Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: A Musical Genius

Although Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart only lived for 35 years, he left more than 600 complete compositions and about 132 unfinished compositions behind. Although he became famous during his childhood, his last years of life were full of misery and oblivion. He was a musical genius who represented the end of the classical period and the beginning of the Romantic period.

Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria Pertl had seven children, but only two survived: Maria Anna and Wolfgang Amadeus. His father dedicated his entire life to music. He had studied singing, organ and composition at Benedictine University . He then became a violinist and taught singing and violin to children of royalty.

Maria Anna, who everyone affectionately called Nannerl, was five years older than Wolfgang Amadeus. She was also an excellent pianist. But because of her brother’s success, she had to give up her musical endeavors because their family did not have enough financial resources to support them both.

A musical childhood

It all started when Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was 4 years old. He sat on his sister Nannerl’s lap while she practiced her daily piano lesson. Suddenly the boy reached for the piano and repeated the melody that his sister had played a few seconds earlier. Nannerl, who was surprised by what had just happened, immediately informed their father.

From that moment on, Leopold encouraged his son to learn music. He became his dedicated, personal instructor and in turn Wolfgang became an exemplary student. The boy loved music and did not need external pressure to study. Before he learned to write, he learned notes and how to read them. He created his first composition, a piano and violin sonata, at the age of six. His father was ecstatic.

Leopold arranged presentations for his two children. The first presentation was to the Archbishop of Salzburg, who was prime minister at the time. Then they toured Europe and imprisoned everyone who listened to them. Their father wanted his children to be known. He did not care about money, which was why they always got paid in cheap jewelry.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s brilliant career

His childhood travels and arduous work affected Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s health. But he really enjoyed working. Some say that during one of his concerts he stumbled and fell, and a girl helped him to his feet again. In gratitude, Wolfgang promised to marry her as they got older. That girl later became Queen Marie Antoinette of France.

Mozart had written about 200 compositions when he was 19 years old. He toured in Italy, and that was exactly where he began to establish himself as a composer. After that, his father was not allowed to leave Salzburg, so Wolfgang’s mother accompanied him on his tours.

Mozart’s emotional life was random and irrelevant. He had many romances with women who also devoted their lives to music. He married Constance Weber in 1782. However, she remarried after Mozart’s death. They had six children together, of whom only two survived.

A sad ending

Although Mozart was known throughout Europe, he always had financial concerns. Neither his wife nor he saved money. Therefore, they always had major financial problems despite the success of works such as Figaro , Don Giovanni and Summer Night’s Smile.

It is said that when he was about to finish the Magic Flute, a mysterious man asked him to compose music for a funeral service and that he would pay him for it. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began the task and composed his famous Requiem . At that time he was already very ill. His rheumatic fever did not even allow him to play the piano.

On December 4, 1791, he invited some pianist friends to play Requiem because he could not do it himself. Some say that when Lacrimosa started playing, he started crying. His friends returned home and he died at dawn. The day before his funeral, a great storm had broken out that prevented everyone from going to the cemetery to mourn him.