Beschreibung:

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("W: A: MOZART[PARAPH]"), TO HIS FELLOW FREEMASON MICHAEL PUCHBERG ("VEREHRUNGS=WÜRDIGER O[RDENS]:. B[RUDER]:. LIEBSTER, BESTER FREUND!") the first in the famous series of begging letters, an urgent, highly frank and revealing appeal for financial assistance to his friend, chief creditor and fellow freemason, and referring to the subscription of the great string quintets in C (K.515), G minor (516) and C minor (K.406/516b), and to the composition of the Piano Trio in E major, K.542, commencing with a heartfelt statement of his conviction that he is indeed his friend and a man of honour, then stating his bold financial plan, asking him straight out for a loan of one or two thousand gulden for one or two years at a reasonable rate of interest, describing the rationale behind this substantial request, admitting that without a minimum of capital, and reliant on various odd sums, it is impossible to live and to regulate one's affairs, observing that with nothing one can do nothing, stating that if he will do him this kindness, he can, firstly, meet necessary expenses as and when they occur, whereas he now has to postpone payments and spend all he receives at one go, and, secondly, work with a more carefree state of mind and with a lighter heart, thus earning more, supposing that he will not have any doubts as to security since he knows his intentions and how matters stand with him, reassuring him about the subscription [of the string quintets K.515, 516 and 406/516b], the period for which he is extending by a few months, adding that he has hopes of finding more music lovers abroad than in Vienna, admitting that he (Mozart) has acted as a true brother [freemason] by opening his whole heart to him in this matter which is of the greatest importance to him, and noting that it is only with a true brother that one can unburden oneself fully, begging him, however, should he be unable immediately to spare such a sum, to lend him till the next day a few hundred gulden, since he has had to pay his landlord in the Landstrasse on the spot to avoid an unpleasant scene, something which has made life very awkward for him; in the closing part of the letter Mozart informs Puchberg that he will be sleeping tonight for the first time in his new quarters, Währingergasse, bei den Drei Sternen, No. 135, which are cheaper and more pleasant during summer to autumn as he has a garden too, states that he will remain there for the summer and winter, observes rather unconvincingly that he prefers the change as he does not have a great deal in town to do and will have more time for composing, not being exposed to so many visitors, and notes that any fiacre will take him in to town for ten kreuzer; he closes with a postscript in which he attempts to lighten the mood by asking when they are to have a little musical party at his house again, tempting him with the information that he has composed a new trio [the Piano Trio in E, K. 542] 2 pages, 4to (23.3 x 18.3cm), modern integral blank, annotated at the foot of the second page by Puchberg ("d[en] 17 Juny 788. f200 gesendet."), the number "4" in an unidentified hand at the lower right-hand corner of the second page, no place or date [Vienna, on or before 17 June 1788], horizontal and vertical fold, some light creasing ...Wenn Sie die liebe und freundschaft für mich haben wollten, mich auf 1 oder 2 Jahre, mit 1 oder 2 tausend gulden gegen gebührenden Intereßen zu unterstützen, so würden sie mir auf acker und Pflug helfen! - Sie werden gewis selbst sicher und wahr finden, daß es übel, Ja ohnmöglich zu leben sey, wenn man von Einahme zu Einahme warten muß! - wenn man nicht einen gewissen, wenigstens den nöthigen vorath hat, so ist es nicht möglich in ordnung zu kommen. - mit nichts macht man nichts; - wenn Sie mir diese freundschaft thun, so kann ich 1:mo /: da ich versehen bin :/ die nöthigen ausgaben zur gehörigen zeit, folglich leichter entrichten, wo ich izt die