WolfGang Amadeus Mozart Life, Work, and Compositional Style

Overview Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: born 27th January 1756 in Salzburg (Austria) and died 5th December 1791 in Vienna (Austria) Composed music in the time now known as the Classical Period He was hugely prolific, composing over 600 works Considered to be one of the most influential composers of all time

Mozart’s Childhood Child prodigy Toured Europe with his father Leopold and sister Anna Maria “Nannerl” Mozart playing violin and keyboard Began composing at a young age, writing his first opera at age 8 Wrote down Allegri’s Miserere after two hearings

Early Working Life Employed by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg 1773 – 1777 Rocky relationship with his employer Artistic success in this period but was unhappy and tried to find other employment Low pay and lack of opportunity to write operas

Life in Vienna Mozart travelled for a year then came back to Salzburg to take up another employment In 1781 he gained his first commission from Emperor Joseph II and moved to Vienna to be a freelance performer and composer Early success Married Constanze Weber in 1782 – two surviving children

Later Working Life Plush lifestyle Met Haydn in 1784 – dedicated six string quartets to him Steady employment, many famous works from this period including Da Ponte operas Circumstances worsened from 1786, financial issues

Death Turned to borrowing large sums of money Fortunes started to rise in 1791 Fell ill and died aged 35 Exact cause of death unknown – conspiracy theories abound!

Personality Wealth of letters survive, revealing personality Trickster, liked pranks and rude jokes Liked fashion and dancing Religious, Freemason

Compositions Extremely versatile; wrote in every major genre 41 symphonies, 22 operas, 27 piano concertos, chamber works, songs, sonatas, masses Music influenced many subsequent composers, particularly Beethoven

Style Mozart’s music represents the pinnacle of the Classical Period and the ‘Classical style’ Used forms that were not new, but developed them to their full potential, particularly the piano concerto Later works were influenced by Baroque counterpoint Increasing chromaticism in later works

Ah! Vous Dirai-Je Maman K 265/300e Probably written 1881-2 when Mozart was 25 years old Based on a French pastoral song from c. 1740