Mozart

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born January 27, 1756, in Salzburg?, a child prodigy from a musical family, who began composing at the age of five. His father was [Leopold Mozart]?, also a composer, and some of the piano pieces W.A. Mozart wrote, especially the duets and pieces for two pianos, were written for him and his sister Nannerl to play together. Mozart lived much of his life in Vienna although he traveled throughout Europe extensively. He is considered one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time, and is one of the most popular composers among modern audiences.

He became a Freemason during his adulthood, and fervently worked to convert his father before L. Mozart's death. Happily for W.A., he was successful. [The Magic Flute]? is said to contain Masonic themes or meanings. The coloratura aria from that work, [Queen of the Night]?, is an intensely thrilling piece. Mozart showed in many of his works that he could write as beautifully for the human voice as for the violin or pianoforte. Mozart is considered the bridge to the Romantic period. His later symphonies pushed the envelope of his period's style of composition.

Beethoven, one of the best known classical composers, was greatly influenced by Mozart, and wrote Cadenzas? to some of Mozart's works that lacked them, most notably for Concerto No. 20, K. 466. Mozart often composed only sketches for his own parts, so great was his ability to remember them. He was also known to write an entire work on the day of its first performance. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky greatly loved and admired Mozart, and expressed his admiration by writing his Mozartiana?, a piece he intended to be in the Mozart style.

As brilliant as he was, Mozart did not have an easy life. Many times, he did not receive the promised payment for his work. Gradually, his health became very poor. He lived just a little over half of Beethoven's life span, yet was amazingly prolific from early childhood until his death in 1791.

Some of his more popular works are

Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade for String Quartet & Bass)
Alla Turca (Sonata for Piano)
Symphony No. 25
Symphony No. 40
The opera 'Le Nozze di Figaro' (The Marriage of Figaro)
Elvira Madigan (Concerto for Piano No. 21)

His Complete List of Works can be found at http://www.algonet.se/~istvan/daniel/mozart.html