Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is probably the most famous child prodigy ever recorded in history. He had performed in front of the nobility before 6 years of age, and also composed a lot of works in music by his teenage years. His remarkable achievements have influenced future composers.
In his early childhood, Mozart lived in Salzburg, an Austrian city. He was born there and raised by his father, Leopold Mozart, who was also a musician. His father was the violin player for the Archbishop of Salzburg. Another young child prodigy in Mozart's family was his sister, Maria Anna. They both went on tour at an early age with his father, who was the organizer of the concerts. It was in his European Tour in Paris, London, and Munich where he was able to attract the most attention. A famous noble woman they were able to perform in front of was Empress Maria Theresa, when Mozart was only age 6. In his early teens, he was already composing sonatas, concertos, symphonies, operas, and religious work, which he always wrote in a short amount of time.
Once Hieronymus von Colloredo took over the position as archbishop of Salzburg, Mozart's music was not appreciated. He looked down at the music Mozart produced and looked at him as if he was a glorified servant. At age 25, Colloredo dismissed Mozart and left him with no financial security. Mozart had to beg Emperor Joseph II for a job and he either passed Mozart on or gave him a lower job.
Against his father's wishes, Mozart married Constanze Weber. She was always very supportive of Mozart's career in music. He was interested in the ideas of European Enlightenment that he became part of the order of Freemasons. Also in his early years in Vienna, Mozart met Franz Joseph Haydn. They soon became friends, and Haydn paid homage to Mozart. Another person who impacted on Mozart's life was Lorenzo da Ponte. He was the librettist for a composition that changed Mozart's life, the Marriage of Figaro. After the success of the opera, he was commissioned to compose another Italian opera for Prague, called Don Giovanni. Although it was highly successful in Prague, it was not in Vienna. In Prague, Leopold II also decided to commission Mozart into writing The Clemency of Titus for his coronation. Another famous piece of work composed by Mozart was the Magic Flute, a sing spiel. The librettist for this German opera was Emanuel Schikaneder.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in 1791. People today are still not sure of the cause of his death, but theories have been developed that Mozart died from rheumatic fever, heart disease, and even eating uncooked meat. There were no remains of his body so people are still unsure of the truth. After his death, his incomplete requiem laid unfinished until one of his students, Sussmayr, decided to write the end. Another student Mozart had taught Barbara Ployer, who he wrote 2 piano concertos for. Maria Theresa von Paradis was also a good friend of Mozart. He wrote another piano concerto for her as well. Mozart's compositions are all marked with a K because Ludwig Koechel was the one who sorted all his compositions and catalogued them.
Style of the Mozart is always simple and elegant, with songful melodies. He is best known for his dramatic mood contrasts, pitch colorful illustration, and his dramatic mood changes. He uses a lot of moderate chromatic harmonies while carefully interweaving musical lines. Vocal lyricism was carried over from opera to his instrumental works. From divertimentos to serenades, the prolific Mozart composed them all. He is best known for his richness of orchestration and emotion, and the freedom he writes with.
