Wie unglücklich bin ich nit, K. 147
par Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart’s German song Wie unglücklich bin ich nit (K. 147) is a compact strophic Lied for solo voice and keyboard, probably written in Salzburg in 1772, when the composer was 16. Though little documented, its sighing rhetoric and plain-spoken accompaniment show Mozart testing the expressive range of the intimate, domestic song.
Background and Context
In 1772, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) was back in Salzburg, newly appointed as Konzertmeister to the Prince-Archbishop’s court and composing across genres while still absorbing the newer stylistic currents he had encountered on his Italian journeys. Wie unglücklich bin ich nit (K. 147) belongs to this youthful Salzburg moment and survives in a short, single-page design for voice and keyboard [1].
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The dating is usually given as 1772, but without a firm day or documented first performance; the text poet is likewise unknown in standard reference listings [1] [2]. In scale and intent, it sits comfortably among the “small forms” through which Mozart learned to fuse declamation, melody, and harmony with immediate emotional legibility.
Musical Character
Despite its modest dimensions, the song is tellingly crafted. It is notated in F major and marked as a single Lied, with the keyboard part largely supporting the vocal line in a straightforward, accompaniment-led texture rather than competing as an equal partner [1]. The vocal writing favors clear, singable contours—more conversational than virtuosic—while the harmonic turns and cadences underline the text’s complaint (“How unhappy I am”) with a gently insistent, periodically “sighing” affect.
Heard against Mozart’s later Lieder, the piece is an early study: economical, text-forward, and designed for close listening in a private room. Yet even here, one senses a budding dramatic instinct—the ability to make a brief span feel like a scene, not merely a tune.
[1] IMSLP work page for *Wie unglücklich bin ich nit*, K. 147/125g (general info: key, scoring, date uncertainty; links to scans/editions).
[2] Klassika entry for *Wie unglücklich bin ich nit*, KV 147 (basic catalogue data; notes unknown poet).