Viennese Classical School: Amadeus Mozart. Mozart short biography

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a talented, gifted, well-known composer who wrote about 650 works.

Childhood

On January 27, 1756, the future composer, Mozart, was born into a musical Austrian family. His talent was discovered in childhood - from the age of 4 he tried to write the first melodies, and from the age of six he brilliantly gave concerts in Europe. Parents educated a talented child in every possible way and taught him to play instruments. In addition to musical talent, Mozart was distinguished by an unusually rare memory, which allowed him to fully memorize and write down a work by listening to it only once. By the age of 17, the composer's repertoire included about 45 voluminous works.

creative way

In 1769, Mozart received the position of concertmaster in Salzburg, and the very next year he became a member of the Philharmonic Academy.

Mozart flourished between 1775 and 1780. During this period, he creates his famous operas - Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, and most of the symphonies (in total, 49 of them were written by Mozart). From 1777 the composer gave successful concerts in Germany and France. The last work of Mozart, which he did not have time to finish - "Requiem". Mozart's works are contrasting, dramatic and deep, but at the same time they have soft, smooth shades.

A family

Constance Weber became Mozart's faithful wife and creative muse. The couple had six children, of whom only two sons survived.

Death

From November 1791, Mozart was seriously ill and on December 5 he died of a fever. The funeral of the outstanding composer, who gave the world so many wonderful works and showed people the magnificent world of music, took place on December 6 in the presence of the closest people. A little later, a monument was erected to Mozart in Vienna.

Creation Interesting Facts

Biography of Mozart about creativity

Mozart was born in 1756. From childhood, the composer-father Leopold Mozart studied with him. He was such a gifted child that at the age of four he had already begun to write harpsichord concertos, and at the age of six he successfully toured Europe. Maybe the genes affected, or just the boy was talented, but there were no equals to him at that time. Little Mozart had a unique memory. As soon as he heard a work once, he could immediately transfer it to paper.

In 1762, the composer's family went to Vienna, and then the journey covered the whole of Europe - the composer spontaneously managed to give concerts in many cities. After a resounding success, he was offered to publish his works. And this is in adolescence.

On one of these journeys, they were invited to an audience with the Empress. She had already heard about the talented boy, and here is such an opportunity to see and enjoy his game.

By the age of seventeen, he took the place of concertmaster at the court of the archbishop. There were about 40 works in his collection. For services in the field of music, the Pope awarded him the title of Knight of the Golden Spur.

In 1767 he was invited to the wedding of the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa. But due to unfavorable events, the composer was simply forgotten at that moment. And Mozart failed to perform. The smallpox epidemic that spread at that time also crippled the young composer, the consequences of the disease were the short-term blindness of the boy.
The zenith of glory fell on 1775-1780. Mozart was constantly improving. In his works one can hear a number of unique techniques inherent only to him. This was influenced by the teachings of a local organist, as well as acquaintance with younger son famous composer Johann Christian Bach. This acquaintance, and subsequently friendship, gave the young composer a lot of interesting and useful things. Thanks to his friend, he became the most liberated.

After that, Mozart received an offer to perform at the court of George III. His playing was so virtuoso that it was decided to involve him in writing a laudatory composition for the archbishop.

Despite the heavy financial situation, an unfavorable situation in the family, Mozart during this period wrote 4 operas, 13 symphonies, 12 ballet numbers.

In 1781, the opera Idomeneo was staged at the theater, the composer of which was Mozart. This was new turn in the composer's career. Much was written for the church chapel, he considered such works to be the best.

In 1782, the second opera, The Abduction from the Seraglio, was completed. The resounding success of the opera in Vienna contributed to the spread of popularity throughout Germany. However, admirers of the music of Vienna were practically unfamiliar with the composer's work. In the same year, he was married to Constance Weber. These were such strong feelings that for the sake of his beloved, the composer went against the will of his father. On the wedding ceremony only the mother, sister and guardian of his beloved were present. They had six children in their marriage.

The fame and success of Mozart was deafening. Moreover, it began to bring a certain income. Soon the Mozart family was able to buy a house.

