|
Mozart only wrote three pieces at the end
of his career for the glass harmonica. They are an Adagio and Rondo for glass
harmonica, cello, flute and violin (I don't remember the KV number off
hand, but it is in the 600's) and he wrote a solo work Adagio for glass
harmonica KV.618. Both works were written for a blind girl who was quite
skilled at the glass harmonica. Mozart was not in the best of financial
condition in the last year of his life (1791), and he took commissions for all
sorts of odd projects to make a few extra Florins. One of the more interesting
sets of works in this period is the three pieces he wrote for Mechanical Organ
(or mechanical clock). He wrote these pieces for an exhibit of wax figures set
in a mausoleum. These three pieces have a funeral character, although the adagio
and fugue is really an example of Mozart showing his expertise in counterpoint.
I consider this work to be a masterpiece. It is in fact one of my favorite Mozart
works. I am afraid; I have a different opinion of
the pieces for glass harmonica. I don't consider them among his best,
although the solo adagio KV.618 is quite pretty. I have CD of glass harmonica music
by other much less known composers of Mozart's time and I find that I
like these better than Mozart's works in this genre. Regards, Eric Cline -----Original Message----- Hi, I have no idea what the complete Gould catalog of
Byrd and Gibbons is. I just own the Consort and it's just about the dreamiest
album in my collection. Okay, about the Tangent Piano ... I am also clueless.
But would anyone like to talk about The Glass Harmonica, an instrument Benjamin
Franklin invented, and Mozart instantly fell in love with and composed quite a
bit of some of his best music for. It was the rage of European music for a
couple of decades. The buzz is that the lead in the crystal seeps into
your fingers and bloodstream as it's dissolved in the water you constantly have
to wet your fingers in. (Are there any other known Fatal Musical Instruments?)
So, like the Mad Hatter (who treated felt with mercury), the Glass Harmonica
fell out of style. But a few Brave (or whacked) Souls still sneak around
and play it, and record it. Beautiful music! Beautiful! Bob / Elmer |