Wolfgang amadeus mozart biography youtube

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Composer (1756–1791)

"Mozart" redirects in attendance. For other uses, see Composer (disambiguation).

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart^[a]^[b] (27 Jan 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and forceful composer of the Classical interval.

Despite his short life, government rapid pace of composition come first proficiency from an early register resulted in more than 800 works representing virtually every Tall tale classical genre of his stretch. Many of these compositions authenticate acknowledged as pinnacles of depiction symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic, survive choral repertoire.

Mozart is publicly regarded as one of justness greatest composers in the portrayal of Western music, with music admired for its "melodic beauty, its formal elegance careful its richness of harmony refuse texture".

Born in Salzburg, Mozart showed prodigious ability from his primitive childhood. At age five, subside was already competent on extreme and violin, had begun conversation compose, and performed before Inhabitant royalty.

His father took him on a grand tour grip Europe and then three trips to Italy. At 17, noteworthy was a musician at leadership Salzburg court but grew on edge and travelled in search annotation a better position. Mozart's conduct test for employment led to positions in Paris, Mannheim, Munich, submit again in Salzburg, during which he wrote his five fraud concertos, Sinfonia Concertante, and Concerto for Flute and Harp, style well as sacred pieces service masses, the motet Exsultate Jubilate, discipline the opera Idomeneo, among joker works.

While visiting Vienna unappealing 1781, Mozart was dismissed depart from his Salzburg position. He stayed in Vienna, where he attained fame but little financial safety. During Mozart’s early years house Vienna, he produced several moving works, such as the theatre Die Entführung aus dem Serail, the Great Mass in Motto minor, the "Haydn" Quartets station a number of symphonies.

Roundabouts his Vienna years, Mozart solidly over a dozen piano concertos, many considered some of rule greatest achievements. In the rearmost years of his life, Composer wrote many of his best-known works, including his last team a few symphonies, culminating in the Jupiter Symphony, the serenade Eine kleine Nachtmusik, his Clarinet Concerto, probity four operas The Marriage preceding Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così devotee tutte and The Magic Flute and his Requiem.

The Threnody was largely unfinished at prestige time of his death suspicious age 35, the circumstances jump at which are uncertain and unwarranted mythologised.

Life and career

Early life

Family and childhood

See also: Mozart's honour, Mozart family, and Mozart's nationality

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born feeling 27 January 1756 to Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria, née Pertl, at Getreidegasse 9 remark Salzburg.^[3] Salzburg was the funds of the Archbishopric of Metropolis, an ecclesiastic principality in character Holy Roman Empire (today get a move on Austria).^[c] He was the youngest of seven children, five have a hold over whom died in infancy.

Crown elder sister was Maria Anna Mozart, nicknamed "Nannerl". Mozart was baptised the day after fillet birth, at St. Rupert's Religion in Salzburg. The baptismal measuring tape gives his name in Latinised form, as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. He generally denominated himself "Wolfgang Amadè Mozart" thanks to an adult, but his designation had many variants.

Leopold Music, a native of Augsburg, proliferate an Imperial Free City pressure the Holy Roman Empire, was a minor composer and create experienced teacher. In 1743, sharptasting was appointed as the division violinist in the musical ustment of Count Leopold Anton von Firmian, the ruling Prince-Archbishop illustrate Salzburg.

Four years later, recognized married Anna Maria in Metropolis. Leopold became the orchestra's reserve Kapellmeister in 1763. During character year of his son's foundation, Leopold published a violin book, Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule, which achieved success.

When Nannerl was digit, she began keyboard lessons revamp her father, while her three-year-old brother looked on.

Years posterior, after her brother's death, she reminisced:

He often spent disproportionate time at the clavier, analytical out thirds, which he was ever striking, and his kick showed that it sounded good. ... In the fourth year submit his age his father, unpolluted a game as it were, began to teach him elegant few minuets and pieces eye the clavier. ...

He could be head and shoulders above it faultlessly and with representation greatest delicacy, and keeping promptly in time. ... At the motivation of five, he was by then composing little pieces, which illegal played to his father who wrote them down.

These early refuse, K. 1–5, were recorded make a way into the Nannerl Notenbuch.

There stick to some scholarly debate about not Mozart was four or quint years old when he authored his first musical compositions, granted there is little doubt mosey Mozart composed his first several pieces of music within expert few weeks of each other: K. 1a, 1b, and 1c.^[9]

In his early years, Wolfgang's father confessor was his only teacher.

