C. A. Ditters von Dittersdorf AUTOBIOGRAPHY
		TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I.   CHAPTER II.   CHAPTER III.
		CHAPTER I. The first traces of my gift for music — I try my 'prentice hand in church
		I was bom at Vienna on November 2, in the year 1739. My father, a native of Dantzig, held the office of costumier at Court and at the Theatre, in the days of Charles VI. He was a good draughtsman, too, and as such was chosen Lieutenant in command of the so-called Löbel-Bastey, a fortress armed with twenty cannon, during the Bavarian War, which broke out after the death of Charles VI., when Charles VII. was Emperor of Bavaria. His success in life enabled him to give a somewhat better education to his five children than ordinary civilians can afford. I was the second of his three sons. We were sent to a Jesuit school, and, besides that, we were taught by a secular priest, who was boarded and lodged at my father's cost. I owe to this good man, who was neither a fanatic nor a freethinker, whatever religious principles and liberality of mind I can boast of. My father spoke French fluently, and all five of us had lessons in that language. He had musical tastes, too, and gave my eldest brother lessons on the violin. I was barely seven years old when I discovered my own strong inclination for music, and entreated my father to give me lessons also. My request was granted, and I made such progress in the course of two years and a half, that my teacher (König was the good man's name) owned to my father that he had taught me all he knew, and that I must have another master to bring me up to concert pitch. «It is a point of conscience with me,» said he, «to give up your boy Karl, for he is a clever fellow, and certain to play far better than I can.» Would that all the world were as honest as König! My father, touched by the nobility of his conduct, made him a handsome present, and guaranteed him gainst loss of income by taking him on as teacher for my third brother. My second violin-master was Joseph Zügler, [1] who was not only a first-rate player, but a good composer of chamber music. He took infinite pains with me, as an industrious and eager pupil. Being anxious to improve my reading at sight, he advised my regular attendance, every Sunday and Saint's Day, at the Roman Catholic Church, giving preference to the choir of the Benedictines at the Asylum, where there was a well-appointed orchestra, and the best masses, motets, vespers and litanies were sung. I went the very next Sunday, and called upon the precentor, Gsur, [2] that I might ask his permission to join the band. After staring at me from top to toe, he growled out : «Oh, I dare say ! You are mistaken, if you think there's a place here for every young fiddle- scraper.» I was young, to be sure, but fiddle-scraper put my back up, and I rounded on him at once : «How can you know whether I am fit to play or not? If I were not, do you suppose Mr. Joseph Zügler, my master, would have advised me to come to you as a candidate?» He softened at this, and became quite pleasant. «If Zügler really sent you, all right; I shall be very glad.» Whereupon he told them to give me a violin, and showed me my seat next to the leader of the orchestra, Karl Huber, [3] who watched me like a cat, to see if I played correctly, and actually stopped himself when the fugue began, in order to observe whether my rests were right. I did not miss a note. «Bravo, my son!» said he, when it was all over. «I could not have believed it.» Gsur, who had also been on the look-out, expressed his pleasure at my performance, kindly assuring me that I might come whenever I pleased, the oftener the better. «That's a very different thing!» thought I. No wonder if I went home several inches taller than I came. Thus it happened that, wherever Church music was going on, there was I taking a part, and this continued for a whole year. Nothing came amiss to me when I was in the band; I had such constant practice that I became a good orchestral player — quite a devourer of notes, as they say. [4] In the course of that year, it chanced that Huber often had to play solos in church. His bowing, his method, his intonation, the whole performance, greatly impressed me. I spared no pains to imitate him, and on one occasion, when we were playing a Mass, containing a violin solo which I had never seen before, Huber said : «Have you the courage to attempt it?» «I will have a try at it,» said I, «though I cannot pretend to play it as well as you would.» «Oh, fire away!» said he. «You will do it right enough.» And he handed me his own violin. I did play the solo, though my heart was in my mouth to start with. I was consoled by feeling that the music went so unusually well that all my nervousness vanished, and when the first passages and modulations were repeated in the last movement, I varied them quite in the Huber style, so that all who heard me applauded. I allude to this fact in all modesty, having no wish to boast of my talent as a youngster; but I could not pass over the story, for it occasionally happens that more trifling matters than this may turn the current of men's lives; and the incident had a marked influence on the whole of my subsequent career.	<-- Michael Lorenz, thanks to his archival research, managed to demonstrate that Dittersdorf's baptismal name was Johann Carl, not Carl August. Moreover, it seems that his father was not on military records. This part was fabricated to receive the ennoblement: it was common, at that time, to exaggerate the military or court career of some relative, in order to accelerate the bureaucry to get the ennoblement. Dittersdorf got his ennoblement in 1773. <-- Education of a well-to-do middle class man: Jesuit school; foreign language: French; music: violin playing. A personal secular priest as teacher. <-- The first violin teacher of Dittersdorf. [1] i.e. J.Ziegler (ca 1750), violinist and composer. Second violin teacher of Dittersdorf. <-- Musical practice in orchestra at the Catholic Churches. <-- Location. Wien, Schottenstift and Schottenkirche at the Freyung. <-- Repertoire. Masses, motets, vespers, litanies. [2] Tobias Gsur, choirs master, from 1750 to 1772; from 1772 until his death (1794), he maintained various job positions. <-- Musical practice [3] Karl Huber, violonist (1715-1779) <-- Musical practice [4] In German, Dittersdorf writes: Notenfresser. <-- Musical practice. The violin technique of Huber. <-- Musical practice. Variations on repeated passages.
