The life, times and music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Mozart was born January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. He was the seventh child of Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart, though only he and his older sister Nannerl would survive past infancy. At three years old Mozart began to play the harpsichord, by six he was writing compositions.
Leopold decided not to waste Wolfgang's talents and took him on a tour across Europe with his sister, displaying their abilities to Royal courts and houses. Leopold gained a good deal of money and also spread Mozart's reputation. These tours spread well into Mozart's late teenage years. Mozart's touring with his father only stopped when the Archbishop of Salzburg fired Wolfgang.
Mozart was happy to leave the Archbishop, for he confined his genius and kept him demoted. He immediately left with his mother to find work elsewhere. He travelled from Austria to Italy and finally ended up in France. He received a minor position but hated France. Mozart decided to reluctantly return to Salzburg after his mother died from a fever while in Paris.
Mozart married Constanza Weber on August 4,1782. He and his new wife were both fun-loving and playful, financially; however, they (especially Mozart) were spendthrifts. .
Around this time Mozart wrote the score to "The Abduction from the Seralio". Later he"d also compose "The Marriage of Figaro" and "Don Giovanni". The Mozart's money trouble really started to show by the time of "Cosi fan Tutte" and "La Clemenza di Tito". His crowning operatic masterpiece however was completed in the year of his death, "The Magic Flute".
"The Requiem" was commissioned the same time as "The Magic Flute". Mozart was a freelance composer after the Archbishop fired him. Wealthy patrons commissioning symphonies, minuets and concertos were a common practice. Because the patron remained anonymous (so he could plagiarise Mozart's work), Mozart acquired morbid feelings for "The Requiem" and anticipated his own death.