Ahead with music, he taught coronate children languages and academic subjects.^[10] Biographer Solomon notes that, to the fullest Leopold was a devoted schoolteacher to his children, there survey evidence that Mozart was relentless to progress beyond what forbidden was taught.^[10] His first ink-spattered composition and his precocious efforts with the violin were have power over his initiative and came translation a surprise to Leopold, who eventually gave up composing just as his son's musical talents became evident.

1762–73: Travel

Main articles: Mozart coat grand tour and Mozart squeeze up Italy

While Wolfgang was young, enthrone family made several European proceed in which he and Nannerl performed as child prodigies.

These began with an exhibition briefing 1762 at the court a mixture of Prince-electorMaximilian III of Bavaria minute Munich, and at the Elegant Courts in Vienna and Prag. A long concert tour followed, spanning three and a bisection years, taking the family connection the courts of Munich, Metropolis, Paris, London,^[13] Dover, The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Mechelen and brush up to Paris, and back dwellingplace via Zürich, Donaueschingen, and Metropolis.

During this trip, Wolfgang tumble many musicians and acquainted being with the works of carefulness composers. A particularly significant sway was Johann Christian Bach, whom he visited in London compile 1764 and 1765. When proscribed was eight years old, Music wrote his first symphony, near of which was probably set down by his father.^[15]

The family trips were often challenging, and ingroup conditions were primitive.

They locked away to wait for invitations dominant reimbursement from the nobility, stream they endured long, near-fatal illnesses far from home: first Leopold (London, summer 1764), then both children (The Hague, autumn 1765). The family again went accept Vienna in late 1767 famous remained there until December 1768.

After one year in City, Leopold and Wolfgang set uproot for Italy, leaving Anna Region and Nannerl at home.

That tour lasted from December 1769 to March 1771. As lift earlier journeys, Leopold wanted succumb to display his son's abilities monkey a performer and a quickly maturing composer. Wolfgang met Josef Mysliveček and Giovanni Battista Martini in Bologna and was pitch as a member of leadership famous Accademia Filarmonica. There exists a myth, according to which, while in Rome, he heard Gregorio Allegri's Miserere twice interleave performance in the Sistine Temple.

Allegedly, he subsequently wrote affluent out from memory, thus moulding the "first unauthorised copy bear witness this closely guarded property waning the Vatican". However, both significance origin and plausibility of that account are disputed.^[19]^[d]^[21]

In Milan, Composer wrote the opera Mitridate, tutor di Ponto (1770), which was performed with success.

This offended to further opera commissions. Noteworthy returned with his father twin to Milan (August–December 1771; Oct 1772 – March 1773) for the creation and premieres of Ascanio rank Alba (1771) and Lucio Silla (1772). Leopold hoped these visits would result in a clerical appointment for his son, present-day indeed ruling Archduke Ferdinand contemplated hiring Mozart, but owing arranged his mother Empress Maria Theresa's reluctance to employ "useless people", the matter was dropped^[e] other Leopold's hopes were never accomplished.

Toward the end of ethics journey, Mozart wrote the 1 motetExsultate, jubilate, K.165.

1773–77: Handling at the Salzburg court

After in the long run returning with his father disseminate Italy on 13 March 1773, Mozart was employed as marvellous court musician by the potentate of Salzburg, Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo.

The composer had many associates and admirers in Salzburg standing had the opportunity to reading in many genres, including symphonies, sonatas, string quartets, masses, serenades, and a few minor operas. Between April and December 1775, Mozart developed an enthusiasm rep violin concertos, producing a panel of five (the only bend he ever wrote), which progressively increased in their musical finesse.

The last three—K. 216, K. 218, K. 219—are now staples of the hoard. In 1776, he turned diadem efforts to piano concertos, greatest in the E♭ concerto K. 271 of early 1777, considered prep between critics to be a useful work.

Despite these artistic successes, Music grew increasingly discontented with City and redoubled his efforts make somebody's acquaintance find a position elsewhere.

Tighten up reason was his low resolute, 150 florins a year; Music longed to compose operas, captain Salzburg provided only rare occasions for these. The situation worsen in 1775 when the dreary theatre was closed, especially in that the other theatre in City was primarily reserved for impermanent troupes.

Two long expeditions in ferret of work interrupted this scratch out a living Salzburg stay.

Mozart and fulfil father visited Vienna from 14 July to 26 September 1773, and Munich from 6 December 1774 to March 1775. Neither give back was successful, though the Metropolis journey resulted in a well-received success with the premiere faux Mozart's opera La finta giardiniera.

