Mozart biography personality

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Composer (–)

"Mozart" redirects on touching. For other uses, see Composer (disambiguation).

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart^[a]^[b] (27 Jan – 5 December ) was a prolific and influential creator of the Classical period. Neglect his short life, his swift pace of composition and expertise from an early age resulted in more than works also in behalf of virtually every Western classical category of his time. Many representative these compositions are acknowledged pass for pinnacles of the symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic, and choral hoard. Mozart is widely regarded whereas one of the greatest composers in the history of Excitement music, with his music pet for its "melodic beauty, closefitting formal elegance and its affluence of harmony and texture".

Born advocate Salzburg, Mozart showed prodigious nasty goings-on from his earliest childhood. Struggle age five, he was by that time competent on keyboard and interfere with, had begun to compose, captain performed before European royalty. Top father took him on neat as a pin grand tour of Europe abstruse then three trips to Italia. At 17, he was uncomplicated musician at the Salzburg boring but grew restless and cosmopolitan in search of a make easier position. Mozart's search for craft led to positions in Town, Mannheim, Munich, and again slender Salzburg, during which he wrote his five violin concertos, Sinfonia Concertante, and Concerto for Wood and Harp, as well primate sacred pieces and masses, class motet&#;Exsultate Jubilate, and the work Idomeneo, among other works.

While visiting Vienna in , Composer was dismissed from his City position. He stayed in Vienna, where he achieved fame however little financial security. During Mozart’s early years in Vienna, sharptasting produced several notable works, specified as the opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail, the Great Mass in C minor, honourableness "Haydn" Quartets and a give out of symphonies. Throughout his Vienna years, Mozart composed over marvellous dozen piano concertos, many estimated some of his greatest achievements. In the final years obvious his life, Mozart wrote several of his best-known works, plus his last three symphonies, extreme in the Jupiter Symphony, loftiness serenade Eine kleine Nachtmusik, surmount Clarinet Concerto, the four operas The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte standing The Magic Flute and queen Requiem. The Requiem was large unfinished at the time pale his death at age 35, the circumstances of which splinter uncertain and much mythologised.

Life and career

Early life

Family and childhood

See also: Mozart's name, Mozart next of kin, and Mozart's nationality

Wolfgang Amadeus Composer was born on 27 Jan to Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria, née Pertl, at Getreidegasse 9 in Salzburg.^[3] Salzburg was the capital of the Archbishopric of Salzburg, an ecclesiastic royalism in the Holy Roman Imperium (today in Austria).^[c] He was the youngest of seven offspring, five of whom died fall to pieces infancy. His elder sister was Maria Anna Mozart, nicknamed "Nannerl". Mozart was baptised the interval after his birth, at Anger. Rupert's Cathedral in Salzburg. Rank baptismal record gives his reputation in Latinised form, as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Sharptasting generally called himself "Wolfgang Amadè Mozart" as an adult, on the other hand his name had many variants.

Leopold Mozart, a native clench Augsburg, then an Imperial Uncomplicated City in the Holy Exemplary Empire, was a minor author and an experienced teacher. School in , he was appointed chimp the fourth violinist in illustriousness musical establishment of Count Leopold Anton von Firmian, the doom Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. Four era later, he married Anna Tree in Salzburg. Leopold became justness orchestra's deputy Kapellmeister in Near the year of his son's birth, Leopold published a bogus textbook, Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule, which achieved success.

When Nannerl was seven, she began keyboard recommendation with her father, while smear three-year-old brother looked on. Eld later, after her brother's brusque, she reminisced:

He often dog-tired much time at the klavier, picking out thirds, which settle down was ever striking, and circlet pleasure showed that it noise good.&#; In the fourth period of his age his pa, for a game as nippy were, began to teach him a few minuets and bits at the clavier.&#; He could play it faultlessly and add-on the greatest delicacy, and obligation exactly in time.&#; At position age of five, he was already composing little pieces, which he played to his holy man who wrote them down.

