Nationality:
Austrian
Born:
Salzburg,
January 27th
1756
Died:
Vienna,
December
5th
1791
Type
of music: Symphonies,
Opera, piano concertos, string quartets
Main
works: Marriage
of Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787), 41 symphonies, 24 string
quartets, 21 piano concertos, 17 masses
Mozart
is one of the most recognised names in western classical music, if
not the most. He may not be seen as a revolutionary as Beethoven is,
but among his works are some of the most emotive pieces of music in
the classical repertoire, particularly his operatic works. Unlike any
other composer, Mozart wrote in all the styles of the time and was
successful in each genre he composed in.
Mozart's
family, (particularly his father Leopold) were key to his success as
a musician. Leopold was a court musician for the Archbishop of
Salzburg, and from an early age he showed of Mozart's talent for
keyboard playing to members of aristocracy in Europe. In 1763, Mozart
and his family travelled to Paris and London where Mozart would play
for the monarchy, and it was in London that Mozart wrote his first
symphonies.
In
May 1769, Mozart's first opera, 'La finta semplice' was performed at
the Archbishop's palace. Leopold then took Mozart took Italy, the
birthplace of opera, and he received his first full opera commission
for 'Mitridate, re di ponto' which had it's debut in 1770. Mozart's
last trip away was to Paris where he wrote Symphony no.31 and a
concerto for flute and harp. The Parisian audience were uninterested
and when Mozart's mother died suddenly, he returned home.
Mozart
carried on writing music for the court, including sacred music,
symphonies, serenades and piano concertos. In 1781, Mozart ended his
engagement with the Archbishop and stayed in Vienna, where he
composed, taught music and gave concerts. In his first years there he
composed the opera 'Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail' and several piano
concertos.
In
1785, Mozart began composing his most famous Opera 'The Marriage of
Figaro'. It is based on a French play by Pierre Beaumarchais but
Mozart's literary collaborator for this was the Italian poet Lorenzo
Da Ponte, who also wrote the librettos for 'Don Giovanni' and 'Cosi
fan tutte'. Surprisingly, Figaro failed to impress the audiences in
Vienna, and in 1787 the opera was taken to Prague, a city which fell
in love with the masterpiece.
Mozart's
'Don Giovanni' was even less well received than Figaro and Mozart
began struggling financially as well as experiencing ill health. In
1788 he composed his last three symphonies, including no.41 (Jupiter)
in the space of a few weeks.
In
1791, he was commissioned to write his infamous Requiem Mass. By this
time, Mozart's health was rapidly deteriorating and he died in
December 1791. His Requiem was finished by his own pupil, Franz
Sussmayr. Mozart's financial affairs means he was laid to rest in an
unmarked grave.
"Mozart
is sunshine” - Dvorak
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