Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 莫扎特 Chapter 4 On His Own

Back in Salzburg, Wolfie became the court organist and concertmaster. He wrote music, at his usual fast pace. But he was bored. Then, in 1780, he was asked to compose an Italian opera for the court in Munich, Germany. Now this was exciting!

Mozart loved opera and was eager to write one. And he could leave Salzburg again, where he was increasingly unhappy. His mother was dead. He and Nannerl, who was now a piano teacher, were no longer very close. Wolfgang longed to get away.

Mozart’s opera was called Idomeneo, King of Crete. Like many operas, the story has a very complicated plot, based on an old legend. Idomeneo is about an ancient Greek king. After winning a long war against the Trojans, King Idomeneo is on his way home. Before the king’s fleet of soldiers reaches shore, the ships are destroyed in a terrible storm. So Idomeneo makes a bargain with Neptune¹, god of the sea. If his own life is spared, he will sacrifice the first person he sees upon landing. That person turns out to be his very own son, Idamante. Horrified², Idomeneo breaks his promise to Neptune and tells his son to flee. This makes Neptune so furious that he creates a terrible sea monster.

Instead of running away, the king’s son decides to fight the sea creature even though he thinks it means his own death. Miraculously³ he triumphs, and Neptune is no longer angry. With his father’s and the sea god’s blessings⁴, the prince becomes the new king of Crete and marries a beautiful princess.

Idomeneo, King of Crete, was a big success. Leopold and Nannerl made the trip from Salzburg for the premiere. Wolfgang was happy with the enthusiastic reception to his work. Perhaps now he would be offered a permanent job in Munich. How much he would like that! Leopold and Nannerl could join him there. They would live together again.

But it was not to be. Soon after, Mozart was called to Vienna by Archbishop Colloredo, his old master from Salzburg. The relationship between the archbishop and the musician was stormy. The Archbishop did not appreciate Mozart. He was rude and insulting to him. He called Mozart a “knave,” “scoundrel,” “rascal,” and “slovenly rogue⁵.” He even had Mozart kicked—in the seat of the pants—out of his house.

Mozart was angry and humiliated⁶. Enough was enough. He decided⁷ to strike out on his own. This was a bold and risky⁸ thing for a musician to do. Without a rich patron, Mozart had no steady salary. He would have to make his living from composing and giving concerts. What if he couldn’t make enough money? How would he manage?

These same questions were on Leopold’s mind when he heard what his son had done. How dare he leave such an important post! How irresponsible! Leopold was furious. But Mozart wouldn’t budge⁹. “My honor comes first with me, and I know that is the same with you,” he wrote to his father. He hoped his father would understand. But Leopold remained angry with his son, and continued to write him stern letters from Salzburg.

Soon, Leopold had another reason to be angry at Wolfie: Mozart had fallen in love again. Aloysia Weber, his first love, no longer had any interest in him. Her younger sister, Constanze, however, was very taken with the talented composer.

Constanze was a singer and could appreciate Mozart’s talents. But Leopold didn’t care about all that. In heated letters back and forth¹⁰ between father and son, Leopold told Wolfgang that he could not afford to marry. He said bad things about Constanze and her family. He accused the Webers of trying to trap Mozart into marriage.

Mozart still longed for his father’s approval. He wanted Leopold to be happy for him. Wolfgang sent Leopold many gifts—a snuffbox, watch ribbons, a small crucifix decorated with a “little heart pierced by an arrow.”

For Nannerl, there were some caps made by Constanze, “in the latest Viennese mode.”

“Surely you cannot be vexed¹¹ with me for wishing to marry?” he wrote home. “I implore¹² you by all you hold dear in the world to give your consent to my marriage with my dear Constanze…. My heart is restless and my head confused; in such a condition how can one think and work to any good purpose?” Did Leopold consent to the marriage? No. He remained cold and disapproving¹³.

But this time, Mozart went against his father’s wishes. He was now in his twenties, and he was lonely. He loved Constanze and wanted her as his wife. In 1782, they married and set up housekeeping in Vienna. Mozart said farewell to Salzburg once and for all.

1 Neptune   

n.海王星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun.海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Neptune turned out to be a dynamic,stormy world.海王星原来是个有生气、多风暴的世界。

2 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

3 miraculously   

ad.奇迹般地

参考例句：

• He had been miraculously saved from almost certain death. 他奇迹般地从死亡线上获救。
• A schoolboy miraculously survived a 25 000-volt electric shock. 一名男学生在遭受2.5 万伏的电击后奇迹般地活了下来。

4 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

6 humiliated   

感到羞愧的

参考例句：

• Parents are humiliated if their children behave badly when guests are present. 子女在客人面前举止失当，父母也失体面。
• He was ashamed and bitterly humiliated. 他感到羞耻，丢尽了面子。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

9 budge   

v.移动一点儿；改变立场

参考例句：

• We tried to lift the rock but it wouldn't budge.我们试图把大石头抬起来，但它连动都没动一下。
• She wouldn't budge on the issue.她在这个问题上不肯让步。

10 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

11 vexed   

adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
• He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 implore   

vt.乞求，恳求，哀求

参考例句：

• I implore you to write. At least tell me you're alive.请给我音讯，让我知道你还活着。
• Please implore someone else's help in a crisis.危险时请向别人求助。

13 disapproving   

adj.不满的，反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Mother gave me a disapproving look. 母亲的眼神告诉我她是不赞成的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her father threw a disapproving glance at her. 她父亲不满地瞥了她一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》