Mozart in Retrospect A Janus-faced greeting to all! The Roman god Janus had two-faces, with which he looked backward to the year just ended and forward to the year ahead. Although the term Janus-faced has a pejorative connotations, I choose use it here in its meliorative dictionary definition sense, which is that of two contrasting aspects or characteristics. Indeed, Mozart himself, in so many ways, had contrasting characteristics. These have been amply and wondrously described in many biographies (I am thinking right now in my mind of W.J. Turners and Peter Gays wonderfully perceptive psychological works), and of course, amply and wondrously heard in Mozarts music. And so, on this last day of 2014, I offer this literary and musical gift to all of you: one of my earlier Mozart essays was in 2011 when I wrote Mozart in Retrospect for the Friends of Mozart Newsletter. I append it here below. And with it, I append Mozarts remarkable KV 299 flute-harp concerto, which has so many ample and wondrous contrasts that make us all smile. (I know this is a particular favorite of some of you on here as well :) ) On the cusp of another new year, I want to remind everyone on here of all the blessings and magic they received in 2014 (and I am sure there were many for us all, given the state of the world today, and given that all of us are still here today, hopefully happy and healthy and awash in beautiful music and art), and to wish everyone a blissful, musical, happy, healthy and magical new year ! Happy new year, friends, amici, przyjaciele, Freunde, amis, amigos. amusicalvision.blogspot/2011/10/perspectives-on-mozart-vincent-p.html https://youtube/watch?v=Xc6-KozGK3c
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 20:55:59 +0000