Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1756-1791 Created by: Annika Hando
Early Life
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. Wolfgang was a child prodigy. From the beginning, Mozart played the harpsichord and violin, and when he was only five, he composed a minuet. He was only nine when Mozart wrote his first symphony. Mozart had a sister named Maria Anna, but was called Nannerl, and a father who was a musician, named Leopold. When Wolfgang was 7, he and Nannerl toured Europe with their father and played for kings, emperors, and royalty for three years.
Map of Austria
This is an image of a map of Austria in 1766. This is related to Mozart's life because he was born in Salzburg, Austria. As he got older, Mozart moved to Vienna, Austria and married Constanze Weber. They had six children. He spent most of his life in Vienna, writing over 600 compositions. Wolfgang died on December 5, 1791 in Vienna. In addition, his map was made only ten years after Mozart was born.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem Mass in D minor K. 626
Requiem Mass
This is a video of Mozart's last piece before he passed away; Requiem, the Mass for the Dead. Mozart was commissioned to write this piece by Franz von Walsegg. When Wolfgang was half-way done with the Requiem, he died and only got paid half of the money promised. Mozart's family was so poor at the time that his wife, Constanze, needed the rest of the money and contacted one of Mozart's colleagues, Franz Xaver Süssmayr to finish the composition. Süssmayr agreed to do it because Mozart was a friend of his. When it was finished, Constanze got the money. Constanze later confessed that Mozart had only written half, but people still enjoy the composition because of its greatness.
Other Known Music
- Symphonies No. 1-41
- Piano Concertos No. 1-27
- Violin Concertos No. 1-5
- Violin Sonatas No. 1-36
- String Quartets No. 1-23
- Serenades No. 1-13
Mozart's Legacy
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the greatest musical figures of the classical period. He wrote over 400 compositions that are enjoyed by many. Mozart had a gift for music and was a child prodigy. He wrote his first symphony when he was 9 years old and toured Europe to play for royalty when he was 7 until he was 10 years old. Throughout his childhood many people loved his music. As he grew older, his popularity went down and he died poor. However, today people adore his music and his pieces inspire all.
Works Cited
Austria, Map / Brion 1766. Fine Art. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 13 May 2016.
<http://quest.eb.com/search/109_153514/1/109_153514/cite>
Fledermaus1990. “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem Mass in D minor K. 626.” YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05P5_Ynoku8>.
Mozart. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 13 May 2016.
<http://quest.eb.com/search/139_2013714/1/139_2013714/cite>