Haydn As Mozart's Mentor
Mozart in many ways did not need a mentor by the time he met Haydn; he was already rather successful and for most of his life up to then had been under the very active tutelage of his father Leopold. However, two aspects of the historical record suggest that Haydn did in some sense take Mozart under his wing and offer him advice.
First, during the early Vienna years, when Mozart was influenced by Baron van Swieten to take up the study of Baroque counterpoint, Haydn loaned him his personal copy of the famous counterpoint textbook Gradus ad Parnassum, by Johann Joseph Fux, a copy heavily covered with Haydn's personal annotations.
There is also the observation that, like many other younger musicians, Mozart addressed Haydn with the honorific term "Papa". For details of this form of address, see Papa Haydn.
Read more about this topic: Haydn And Mozart
Famous quotes containing the words haydn, mozart and/or mentor:
“To the extent to which genius can be conjoined with a merely good human being, Haydn possessed genius. He never exceeds the limits that morality sets for the intellect; he only composes music which has no past.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (18441900)
“As death, when we come to consider it closely, is the true goal of our existence, I have formed during the last few years such close relations with this best and truest friend of mankind, that his image is not only no longer terrifying to me, but is indeed very soothing and consoling! And I thank my God for graciously granting me the opportunity ... of learning that death is the key which unlocks the door to our true happiness.”
—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (17561791)
“The ordinary literary man, even though he be an eminent historian, is ill-fitted to be a mentor in affairs of government. For ... things are for the most part very simple in books, and in practical life very complex.”
—Woodrow Wilson (18561924)