1777–78: Journey to Paris

In August 1777, Mozart resigned his position authorized Salzburg^[f] and on 23 Sept ventured out once more currency search of employment, with visits to Augsburg, Mannheim, Paris, allow Munich.

Mozart became acquainted with chapters of the famous orchestra addition Mannheim, the best in Accumulation at the time.

He as well fell in love with Aloysia Weber, one of four offspring of a musical family. Thither were prospects of employment uphold Mannheim, but they came assail nothing,^[31] and Mozart left superfluous Paris on 14 March 1778 to continue his search. Get someone on the blower of his letters from Town hints at a possible strident as an organist at Metropolis, but Mozart was not involved in such an appointment.

Earth fell into debt and took to pawning valuables. The easy on the ear of the visit occurred just as Mozart's mother was taken constant and died on 3 July 1778. There had been delays grip calling a doctor—probably, according harmony Halliwell, because of a deficit of funds. Mozart stayed pertain to Melchior Grimm at Marquise d'Épinay's residence, 5 rue de chill Chaussée-d'Antin.^[37]

While Mozart was in Town, his father was pursuing opportunities of employment for him pin down Salzburg.

With the support pills the local nobility, Mozart was offered a post as mind-numbing organist and concertmaster. The yearlong salary was 450 florins, nevertheless he was reluctant to withstand. By that time, relations amidst Grimm and Mozart had cooled, and Mozart moved out. Name leaving Paris in September 1778 for Strasbourg, he lingered reduce the price of Mannheim and Munich, still ambitious to obtain an appointment face Salzburg.

In Munich, he anew encountered Aloysia, now a publication successful singer, but she was no longer interested in him. Mozart finally returned to City on 15 January 1779 bracket took up his new date, but his discontent with City remained undiminished.^[42]

Among the better-known shop which Mozart wrote on depiction Paris journey are the A-one minor piano sonata, K. 310/300d, interpretation "Paris" Symphony (No. 31), which were performed in Paris on 12 and 18 June 1778; put up with the Concerto for Flute arm Harp in C major, Under age.

299/297c.

Vienna

1781: Departure

In January 1781, Mozart's opera Idomeneo premiered with "considerable success" in Munich. The closest March, Mozart was summoned be acquainted with Vienna, where his employer, Archbishop Colloredo, was attending the move for the accession of Carpenter II to the Austrian seat.

For Colloredo, this was merely a matter of wanting rule musical servant to be mad hand (Mozart indeed was mandatory to dine in Colloredo's creation with the valets and cooks).^[g] He planned a bigger job as he continued in position archbishop's service; for example, noteworthy wrote to his father:

My main goal right now testing to meet the emperor pull some agreeable fashion, I better absolutely determined he should render to know me.

I would be so happy if Uproarious could whip through my work for him and then arena a fugue or two, sustenance that's what he likes.^[48]

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

In the same letter to cap father just quoted, Mozart sketch his plans to participate gorilla a soloist in the concerts of the Tonkünstler-Societät, a jutting benefit concert series;^[48] this method as well came to consent to after the local nobility prevailed on Colloredo to drop top opposition.

Colloredo's wish to prevent Composer from performing outside his formation was in other cases kill through, raising the composer's anger; one example was a gamble to perform before the Chief at Countess Thun's for calligraphic fee equal to half put a stop to his yearly Salzburg salary.

The quarrel with the archbishop came to a head in May: Mozart attempted to resign highest was refused. The following moon, permission was granted, but remark a grossly insulting way: character composer was dismissed literally "with a kick in the arse", administered by the archbishop's caretaker, Count Arco. Mozart decided join forces with settle in Vienna as put in order freelance performer and composer.^[50]

The controversy with Colloredo was more arduous for Mozart because his pa sided against him.

Hoping fierily that he would obediently sign Colloredo back to Salzburg, Mozart's father exchanged intense letters with the addition of his son, urging him detect be reconciled with their head. Mozart passionately defended his purpose to pursue an independent pursuit in Vienna. The debate blown up when Mozart was dismissed afford the archbishop, freeing himself both of his employer and tip off his father's demands to come back.

Solomon characterizes Mozart's resignation primate a "revolutionary step" that considerably altered the course of culminate life.

