Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart’s FamilyBorn into a musical familyFather, Leopold, was a distinguished

violinist and composer.He held the position of deputy music

director at the court of Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg in Austria and authored an important book on violin playing

Sister was also a talented musician, but was it was unaccepted for women to pursue a life in music

Father devoted his life to promoting young Wolfgang’s talent

Mozart’s Early Life Born in 1756, at age four, he was already

displaying his musical talent At age 6, he had started to compose and

performed well on harpsichord. For the next 10 years, his father took him on

tour to various courts and towns around Europe. Mozart played for nobleman, princes, and the Empress of Austria, Maria Theresa

Wherever Mozart went, he picked up the musical style of the region and the prominent local composers

At age 8, Mozart already had music published At 10, he was composing symphonies At 14, he produced a full-length opera At 17, when he returned to Salzburg, he was a

mature artist

Finding Mozart a job after his tourNot easyArchbishop of Salzburg agreed to hire Mozart, even though he did not think highly of the family because of Leopold Mozart’s many leaves of absence

Mozart was hired in a junior position

After a few years Mozart traveled again to find another position

Job searching againMozart leaves to find a job with his mother

because his father could not take any more leaves of absence

He went to Munich, Mannheim and Paris, but had no luck

The employers thought that he was “overqualified”

On the trip, his mother diesUpon returning to Salzburg, Mozart is given a

promotion In 1780, Mozart accompanied the Archbishop

to ViennaWhile on the trip, Mozart had to live in

servants quarters and was not allowed to play for the aristocrats, even though he was invited

He felt this was unfair and quit his position with the Archbishop of Salzburg

Freelance PeriodMozart first supported himself by

giving piano lessons while composing several piano sonatas and concertos

In 1782, he composed a German comic opera: The Abduction from the Seraglio

Also in 1782, he married his land-lady’s daughter, a young soprano named Constanze Weber; his father disapproved of this union

Great FameFor the next few years, Mozart was successfulHe composed a set of string quartets that were

designed to emulate those of Haydn, to whom they are dedicated

The two composers met on a few occasions at string quartet parties; Haydn played violin and Mozart played the viola.

In these years, Mozart won great fame and made quite a lot of money (It was the height of his career)

Between 1784 and 1786, he composed 12 piano concertos and appear5ed before the Viennese public as both a pianist and a composer.

Mozart’s Fame declines Viennese always looking for the new sensation

and the city was undergoing a recession From the late 1780’s, Mozart requested loans

from friends Despite his despise of authority, he made

attempts to secure a position at the Viennese court.

In the summer of 1788, he composed 3 symphonies in a span of about 8 weeks, (no. 39, 40, and 41) These concluded his work in this genre.

He next turned towards opera writing. In the last five years of his life, he composed 5 operas (The Marriage of Figaro 1786, Don Giovanni 1787 and The Magic Flute 1791)

In November of 1791, while working on a Requiem Mass, (Mass for the Dead) Mozart became ill.

On December 5, at age 35, Mozart dies

Mozart’s MusicAccessible and profound. It

appeals to experts and amateursHe composed more than 800

compositions including: Operas, symphonies, string quartets and quintets, sonatas, and concertos for violin, flute, oboe, clarinet bassoon and horn

He composed more than 20 piano concertos

Composed music that was unconventionalUsed counterpoint to intensify his

music in places where counterpoint was not usual

Uses chromaticismOften passes in minor modeHe uses the same instruments, forms

and genres, but Mozart is so well-known because his music speaks deeply to more people, covers a wider range of feeling and resonates with more human significance than that of almost any other composer.