Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart January 27th, December 5th, 1791 By Brock Buckway

The Early Life of Mozart On January 27th, 1756 Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart gave birth to a musical prodigy named Wolfgang Mozart. Mozarts parents lived in Salzburg, which is known as Austria today. Growing up music surrounded the Mozart family, his father worked as a musician, playing the violin for the Prince Archbishop’s Orchestra.

Theophilus and Amadeus meaning “Loved by God” were his given names which allows us to know that he and his family were of a strong religious background, and followed the Catholic faith as did most Austrians during this era. From the very beginning family was the most important focus in the Mozart’s household. They were very close as a family, and due to Leopold’s love for music, it was always playing throughout the house. In the previous slide. “Portrait said to be of Mozart as a child. he is holding a bird’s nest, possibly a nightingale’s, a bird with one of the most musical songs. As an adult, Mozart kept a pet starling.” Marcus Weeks, Mozart, The Boy Who Changed the World With His Music (North America: The National Geographic Society, 2007) p. 8

His Introduction to Music From the time he first started to walk, Mozart was learning to play the piano. When he was four years of age, he was excelling in playing the piano, and by the age of five he was playing his own miniature violin. He loved playing these instruments more then doing any other activity. At the age of five was when Mozart began to compose some of his own music, with the help of his father. His father was beginning to realize that Mozart was a musical prodigy. Leopold decided to take his family on a concert tour all throughout the countries of Europe. Such place as Monaco, Vienna, London, Paris, Holland, Germany and Italy. He even had the the opportunity to play in front the the Emperor and Empress of Vienna, and also for King Louie XV of France.

The Palace of Versailles where he performed for the king of France. Mozart playing the piano, with his sister singing and his father playing the violin for the Emperor and Empress of Vienna. Finding of Mozarts music that he composed at the age of 7 or 8.

Mozart’s early Education and Composing Mozart and his sister both received there education through a private tutor and there father as well. Mozart’s tour throughout most of Europe was challenging and not easy. He had to overcome typhoid in 1765, and nearly died, but through these trials he gained much experience along with education and became a very well known musician throughout Europe. “As Mozart grew in confidence and skill, he was able to hear the music in his head and write it straight onto paper.” In 1768 at the age of 12 he composed two opera, one being named La Finta Semplice and Bastin und Bastienne. After they had returned home to Salzburg, Mozart was no longer considered a child prodigy. Marcus Weeks, Mozart, The Boy Who Changed the World With His Music (North America: The National Geographic Society, 2007) p. 18

Career, struggles and Accomplishments In 1777, Mozart travel to paris for a performance with his mother, they passed through a city called Mannheim, and met a family called to Weber’s. There he met a lady named Aloysia. She was a very talented singer and Mozart began to fall in love with her. Mozart in he early years

Falling in love with Aloysia put Mozart in a rough position. Giving up on his travels to preform, this was very damaging to his chances of gaining more recognition, being paid well, and becoming that amazing musician that people knew he could be. Mozart wanted to marry Aloysia very badly. He wrote a letter and sent it to his father to receive permission and his father forbid it and told Mozart to leave with his mother and travel to Paris. Aloysia wasn’t even interested in marrying Mozart, her focus was all centered on becoming a famous singer, and eventually Mozart left the Weber’s home with his mother and went to paris.

Mozart’s time in Paris we not so good. He was making ends meet, struggling to remain popular like he once was as a young boy. Things just kept going down hill, and after his mother passed away he decided to move back to Salzburg. He once again started working for the Archbishop playing the organ. The Archbishop didn’t like that Mozart traveled and didn’t want him doing tours and working for him at the same time. Mozart didn’t like being tied down and forced to do what the archbishop always wanted him to do and then decided to leave again and return back to Vienna.

As Mozart established his career in Vienna he was working really hard to be able to provide for himself, the Weber sisters were also living in Vienna at the time and they decided to live together. During this time Aloysia was now married the one who Mozart was previously in love with, and she was working as a singer. Mozart began to make a good living through composing new pieces and teaching lessons to people. He also would win piano competitions, to be able to make the money he needed to survive.

Family Life On Aug 4th, 1782, Mozart at the age of 25, married Aloysia sister named Constanze Weber who was 19 years old at the time. In the beginning Mozart’s father did not agree or support the marriage between these two. Constanze Weber

Mozart’s relationship with his father was not going good at all during this time, and because of it Leopold and Mozart’s sister were not invited to the wedding. Throughout there marriage, Constanze was a huge help with Mozart’s music, supporting him in all he did, and loved him very much. With her coming from a musical family, she was able to always be around to help him compose his music and at the same time take care of the household choirs.

He and Constanze continued to move forward in having a family. In June of 1783, they gave birth to there first child named Raimund Leopold Mozart. During this time Mozart was composing many different songs, and was becoming very popular and had a huge social life in the city Vienna. In July of 1783 they traveled back to salzburg, they had to leave the baby at home. While they were away Raimund became ill and passed away in August. Throughout there marriage they had a total of 6 children 4 of which died as infants.

Mozart’s Operas and Music The Marriage of Figaro The Magic Flute

The Opera of Figaro is considered one of his most famous operas of all time. It was first premiered on May 1st The opera itself was written by Beaumarchais who was a frenchman. Mozart just created the music for him. They also created another opera called Don Giovanni, which was first preformed in the Czechoslovakian city of Prague. He was received by the people a lot more here then he was back in the city of Vienna.

“Many People think Die Zauberflote, or The Magic Flute, is Mozart’s greatest work. it tells of Prince Tamino and Papageno, who use a magic flute and bells to rescue Tamino’s lover Pamina, In their adventures they meet the wicked Queen of the Night and the Moor Monostasos.” The Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute. Marcus Weeks, Mozart, The Boy Who Changed the World With His Music (North America: The National Geographic Society, 2007) p. 57

Mozart’s Last Works Mozart had many struggles with health problems, this didn’t stop him from moving forward in composing music. Near the end of his life, he had a random person in all black clothes, covering him from head to toe, showed up at Mozart’s house. This man gave him a bag of gold and asked Mozart to compose a requiem. He was blessed because he needed that money to support his family, he was able to finish a third of the piece due to his illness.

Because of his illness he could not complete the requiem. Doctors couldn’t find out what was wrong with Mozart. As his conditioned worsened he eventually passed away on December 5th, 1791 at the age of 35 years old. His wife continued to raise there two sons. He was buried in an unmarked grave, which was the custom thing to do at the time, not because he was poor.

“Over the course of his life, Mozart had written more then 40 symphonies, 27 piano concertos, more than 15 operas, a great deal of church music, and hundreds of other piece. More important than the number of compositions is the beauty of the music he wrote, his music was enjoyed, played, and studied during his lifetime, but also long after. While may composers of his time have been forgotten, Mozart’s music lives on. His operas, symphonies, concertos, and church music such as the requiem are preformed regularly today, more than 200 years after his death, and copies of his music are still left such a legacy of wonderful music.” Marcus Weeks, Mozart, The Boy Who Changed the World With His Music (North America: The National Geographic Society, 2007) p. 59

References Marcus Weeks, Mozart, The Boy Who Changed the World With His Music (North America: The National Geographic Society, 2007) Greta Cencetti, Mozart, The World of Composers (United States: Peter Bedrick Books, 2002)