Dear Jeyamohan,
The video on Mozart is a good piece; Chaidanya nailed it well. But understanding the real Mozart and his contribution to Western music and Western culture in general is not so easy. It is an age-old discussion that is still going on. In summary, he introduced the concept of the ‘impudence of art’ to Western music, which was predominantly religious during his time. He was a reckless man without any kind of morality or responsibility. He was, in fact, a gypsy. He incorporated those folk elements in his music.
Romain Rolland wrote a novel (Jean-Christophe) with a central character who strongly resembles Mozart. Actually that particular character is a mixture of Mozart and Beethoven. Many strong criticisms have been directed at that character, claiming he is merely a womanizer and a melancholic person rather than a magnificent personality. He had been hunting women throughout his life, seeking only worldly pleasures and recognition. He has nothing ‘spiritual’ in his character. But that was the contribution of Mozart to Western art: he brought the reality of earthliness to Western music instead of boggy spiritualism.
S. Ramachandran
