Mozart

(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

1756–1791

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a genius composer of the Classical period, created over 600 works in the 35 years that he lived. He composed small instrumental pieces as well as hours of operatic music, his favorite type of work. He remains one of the most famous composers of his time, and his musical pieces are still widely used.

MOZART AS A CHILD

Even when Mozart was a young child, he displayed remarkable musical ability—he wrote his first compositions at the age of five, and he showed extraordinary skill on the keyboard and the violin. His father, a minor composer and music teacher, soon saw that his son’s talent far surpassed his own, and he encouraged Mozart and his sister Nannerl to travel Europe as child prodigies. Later, he went on another European tour, this time with his father, and during his travels he was accepted into the Philharmonic Academy of Bologna. After writing a highly popular opera in Milan at the age of 14, he returned twice more with two new works, but unfortunately, his success did not result in professional employment as his father had hoped. Instead, he began work as a court musician in Salzburg under the Archbishop Colloredo, but he was discontent with the low salary and works he was made to compose. Only a few years after taking the position at Salzburg, Mozart resigned and set out in search of a new career, but his efforts were unsuccessful and he was forced to pawn his valuables to pay his debts. His mother, who had accompanied him on the trip, fell ill and passed away while in France.

Meanwhile, his father had procured for him a better career under the Archbishop, and while Mozart remained discontent with Salzburg, he reluctantly took the position out of necessity. After one year and the composition of a highly successful opera, Mozart left Salzburg for Vienna, where he married Constanze Weber and prospered as a pianist and composer. Supported by the returns from his concerts, Mozart and his family adopted a lavish lifestyle, purchasing an expensive apartment and hiring several servants. Unfortunately, the family’s financial situation soon became dire, as Mozart appeared less frequently in concerts and his income dropped substantially. Austria was at war with the Turks, and the time was a difficult one for all artists. Mozart’s success only improved during his final year, when he wrote several of his most renowned works and his profits began to grow once more. Mozart fell ill in Prague while premiering one of his most recently completed operas, and he lived to conduct the premiere of another work, The Magic Flute, before passing away in December.

Key events during the life of Wolfgang Mozart:

Year	Event
1756	Born
1762	Performed with his sister at an exhibition at the court of Maximilian III
1764	Visited Johann Christian Bach, son of Johann Sebastian Bach
1769	Traveled to Italy with his father
1778	His mother became ill and passed away
1781	Departed to Venice, where he found work as a freelance musician
1782	Married Constanze Weber
1784	Became a freemason
1788	Fell into financial ruin
1791	Composed several of his most famous works
1791	Died at the age of 35 after falling ill in Prague

Book Links
Mozart's Youth  by  George Upton

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Mozart—Boy Musician  in	Ten Boys from History  by   Kate Dickinson Sweetser

Image Links
Standing by the pedals, he trod them and struck keys as correctly  in  Mozart's Youth	He failed to observe a gentleman who had  in  Mozart's Youth	Hardly had he blown the first cruel notes  in  Mozart's Youth
He greeted the ladies courteously.  in  Mozart's Youth

Contemporary	Short Biography
Bach	German composer associated with Baroque classical music.
Louis XVI	King during the French revolution. Beheaded by republicans who sought to overthrow the monarchy.
Beethoven	One of the most brilliant classical composers of all time. Continued to compose, perform, and conduct, even when deaf.
Joseph Haydn	Very influential composer from Vienna who was an associate of Mozart, and a teacher of Beethoven.