subject of discussion.)

33. "As to the matter of popularity, be unconcerned; there is
music in my opera for all sorts of persons--but none for long
ears."

(Munich, December 16, 1780, to his father, who had expressed a
fear that Mozart would not write down to the level of his public.
[On December 11, his father had written: "I recommend you not to
think in your work only of the musical public, but also of the
unmusical. You know that there are a hundred ignorant people for
every ten true connoisseurs; so do not forget what is called
popular and tickle the long ears." H.E.K.])

34. "I have had a good deal of trouble with him about the
quartet. The oftener I fancy it performed on the stage the more
effective it seems to me; and it has pleased all who have heard
it on the pianoforte. Raaff alone thinks it will make no effect.
He said to me in private: 'Non c'e da spianar la voce--it is too
curt.' As if we should not speak more than we sing in a quartet!
He has no understanding of such things. I said to him simply:
'My dear friend, if I knew a single note which might be changed
in this quartet I would change it at once; but I have not been
so completely satisfied with anything in the opera as I am with
this quartet; when you have heard it sung together you will talk
differently. I have done my best to fit you with the two arias,
will do it again with the third, and hope to succeed; but you
must let the composer have his own way in trios and quartets.'
Whereupon he was satisfied. Recently he was vexed because of one
of the words in his best aria--'rinvigorir' and 'ringiovenir,'