What would have happened if Mozart lived longer?

[wkmt]

I find this question utterly mobilising. One of our teachers at the studio sent us this very clever article in which she questions what could have happened if Mozart or Purcell lived longer...

It is possible that the entire course of western music development could have taken another direction.

If you are interested in checking the hypothesis further just drop some minutes reading
http://www.wkmt.co.uk/single-post/2017/05/28/WHAT-IF-THE-MOST-FAMOUS-COMPOSERS-LIVED-longer---Piano-lessons-London

You can comment either there or here. We will respond in either case.

[beethovenfan01]

I think Mozart's music would have become more like Beethoven's--had Mozart lived into the Romantic age, I believe he would have achieved many of the innovations that are not found until later in the century--we can only guess what he would have invented.

How can I say this? After all, most of Mozart's music is very light and exciting, very much similar to that of "Papa Haydn" (though of course in his own style). But looking at some of his later works, ie the C minor Fantasy, the Requiem, the Piano Concerto in D minor, and Symphony No. 40, for example ...

Especially in the Fantasie, we can see that he was exploring emotions to the same depth that later composers did, or even more so. We can only guess whether or not more of these would have followed--perhaps he may have become more like Schubert, perhaps--or not. Again, this is all theorizing ...

[wkmt]

That is indeed a very good point. For some reason, unsatisfaction with life or resignation come later in life for some musicians.

I believe that he would have most probably explored the orchestral and harmonic frontiers further. He could have written something for the piano as well, and I mean the piano forte. That would have been exciting!

www.wkmt.co.uk

[visitor]

i figure then the ending for the movie Amadeus would have been way different.

[hardy_practice]

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Gateway-His-Fortune-1788-1791/dp/039305070X

[goldentone]

i figure then the ending for the movie Amadeus would have been way different.

That's a very novel way to look at life.

I say Mozart would have continued to deepen his art and eaten a little more peach
cobbler.

[visitor]

That's a very novel way to look at life.

I say Mozart would have continued to deepen his art and eaten a little more peach
cobbler.

^  

oh and these would likely have a very different portrait adorning them/different labeling, maybe older Wolfy

[ted]

I do not think it is possible to answer this type of question seriously because small events can give rise to big ones, rather like the so called butterfly effect. Looking back at my own life it is quite frightening how trivial occurrences caused stupendous consequences. It is tempting to assume that an impossibility hypothesis concerning a very famous person would cause a future different in proportion to their standing, but it might not be so. I find such questions beyond analysis because everything is connected to everything else. Had Mozart lived longer he might have been daydreaming in the street about music and caused an accident which bumped off Beethoven. In fact, I think I shall go to bed now as the effort of thinking about even the musical consequences is tiring and next to impossible.

[outin]

He might have composed a whole opera about poop?

[hardy_practice]

Read the book.

[outin]

Read the book.

Sorry, not interested enough in the guy...or his music.

[stevensk]

"What would have happened if Mozart lived longer?"


-He had died later




(Thats all)

[keypeg]

The article says that if Mozart and Purcell had lived longer, music would have been different.  That's it.
What does this have to do with teaching?

[wkmt]

My dear keypeg, it has absolutely EVERYTHING to do with teaching. I leave it to your thoughts

[keypeg]

My dear keypeg, it has absolutely EVERYTHING to do with teaching. I leave it to your thoughts

That seems like a cop-out, gives no information, and also seems condescending.  It may be a culture clash, and you may not intend it that way.

This forum is for teachers talking to teachers, and includes musicians and students who are relatively advanced.  Are you trying to make piano teachers aware that Mozart died young, and would have evolved further personally had he lived longer?  Are you suggesting something about teaching, and if so, what are you suggesting?  This is the teaching forum.