		CHAPTER II. My first introduction to the Prince of Hildburghausen, and the reception he gave me — Kapellmeister Bonno
		It was customary for connoisseurs of music to attend the Benedictine Church in large numbers, for the music, particularly on great festivals, was of the choicest kind, and the performance first-rate. Some of Huber's admirers were sitting below when I played, and after the solo had finished they were loud in their praises, in the belief that they had been listening to Huber himself. But what was their surprise when he introduced me to them with this remark : «You must compliment Master Dittersdorf, not me. I had nothing to do with it.» Whereupon they stared — and their staring did me good. One of them was Hubaczek, the famous French-horn player, who was in the service of the Field-Marshal and Master of the Ordnance, Prince Joseph Friedrich von Hildburghausen. He joined me on my way home — asked my name, where I lived, who was my father — and promised to call very shortly. He kept his word. After a few days he came, and stayed to dinner, when he told us that the gentleman in whose service he was had an efficient orchestra, which met for practice three mornings every week, at eleven o'clock. Would my father allow me to attend occasionally? The offer was gratefully accepted. The very next day Hubaczek came to fetch me, and I took my violin. I was not a little surprised, when I came to the orchestral platform, to be offered the first desk. We had hardly finished tuning, and were about to begin a symphony of Jomelli's which I knew already, when the Court composer, Bonno, stepped into the room. He had a yearly salary from the Prince for directing the grand concerts at Vienna, which were given all through the winter to the Austrian nobility. He stared at seeing a boy between eleven and twelve years old at the head of the band, and placed himself at my side to watch me. When the symphony was over he left the room, intending, I suppose, to report to the Prince, for both of them returned shortly afterwards. The Prince called me to his side, and asked me very kindly who was my father, who was my teacher, how old I was, and so on. When I had given a plain, unembarrassed answer to all his questions, he went on to say: «Are you able to play anything that is put before you a vista?» «If it is not too difficult,» I replied. «Well, let us see!» said he, ordering Bonno to bring him from the cabinet an easy flute concerto and a sonata for the flute, the first of which I played off at once correctly enough. Some more symphonies and airs were tried, and then the solo was put before me. I got through it fairly well, though it was far harder than the concerto. It was long past the dinner-hour, so the Prince, who was in very good spirits, kindly asked me to join his people at dinner, and told me to bring my father to him at five o'clock. They had a long interview in an adjoining room, and when he came back, the Prince said : «I think we both understand one another. We have only to see if your son is willing. Will you leave your father and come to me?» he went on, turning to me. «You shall want for nothing; but, in return, you must work hard at music and languages. I will take care that you keep up your Latin, but your chief object must be to perfect your French and to learn Italian; that is indispensable for a musician. You will have plenty to do. I can't stand idlers. Would you like this? and will you promise me to work?» I was dumfoundered, and fell on my knees. «That I will, most gracious Prince!» «Stand up, my son,» he said, «In church you must kneel — before God — but not before me.» «Keep your boy at home a few days longer,» he said to my father; «but bring him back here on the first day of next month, when I will take him off your hands. For the future, he is to look up to me as his father.» We were much touched when we took leave of the Prince, and my good mother wept for joy when we came home with the happy news. That same evening all our intimate friends were invited, that they might rejoice with us.	<-- Musical practice. Role of Church Music. <-- Location. Wien, Schottenstift and Schottenkirche at the Freyung. <-- Musical practice. Some position of musicians and audience in Church. <-- The Hubaczeks were two brothers and horn players in service of Prince Saxe-Hildburghausen. According to Michael Lorenz (March 2016), it was Wenzel Hubaczek, who met with Dittersdorf and invited him to join the Prince's band. The name of his brother was Johann (1731-1765). <-- Musical practice. Hildburghausen's professional orchestra regularly met 3 mornings a week (11 a.m.) for practice. <-- Musical practice. Importance of the first desk for the violin. <-- Musical practice. Tuning. Repertoire: symphony. In 1750s the symphony was usually only the overture of operas, not the symphony as genre. Grand Concerts in German was still named Academie in 1799. <-- Niccolò Jommelli (1714-1774). One of the greatest composers, he befriended young Mozart in Naples. <-- Giuseppe Bonno (1711-1788). Famous composer, teacher of a group of composers in Vienna, befriended young Mozart in Vienna. Imperial Court Composer. <-- Musical practice. Importance of the orchestra place given to an 11/12yo violin player. <-- Joseph Maria Frederick Wilhelm of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Prince and Duke (1702-1787). Patron of many composers: among his proteges Gluck, Bonno, Dittersdorf, Schweitzer (the composer of Alceste, the first German Opera). He had a role also in the Vienna career of Haydn and Mozart. <-- Musical repertoire. Flute concertos, flute sonatas, symphonies (opera overtures) and arias. <-- Education. Indispensable for a musician, beyond music: Latin, Italian and French. <-- Behaviour. <-- Behaviour.