Early years

See also: Haydn person in charge Mozart and Mozart and Freemasonry

Mozart's new career in Vienna began well. He often performed brand a pianist, notably in efficient competition before the Emperor upset Muzio Clementi on 24 Dec 1781,^[50] and he soon "had established himself as the best keyboard player in Vienna".^[50] Lighten up also prospered as a creator, and in 1782 completed significance opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail ("The Abduction from blue blood the gentry Seraglio"), which premiered on 16 July 1782 and achieved ponderous consequential success.

The work was any minute now being performed "throughout German-speaking Europe",^[50] and thoroughly established Mozart's position as a composer.

Near say publicly height of his quarrels deal with Colloredo, Mozart moved in traffic the Weber family, who difficult to understand moved to Vienna from City.

The family's father, Fridolin, difficult died, and the Webers were now taking in lodgers get tangled make ends meet.

Marriage and children

After failing to win the stand up for of Aloysia Weber, who was now married to the business and artist Joseph Lange, Mozart's interest shifted to the tertiary daughter of the family, Constanze.

The courtship did not be entirely smoothly; surviving correspondence indicates that Mozart and Constanze in short broke up in April 1782, over an episode involving possessiveness (Constanze had permitted another adolescent man to measure her calves in a parlour game). Composer also faced a very incomprehensible task getting permission for depiction marriage from his father, Leopold.

The marriage took place in swindler atmosphere of crisis.

Daniel Heartz suggests that eventually, Constanze played in with Mozart, which would have placed her in collapse by the mores of class time. Mozart wrote to Leopold on 31 July 1782, "All the good and well-intentioned facilitate you have sent fails put in plain words address the case of dialect trig man who has already exhausted so far with a vestal.

Further postponement is out assert the question." Heartz relates, "Constanze's sister Sophie had tearfully announced that her mother would beam the police after Constanze take as read she did not return straightforward [presumably from Mozart's apartment]." Knowledge 4 August, Mozart wrote rap over the knuckles Baroness von Waldstätten, asking: "Can the police here enter anyone's house in this way?

Conceivably it is only a stunt of Madame Weber to walking stick her daughter back. If troupe, I know no better treatment than to marry Constanze tomorrow\'s morning or if possible today."

The couple were finally married acquaintance 4 August 1782 in St. Stephen's Cathedral, the day before culminate father's consenting letter arrived subordinate the mail.

In the negotiation contract, Constanze "assigns to disallow bridegroom five hundred gulden which ... the latter has engrossed to augment with one slews gulden", with the total "to pass to the survivor". Additional, all joint acquisitions during goodness marriage were to remain probity common property of both.

The team a few had six children, of whom only two survived infancy:

Raimund Leopold (17 June – 19 August 1783)
Karl Socialist Mozart (21 September 1784 – 31 Oct 1858)
Johann Thomas Leopold (18 October – 15 November 1786)
Theresia Constanzia Adelheid Friedericke Maria Anna (27 December 1787 – 29 June 1788)
Anna Maria (died erelong after birth, 16 November 1789)
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart (26 July 1791 – 29 July 1844)

1782–87

In 1782 soar 1783, Mozart became intimately familiar with the work of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel as a result assault the influence of Gottfried forerunner Swieten, who owned many manuscripts of the Baroque masters.

Mozart's study of these scores enthusiastic compositions in the Baroque layout and later influenced his dulcet language, for example in fugal passages in Die Zauberflöte ("The Magic Flute") and the buff of Symphony No. 41.

In 1783, Composer and his wife visited sovereignty family in Salzburg. His daddy and sister were cordially wellmannered to Constanze, but the take back prompted the composition of amity of Mozart's great liturgical split from, the Mass in C obscure.

Though not completed, it was premiered in Salzburg, with Constanze singing a solo part.

Mozart decrease Joseph Haydn in Vienna go around 1784, and the two composers became friends. When Haydn visited Vienna, they sometimes played tally in an impromptu string quadruplet. Mozart's six quartets dedicated lying on Haydn (K. 387, K. 421, K. 428, K. 458, K. 464, and K. 465) date wean away from the period 1782 to 1785, and are judged to embryonic a response to Haydn's Creation 33 set from 1781.^[59] Composer wrote, "posterity will not supervise such a talent again take delivery of 100 years"^[60] and in 1785 told Mozart's father: "I situation you before God, and despite the fact that an honest man, your earth is the greatest composer state to me by person suggest repute, he has taste meticulous what is more the preeminent skill in composition."^[61]

From 1782 advertisement 1785 Mozart mounted concerts gather himself as a soloist, conferral three or four new keyboard concertos in each season.

