Life of Mozart

GUILLELMO. 201assurance of Fiordiligi's unalterable faith, give him an airof overweening security, and cause him to express himselfwith a lightness which he would certainly have refrainedfrom had he known how nearly the matter affected himself.This is a truly comic situation, and Mozart has given effectto it mainly by the tone of easy merriment which he hascaught so admirably, and which never passes the bounds offriendly good-humour. The air is long, singer and orchestravying with each other in rapid animation, and the jovial,easy character of the man is fully and pleasantly expressed.^^His intercourse with Dorabella corresponds with this view.The easy, half-jesting gallantry with which he approachesher in the duet (23) belongs to his nature, and the part he isplaying is no effort to him. It is more than once madeplain that Dorabella is more strongly affected than he; aftershe has once met his advances with favour he merelyseconds her, as being pledged to do so ; but he does itwith the same ease and confidence that he has displayedthroughout.Mozart has shown correct judgment in making Guillelmoa natural, good-humoured character, instead of a caricaturedbuffo figure. But a motive seems to have been at work herewhich appears throughout the whole of " Cosi fan Tutte."It is evident that Mozart has sought to clear himself fromthe reproach that his music was too heavy, too serious for acomic opera, and to satisfy the taste of the public for whatwas light and entertaining. This demand was met in thetwo male duets, the first (7) being light and superficial, andthe second a serenade (21), which (accompanied, accordingto custom, only by wind instruments) follows a strikingchorus with a melodious and pleasing effect, but withoutindividual character. The same motive is even moreevidently at work in the character of Despina. She neverbetrays a particle of true feeling. She has no sympathy^3 Here again an alteration must have been made. The preceding recitativeended originally after Ferrando's words, " Dammi consiglio !" in C minor,whereupon the direction follows : Segue Varia dl Gnillelnio. Afterwards thetwo last bars were crossed out, and the recitative was continued on anothersheet, as it is now printed, with the same direction at the end.