		CHAPTER III. I wear the Prince's livery.
		On the morning of March 1, 1751, my father took me to the palace of the Prince, in whose service I was, to start me on my new career. The Prince was not at home, and we were referred to the steward, Johann Ebert, a very dignified and respectable person, who had had orders to receive us. He was specially commissioned to look after me, and Bremer, Clerk of the Chancery, was to assist him; so, after some words of advice, given in a very fatherly tone, he took me off to Bremer's room. «You cannot speak to the Prince just now,» he said to my father, «for he is out driving, and will not be home before two o'clock. You will dine as my guest at the official table, that you may see if your son can put up with our fare. As it is to-day, so it is every day.» Then he showed me a list of rules for myself, which, he said, the Prince, in his own person, had dictated to Bremer. Bremer, a handsome man, about twenty-six years of age, welcomed my father very politely, and showed me my room, which adjoined his. Everything was new there — a neat bed, a writing-table, a chest-of-drawers with ornamental brasswork, comfortable chairs; in short, a complete set of furniture. He handed me the inventory of the articles of furniture and dress, adding that he was under orders to look after everything from time to time. I was obliged to change everything I had on, and rig myself out in a brand-new suit. The coat and trousers I wore every day were dark gray, the waistcoat red. The suit was made of fine Dutch cloth, and the buttonholes, after the fashion of the day, were edged with silver lace. I found linen in abundance, not to mention white silk stockings, new shoes, silver buckles, all of the latest and newest façon. The Prince had ordered these things without my having had a hint of what was going on; for the tailor, the shoemaker, and the seamstress had been told to work up their materials in my father's house, and I was to know nothing about it. «That is the Prince all over,» said Bremer, when he saw how amazed I was. «He delights in surprising people by his kindness. I suppose you never dreamed of all these arrangements? Well, mind you keep everything neat and tidy, be a good lad, and you will do very well. Here is your own key; you are at liberty to go in and out whenever you like.» I felt not a little pleased with myself, when the Court steward placed me in front of a large mirror, and I could get a full view of my new turn-out. Fine feathers make fine birds. «It is close on eleven o'clock,» said he. «Go into the music-room; the rehearsal is about to begin.» I went in, and found most of the orchestra already assembled. One and all overwhelmed me with congratulations on my promotion to the office of Kammerknabe. I was now one of themselves, I was the happiest of mortals. The symphony was only just over, when Madame Tesi appeared. Bonno had recently composed two airs for her, and she wanted to try them. Though now over fifty years of age, she was still good-looking and pleasant. Bonno, after placing the music on the desk, sat down at the clavicembalo, and Madame Tesi stood behind him. She had a full, clear contralto voice, and her fine singing completely carried me away. When the song was ended, she sat down in front of the orchestra and talked to the Kapellmeister. «Madame Tesi would like to hear you play,» he called out to me. «Have you any music with you?» «Yes,» I answered, and fetched a sonata of Zügler's, in which Hubaczek accompanied me.  Tesi soon began to call out «Bravo !» at every successful passage, and afterwards «Bravissimo!» Then she asked to be introduced to my father, and talked French to him for a little time. After a few instrumental pieces, she went up to the clavicembalo, and sang the second air — an adagio. I had been charmed by her brilliant execution in the first instance, and I was now so moved by the tenderness and sweetness of her expression, that I thought music could go no further. At last the thrice-repeated sound of the porter's bell announced the arrival of the Prince. He went up at once to my father, beckoned him to the window, and talked very graciously with him for some time. Then he addressed me: «Well, I hope you like your room and every- thing in it! Work hard, and try to please me; but, above all, be sure to read your rules again and again, and shape your life accordingly!» Then he ordered them to bring his flute and a concerto, and sat down and played. I cannot honestly say he was a great conjurer, though he played far better than I had expected. He kept time correctly, and had a very good