Mozart the Freemason: The Masonic Influence on His Musical Genius
by Jacques Henry
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jacques HenryEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2006-08-28
ISBN: 1594771286
Number of pages: 160
Publisher: Inner Traditions
Book Reviews of Mozart the Freemason: The Masonic Influence on His Musical Genius
Book Review: Mysteries Magazine review
Summary: 4 Stars
Some say that the Masons are a benevolent charitable organization; others claim they are a sinister group bent on world domination. But everyone agrees that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a devoted member of the illustrious society. With Mozart the Freemason, Jacques Henry, a Mozart authority and a high-ranking Freemason, explores the influence of Masonry on Mozart's life and music.
Several of Mozart's works are known for their Masonic elements, such as his final opera, The Magic Flute, which features motifs familiar to any Freemason, such as Temples of Wisdom and Reason and Nature, and trials which must be endured in silence. Henry discusses The Magic Flute and several concertos that were specifically commissioned to be played at Masonic ceremonies. He also suggests that the harsh opening of Mozart's Dissonance Quartet represents the unformed man before he is shaped by Masonic discipline.
Whether inspired by Masonic love for his fellow man or a need for funds, Mozart was an incredibly prolific composer, capable of banging out a concerto overnight or a symphony over a long weekend. Few have written as quickly, fewer still have written as well, and nobody has ever combined Mozart's speed and genius. One could hardly ask for a better poster child for Masonry than Mozart, or a better biographer than Jacques Henry.
Mysteries Magazine
Summary of Mozart the Freemason: The Masonic Influence on His Musical Genius
An exploration of Mozart?s 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 Mozart?s 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 Mozart?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 Mozart?s works that reveals their inner meaning as shaped by the composer?s profound embrace of the spiritual principles of Freemasonry.
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