Salzburg II: Playing Mozart

Did you hear about the guy who was streaking in church?  He ran past the altar, but they caught him by the organ....

Mozart's Organ in Salzburg Cathedral

The cathedral in Salzburg where Mozart had been organist retains the organ he played, despite the cathedral having been bombed in WWII.  He was born in Salzburg, and everywhere in the town one finds "Mozart Balls."  That is, a chocolate/truffle/mousse spheroid with a stylized picture of Mozart on the foil covering.  People I met raved about them.  They also bought Mozart chocolate liqueur in bottles shaped like a ball.  I tried neither the solid nor the liquid.  But I had a ball in Salzburg with the people who were also at a conference I was attending.

Mozart Balls

The spirit of Mozart is palpable in this town, so you will see various music students looking for inspiration.  You can tell who they are -- all glassy-eyed whilst walking round with aspiration pouring from their organs.  However, you may find something actual beyond the ethereal or merely commercial: his house.

Looking for Mozart?

And in Mozart's house you can see his kitchen.  I didn't go into his house because A) I wasn't invited, and B) I heard he wasn't home.

Mozart's Kitchen, with a "Timeout Bench"

In an earlier post [Link], I wrote about what we hope to find by visiting the houses of the famous.  And that goes on here, too: the desire to touch and be inspired by something that the "Great One" had used.  A piano Mozart owned was in his house, but of course I didn't see or hear it.  What I did find (though not in the original) was something -- or someone -- Mozart scored: he doodled a young woman, Barbara Ployer, who was his favorite student.  But she had (it's a quote from the movie Amadeus) "too many notes," which even range into her hair.

Here's the Score: Mozart's Doodle of Barbara Ployer, the Only Known Image of Her

A statue of Mozart honors the hometown boy in one of the squares, "Mozart Platz."  When the statue was unveiled, the commemoration included Mozart's son playing his father's music.  Part way through the performance, however, his son began to play his own hot, new tunes and was quickly ushered from the stage.  So much for grateful kids.

But his ability -- his genius!  Everyone says it, sure.  But to be truly convinced, just listen to his 23rd piano concerto (one score of which sports the doodle of, and which was apparently written for, Ms. Ployer) [Link].  Can't say more than that.

Leopold's Little Golden Rooster

Mozart Leopold Salzburg Piano concerto 23 amadeus Mozart Ployer