“No.” I answer, “the bass-trumpet!”
“So, so!” they say—“the bass-trumpet, eh, Herr von Nepomuck?”
“Have you tried your notes through, Herr von Nepomuck?”
“Yes, indeed! Herr von Mozart! and I am delighted with the long full tones; but in the two choruses are a few hard notes.”
“Pah! you will get through with them, Herr von Nepomuck!”
“I hope so, Herr von Mozart, and will do my best.”
They walked a little longer, chatting, in the shaded avenue, and then betook themselves to the theatre.
The rehearsal began; Mozart was everywhere! now in the orchestra, now on the stage, directing or improving the scenic arrangements. In the ball scene of the first act, where Bassi did not dance to please him, he himself joined the circle and danced a minuet with Zerlina with so much grace, that he did all credit to his master Noverre. So by a bold stroke he amended the shriek of Zerlina, which after repeated ‘Da capos’ did not suit him; creeping behind her at the moment she was about to repeat the cry for the fourth time, he suddenly seized her with such violence that, really frightened, she screamed in good earnest; whereupon he cried laughing, “bravo! that is what I want! you must shriek in that way at the representation.”
The good-humored little Bondini forgave him her fright; but an instruction in the second act was not so well received. Here, in the church-yard scene, to strengthen the effect of both adagios, which the statue has to sing, he had placed the three trumpeters behind the monument. In the second adagio the trumpeters blew wrong; Mozart cried, “Da capo!” it was repeated and this time the bass only failed. The master went to the desk, and patiently showed Nepomuck how he wanted the notes played; but even after the third repetition Nepomuck made the same blunder.
“What the mischief, Stradetzky!” cried Mozart, with vexation, and stamping his foot; “you must play correctly!”