Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on the 27th of January 1756 to Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria at Getreidegasse 9 in Salzburg. His father, a skilled pedagogue and minor composer, taught him keyboard and violin by age five. By that same year, the young boy had already begun composing little pieces which he played for his father. These early works, numbered K. 1 through 5, were recorded in the Nannerl Notenbuch, a notebook kept by his sister Maria Anna. At just three years old, Wolfgang watched his seven-year-old sister take lessons before joining in himself. He could play minuets faultlessly with great delicacy while keeping exact time. The family embarked on grand tours of Europe starting in 1762. They performed at courts in Munich, Vienna, Prague, Paris, London, and many other cities over three and a half years. During these journeys, eight-year-old Mozart wrote his first symphony, most of which was transcribed by his father. In London during 1764 and 1765, he met Johann Christian Bach, who became a particularly significant influence on his developing style.
Mozart returned from Italy on the 13th of March 1773 to accept employment as court musician under Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo. His annual salary was only 150 florins, a sum that left him increasingly discontented despite artistic successes like five violin concertos written between April and December 1775. The court theatre closed in 1775, eliminating rare opportunities for opera composition. Two long expeditions searching for better positions followed: one to Vienna from July to September 1773 and another to Munich from December 1774 through March 1775. Neither visit succeeded in securing permanent employment. By August 1777, Mozart resigned his Salzburg position and traveled with his mother toward Augsburg, Mannheim, Paris, and Munich. He fell in love with Aloysia Weber but found no prospects there. After moving to Paris on the 14th of March 1778, he faced debt and pawned valuables. His mother died on the 3rd of July 1778 after delays calling a doctor due to lack of funds. When offered a post as court organist paying 450 florins annually back home, he remained reluctant to accept. Relations with Melchior Grimm cooled before he moved out of her residence at 5 rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin. He finally returned to Salzburg on the 15th of January 1779, yet his dissatisfaction persisted.
In March 1781, Mozart was summoned to Vienna where Archbishop Colloredo attended celebrations for Emperor Joseph II's accession. The archbishop expected his musical servant to dine with valets and cooks rather than among nobility. Attempts to resign were refused until permission came the following month in an insulting manner: dismissal literally administered by Count Arco with what became known as a kick in the arse. Mozart chose to remain in Vienna as a freelance performer and composer instead of returning to Salzburg. He established himself as the finest keyboard player in the city, notably competing against Muzio Clementi before the Emperor on the 24th of December 1781. In 1782, he completed Die Entführung aus dem Serail which premiered on the 16th of July that year achieving considerable success throughout German-speaking Europe. Near this time, he moved in with the Weber family who had relocated from Mannheim. His courtship of Constanze Weber faced obstacles including brief breakups over jealousy episodes involving calf measurements during parlour games. They married on the 4th of August 1782 at St. Stephen's Cathedral just before his father's consenting letter arrived. The couple adopted a luxurious lifestyle moving into expensive apartments renting for 460 florins annually while purchasing fine instruments costing hundreds of florins. Despite substantial returns from concerts presenting three or four new piano concertos each season, Mozart saved little income.
Mozart studied scores by Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel through Gottfried van Swieten's collection beginning around 1782. This exposure inspired compositions incorporating Baroque features like fugal passages found later in The Magic Flute and Symphony No. 41 Jupiter finale. By 1785, he met Joseph Haydn becoming friends who sometimes played chamber music together with other acquaintances. Their friendship produced six quartets dedicated to Haydan between 1782 and 1785 responding directly to Haydn's Opus 33 set from 1781. Haydn declared that posterity would not see such talent again within one hundred years telling Mozart's father personally about his son's greatness. From 1782 to 1785 Mozart mounted concerts featuring himself as piano soloist presenting multiple new works each season at unconventional venues including large rooms in Trattnerhof apartment buildings and ballrooms of Mehlgrube restaurant. These performances created harmonious connections between eager composer-performers and delighted audiences witnessing transformation of major musical genres. Around late 1785, he shifted focus away from keyboard writing toward operatic collaboration with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte starting Le nozze di Figaro premiere in Vienna during 1786. His String Quartet in C major K. 465 from 1785 introduced chromatic suspensions earning the nickname Dissonance quartet while exploiting chromatic harmony throughout his final decade.
Mozart's last year before illness struck was marked by extraordinary productivity despite financial anxiety earlier in 1790. He composed The Magic Flute opera alongside final piano concerto No. 27 in B minor K. 595 released around November 1791. Additional masterpieces included Clarinet Concerto K. 622 completed that same year plus string quintet K. 614 in E major and motet Ave verum corpus K. 618. Financial circumstances improved as wealthy patrons in Hungary and Amsterdam pledged annuities returning occasional compositions. Mozart stopped borrowing large sums from Michael von Puchberg beginning repayment of existing debts. Public success arrived notably through multiple performances of The Magic Flute between its premiere date and Mozart's death on the 5th of December 1791. Little Masonic Cantata K. 623 premiered on the 17th of November 1791 receiving enthusiastic reception. During this period, he worked intensely finishing compositions at tremendous pace approaching deadlines. About 320 sketches and drafts survive covering roughly ten percent of his total output though many were destroyed by widow Constanze after his passing. Evidence suggests minimal dictation to student Franz Xaver Süssmayr regarding unfinished Requiem K. 626 which remained incomplete upon his death.
In period immediately following Mozart's death, unprecedented wave enthusiasm emerged surrounding his work. Biographies appeared first by Friedrich Schlichtegroll Franz Xaver Niemetschek Georg Nikolaus von Nissen while publishers competed producing complete editions of compositions. His most famous pupil Johann Nepomuk Hummel became transitional figure between Classical Romantic eras spending two childhood years within Mozarts' Vienna home. Beethoven deeply influenced by Mozart's work studied scores becoming standard training component for classical musicians ever since surge in reputation after 1791. Modern life reflects widespread legacy evident through concert programming broadcasts recordings popular culture items. Salzburg abandoned by Mozart in frustration during 1781 transformed into pilgrimage destination hosting renowned music festival International Mozarteum Foundation scholarly institute studying life works today. Both homes converted into museums preserving birthplace Getreidegasse 9 Tanzmeisterhaus residence reconstructed 1996. City maintains leading research institution dedicated examination preservation understanding Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart contributions spanning symphonies operas chamber music choral music completed more than eight hundred works including outstanding examples genres contemporary times.
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Common questions
When and where was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart born?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on the 27th of January 1756 at Getreidegasse 9 in Salzburg. His parents were Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria.
Who taught Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart keyboard and violin skills?
Leopold Mozart, his father, taught him keyboard and violin by age five. The young boy began composing little pieces which he played for his father that same year.
What happened to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart when he returned from Italy in 1773?
Mozart returned from Italy on the 13th of March 1773 to accept employment as court musician under Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo. He received an annual salary of only 150 florins which left him increasingly discontented despite artistic successes like five violin concertos written between April and December 1775.
How did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart die and what works remained unfinished?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died on the 5th of December 1791 while working intensely on compositions including the Requiem K. 626 which remained incomplete upon his death. Evidence suggests minimal dictation to student Franz Xaver Süssmayr regarding this unfinished work.
When did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart marry Constanze Weber?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart married Constanze Weber on the 4th of August 1782 at St. Stephen's Cathedral just before his father's consenting letter arrived. The couple adopted a luxurious lifestyle moving into expensive apartments renting for 460 florins annually.