Mozart and scatology

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart used scatological humour in his letters and multiple recreational compositions. This material has puzzled Mozart scholars; some have attempted to understand it in relation to an “impressive list” of psychiatric conditions Mozart is claimed to have had. Others have noted that the scatology is understood in terms of its role in Mozart’s family, his society and his times. Examples A letter dated 5 November 1777 to Mozart’s cousin (and probable love-interest) Maria Anna Thekla Mozart is an example of Mozart’s use of scatology. The German original is in rhymed verse. Mozart’s canon “Leck mich im Arsch” K. 231 (K 6 382c) includes the lyrics: This would be translated into English as “lick me in the arse, quickly, quickly!” “Leck mich im Arsch” is a standard vulgarism in German, euphemistically called the Swabian salute (). Although contemporary German would rather say “Leck mich am Arsch.” The closest English counterpart is “Kiss my arse”. Context Musicologist David Schroeder wrote in 1999: The passage of time has created an almost unbridgeable gulf between ourselves and Mozart’s time, forcing us to misread his scatological letters even more drastically than his ot