Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography

Austrian Composer of Die Zauberflöte and Così Fan Tutte

Apr 22, 2007
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian Composer - Music with Ease

Biography of Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, famous for operas Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Cosi fan tutte.

Arguably the greatest composer, child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was born in 9 Getreidegasse, Salzburg, Austria, on January 27, 1756, and baptized Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. He belonged to the Classical period of the latter half of the 18th century. His parents were Leopold Mozart, a composer himself and a brilliant violinist, and mother, Maria Anna Pertl. Of the seven children, only Mozart and his older sister, Maria Anna or "Nannerl" as family called her, survived infancy.

Mozart's Early Training, Childhood, and First European Tour

Early on in their childhood, Nannerl and Wolfgang showed musical promise. An excellent teacher, it was natural that Leopold Mozart became the children's first teacher. At that time, he was a court musician of the Salzburg archbishop, and author of a well-known book on violin-playing. Wolfgang Mozart was an amazing infant prodigy who began to play the harpsichord at the age of three, compose at the age of five, and wrote his first minuet at six. At seven, he went on his first European tour with his family.

The Wonder Years of Mozart: Travels and Early Compositions

The family lived for years touring and performing over Europe. Before his ninth birthday, Mozart composed his first symphony, wrote his first oratorio two years later, and his first opera the following year. His teenage years were productive years as he forged more travels, compositions and early performances.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart the Young Man

As a young adult, and while in one of his European travels in Mannheim, Mozart fell in love with a young soprano, Aloysia Weber, a cousin of composer Carl Maria von Weber. His love was not reciprocated by Aloysia. A year later, in 1778, his beloved mother died in Paris. With double heartache of his mother and first love, he returned to Salzburg. He found work at the court, but unhappy with its restrictions. Mozart left Salzburg for Vienna in 1781, and decided to go solo, a freelance musician.

Mozart's Marriage to Constanze Weber

He married Constanze Weber, Aloysia's younger sister, on August 4, 1782. Mozart and his wife Constanze seemingly always lacked money, probably because he also gambled. He didn't have a good health, and his life was filled with difficulties. Yet, these hardships are rarely seen as evidence in his music, but rather, we hear a lively disposition and graceful spirit, credit to his mother. Mozart and Constanze had four sons and two daughters but only two sons outlived their father. Karl Thomas Mozart was the eldest and Franz Xavier Wolfgang Mozart, who also became a composer.

Mozart's Friendship with "Papa" Franz Joseph Haydn

Mozart met the older Joseph Haydn whom he called "Papa Haydn," and a lasting friendship developed. Haydn's works had a strong influence on Wolfgang Mozart. In gratitude, Mozart dedicated six string quartets to him, the six Haydn Quartets.

Mozart's Final Years and the Requiem

While working on his Requiem in D Minor, K.626, Mozart died at the young age of 35, on December 5, 1791. He believed even as he wrote it that it would be his own requiem. The opening theme of the "Kyrie" is one used by both J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel. This is not surprising, as the influences of these Baroque masters, especially the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, were deep and lasting on Mozart.

Musical Genius Mozart

Mozart was a comprehensively gifted musician. He belonged to the 18th century's Classical period, the "Age of Enlightenment", the complex movement involving the revolt of the spirit. Towards the end of his life Mozart turned from his Catholic organized religion to Freemasonry. This period was also the "Age of Elegance."

This musical genius, from age three until he died at thirty-five, scarcely had a day's rest. His thoughts were always occupied with music. No other prodigy has approached Mozart's ability to combine a musical imagination with a total mastery of style and form, a perfect blending of the French elegance, German knowledge and Italian art.

The Viennese Classics

In the era of Viennese Classicism there are masters of the highest caliber like Haydn, Gluck, Beethoven and Schubert, to name a few, (the last two as transition composers to the Romantic era), but no other classical music composer has ever written in the great range of genres at the same time excelled in all of them as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A prolific composer, Mozart's major works include more than 20 piano concerti, 24 string quartets, 35 violin sonatas, 5 violin concerti, concerti for the clarinet and other wind instruments, chamber music, masses and more than 45 symphonies.

Mozart's Milestones

Mozart's Four Famous Operas

Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)
Così fan tutte
Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
Don Giovanni

Operas written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:

Mozart's Non-Opera Most Popular Works

Clarinet Concerto in A
Piano Concerto No.21 in C includes the famous "Elvira Madigan"
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Exsultate, Jubilate
Clarinet Quintet in A
Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra
Piano Concerto No.23 in A
Requiem, K. 626, Mass in D Minor
Symphony No.41 in C "Jupiter"
Laudate Dominum
Symphony No.40 in G minor
Flute and Harp Concerto
list goes on...

Librettists of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Interested readers may also want to check Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Life, Works, Timeline

The play and film Amadeus certainly advertised Mozart, but immensely misrepresented his life and work. The myth depicting him as simple-minded with a miraculous gift of music is far from the complicated truth.