Marrying Mozart by Stephanie Cowell

 “This novel is based on events in the life of the young Mozart.
He was closely involved with the four Weber sisters, among them Aloysia (who became a successful soprano), who broke his heart, and Constance, whom he married. We know that he and his wife were close to Sophie and that he wrote some of his greatest music for Josefa” (soprano, the first to perform the role of The Queen of the Night in Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute).

Manheim, Germany, 1777: Josefa, the oldest of the Weber sisters, now understands “that none of her darling father’s musical endeavors had yet lifted them from the edge of poverty.”

Weber family hosts musical Thursdays and at one of those evenings, they meet Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He is in town with his mother, who is in search of someone, who can further her son’s career. Mozart “is hoping to be commissioned for an opera (…) and he wants to have the position of vice kappellmeister…”

The mother of Weber sisters, Maria Cecilia, makes notes in her book of suitors for possible candidates for her daughters. She already has a suitor for one of her daughters. “Aloysia would be a Swedish baroness by the sea.”

Mozart taken by Aloysia’s beauty and by her family’s hardship offers her to tour Europe with him.

A year later, Weber family moves to Munich for better opportunities at court and a more prosperous life. And there is a new prospect, but none of the girls is interested. “Constance wants to marry for love, and I’m only twelve years old (Sophie) and want a life of good works. Aloysia is pledged to Mozart, and Josefa is going to join the gypsies or run off with a theater troupe if she can’t be an entrepreneur and have her music shop.”

“Autumn came, bringing no suitors worth mentioning, rather damp and rain.”

Aloysia wins a position as a solo soprano at a Viennese theater, which puts the whole family on a move again. On the other hand, Josefa loses the competition as her voice is “so big and rich and dark and high.” And this results in a foul mood of Josefa.

Meanwhile, Mozart falls out of favor yet again with the Archbishop of Salzburg, and moves to Vienna in search for a position suitable for him. “I must try. I can’t believe that God has created me to be a second-rate church composer, only doing what this small-minded clergyman wishes.”

In Vienna, Mozart meets Joseph Haydn, an accomplished composer, who is also a great admirer of Mozart; giving him a valuable advice, “I feel it’s with an opera that you will finally come to notice. (…) Not so very tragic in tone, but one that expresses the joy and the sadness of life, so entwined.”

This is one of those books that you’re not ready to reach the end. You want the story to go on, to be part of those musical Thursday nights, to continue hearing the bickering of daughters and mother, because it’s so real.

Told with entertaining prose. Each sister is unique and stimulating. Impatient Josepha yells at students since she doesn’t have patience for stupidity. Honest Sophie is confused, “where the same story was told ten different ways, she fled to the church where things did not waver.” When she dreams about peace and joining convent, her mother tells her to seduce Mozart. “Once he’s compromised you, he’ll have to marry you. He needs taking by the hand. Hush, hush, listen to me. I know about these things. Men don’t know what they want until it’s plainly shown to them.”

Also by this author, highly recommend: Claude & Camille: Novel of Monet

If you’d like to read a biographical novel about Mozart and his sister: In Mozart’s Shadow: His Sister’s Story by Carolyn Meyer

Release date: 28 December 2004