Mozart: A Life

Solomon's books have obvious strengths--the depth of his research and his analysis of the music. What seems to divide readers is his use of psychoanalysis. I'm on his side, as his book created a thought-provoking examination of a great figure whose art was a tonic for the fraught relationship he had with his father. But Solomon also shows us that Mozart was neither an idiot savant nor a psychological mess--in his relationship with his wife and his ability to manage a successful career he was remarkably normal. Rather than the center of the book, the psychoanalysis is a useful contextual tool. This really is the best single book on Mozart.

During the past few years, I have become increasingly interested in the music of Mozart, listening to numerous CDs of his works. I decided to find out more about the man himself, so I read "Mozart: A Life" by Maynard Solomon. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Mozart in this well-written biography. It was immediately clear to me that Solomon had done extensive research into Mozart's past, with excerpts of the letters between Mozart and his father, as well as tabulations of Mozart's earnings during his life. The chronological layout, from child to man, allowed me to trace the development of Mozart's character, personality, and music. I was particularly captivated by the description of the relationship Mozart had with his father, Leopold. The amount of detail present in some of the chapters was exhausting, yet remained interesting at the same time. The reading did become dry, however, when Solomon began giving his personal glimpses into Mozart's music itself. He has a tendency to use "flowery" words, but if you have decent command of the English language you should have no trouble understanding the biography. Overall, I was impressed by this account of Mozart's life and recommend it for any music lover, whether you like Mozart or not. The biography places a great emphasis on Mozart's actual life (other biographies primarily discuss his music) and this serves to enlighten the reader as to who Mozart was as a man, not just as a composer. A must-read for any Mozart lover.

I have never been really interested by biographies, but this one is different. This book has the power, above all, to make you feel the humanity of the man. Sure, Mozart was a genius decended from above (so to speak), yet through the author's in-depth analysis, we realize that the composer was perfectly "normal" in any other respects - with a common man's anxieties and desires. And for the musicians, this book is a must. This book tells you why there is something deeper behind that sparkling surface of Mozart's music, and as a bonus, it explains why Mozart was a subversive artist as far as sentimental values are concerned. I especially enjoyed the chapter "Fearful Symmetries" for its discussions on beauty, and its brave attempts to illustrate what makes Mozartean beauty unique. I would recommend anyone who have enjoyed the movie 'Amadeus' to read this book for many contrasting views which are richly supported by evidence such as personal letters.

after reading several biographys about a non-human. This presents an all-to human Mozart with issues that we all must deal with in life: overbearing parent, stratified social hierarchy, grief, fear, love, death, debt, social issues, finding a place for one's self in this world. This is the only biography I've read, concerning Mozart, that presents a believeable human with faults, and tremendous talent, abilities, and self-responsibility.

If you ever wondered how Mozart -- using just the same materials and structures as Haydn -- could create works of excruciating beauty instead of merely works of elegant formality, you MUST read this book. The book is organized thematically instead of strictly chronologically; reading it is like watching a beautiful opera about Mozart's life from the best seat in the house. The immense scholarly apparatus never clanks, wheezes, or whirrs -- yet you can go backstage at any time and see exactly what's supporting the stunning performance. Without any psychobabble, Solomon leads you to the most profound psychological insights into Mozart's life and achievements. After he marshals all the facts, he reveals the most astonishing -- and eminently plausible -- insights that you slap your forehead and say "of course -- why didn't I see that!?" Easily the best biography I have ever read.