Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

                Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an archetypal composer of the classical period. His works are still popular 220 years after his death. His music is known to be pure and mellifluous, passionate, and mathematically perfect. He had great influence on Western music and some of the famous composers of his time. A prodigy from birth, he wrote music all of his life and by age 14 composed his first opera. Over his life he wrote more than 600 works of music.

Early Life

            Mozart was born to Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart on January 27^th, 1756 in what is now Austria. His father was a famous violinist, so both Wolfgang and his sister Maria Anna (nicknamed Nannerl) practiced playing music from a very early age. Leopold had them play the piano and at age 7, Nannerl started her lessons with her 3 year-old brother watching. He would try to plunk out the notes she would play, and he soon out grew her with his music abilities. By age four, he could learn a piece of music in just half of an hour. At age 5 he could play the piano remarkably well, and at age 6 he began composing. Once he turned 7, Mozart and his family began touring all over Europe, Nannerl and him performing for various courts. With his father Leopold his sister Nannerl and himself, the Mozart’s were a family of talented musicians. The two young prodigies surprised and delighted the courts. During all of his traveling, Mozart heard many musicians and his own style developed.

Later Life

            Mozart didn’t stop traveling and performing until he was 23 when he got a job as court organist at Salzburg. He was informally dismissed from the court in 1781, beginning a free-lance career that was unheard for musicians. He moved to Vienna to live with a family called the Webers, and married Constanze Weber, ignoring the severe orders from his father no to. Life was looking good for him even with his free-lance career. He was composing a plethora of masterpieces, and he was a regular performer in the Viennese court. He was admired by many people and he made a considerably high living for a musician. Unfortunately he was not wise with managing his money and frequently wrote to friends asking for money. With his lifestyle, he couldn’t make a successful living and often described his wife, their two children, and himself to be in “desperate circumstances.” At this time he was also seriously ill, with what is believed to have been kidney failure. Right before his death he composed The Magic Flute and was just becoming financially stable again when his kidney failure ended his life on December 5^th 1791, at the age of 35.

Musical Style

                Mozart was a multitalented composer and wrote music for all of the major genres. He composed many operas, concertos, sonatas, string quartets, and symphonies. His musical style was probably so diverse because he traveled so much when he was young, and his style was affected by many different composers. During his lifetime piano concertos were not very popular, but Mozart changed that. He was very passionate about his music and wrote in whatever style he wanted, even though the popular one was the style gallant. It is said that while performing, Mozart was so vehement about his performances and he wanted everyone listening to be to, so he did not want any one eating or drinking.