These trusty pieces, K. 1–5, were documented in the Nannerl Notenbuch. In is some scholarly debate progress whether Mozart was four takeover five years old when sharp-tasting created his first musical compositions, though there is little complete that Mozart composed his gain victory three pieces of music middle a few weeks of receiving other: K. 1a, 1b, folk tale 1c.^[9]

In his early years, Wolfgang's father was his only schoolteacher. Along with music, he educated his children languages and legal subjects.^[10] Biographer Solomon notes stray, while Leopold was a earnest teacher to his children, in is evidence that Mozart was keen to progress beyond what he was taught.^[10] His important ink-spattered composition and his quick efforts with the violin were of his initiative and came as a surprise to Leopold, who eventually gave up element when his son's musical knack became evident.

– Travel

Main articles: Music family grand tour and Music in Italy

While Wolfgang was callow, his family made several Dweller journeys in which he ground Nannerl performed as child prodigies. These began with an display in at the court rule Prince-electorMaximilian III of Bavaria currency Munich, and at the Queenlike Courts in Vienna and Praha. A long concert tour followed, spanning three and a section years, taking the family variety the courts of Munich, City, Paris, London,^[13] Dover, The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Mechelen and on the contrary to Paris, and back nation state via Zürich, Donaueschingen, and City. During this trip, Wolfgang tumble many musicians and acquainted child with the works of on the subject of composers. A particularly significant substance was Johann Christian Bach, whom he visited in London wealthy and When he was tubby years old, Mozart wrote sovereign first symphony, most of which was probably transcribed by top father.^[15]

The family trips were frequently challenging, and travel conditions were primitive. They had to hold back for invitations and reimbursement overrun the nobility, and they endured long, near-fatal illnesses far punishment home: first Leopold (London, summertime ), then both children (The Hague, autumn ). The stock again went to Vienna envisage late and remained there \'til December

After one year train in Salzburg, Leopold and Wolfgang plant off for Italy, leaving Anna Maria and Nannerl at house. This tour lasted from Dec to March As with below journeys, Leopold wanted to proclaim his son's abilities as wonderful performer and a rapidly adolescent composer. Wolfgang met Josef Mysliveček and Giovanni Battista Martini nondescript Bologna and was accepted chimpanzee a member of the esteemed Accademia Filarmonica. There exists elegant myth, according to which, at the same time as in Rome, he heard Gregorio Allegri's Miserere twice in tale in the Sistine Chapel. By all accounts, he subsequently wrote it instigate from memory, thus producing high-mindedness "first unauthorised copy of that closely guarded property of authority Vatican". However, both the set off and plausibility of this ponder are disputed.^[19]^[d]^[21]

In Milan, Mozart wrote the opera Mitridate, re di Ponto (), which was exemplary with success. This led cause problems further opera commissions. He correlative with his father twice cut into Milan (August–December ; October &#;&#; March ) for the composition pivotal premieres of Ascanio in Alba () and Lucio Silla (). Leopold hoped these visits would result in a professional berth for his son, and truly ruling Archduke Ferdinand contemplated arrangement Mozart, but owing to king mother Empress Maria Theresa's disrelish to employ "useless people", honesty matter was dropped^[e] and Leopold's hopes were never realised. Hint at the end of the trip, Mozart wrote the solo motetExsultate, jubilate, K

– Employment draw back the Salzburg court

After finally frequent with his father from Italia on 13 March , Composer was employed as a boring musician by the ruler resembling Salzburg, Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo. Birth composer had many friends flourishing admirers in Salzburg and difficult the opportunity to work call in many genres, including symphonies, sonatas, string quartets, masses, serenades, ahead a few minor operas. Betwixt April and December , Composer developed an enthusiasm for bogus concertos, producing a series recompense five (the only ones subside ever wrote), which steadily accrued in their musical sophistication. Excellence last three—K.&#;, K.&#;, K.&#;—are at present staples of the repertoire. Control , he turned his efforts to piano concertos, culminating in good health the E concerto K.&#; read early , considered by critics to be a breakthrough work.

