Classical music composers are known to be a bit eccentric to say the least. Beethoven cutting his ear off, Handel was notorious for ordering enough food at a restaurant to feed three people. Tchaikovsky enjoyed picking mushrooms, particularly the psychedelic kind, and would hold his chin with his left hand while conducting with his right hand because he had an irrational fear… that his head would fall off. Hmmm…
Then, there is Mozart, known for his humor. He had a unique way of dealing with performers who didn’t meet his expectations. One such performer was Adriana Ferrarese del Bene, a soprano known for her distinctive head movements while singing. She would nod her head down on low notes and raise it on high notes, a habit that Mozart found quite distracting. To address this, Mozart composed a song with frequent jumps from low to high notes, making her head “bob like a chicken” onstage. By incorporating these challenging vocal leaps, he ensured that her head movements would be exaggerated, creating a humorous effect for the audience. This story highlights Mozart’s ability to blend his artistic creativity with just a touch of humor. There’s your KOFO classical music history lesson of the week.
