Talk:Mozart's name
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For the May 2005 deletion debate on this article, see Wikipedia:Votes for deletion/Mozart's name.
I think it's probably better to keep the wording that says that multiple-language names were characteristic of composers, not emigrants. The reason is that Beethoven went by "Luigi" and "Louis" despite the fact that, to my knowledge, he never set foot in either Italy or France. The crucial bit seems to have been the need to publish in other countries, not necessarily to visit them. Also, a reader of Mozart's name is probably more interested in composers in general than in travellers in general. Opus33 16:57, 12 Dec 2004 (UTC)
- I don't want to question that Mozart probably was exceptional in the degree to which he varied his name over his lifetime, but names in the 18th century weren't as fixed in one particular form as they mostly are today. The way the article is written now, it displays a somewhat naïve and anachronistic surprise at something that was quite common at the time for anyone using different languages in different contexts, including but not excusively composers and other musicians. It is also an anachronism to write that Mozart's name was "shortened" from Wolfgangus to Wolfgang. Use of Latin forms of personal names was common in contexts where Latin was otherwise used, for instance in baptismal records, in school, and at matriculation at university. / Tupsharru 21:58, 12 Dec 2004 (UTC)
In a book "Allt som du trodde du visste men som faktiskt är alldeles fel!" [Bokförlaget Semic 2000, Sweden] (meaning about "All that you knew is in fact wrong"), it is mentioned that Mozart himself dropped "Johannes" at the age of 14 because he didn't like it. Ok, not the most reliable source, but just wanted to mention this. ~~SamuliK
[edit] Theophilus = Gottlieb
Hello, I think that it would be worth to mention the German version of the name Amadeus (Theophilus) - Gottlieb - since several sources (Google for "Gottlieb Mozart") pretend that this was the name that was actually used (until Amadeus or Amadé was preferred) and "Theophilus" was just a formal record in the register.
But I don't want to touch the article myself, I would leave this to someone with better knowledge of German language and Austria (if he can confirm the statement above). (And with better knowledge of English of course ;-)
- err, forgot to sign --Kavol 10:32, 1 February 2006 (UTC)
