A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mysliweczek, Josef
MYSLIWECZEK, Josef, a Bohemian composer, son of a miller, born near Prague, March 9, 1737, had a good education in the common school, and after his father's death devoted himself to music. After many attempts at composition, and much wandering, he fell upon his feet at Parma, in 1764, with an opera, the success of which was so great as to induce the Neapolitan ambassador to engage him to write the opera for the celebration of the next birthday of the king at Naples. The new piece was called Bellerofonte, and made his reputation to that degree that though he returned to the north of Italy he was recalled to Naples no less than nine times. Mozart met him at Bologna in Nov. 1772 [App. p.727 "Oct. 1770"], and again at Munich in 1777. He was evidently very gifted. Mozart says of his sonatas that 'they are bound to please, not difficult, and very effective,' and urges his sister to learn them [1]by heart. Elsewhere he speaks of him [2]as a prize difficult to replace. He was evidently very [3]fascinating, but as evidently a loose fish, unable, with all his engagements, to keep himself respectable.[4]
In 1778 he gave his Olimpiade at Naples, which threw every one into transports of enthusiasm. The famous singer Gabrielli sang his songs everywhere, and was accustomed to say that none were so suited to her voice. He died at Rome, Feb. 4, 1781, adding another to the long list of musicians whose great popularity during their lifetime was not sufficient to preserve their works from swift oblivion. Mysliweczek is said to have had a young English friend named Barry, who buried him in San Lorenzo in Lucina, and erected a monument to him there. The Italians called him Il Boëmo, in despair at the pronunciation of his proper name.[ G. ]