[aberdeenwriter]

Photo of Mozart's widow found


Constanze Weber, Mozart's widow is seen on the front left

Enlarge Image
A print of the only photograph of Mozart's widow, Constanze Weber, has been found in Germany.
The photograph was taken in 1840 in the Bavarian town of Altoetting when she was 78. She died two years later.

The local authorities say detailed examination has proved the authenticity of the image, which is a copy of the original daguerreotype.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died at the age of 36 in 1791, when Constanze was 29. She later married a Danish diplomat.

The print is one of the earliest examples of photography in Bavaria. It was found in the town archives.

The daguerreotype was taken at the home of the Swiss composer Max Keller, whom Constanze used to visit regularly.

Mozart and Constanze had six children in their nine-year marriage. Only two of them survived past childhood.

The daguerreotype shows Constanze at front left, next to Max Keller. His wife Josefa is on the right. Behind them are (from the right): their daughters Josefa and Luise, Max Keller's brother-in-law Philipp Lattner and the family's cook. They are outside the Keller family's house.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5157200.stm

[brassplayersrock²]

this is very very awesome, thank you aberdeen i sent the news link to a music teacher i have whos very into mozart

[chris v]

Voolfie!

Very cool.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock

this is very very awesome, thank you aberdeen i sent the news link to a music teacher i have whos very into mozart

bpr, I'm delighted to have brought a smile to you and your music teacher!

[willed]

That's some crazy stuff. I saw this on the BBC and when I read the headline, was trying to work out what the real story was - after all, there couldn't possibly be a photo of Mozart's wife - the world of Mozart's time tends to seem completely separate to the world of photos and technology in my mind. Very interesting.

[Kevin]

It's threads like this that keep me coming to MacNN.

[BRussell]

In related news, Mozart's own Apple ][e was found along with the photograph.

[The Godfather]

So, is she still single?

[brassplayersrock²]

Originally Posted by The Godfather

So, is she still single?

*shudders*

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally Posted by Kevin

It's threads like this that keep me coming to MacNN.

I'm happy to provide you this reason to return!

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally Posted by willed

That's some crazy stuff. I saw this on the BBC and when I read the headline, was trying to work out what the real story was - after all, there couldn't possibly be a photo of Mozart's wife - the world of Mozart's time tends to seem completely separate to the world of photos and technology in my mind. Very interesting.

I admit to having the same reaction. That's why I read the story. Her life straddled (or overlapped or something) two distinct eras.

[greenG4]

This is an inredible find. Emailing old music professors now....

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by willed

That's some crazy stuff. I saw this on the BBC and when I read the headline, was trying to work out what the real story was - after all, there couldn't possibly be a photo of Mozart's wife - the world of Mozart's time tends to seem completely separate to the world of photos and technology in my mind. Very interesting.

Well, there's a photograph of Chopin (link), and he died only nine years after that photograph of Constanze was taken, so it's not unfeasible at all.

[Briareus]

Awesome find!

Thanks for the post - after a full season of Mozart's 250th Anniversary concerts, this is cool to see. I'll be forwarding this to several colleagues.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally Posted by Briareus

Awesome find!

Thanks for the post - after a full season of Mozart's 250th Anniversary concerts, this is cool to see. I'll be forwarding this to several colleagues.

I'm gratified by the reception from you all and hope to continue bringing delights such as this to our community.

Thanks to CharlesS, here's Frederic Chopin.


The only known photograph of Frédéric Chopin, taken by Louis-Auguste Bisson in 1849.

Frédéric François Chopin (IPA: [fʁedeʁik fʁɑ̃swa ʃɔpɛ̃]), (March 1, 1810[1] – October 17, 1849) was a Polish pianist and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the most famous, influential and admired composers for the piano.

He was born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin in the village of Żelazowa Wola, Poland, to a Polish mother and French expatriate father. Hailed as a child prodigy in his homeland, Chopin left for Paris at the age of 20. In Paris, he made a career as a performer and teacher as well as a composer, and adopted the French variant of his name, "Frédéric-François". He had a turbulent 10-year relationship with the French writer George Sand from 1837 to 1847. Always in fragile health, he succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis[citation needed] at the age of 39.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frédéric_Chopin