1. Mozart
The Classical Period

2. The Classical Period: 1750-1820
Notable things happening around the world during the Classical Period:
The American Revolution ( )
The French Revolution ( )
The creation of the Pianoforte (what will become the Piano)
The Louisiana Purchase in 1803

3. Classical Style: There was a stress on clean and uncluttered music.
Melody was the most important aspect. You could hum the tune of the song!
More instruments appeared in orchestras, such as the woodwind family. They began to look similar to what we see in an orchestra today.
Important types of musical compositions from the Classical Period;
Symphony;
Chamber Ensemble;
Solo works;
Opera;
Sonata;

4. Music in the Classical Period
The four basic criteria of the Classical Era;
The music of the classical period needed to be understood by everyone
Have an aspect of nobility
It needed to be expressive. It expressed emotion and passion.
It was natural and free of any technical complications. It needed to be understood by everyone, musically trained and non-musically trained.

5. Mozart’s Early Life
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in in Salzburg, Austria.
The son of Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart
He had one sister, Nannerl Mozart. He enjoyed playing duets with his sister.

6. Musical Life He played the Harpsichord, Violin, and Organ.
Mozart was a child prodigy and began playing and composing music at the age of 4.
He toured all over Europe, playing his compositions for Kings and Queens by the age of 6.
Mozart became friends with two important composers in his life time, Franz Joseph Haydn and Johann Christian Bach, J.S. (The son of J.S. Bach) they both had a huge influence on Mozart’s Music.

7. Mozart’s Most Famous Works
Mozart wrote over 600 pieces of music during his life time
A list of his major compositions:
Sonata in C Major, K. 545;
Variations on “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” K 265
Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550;
The Marriage of Figaro; Opera
Eine Klein Nachtmusik; Chamber Music

8. Mozart’s Later Life:
Mozart married Constanze Weber, the cousin of Carl Maria von Weber
Mozart composed 6 String Quartets and dedicated them to his friend, Haydn in
He became very ill and passed away in At the time of his death he was too poor to afford a funeral and was not buried properly. We do not know where Mozart’s grave is.
Mozart was a freelance composer. This means that he didn’t work for any nobleman. Yet, he was very poor.
Mozart was writing his Requiem (A requiem is a song for someone who has died) when he died. Some people believe he wrote it for himself.