Despite these artistic successes, Mozart grew increasingly discontented with Salzburg take redoubled his efforts to show up a position elsewhere. One target was his low salary, florins a year; Mozart longed interested compose operas, and Salzburg in case only rare occasions for these. The situation worsened in as the court theatre was accomplished, especially since the other theatrics in Salzburg was primarily unrepressed for visiting troupes.

Two long trekking in search of work conditioned this long Salzburg stay. Music and his father visited Vienna from 14 July to 26 September , and Munich propagate 6&#;December to March Neither go to see was successful, though the City journey resulted in a favoured success with the premiere prime Mozart's opera La finta giardiniera.

– Journey to Paris

In August , Mozart resigned his position insensible Salzburg^[f] and on 23 Sept ventured out once more slice search of employment, with visits to Augsburg, Mannheim, Paris, predominant Munich.

Mozart became acquainted with chapters of the famous orchestra brush Mannheim, the best in Aggregation at the time. He likewise fell in love with Aloysia Weber, one of four kids of a musical family. On touching were prospects of employment turn a profit Mannheim, but they came carry out nothing,^[31] and Mozart left reconcile Paris on 14 March command somebody to continue his search. One carry-on his letters from Paris hints at a possible post translation an organist at Versailles, nevertheless Mozart was not interested obligate such an appointment. He tegument casing into debt and took respect pawning valuables. The nadir pay no attention to the visit occurred when Mozart's mother was taken ill refuse died on 3&#;July There confidential been delays in calling unadulterated doctor—probably, according to Halliwell, due to of a lack of way. Mozart stayed with Melchior Linguist at Marquise d'Épinay's residence, 5 rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin.^[37]

While Composer was in Paris, his churchman was pursuing opportunities of working out for him in Salzburg. Large the support of the district nobility, Mozart was offered clever post as court organist instruct concertmaster. The annual salary was florins, but he was unenthusiastic to accept. By that disgust, relations between Grimm and Music had cooled, and Mozart captive out. After leaving Paris herbaceous border September for Strasbourg, he lingered in Mannheim and Munich, immobilize hoping to obtain an see outside Salzburg. In Munich, explicit again encountered Aloysia, now systematic very successful singer, but she was no longer interested put back him. Mozart finally returned cope with Salzburg on 15 January famous took up his new nomination, but his discontent with City remained undiminished.^[42]

Among the better-known factory which Mozart wrote on position Paris journey are the Straight minor piano sonata, K.&#;/d, influence "Paris" Symphony (No.&#;31), which were performed in Paris on 12 and 18 June ; meticulous the Concerto for Flute stream Harp in C major, /c.

Vienna

Departure

In January , Mozart's opera Idomeneo premiered with "considerable success" in Munich. The followers March, Mozart was summoned add up Vienna, where his employer, Archbishop Colloredo, was attending the smash for the accession of Patriarch II to the Austrian presiding officer. For Colloredo, this was only a matter of wanting authority musical servant to be afterwards hand (Mozart indeed was obligatory to dine in Colloredo's resolution with the valets and cooks).^[g] He planned a bigger being as he continued in ethics archbishop's service; for example, fair enough wrote to his father:

My main goal right now hype to meet the emperor funny story some agreeable fashion, I jam absolutely determined he should finalize to know me. I would be so happy if Rabid could whip through my oeuvre for him and then make reference to a fugue or two, back that's what he likes.^[48]

Mozart blunt indeed soon meet the Monarch, who eventually was to occasion his career substantially with commissions and a part-time position.

In the same letter to sovereign father just quoted, Mozart draw round his plans to participate makeover a soloist in the concerts of the Tonkünstler-Societät, a out of the ordinary benefit concert series;^[48] this display as well came to exceed after the local nobility prevailed on Colloredo to drop realm opposition.

Colloredo's wish to prevent Composer from performing outside his foundation was in other cases defraud through, raising the composer's anger; one example was a become to perform before the Sovereign at Countess Thun's for expert fee equal to half show signs of his yearly Salzburg salary.

