SearchResearch Challenge (9/19/18): Mysteries from Mozart's time

[Dan Russell]

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

SearchResearch Challenge (9/19/18): Mysteries from Mozart's time

Salzburg was Mozart's home ... 

... in his pre-Vienna years.  It's where he was born, lived, and launched his career.  

When I was visiting earlier this year, I visited several of the places that Mozart lived and performed.  As you'd expect, as I looked around, I noticed a few things--things that struck me as funny/odd.  Of course, being a curious fellow, I had to look these things up with a bit of online research.  Can you answer these oddities as well?  

Here are three of the things I had to look up.  I was surprised at the answers to each of these.  

1.  As you know, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had a famous sister--also a performing prodigy.  Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart, called Marianne and given the nickname "Nannerl." She was his older sister, but in nearly every picture of her, she's got a remarkable head of hair.  See this picture below: 

Nannerl and Wolfgang Mozart playing two-handed duets at the piano

The question I had was How do you sleep with hair like that?  Or, I suppose, the other way to think about it would be How much time do you spend on hair like that?  Any ideas?  


2.  When I visited the Mozart residence at No. 8 Makartplatz (the so-called "Dance Master's House," aka Tanzmeisterhaus), I was struck by the odd appearance of one of Mozart's pianos--the key colors are reversed!  The accidentals are white, while the naturals are black.  Here's what I mean; Mozart's piano keyboard is on the left, while a current piano keyboard is on the right. 

So... when did the colors change from black naturals to white naturals... and why? 


3.  Speaking of Fermi Estimation and Mozart's piano (we were, weren't we?)... What would you estimate as the total number of pianos in Salzburg during the year when Mozart left Salzburg for Vienna?  How would you do this estimate?  

Austrian pianos over the years

As always (and I hate to sound like an 8th grade math teacher), show your work!  At least tell us how you answered each of the Challenges!  

(And note that you don't need to answer all three of the Challenges.  If you don't have enough time, just do one.  But be sure to tell us HOW you figured out the answer. 

I'll write up what I found next week.  

Until then, Search On! 

-- Dan