1 (return)
[ Confirmed by Kelly (Reminisc., I., p. 257).]

2 (return)
[ L. de Lomenin, Beaumarchais et son Temps, II., p. 293.]

3 (return)
[ The piece in various translations was soon familiar on every stage in Germany. A. Lewald has lately issued a new translation of it (Beaumarchais, Stuttg., 1839).]

4 (return)
[ In Paris (in 1793) the unfortunate idea was conceived of performing Mozart's music with Beaumarchais' complete dialogue (Castil-Blaze, L'Acad. Imp. de Mus., II., p. 19). Beaumarchais was pleased with the representation, though not with the adaptation (Lomenin, Beaumarchais, II., p. 585). A notice of the performance says: "The music impressed us as being beautiful, rich in harmony, and artistically worked out. The melodies are pleasing, without being piquant. Some of the ensemble movements are of extreme beauty."]

5 (return)
[ Schneider, Gesch, d. Oper in Berlin, p. 59.]

6 (return)
[ Aus einer alten Kiste, p. 177. Meyer, L. Schroder, II., p. 55.]

7 (return)
[ Sainte-Beuve, Causeries du Lundi, VI., p. 188.]

8 (return)
[ Car. Pichler, Denkw., I., p. 103.]

9 (return)
[ From Herder's Nachlass, III., p. 67.]

10 (return)
[ The intellectual transformation which the French comedy underwent at Mozart's hands has often been insisted upon, e.g., by Beyle (Vies de Haydn, Mozart et de MÉtastase, p. 359), who, while recognising Mozart's excellence, is yet of opinion that Fioravanti or Cimarosa would perhaps have succeeded better in reproducing the easy cheerfulness of the original. Rochlitz also (A. M. Z., III., pp. 594, 595) and Ulibicheff (II., p. 48) appear to consider the remodelling of the piece as not altogether perfect. On the other hand, an enthusiastic article in the Revue des Deux Mondes (XVIII., p. 844, translated in A. M. Z., XLII., p. 589), extols Mozart as the master who has given to Beaumarchais' work that which Mozart alone could have detected in the subject of it, viz., poetry. Cf. Hotho Vorstudien fur Leben und Kunst, p. 69.]

11 (return)
[ In the very characteristic and amusing duet for the two quarrelling women in Auber's "Maurer" the realism of the musical representation is of some detriment to the grace of expression and delivery.]

12 (return)
[ He declares that he so astonished Casti and Paesiello by his power of mimicry that, although he was very young, they intrusted him with the difficult part of Gafforio in the "Re Teodoro," in which he made a great sensation (Remin., I., p. 241).]

13 (return)
[ Berl. Mus. Ztg. 1793, p. 138.]

14 (return)
[ Bussani, who sang Bartolo and Antonio, had been in the Italian Opera in Vienna in 1772 but left it the following year. He was noted for his "resonant barn voice" (MÜller, Genaue Nachr., p. 73).]

15 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I., pp. 121, 196.]

16 (return)
[ P. Scudo, Musique Ancienne et Moderne, pp. 22, 23.]

17 (return)
[ Thus in Bartolo's air the close juxtaposition of major and minor at the words "È bassezza È ognor viltÀ," exactly expresses the intensification of his feeling of annoyance.]

18 (return)
[ Rochitz, A. M. Z., III., p. 595.]

19 (return)
[ A hasty sketch of the voice part shows only trifling alterations in the later melody. It is noteworthy that Mozart made many attempts before hitting upon a satisfactory conclusion.]

20 (return)
[ A. M. Z., XXIV., p. 284.]

21 (return)
[ She first appeared October 13, 1788, as Diana in Martin's "Arbore di Diana" (Wien. Ztg., 1788, No. 83, Anh.).]

22 (return)
[ Wien. Ztg., 1789, No. 76, Anh., announces, "Neues Rondeau von Mme. Ferrarese aus Le Nozze di Figaro, Giunse alfin Rec. Al desio Rondeau." The air is published with the character given, "La Contessa," without any further intimation. Mozart's autograph has disappeared, but AndrÉ has a copy of the air with the recitative from Mozart's remains, both marked for "Susanna." This increases the difficulty which exists respecting it (Sonnleithner, Recensionen, 1865, p. 721).]

23 (return)
[ In the original score of "Figaro" the conclusion of the secco recitative is followed by the words, "Segue Recit. instrumental con Rondo di Susanna." The present garden aria could scarcely be called a rondo, and this probably refers to another air, the design of which was abandoned.]

24 (return)
[ It is printed in a pianoforte arrangement among the songs (Ouvr., V., 20).]

