Transcript Biography: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart… continued

He is considered to be one of the
greatest geniuses in his field.
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He was born in Salzburg,
Austria on 27th January 1756.
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By the age of six, he had
mastered the piano and violin.
At the age of six, he was touring
Europe as a professional musician
with his father and sister.
London
Paris
Munich
The Hague
Vienna
History remembers him most
as a composer. By age 12, he
had completed around a
hundred compositions.
His death on 5th December 1791
was surrounded in mystery. Some
people think he was poisoned by
other composers, who were jealous
of his talent, but many believe he
died from a disease.
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Among his most famous works
are his operas: The Magic Flute,
The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi Fan
Tutte and Don Giovanni.
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As a youth, he often
signed his letters
‘Trazom’
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He is considered by many to be
the greatest composer who has
ever lived. His music has provided
inspiration to other famous
composers (such as Beethoven)
and is still very popular today.
Click on the speaker (left) to listen
to a popular piece of his music.
His first name was Joannes
Chrysostomus Wolfgangus
Theophilus – later changed to
Wolfgang Amadeus – but he is
better known by his surname.
Have you guessed who it is
yet?
© PORTRAIT OF THE COMPOSER WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1759-91) (OIL ON CANVAS) BY GRASSI, GIUSEPPE
OR JOSEF (1755-1838) GLINKA MUSEUM OF MUSIC CULTURE, MOSCOW, RUSSIA/THE BRIDGEMAN ART LIBRARY
The answer is…
Mozart!
Biography: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
© COURTESY CHRISTINA BAKER
Mozart’s father, a court musician, recognised
his son’s genius for playing music at a very
early age. He took the tiny boy and his sister,
Nannerl (also an accomplished musician), to
tour the European royal courts. Even as a
child, Mozart became respected as a
composer.
As an adult Mozart refused to work
as a musician (which was considered little
more than a servant) and concentrated on
composing. He and his wife, Constanze, were
often in debt as neither were sensible with
money. Mozart was often ill and unhappy, but
he poured all his love, energy and passion into
his music.
Biography: Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart… continued
© COURTESY CHRISTINA BAKER
Mozart has given us some of the
world’s most beautiful
compositions. In his 35 years, he
wrote over 600 pieces of music
including operas, symphonies,
sonatas, serenades, chamber music,
concertos, masses and dances. The
brilliance of his music is still
appreciated today, over two
centuries after his death.
Acknowledgements
Editor – Michelle Guy
Designer – Linda Jenkinson-Bennett
Words © Christina Baker