Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, known for being a musical genius since his childhood, was a brilliant composer of symphonies, concertos, and chamber music. Even after his death in December 1791, Mozart is still among one of the most popular composers to be written of. Mozart: A Life in Letters is a fascinating book that includes a set of his letters, providing a new understanding of his life story including his marriage, his relationships with his family, his compositions and performances, and more. This book not only shows what his life was like as a musician but also gives the readers an opportunity to discover what his common life was like throughout his letters.
According to the introduction, this book contains over 100 of Mozart's surviving letters. It has notes from and to Mozart; the translations are very stimulating, easily bringing the personality of the composer back to life. In this book, Mozart goes from being a boy to a young man and composer. The book is organized chronologically and provides biographical information that giving each letter some background information. There are several valuable footnotes as well as a couple of maps listing some of
Mozart's travels. The editor has even provided some information on the value of the currency in order to help the reader discern the discussions of payments in the notes. It easily will hold the interest of the audience throughout every letter if they have any curiosity toward Mozart and what life was like during that time period. Cliff Eisen, the translator and editor of
this book, is to be applauded on this mastery.Though Mozart's letters have been well studied, this book will definitely bring a new twist to his life and compositions to light. Although the composer was somewhat carefree in his younger days, Mozart’s letters undeniably demonstrate that he was also a very thoughtful and a passionate person