Friday, April 20, 2007

Mozart on Marriage


On occasion of his sister Nannerl’s (Maria Anna) marriage to Johann von Berchtold

Du wirst im Ehstand viel erfahren
was dir ein halbes Räthsel war;
bald wirst du aus Erfahrung wissen,
wie Eva einst hat handeln müssen
daβ sie hernach den kain gebahr.
doch schwester, diese Ehstands Pflichten
wirst du com Herzen gern verrichten,
denn glaube mir, sie sind nicht schwer;
doch Jede Sache hat zwei Seiten;
der Ehstand bringt zwar viele freuden,
allein auch kummer bringet er.
drum wenn dein Mann dir finstre Mienen,
die du nicht glaubest zu verdienen,
in seiner üblen Laune macht:
So denke, das ist Männergrille,
und sag: Herr, es gescheh dein wille
beytag – und meiner bey der Nacht.


Wedlock will show you many things
Which still a mystery remain;
Experience soon will teach to you
What Eve herself once had to do
Before she could give birth to Cain.
But all these duties are so light
You will perform them with delight.
Yet no state is an unmixed joy
And marriage has its own alloy,
Lest us its bliss perchance should cloy.
So when your husband shows reserve
Or wrath which you do not deserve,
And perhaps a nasty temper too,
Think, sister, ‘tis a man’s queer way.
Say, ‘Lord, thy will be done by day,
But mine at night you’ll do.’

W.A. Mozart, 18 August 1784

From Mozart’s Women (2005) by Jane Glover; Painting is the Mozart family, c 1781.

6 comments:

Albion Land said...

Is there something you two want to tell us?

Anonymous said...

Albion:

I was wondering that meself, but I don't think A.V.'s popped the question yet.

Arturo Vasquez said...

Dear readers,

Thank you for reading our blogs. While it is a bit odd, I know, that we post some things that might be somewhat personal, one should not jump to conclusions about them. If anything is occuring as to what is being insinuated here by some, I regret to inform you, our anonymous readers, that you will be the last to know the details of these particular plans. That is just how things should be.

AG said...

Albion Land and Fr. Greg,

The post was in acknowledgment of the wedding this weekend between two wonderful people for whom I pray for God to bless their marriage.

To my occasional dismay, P-I doesn't even read all of my posts, and we really don't send subliminal messages to each other via our blogs, so please read nothing into what either of us posts.

Anonymous said...

"That is just how things should be."

Of course. Please know that as I wrote the above, my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek.

AG, may God indeed bless your friends' marriage. Many years!

Sean Roberts said...

Thanks so much for the poem, AG. It was very nice to have you there! More tomorrow, via e-mail...