 18, vol 1, no. 40] [Christopher, Prendergast. A History Of Modern French Literature. 6th ed., Princeton University Press, 2018, p. 366.] [Arthur, Hutchings et al. "Mozart And His Times". The Musical Times, vol 101, no. 1411, 1960, p. 556. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/949893]
Mozart was one of the greatest pianists of his time, a fact that was often proven in Vienna’s public concerts. This gem demonstrates his ability to light and darkness in the same ypiece. Another well-known piece is The Magic Flute. This was his last staged opera. It is a summation of his diverse taste in music. It was also one of Mozart’s best works. Fifthly, the Piano Concerto No. 11 in A, K331/ K3001 which was composed in 1783. The piece is especially famous for its finale (Rondo Alla Turca) that was written in the Turkish style that was common in the streets of Vienna. He also used this style in The Abduction of The Seraglio opera of 1782. Sixthly, his Linz Symphony, which was composed in the Austrian City, is among his best works. It begins with a slow introduction that builds up into a slow Sicilian rhythm and finally changes into a minuet and ends with a lively finale. To conclude, Mozart’s Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra in C, K 299\K 297 is also popular. The orchestra is a combination of flute and harp resulting to a piece of never-ending innocence and charm that is impossible to surpass.[Edmund J. Goehring pp.50]
Mozart’s Political Position
Ten weeks after the performance of Mozart’s Figaro the Vienna paper states that ‘What is not allowed to be said these days is sung, one may say, with Figaro – this piece, which was prohibited in Paris and not allowed to be performed here as a comedy, either in a bad or in a good translation, we have at last had the felicity to see represented as an opera. It will be seen that we are doing better than the French.’ The Marriage of Figaro is a four act play that was composed by Figaro and translated into Italian by Da Ponte. It talks about how two servants succeeded in getting married thus foiling the efforts of their employer Count Almaviva to seduce Susanna. The original Figaro is a politically radical play composed by Beaumarchais.
Benard Williams’, On Opera summarizes the above fact by stating;
‘If what is meant is a revolutionary critique, in the sense of one that shows the necessity, in order to cure human evils, of social or political action, then there is none of that in this work. But if what is meant by a social critique is a work which not merely displays human feelings and relations in a real social context, but shows those feelings as formed and distorted by that context, and shows also how rank can itself generate rage and loneliness, while lack of it can leave room for a greater openness, then Figaro is, among many other things, such a critique.’[Benard, Williams. On Opera. Yale University Press, 2016, p. 30]
Critics have argued about the goal of Mozart in performing this play but one thing is clear, this play was performed as a subtle mockery of the Aristocratic political system. In Figaro, Mozart and De Ponte used music to soften the play and performed an opera that is not entirely devoid of social and political criticism. In Figaro, there are a couple of remarks about politicians and social justice and the last act comprises of sour jokes on rank privileges and censorship. The main difference between Mozart’s and Beaumarchais’ Figaro is that Mozart’s version uncovered depths of hurt and bitterness that were not visible in the original version. The play represents a society where rank and power form the basis of most relationships especially sexual relations. In this society, common people are expected to rejoice in these types of relations as we can see from the count’s character trait. The presence of a count in the play is also not accident and critics have found this to be a social statement. Great artists are sometimes capable of sensing the mood in society and to give it substance before it is expressed by historical protagonists. Although Mozart was not a revolutionary, he could scarcely be aware of the message Josef II passed across when he banned Beaumarchais’ play.
The play begins in a room in Count Almiva’s house. While Figaro is trying to find a good position for their marriage bed, Suzanna pleads with him to look at the head gear she plans to wear at their wedding. These preoccupations with sex and fashion might seem trivial to a 21st century audience4 but with Mozart simple things often have deeper meanings. There are two freedoms people take for granted: freedom over what they wear and freedom of choosing a spouse. Figaro and Suzanna, as servants are not as privileged. Figaro thinks that the location of their room will make it easier to respond to their employer’s calls. He goes ahead and tells Suzanna that 'If by chance Madam should call you in the night, din din, then in two steps you'll be there.' In Le Nozze de Figaro, Frits concludes that; ‘In this spiritual climate an intelligent female servant will not have too much difficulty in bridging, at least externally, the distance from her mistress. She daily observes the manners of the higher classes and soon succeeds in imitating them.’ European sumptuary laws had also forbidden ‘superfluity’ among the lower classes and dictated what they could wear. Suzanna’s concerns about what she would be allowed to wear are profound. The bed also signifies that the count wants to exercise the right of the first night and Figaro intends to refuse him. Figaro eventually wins this battle of wills. In this context, Mozart challenges the aristocratic system.[Law and Literature , Vol. 20, No. 1 (Spring 2008), pp. 47-67] [Frits, Noske. Social Tensions In 'Le Nozze Di Fi...