Brett Jones reads from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s letters to friends and family for the June 9 performance of Mozart’s Joys and Sorrows at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.

Brett’s readings will complement the performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Requiem Mass by the VBF Orchestra and Choir led by conductor Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez.

We asked Brett about reading from the letters and his upcoming performance.

VBF: What sense do you get of Mozart from reading these personal letters?

BRETT: I get the sense that Mozart was very confident in his skills, sometimes needy and naïve, and a thoughtful man of faith. He seems deeply devoted to family in both moments of great joy and times of intense sorrow. His deep connection to his kin is obvious in every letter chosen for this performance. And a jokester—he’s very funny!

VBF: Do you have a favorite quote from the letters?

BRETT: I have two favorite quotes. The first, “My goal is to secure a small but steady income—which, together with other opportunities, will allow me to live here reasonably well.” Consider that… one of the greatest minds to walk the planet, whose creations have endured centuries and will likely endure centuries more, was in search of a “small and steady income.” It seems like such a modest goal.  I rarely meet people who are content with “small and steady.” A man of such incredible ability, but in search of a regular income to relieve his debts. But then, Mozart was also an impulse buyer and liked to dress well. Some of the letters we’re not reading on Saturday talk about desperate debts to the haberdasher—so that may be where much of his “small but steady income” went!

My second favorite quote is “I have also gotten fatter!” Probably because I can so readily relate to the sentiment.

VBF: What effect do you think hearing from Mozart’s letters will have on the audience’s experience of his music?

BRETT: With any work of art, it’s always intriguing and compelling to get a sense of the artist’s life. Understanding the lives of artists gives a very specific context to experiencing their creations. While we can appreciate a piece on its own without a framework, understanding “the story” of the work’s creator brings a richness and an intimacy to the experience.