Synopses & Reviews
An exploration of Mozartand#8217;s strong ties to Freemasonry and how its principles profoundly shaped his musical work andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; Reveals how Mozart structured his music on Masonic ritual and ceremony to provide a musical lexicon of Masonic symbols andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; Shows that Freemasonry plays the same role in Mozartand#8217;s work as Lutheran Christianity plays in that of Bach andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Thanks to recently discovered documents, we now have a fuller picture of the esoteric influences on the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Musicologist Jacques Henry shows that the Masonic influence on Mozart goes beyond those pieces, such as andlt;Iandgt;The Magic Fluteandlt;/Iandgt;, that fulfilled a ritual purpose for the composer. His works actually provide a complete musical lexicon of Masonic symbols inspired by the principles of the craft and the spirit of the Masonic quest. Mozart constructed his Masonic compositions by creating auditory correspondences to the symbols present in the rituals, choosing keys and tempos that transpose their content into harmony. His understanding of the use of symbol allowed him to create music that would lead the listener into a harmony that transcended earthly existence. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;A number of musicologists believe that the place of the Masonic spiritual vision in Mozartand#8217;s work is comparable to that held by Lutheran Christianity in the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. Mozart wed his deep understanding of music to the esoteric wisdom he gained as a Freemason. He shows that when we lose ourselves in the expression of pure harmony, it is the same as the symbol being lost in what it symbolizes. Jacques Henry provides a rigorous and original analysis of Mozartand#8217;s works that reveals their inner meaning as shaped by the composerand#8217;s profound embrace of the spiritual principles of Freemasonry.
Review
"This is a book that no mason would want to miss." Wr. Elliot Burns, American Mason, Sept 2006
Review
and#8220;Whether you are coming from the world of music, or the world of Freemasonry, this is a book that will appeal to you, will inform you, and will act as an excellent resource towards Mozart, his music and his life.and#8221;
Review
"Mozart the Freemason is a wonderful book, well written, and ideal for the musician as well as non-specialist."
Review
"With andlt;Iandgt;Mozart the Freemasonandlt;/Iandgt;, Jacques Henry, a Mozart authority and a high-ranking Freemason, explores the influence of Masonry on Mozart's life and music. . . . One could hardly ask for a better poster child for Masonry than Mozart, or a better biographer than Jacques Henry."
Review
"This is a book that no mason would want to miss."
Review
andquot;andlt;Iandgt;Mozart the Freemasonandlt;/Iandgt; is a wonderful book, well written, and ideal for the musician as well as non-specialist.andquot;
Review
andquot;This is a book that no mason would want to miss.andquot;
Synopsis
An exploration of Mozarts strong ties to Freemasonry and how its principles profoundly shaped his musical work
• Reveals how Mozart structured his music on Masonic ritual and ceremony to provide a musical lexicon of Masonic symbols
• Shows that Freemasonry plays the same role in Mozarts work as Lutheran Christianity plays in that of Bach
Thanks to recently discovered documents, we now have a fuller picture of the esoteric influences on the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Musicologist Jacques Henry shows that the Masonic influence on Mozart goes beyond those pieces, such as The Magic Flute, that fulfilled a ritual purpose for the composer. His works actually provide a complete musical lexicon of Masonic symbols inspired by the principles of the craft and the spirit of the Masonic quest. Mozart constructed his Masonic compositions by creating auditory correspondences to the symbols present in the rituals, choosing keys and tempos that transpose their content into harmony. His understanding of the use of symbol allowed him to create music that would lead the listener into a harmony that transcended earthly existence.
A number of musicologists believe that the place of the Masonic spiritual vision in Mozarts work is comparable to that held by Lutheran Christianity in the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. Mozart wed his deep understanding of music to the esoteric wisdom he gained as a Freemason. He shows that when we lose ourselves in the expression of pure harmony, it is the same as the symbol being lost in what it symbolizes. Jacques Henry provides a rigorous and original analysis of Mozarts works that reveals their inner meaning as shaped by the composers profound embrace of the spiritual principles of Freemasonry.
About the Author
Jacques Henry is artistic director of the annual Mozart festival in the Drome region of France and an expert on the symbolism in Mozartand#8217;s work. He lives in France.
Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt;Foreword andlt;/Bandgt;by Brigitte Massinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Prefaceandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Part 1andlt;/Bandgt;andnbsp; Mozart and the Masonic Enlightenment andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1andlt;/Bandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Mozart, Masonic Brother andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;2andlt;/Bandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; The Symbolism andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;3andlt;/Bandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; From Symbols to Musicandlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; The Number Threeandlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Steps Toward the Altarandlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Spaceandlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; From the Unformed to Rigor, andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; From Darkness to Lightandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;4andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Short Incidental Works for Masonic Occasionsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;5andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Works of a Masonic Character That Are Not Ritualisticandlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Thamos (K. 345) andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; The Funeral Ode (K. 477)andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Part 2andlt;/Bandgt; andnbsp; The Great Works Inspired by Symbolismandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Introductionandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;6andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; andlt;/Bandgt;The First Period: 1785andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Quartet in A major (K. 464)andnbsp;andnbsp; andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Quartet in C major (K. 465)andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Concerto for Piano in D minor , No. 20 (K. 466)andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Concerto for Piano in E flat major , No. 22 (K. 482)andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;7andlt;/Bandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; The Second Period: 1788andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Symphony No. 39 in E flat major (K. 543)andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Symphony No. 40 in G minor (K. 550)andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Symphony No. 41 in C major, and#8220;Jupiterand#8221; (K. 551)andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Di vertimento in E flat major, and#8220;Puchberg Trioand#8221; (K. 563)andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;8andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; andlt;/Bandgt;The Third Period: 1791andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Quintet for strings in D major (K. 593)andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Quintet for strings in E flat major (K. 614)andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Concerto for clarinet in A major (K. 622)andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; The Magic Flute (K. 620) andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;9andlt;/Bandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Wolfgangand#8217;s Legacyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Appendix 1 andlt;/Bandgt;The List: Works Officially Recognized as Masonicandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Appendix 2andlt;/Bandgt; Mozartand#8217;s Attendance in the Lodges of Viennaandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Notesandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Bibliographyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Index of musical works citedandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Indexandlt;/Bandgt;