lip. The rehearsal ended with his concerto, and he went in to dinner. When I came to Herr Ebert, I found with him the Prince's page, a certain Baron Ende, and the Chief Superintendent of the Pages, a Saxon of the name of Göhrn, who also bore the title of Secretary. Ebert introduced me to him, adding that he was to give me lessons in Latin and French. «Besides that, he is kind enough to teach you fencing. You will have to wait for your riding, dancing, and Italian lessons, until we go to Schlosshof, the Prince's country-place, which he visits every year at the beginning of June.» «I had almost forgotten the most important thing of all,» said he to my father. «Although our Prince is a Catholic (he was brought up an Evangelical, but became a Catholic under the influence of the late Empress Elizabeth), Lutherans and Protestants make up nearly the half of his Court, and amongst them are Göhrn, Bremer, and myself, who are to act as guardians to your son. But we are not given to proselytizing, and in order that you may be quite happy, the Prince has told us to engine a priest of your own way of thinking, who will be well paid for instructing your son in his faith. As you happen to have a worthy priest already under your own roof, it will be more agreeable to the Prince if he will undertake the duty.» My father, delighted with this generous offer, declared that Father John would gladly do so without any salary, and in effect the worthy man came to me twice or thrice a week, until the time arrived for our migration to Schlosshof, when he received a douceur of nine ducats, and as many yards of black Brussels camelot as sufficed to make a new gown for him. By this time my readers will have had a slight foretaste of the exalted and humane sentiments of the Prince, but later on they will be better acquainted with the incomparable goodness of this nobleman's heart. So I will at once pass on to the history of that excellent woman, Madame Tesi, as I cannot find a more suitable place for it.	<-- Johann Ebert, Prince Hildburghausen's steward <-- Bremer, Clerk of the Chancery <-- Behaviour. Prince <-- Behaviour. Prince <-- Behaviour. Prince <-- Room furniture. <-- Room inventory for furniture and dress. <-- Behaviour. Dress. <-- Behaviour. Coat and trousers: dark gray. Waistcoat: red. Buttonholes: edgedwith silver lace. Linen + White silk stockings + New shoes + Silver buckles  <-- Behaviour. <-- Behaviour. Prince <-- Behaviour. Behaviour of a young Court musician <-- Behaviour. <-- Behaviour. Dittersdorf maintained his passion for very elegant dressing all his life. <-- Music orchestra rehearsal: it starts at 11am. <-- Behaviour. Congratulations as Kammerknabe <-- Vittoria Tesi (1704-1775). Famous singer, born in Florence, she started living in Vienna in 1748. <-- Music repertoire: symphony and arias. <-- Bonno at the clavicembalo. Rehearsal of the 2 arias. <-- Music repertoire: Violin sonatas by Ziegler. <-- Behaviour. The father is at Court and talks in French with Tesi <-- Music repertoire: instrumental pieces and arias. <-- Music interpretation: moving interpretation of Tesi. See CPE Bach. <-- Behaviour. Prince's arrival announced by a thrice- repeated sound of the porter's bell. <-- Behaviour. Prince's requests for the young musician. <-- Behaviour. Prince asks for his flute. <-- Music interpretation: Prince plays the flute, while sitting. Qualities of a good flute player.   <-- Music repertoire: flute concerto to be played by the Prince <-- Baron Ende, Prince's page. Responsible for the education.  <-- Göhrn, Chief Superintendent of the pages, with the title of Secretary. Responsible for the education. <-- Education. Latin, French, Fencing. At Vienna Court.  <-- Education. Riding, dancing, Italian. In summer. <-- Behaviour. In June the Prince and the court are at Schlosshof, for the summer. <-- Behaviour. The Prince was catholic, but was very tolerant with Lutherans and Protestants, even though they have not the permission of proselytizing. This type of tolerance Catholics/Protestants became a problem for Dittersdorf at certain point in his life. <-- Behaviour. The 3 men are the guardians and educators of Dittersdorf, but they are Protestants. <-- Behaviour. The lesson of Catholic religion (2 or 3 a week) will be kept by the priest who already worked for Dittersdorf's father: father John. The lessons are suspended for the summer period. Father John receives a payment for the suspension period. <-- In German: Schwarzen Brüsseler Kamelott. <-- Behaviour. Prince's noble goodness of heart. Nonetheless, his munificent behaviour led to his running into heavy debts.