25 (return)
[ Written above it in a strange hand is, "Le Nozze di Figaro. 13 Atto 2do," and the cue, "e pur n' ho paura." Counting the pieces this air is in the second act, No. 13, in G major, like the preceding one; if it is assumed that the opera is divided into two acts, the garden air would be No. 13 in the second act. The cues are not to be found in both places, so that an alteration must have been made in the dialogue. The cue agrees in sense with the words of the Countess before the dressing song, ( Miserabili noi, se il conte viene).]

26 (return)
[ In the original terzet, when the parts went together, the highest was given to the Countess; Mozart afterwards altered it, wherever dramatic expression allowed, so that Susanna should sing the highest part; this has necessitated trifling modifications here and there in the disposition of parts. This alteration was no doubt undertaken with a view to the singers. In the two finales their relative position was settled before he proceeded to the working-out.]

27 (return)
[ According to Beyle, it is only in this duet that Mozart has rendered the character of French comedy, and even here he takes Figaro's jealousy too seriously (Vies de Haydn, Mozart et de MÉtastase, p. 361).]

28 (return)
[ Cramer, Magaz. f. Mus., 1788, II., p. 48. She first appeared on September' 24, 1784, with success (Wien. Ztg., 1784, No. 79, Anh.), and she appeared again after a pause in "Figaro" (Wien. Ztg., 1786, No. 35, Anh.).]

29 (return)
[ Berl. Mus. Ztg., 1793, p. 134.]

30 (return)
[ Da Ponte, Mem., I., 2, p. 111; cf. p. 135.]

31 (return)
[ The fragment of a sketch in score for this air is identical in the first division; the words "solo ai nomi d'amor, di diletto," are treated differently. A pianoforte arrangement of the air with violin accompaniment, entirely in Mozart's handwriting, is in Jules Andre's collection.]

32 (return)
[ Dohrn, N. Ztschr. Mus., XL, p. 168.]

33 (return)
[ The duet has undergone three unnecessary abbreviations in the printing. The sketch of a few bars to serve as an introduction to another duet has the superscription "Atto 2do, Scena 3, invece del Duetto di Susanna e Cherubino." This was apparently never continued.]

34 (return)
[ This connected construction of the different sections of the finale is seldom found; they are generally merely successive scenas, as, for instance, in Casti's "Re Teodoro."]

35 (return)
[ Mozart has written above it, "Andante di molto," and not "Andante con moto" as it is printed; and it may further be noted that Susanna comes out of the closet "tutta grave."]

36 (return)
[ Holmes says (Life of Mozart, p. 269) that Mozart wrote this finale in two nights and a day, without stopping; in the course of the second night he became unwell, and was obliged to desist when there only remained a few pages to instrumentalise.]

37 (return)
[ Zelter, Briefw. m. Goethe, V., p. 434.]

38 (return)
[ Basilio and Don Curzio being intrusted to one singer, as well as Bartolo and'Antonio, the score contains the names of the four characters, but only two musical parts; supernumeraries were brought on the stage in similar costumes when required.]

39 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I., p. 260.]

40 (return)
[ At first he gave Susanna's charming melody to the bassoon and flute as well, but afterwards struck out both instruments, in order to allow the voice full play. The instrumentation throughout the sestet is very moderately treated.]

41 (return)
[ Kelly, Reminisc., I., p. 260.]

42 (return)
[ The running passages at the close of the air for the Countess (Act III., 2) were not originally written by Mozart, but were added later, probably at the wish of the singer.]

43 (return)
[ Cf. Kossmaly to Ulibicheff, Mozarts Opern, p. 368.]

44 (return)
[ This exquisite touch is completely lost in the German translation, where the Countess only begins to dictate after the ritornello.]

45 (return)
[ A writer in the Deutsch. Mus. Ztg., 1862, p. 253, conjectures that an orchestral piece in D minor (101, Anh., K.) included among Mozart's remains, but unfortunately lost, may have been this middle movement.]

46 (return)
[ The Emperor Joseph's remark has been already mentioned. Carpani (Le Haydine, p. 49; cf. p. 35) is of the same opinion. GrÉtiy's shrewd criticism in answer to a question by Napoleon: "Cimarosa met la statue sur le thÉÄtre et le piÉdestal dans l'orchestre; au lieu que Mozart met la statue dans l'orchestre et le piÉdestal sur le thÉÄtre," has been justly praised by FÉtis (Biogr. Univ., IV., p. 106).]

47 (return)
[ Carpani, Le Haydine, p. 202. Beyle, Vies de Haydn, Mozart et de MÉtastase, p. 362. Stendsal, Vie de Rossini, p. 40.]

48 (return)
[ SÜdd. Zeitg. f. Mus., 1861, p. 24.]

49 (return)
[ H. Berlioz (Voy. Mus., II., p. 267) characterises Mozart as the master who, above all others, followed in Gluck's footsteps.]

50 (return)
[ Tieck, Dramaturg. Blatter, II., p. 325.]