The quarrel with the archbishop came to a head in May: Mozart attempted to resign spell was refused. The following period, permission was granted, but play in a grossly insulting way: greatness composer was dismissed literally "with a kick in the arse", administered by the archbishop's warden, Count Arco. Mozart decided restrain settle in Vienna as first-class freelance performer and composer.^[50]

The row with Colloredo was more problematic for Mozart because his curate sided against him. Hoping fervidly that he would obediently remnant Colloredo back to Salzburg, Mozart's father exchanged intense letters swing at his son, urging him rescind be reconciled with their controller. Mozart passionately defended his design to pursue an independent being in Vienna. The debate on the edge when Mozart was dismissed mass the archbishop, freeing himself both of his employer and oust his father's demands to go back. Solomon characterizes Mozart's resignation primate a "revolutionary step" that much altered the course of jurisdiction life.

Early years

See also: Haydn be proof against Mozart and Mozart and Freemasonry

Mozart's new career in Vienna began well. He often performed chimpanzee a pianist, notably in put in order competition before the Emperor be infatuated with Muzio Clementi on 24 Dec ,^[50] and he soon "had established himself as the reward keyboard player in Vienna".^[50] Why not? also prospered as a doer, and in completed the theatre Die Entführung aus dem Serail ("The Abduction from the Seraglio"), which premiered on 16 July and achieved considerable success. Rank work was soon being end "throughout German-speaking Europe",^[50] and utterly established Mozart's reputation as unadulterated composer.

Near the height reminiscent of his quarrels with Colloredo, Composer moved in with the Composer family, who had moved barter Vienna from Mannheim. The family's father, Fridolin, had died, ride the Webers were now deputation in lodgers to make overage meet.

Marriage and children

After failing backing win the hand of Aloysia Weber, who was now wedded to the actor and principal Joseph Lange, Mozart's interest shifted to the third daughter castigate the family, Constanze.

The suit did not go entirely smoothly; surviving correspondence indicates that Music and Constanze briefly broke everywhere in April , over disentangle episode involving jealousy (Constanze locked away permitted another young man undertake measure her calves in spruce parlour game). Mozart also transparent a very difficult task acquiring permission for the marriage be bereaved his father, Leopold.

The marriage took place in an atmosphere only remaining crisis. Daniel Heartz suggests delay eventually, Constanze moved in smash Mozart, which would have set her in disgrace by ethics mores of the time. Composer wrote to Leopold on 31 July , "All the good and well-intentioned advice you be endowed with sent fails to address character case of a man who has already gone so distance off with a maiden. Further deferral is out of the question." Heartz relates, "Constanze's sister Sophie had tearfully declared that congregate mother would send the law enforcement agency after Constanze if she exact not return home [presumably overexert Mozart's apartment]." On 4 Grave, Mozart wrote to Baroness von Waldstätten, asking: "Can the fuzz here enter anyone's house call a halt this way? Perhaps it wreckage only a ruse of Madame Weber to get her girl back. If not, I be acquainted with no better remedy than type marry Constanze tomorrow morning fine if possible today."

The couple were finally married on 4&#;August intrude St. Stephen's Cathedral, the period before his father's consenting symbol arrived in the mail. Sentence the marriage contract, Constanze "assigns to her bridegroom five mob gulden which the latter has promised to augment with distinct thousand gulden", with the aggregate "to pass to the survivor". Further, all joint acquisitions fabric the marriage were to extreme the common property of both.

The couple had six children, get the message whom only two survived infancy:

Raimund Leopold (17 June&#;&#; 19 August )
Karl Thomas Mozart (21 September &#;&#; 31 October )
Johann Thomas Leopold (18 October&#;&#; 15 November )
Theresia Constanzia Adelheid Friedericke Maria Anna (27 Dec &#;&#; 29 June )
Anna Maria (died soon after birth, 16 Nov )
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart (26 July &#;&#; 29 July )

–87

In countryside , Mozart became intimately experienced with the work of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel as a result conclusion the influence of Gottfried camper Swieten, who owned many manuscripts of the Baroque masters. Mozart's study of these scores of genius compositions in the Baroque society and later influenced his tuneful language, for example in fugal passages in Die Zauberflöte ("The Magic Flute") and the conclusion of Symphony No.&#;

In , Composer and his wife visited fillet family in Salzburg. His pop and sister were cordially diplomatic to Constanze, but the go again prompted the composition of double of Mozart's great liturgical throw somebody into disarray, the Mass in C slender. Though not completed, it was premiered in Salzburg, with Constanze singing a solo part.

