Mozart / Nannerl (Maria Anna Mozart) — Investigation
Status: Investigating. Hypothesis: Wolfgang's sister Nannerl composed works attributed to him; her manuscripts were lost, destroyed, or appropriated.
Overview
Maria Anna Mozart (1751–1829), "Nannerl," was Wolfgang's older sister. Contemporary accounts describe her as "every bit as gifted a child prodigy" as her brother. Her career was curtailed by gender; her compositions did not survive.
Supporting Evidence (Deep Dive)
Wolfgang Credited Nannerl as His Teacher
- Letter (1777): Wolfgang to Nannerl: "Dearest sister, if I have any skill at writing notes, it is you who taught me the slightest improvement."
- Interpretation: He explicitly credits her with teaching him composition. Pedagogical influence = potential compositional influence.
Leopold's Letters — "My Daughter's Sonatas"
- Leopold referred to "my daughter's sonatas" in correspondence.
- Quote: "If only these were preserved, the world would know that my daughter possesses a mind and heart worthy of her brother."
- Implication: Nannerl composed sonatas. They were NOT preserved.
Manuscripts — Lost, Destroyed, or Appropriated
- Serenademagazine: "Some scholars posit that these works were deliberately destroyed or allowed to deteriorate, victims of the era's disregard for female compositional craft."
- Alternative: "appropriated or overwritten in careless copying."
- No authenticated Nannerl manuscripts survive.
Nannerl Notenbuch — Shared Notebook, Leopold's Hand
- Leopold created the notebook for Nannerl; it contained Wolfgang's earliest compositions.
- Leopold wrote most pieces; Wolfgang penned only four. Many works are in Leopold's handwriting — attribution to Wolfgang is inferred, not proven.
- NYT (2009): Two pieces attributed to Wolfgang (age 7–8) were in Leopold's hand; Neal Zaslaw called it "highly plausible" but not "beyond reasonable doubt."
Jane Glover (1986) — Nannerl's Influence on Wolfgang
- Scholar argued Nannerl's influence "permeated Wolfgang's work."
- "Certain playful minuets, intricate ornaments and expressive adagios" bear "the hallmarks of a sister who both taught and inspired her brother."
Career Asymmetry
- Nannerl toured Europe 1762–1766; praised for "clarity of touch, refined ornamentation."
- At 18, Leopold forced her to stop touring; she was redirected to "housekeeping."
- Wolfgang continued; Nannerl's virtuosity confined to domestic sphere.
- Pattern: Same as Fanny Mendelssohn — brother's career prioritized; sister's work suppressed.
Parallel: Fanny Mendelssohn
- Six of Fanny's songs published under Felix's name (Opus 8, 9).
- "Easter Sonata" lost 140 years; initially attributed to Felix; correctly identified as Fanny's in 2010.
- Felix presented Fanny's song to Queen Victoria as his own; "red faces" when she said it was her favorite.
Open Questions
- Which Wolfgang works, if any, may incorporate Nannerl's material?
- Were pieces in the Nannerl Notenbuch by Nannerl and later attributed to Wolfgang?
- Full extent of Leopold's role — scribe, editor, or composer?
Sources
