Meet Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1756 - 1791)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born to Leopold
and Anna Maria Pertl Mozart in 1756 in what is now Salzburg, Austria. His father
Leopold Mozart was a choir master, a minor composer and an experienced teacher.
When Mozart's sister Nannerl was seven she began keyboard lessons with her
father while the three year old Wolfgang watched with fascination.
At age 4 Wolfgang himself began keyboard lessons
playing without fault and with great sensitivity, and by age 5 he was composing
short pieces which his father wrote down for him. In the following year
Wolfgang and Nannerl began traveling through Europe with their father
giving concerts in the courts of Europe. While touring, Mozart learned to play
the violin and the organ.
At the age of 8 Wolfgang published his first two
sonatas for the harpsichord. His skills as a composer continued
to develop, and by the age of 13 he had composed his first opera at the
request of an emperor.
By the time Mozart was in his mid-twenties he had
established himself as one of the most accomplished
keyboard players in Vienna, and was recognized as an talented
composer. Some of his most famous pieces include Eine Kleine Nachtmusik for
string orchestra, which means 'A Little Night Music', and Ah vous dirais-je,
Maman* for piano solo, which is a set of twelve variations on a french tune
that Mozart would have known as a young boy.
On December 5, 1791, Mozart died at 35 years of age, leaving behind a
collection of more than 600 compositions, including works for the symphony, the
piano, and the opera. Some of these pieces are considered to be the finest
works in the Classical style.
Source: www.makingmusicfun.net
Do you want to hear some of Mozart's compositions?
Click here to hear Eine Kleine Nochtmusik performed by the Slovak Chamber Orchestra.
Click here to hear Ah vous dirais-je, Maman. Do you know what song this is?
Hey kids! To earn your 25 points, be sure to tell me at lesson that you read this and you can take a quiz! Thanks for reading about Mozart. Practice hard and you may play and compose as well as Mozart one day!
