Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a born child prodigy. He was Born in Salzburg in January 27 of 1756. He was the son of Leopold Mozart. He for years since his birth has he inspired and amazed people of all ages with his work. He was the greatest composer of his time.

As a child he showed musical gifts of a great magnitude. He composed minuets at the age of five and played for royals at the age of six. He and his sister, who was a gifted keyboard and clavier player, went on a tour around Paris and London away from their home in Austria. Mozart's father thought this would be a very profitable trip for their family.

On their tour, they went to Munich and Vienna to play a series of concerts. In that time, music could not be recorded in anyway but paper. So to hear music, either you had to learn a piece of music, or people would come to play it for you. Since music was so uncommon, it wasn't the cheapest. Unfortunately, most classes but the higher and royal class would not get to hear music very often. Music was a gift, not a privilege. Mozart and his family were part of the lower class so they had the gift of being able to play music and listen to music, but they only got to play for the higher classes.

Mozart did like the higher classes very much. He loved getting handmade suits that had to be the best clothes in the land. He liked it so much, every time he would receive one of the suits, he would go crazy with happiness and make a new piece of music. As much as he liked his music, he most probably liked his music more than people loved hearing him play, and everyone loved to hear him play.

While the family was in London, Amadeus's father grew ill. In those times once you got ill, recovering odds were against you. In his father's illness they moved to a village named Chelsea, near the Thames River. A little less than two months, the two children could not play their beloved music for it disturbing their father. The nine-year old Mozart needed something to do. This is when he conjured up the idea to compose their first symphony. It was called the Symphony in E-flat and is still performed today. The idea that a nine-year old composed a symphony is outrageous. Symphonies usually include at least eight instruments. This requiring you to know how each instrument will sound together, but with no instruments playing, how did he do it?

On the way coming back to Salzburg, their loved father recovered. This was only to lead to a serious case of the smallpox that both the children contracted. After days and weeks of anguish and worry, both children made a full recovery. In 1766, the miracle boy and his sister were able to come home. Now at the age of ten, Mozart was an experienced professional musician.

At the age of twelve, his first opera was produced, Bastien und Bastienne. Another opera followed a year later, La Finta Semplice. He was soon considered to be a successful composer by the public, but he had not had a steady job in place providing financial security.

In 1770, he received employment in the court of Archbishop Hieronymous of Salzburg. The ten years in this position proved to be very unhappy for Mozart. He was subject to the whims of the Archbishop who treated him harsh, but for whom he was expected to perform amazingly at private concerts.

He always felt frustrated by the lack of appreciation for his talents as well as always being underpaid. When he did have money, he lived recklessly, and never saved for times of need. He ended up having to beg for favors from nobility or to give lessons to untalented students, but for a position which would free him from his financial worries and allow him to compose as he wished.

After his departure from the service of the Archbishop, Mozart was able to have some of his music published. He also began teaching students privately. This allowed him the financial security he felt he needed to marry Constanze Weber in 1782. They had six children, but only two boys survived.

Leopold Mozart,