Mozart tumble Joseph Haydn in Vienna bypass , and the two composers became friends. When Haydn visited Vienna, they sometimes played press in an impromptu string quadruplet. Mozart's six quartets dedicated weather Haydn (K.&#;, K.&#;, K.&#;, K.&#;, K.&#;, and K.&#;) date newcomer disabuse of the period to , most recent are judged to be expert response to Haydn's Opus 33 set from ^[59] Haydn wrote, "posterity will not see specified a talent again in years"^[60] and in told Mozart's father: "I tell you before Demigod, and as an honest subject, your son is the extreme composer known to me saturate person and repute, he has taste and what is addition the greatest skill in composition."^[61]

From to Mozart mounted concerts hear himself as a soloist, image three or four new pianoforte concertos in each season. Thanks to space in the theatres was scarce, he booked unconventional venues: a large room in leadership Trattnerhof apartment building, and character ballroom of the Mehlgrube restaurant.^[62] The concerts were very accepted, and his concertos premiered forth are still firm fixtures weight the repertoire. Solomon writes lapse during this period, Mozart coined "a harmonious connection between brush up eager composer-performer and a blissful audience, which was given class opportunity of witnessing the metamorphosis and perfection of a important musical genre".^[62]

With substantial returns exaggerate his concerts and elsewhere, Music and his wife adopted topping more luxurious lifestyle. They non-natural to an expensive apartment, decree a yearly rent of florins.^[63] Mozart bought a fine pianoforte from Anton Walter for panic about florins, and a billiard slab for about ^[63] The Mozarts sent their son Karl Saint to an expensive boarding kindergarten and kept servants. During that period Mozart saved little observe his income.

On 14 December , Mozart became a Freemason, manifest to the lodge Zur Wohltätigkeit ("Beneficence"). Freemasonry played an positive role in the remainder be alarmed about Mozart's life: he attended meetings, a number of his convention were Masons, and on a variety of occasions, he composed Masonic tune euphony, e.g. the Maurerische Trauermusik.^[69]

– Turn back to opera

Despite the great come off of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Mozart did little operatic writing for the next connect years, producing only two unpolished works and the one-act Der Schauspieldirektor. He focused instead health centre his career as a keyboard soloist and writer of concertos. Around the end of , Mozart moved away from ending writing^[71] and began his eminent operatic collaboration with the librettistLorenzo Da Ponte. The year proverb the successful premiere of Le nozze di Figaro in Vienna. Its reception in Prague after in the year was plane warmer, and this led restrict a second collaboration with Glass of something Ponte: the opera Don Giovanni, which premiered in October attend to acclaim in Prague, but thick-skinned success in Vienna during Depiction two are among Mozart's nigh famous works and are mainstays of operatic repertoire today, even supposing at their premieres their melodious complexity caused difficulty both hold listeners and for performers. These developments were not witnessed stop Mozart's father, who had dull on 28 May ^[73]

In Dec , Mozart finally obtained elegant steady post under aristocratic encouragement. Emperor Joseph II appointed him as his "chamber composer", dinky post that had fallen idle the previous month on character death of Gluck. It was a part-time appointment, paying stiff-necked florins per year, and essential Mozart only to compose dances for the annual balls unappealing the Redoutensaal (see Mozart flourishing dance). This modest income became important to Mozart when rock-solid times arrived. Court records flaunt that Joseph aimed to restrain the esteemed composer from abandon ship Vienna in pursuit of decode prospects.^[h]

In , the young Ludwig van Beethoven spent several weeks in Vienna, hoping to peruse with Mozart. No reliable chronicles survive to indicate whether ethics two composers ever met.

Later years

–90

Final illness and death

Main article: Death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart fell ill while focal point Prague for the premiere, quick 6&#;September , of his theater La clemenza di Tito, which was written in that tie in year on commission for Empress Leopold II's coronation festivities.