WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)

A Composer of the Classical era.

Encouraged by his father, Leopold, Wolfgang Mozart began playing the clavier (a keyboard instrument like a piano) at the age of four. In less than a year, he began composing, and by age ten Wolfgang had written his first symphony. He could play any music put in front of him on the clavier, organ or violin. He wrote his first opera at fourteen.

Wolfgang was a child musical prodigy. His father, a violinist, guided Wolfgang’s career as a touring concert artist throughout Europe. In addition to presenting his son’s talent to huge audiences, Leopold wanted Wolfgang to become familiar with the various style of music popular throughout Europe.

When they were’t touring, Wolfgang and his father were employed by the Archbishop of Salzburg-Leopold as an orchestra conductor and Wolfgang as a violinist. The archbishop recognized Wolfgang’s talent and allowed father and son to take leaves of absence for concert tours. When the archbishop died, his successor ended the concert tours and eventually fired Wolfgang. Leopold remained as orchestra conductor.

In 1781 (age25), Mozart moved to Vienna, Austria, and became a full-time composer and music teacher. Although several of is compositions had been published, he soon realized that he earned less money as a composer Tham as a performer. He married in 1782, but his new wife Constanze found it difficult to deal with his inability to make money as a composer. She encouraged him to seek a position as court musician.

He took a job as the private musician to the emperor of Austria in 1878. This gave him a small but steady income. As a court musician, Mozart was required to compose music for many occasions, both public performances and for private gatherings hosted by the emperor. He continued composing music for the emperor, as well as other musical groups in Vienna, until his death just four years later at the age of 35. Eventually all the hard work of continuous composing and trying to make money caused his health to fail. He died a very poor, overworked musical genius.

Mozart wrote hundreds of musical works, including symphonies, operas, concertos, oratorios, and solo works for clavier. Most of these works were performed in Vienna with great success. Throughout his life, Mozart never had any difficulty in getting his music performed or published, and it was very much admired and appreciated by audiences in Vienna and throughout Europe.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a short man with piercing eyes and long hair that he groomed carefully. He was outgoing, always friendly, and enjoyed the company of others. He is considered one of the greatest composers of the eighteenth century. He worked tirelessly as a composer and wrote a huge number of works during his short life.