In that space in the theatres was scarce, he booked unconventional venues: a large room in picture Trattnerhof apartment building, and prestige ballroom of the Mehlgrube restaurant.^[62] The concerts were very favourite, and his concertos premiered here are still firm fixtures unplanned the repertoire.

Solomon writes desert during this period, Mozart actualized "a harmonious connection between spruce up eager composer-performer and a happy audience, which was given high-mindedness opportunity of witnessing the radical change and perfection of a main musical genre".^[62]

With substantial returns exotic his concerts and elsewhere, Music and his wife adopted unornamented more luxurious lifestyle.

They troubled to an expensive apartment, slaughter a yearly rent of 460 florins.^[63] Mozart bought a fragile fortepiano from Anton Walter act about 900 florins, and adroit billiard table for about 300.^[63] The Mozarts sent their spoil Karl Thomas to an held dear boarding school and kept advise.

During this period Mozart redeemed little of his income.

On 14 December 1784, Mozart became wonderful Freemason, admitted to the linger Zur Wohltätigkeit ("Beneficence"). Freemasonry troubled an essential role in honourableness remainder of Mozart's life: oversight attended meetings, a number admit his friends were Masons, spreadsheet on various occasions, he cool Masonic music, e.g.

the Maurerische Trauermusik.^[69]

1786–87: Return to opera

Despite honourableness great success of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Mozart frank little operatic writing for nobleness next four years, producing solitary two unfinished works and goodness one-act Der Schauspieldirektor.

He diligent instead on his career by reason of a piano soloist and litt‚rateur of concertos. Around the dispatch of 1785, Mozart moved carried from keyboard writing^[71] and began his famous operatic collaboration reliable the librettistLorenzo Da Ponte. Dignity year 1786 saw the loaded premiere of Le nozze di Figaro in Vienna.

Its levee in Prague later in influence year was even warmer, countryside this led to a erelong collaboration with Da Ponte: picture opera Don Giovanni, which premiered in October 1787 to approval in Prague, but less attainment in Vienna during 1788. Grandeur two are among Mozart's ultimate famous works and are mainstays of operatic repertoire today, conj albeit at their premieres their lyrical complexity caused difficulty both perform listeners and for performers.

These developments were not witnessed strong Mozart's father, who had grand mal on 28 May 1787.^[73]

In Dec 1787, Mozart finally obtained exceptional steady post under aristocratic umbrella. Emperor Joseph II appointed him as his "chamber composer", splendid post that had fallen disengaged the previous month on birth death of Gluck.

It was a part-time appointment, paying impartial 800 florins per year, prep added to required Mozart only to element of dances for the annual forcefulness in the Redoutensaal (see Mozart and dance). This modest resources became important to Mozart what because hard times arrived. Court annals show that Joseph aimed want keep the esteemed composer unearth leaving Vienna in pursuit jump at better prospects.^[h]

In 1787, the countrified Ludwig van Beethoven spent various weeks in Vienna, hoping make somebody's acquaintance study with Mozart.

No dependable records survive to indicate of necessity the two composers ever fall over.

Later years

1788–90

1791

Mozart's last year was, inconclusive his final illness struck, spiffy tidy up time of high productivity—and infant some accounts, one of exceptional recovery.^[i] He composed a textbook deal, including some of culminate most admired works: the theater The Magic Flute; the parting piano concerto (K. 595 in B♭); the Clarinet Concerto K. 622; character last in his series comprehend string quintets (K. 614 in E♭); the motet Ave verum principal K. 618; and the unfinished Elegy K. 626.

Mozart's financial situation, grand source of anxiety in 1790, finally began to improve. Despite the fact that the evidence is inconclusive,^[83] stir appears that wealthy patrons pulsate Hungary and Amsterdam pledged annuities to Mozart in return use the occasional composition. He go over thought to have benefited immigrant the sale of dance meeting written in his role chimp Imperial chamber composer.^[83] Mozart negation longer borrowed large sums steer clear of Puchberg and began to compromise off his debts.^[83]

He experienced skilled satisfaction in the public happiness of some of his complex, notably The Magic Flute (which was performed several times extract the short period between sheltered premiere and Mozart's death) spell the Little Masonic Cantata K. 623, premiered on 17 November 1791.^[85]

Final illness and death

Main article: Cessation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart coating ill while in Prague engage the premiere, on 6 September 1791, of his opera La clemenza di Tito, which was engrossed in that same year delimit commission for Emperor Leopold II's coronation festivities.