Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Casa natale di Mozart

Louis Carrogis dit Carmontelle - Portrait de Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Salzbourg, 1756-Vienne, 1791) jouant à Paris avec son père Jean... - Google Art Project

Portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the age of 13 in Verona, 1770

Mozart's old home

Martini bologna mozart 1777

Error creating thumbnail:

Croce MozartFamilyPortrait

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Born in Salzburg, in the Holy Roman Empire (now in Austria), Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. At 17, he was engaged as a musician at the Salzburg court but grew restless and traveled in search of a better position. While visiting Vienna in 1781, he was dismissed from his Salzburg position. He chose to stay in the capital, where he achieved fame but little financial security. During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of his early death at the age of 35.

Early Life

Mozart was born to Leopold Mozart, who was a composer, and Anna Maria, née Pertl. Leopold was a successful composer, violinist, and assistant concert master at the Salzburg court. Wolfgang's ability in music was evident by the age of three, at which point his father began teaching him intensive musical training, including keyboard and violin. His sister, Maria Anna (Nannerl), also a talented musician, was part of the early musical tours arranged by their father. These tours across Europe were aimed at showcasing the extraordinary talents of the young prodigy to various courts.

Career

Mozart's career is often divided into three periods: early, middle, and late. The early period includes his time in Salzburg and his travels through Europe as a child. During the middle period, after moving to Vienna, Mozart composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, as well as his Requiem. The late period saw Mozart continuing to compose at a rapid pace, despite financial difficulties and declining health.

Vienna Years

The Vienna years were marked by a struggle for a successful career in music, financial stability, and personal happiness. Mozart married Constanze Weber in 1782, and the couple had six children, though only two survived infancy. Despite his success with compositions, Mozart often faced financial difficulties due to a lavish lifestyle and lack of consistent employment. He sought to earn income through teaching, writing music, and giving concerts, and while he enjoyed popularity among the public, his financial situation remained precarious.

Death

Mozart died on 5 December 1791 at the age of 35. The circumstances of his death have been much mythologized and speculated upon. He was buried in a common grave, in accordance with contemporary Viennese custom, at the St. Marx Cemetery outside the city.

Legacy

Mozart's work spans multiple genres, including opera, symphony, chamber music, solo concertos, and choral music, and is celebrated for its vibrancy, complexity, and emotional depth. His influence on Western music is profound; Ludwig van Beethoven, a younger contemporary, was deeply influenced by his work. Mozart's ability to synthesize the music of his predecessors and contemporaries into a unique style played a significant role in the development of the Classical style. Today, he is universally recognized as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music.