23 ([return])
[ Wieland enthusiastically praises the completed drama (Auswahl, Denkw., Briefe, II., pp. 14, 26). Soon afterwards (p. 27) he wished the conclusion altered, and complained that the virtuous people were unreal, and the wicked ones veritable demons. Ramier, Sulzer, Thümmel, also spoke highly in praise of "König Thamos" (Schlegel, Deutsch. Mus., IV., pp. 139, 153, 159). It was at once translated into French (Wieland, Auswahl. Denkw. Briefe, II., p. 30), and into Italian in 1780, by J. S. von Berghoff, secretary to Prince Colloredo. A handsomely bound copy of this translation is preserved with Mozart's score; it was probably sent to the Archbishop, and Mozart may have thought of adapting his choruses to the Italian version.]
24 ([return])
[ Schweitzer professed to discern in the composer to the choruses which Gebler sent to Ramier and Wieland a beginner of great promise. That this talented beginner was not Mozart (although he was in Vienna in the summer of 1773) no one who casts a glance over the choruses will for a moment doubt. "Two choruses to the play of 'Thamos' by Mozart, scored for the piano by C. Zulehner," were published by Simrock, in Bonn, and are certainly not genuine. The fact that Mozart was known to have written an anonymous composition for the stage no doubt caused this one to be attributed to him.]
25 ([return])
[ Gebler was Grand Master of the district lodge, "zum neuen Bund," in 1784 (Lewis, Gesch. d. Freimaurerei in Oesterreich, p. 162).]
26 ([return])
[ This concluding chorus is wanting in Gebler's works, and in the Italian translation thus proving its Salzburg origin.]
27 ([return])
[ As early as 1799 the following inquiry was made in the Intelligenz-Blatt of the A. M. Z., II., p. 21: "Among Mozart's posthumous works has been found a German vaudeville, written apparently in 1778 or 1779; it is without a title, and contains the following characters: Gomaz, Zaide, Sultan, Zaram, Soliman, Osmin, &c. Any person acquainted with the title of this work, or with the fact of its having been printed, is requested to communicate with the editor of this paper." The inquiry appears to have remained unanswered.]