From the autumn of 1791, Mozart became very ill. Work knocked him down completely. AT recent times he hardly got up. The composer died on December 5, 1791 acute fever. The exact burial place of the composer is not known for certain, since the burial places at that time were not indicated by tablets or monuments. Thanks to the memoirs of the composer's son, in honor of the centenary of the death of Mozart, a monument in the form of a weeping angel was erected on the grave of Mozart.

Interesting facts and dates from life

It was almost one in the morning when he turned his back to the wall and stopped breathing. Constanța, broken by grief and without any means, had to agree to the cheapest funeral service in the chapel of the Cathedral of St. Stephen. She was too weak to accompany the body of her husband on a long journey to the cemetery of St. Mark, where he was buried without any witnesses other than gravediggers, in a pauper's grave, the location of which was soon hopelessly forgotten.

Born January 27, 1756 in Salzburg (Austria) and at baptism received the names Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Theophilus. Mother - Maria Anna, nee Pertl; father - Leopold Mozart (1719-1787), composer and theorist, since 1743 - violinist in the court orchestra of the Salzburg Archbishop. Of the seven Mozart children, two survived: Wolfgang and his older sister Maria Anna. Both brother and sister had brilliant musical abilities: Leopold began giving his daughter harpsichord lessons when she was eight years old, and composed by her father in 1759 for Nannerl Notebook with light plays, it later came in handy when teaching little Wolfgang. At the age of three, Mozart picked up thirds and sixths on the harpsichord, at the age of five he began to compose simple minuets. In January 1762, Leopold took his miracle children to Munich, where they played in the presence of the Bavarian elector, and in September - to Linz and Passau, from there along the Danube - to Vienna, where they were received at court (in the Schönbrunn Palace) and were twice awarded reception at the Empress Maria Theresa. This journey marked the beginning of a series of concert tours that continued for ten years.

From Vienna, Leopold and his children moved along the Danube to Pressburg (now Bratislava, Slovakia), where they stayed from December 11 to 24, and then returned to Vienna by Christmas Eve. In June 1763, Leopold, Nannerl and Wolfgang began the longest of their concert trips: they returned home to Salzburg only by the end of November 1766. Leopold kept a travel diary: Munich, Ludwigsburg, Augsburg and Schwetzingen (the summer residence of the Elector of the Palatinate). On August 18, Wolfgang gave a concert in Frankfurt: by this time he had mastered the violin and played it freely, although not with such phenomenal brilliance as on keyboards; in Frankfurt, he performed his violin concerto (among those present in the hall was the 14-year-old Goethe). This was followed by Brussels and Paris, where the family spent the entire winter of 1763/1764.

The Mozarts were received at the court of Louis XV during the Christmas holidays in Versailles and throughout the winter enjoyed great attention in aristocratic circles. At the same time, Wolfgang's four violin sonatas were first published in Paris.

In April 1764 the family went to London and lived there for over a year. A few days after their arrival, the Mozarts were solemnly received by King George III. As in Paris, the children gave public concerts during which Wolfgang demonstrated his amazing abilities. Composer Johann Christian Bach, a favorite of London society, immediately appreciated the enormous talent of the child. Often, putting Wolfgang on his knees, he played sonatas with him on the harpsichord: they played in turn, each for several bars, and did this with such accuracy that it seemed as if one musician was playing.

In London, Mozart composed his first symphonies. They followed the patterns of the gallant, lively and energetic music of Johann Christian, who became the boy's teacher, and demonstrated an innate sense of form and instrumental color.

In July 1765 the family left London for Holland; in September in The Hague, Wolfgang and Nannerl suffered severe pneumonia, from which the boy recovered only by February.

Then they continued their tour: from Belgium to Paris, then to Lyon, Geneva, Bern, Zurich, Donaueschingen, Augsburg and finally to Munich, where the elector again listened to the miracle child play and was amazed at the success he had made. As soon as they returned to Salzburg (November 30, 1766), Leopold began to make plans for the next trip. It began in September 1767. The whole family arrived in Vienna, where at that time a smallpox epidemic was raging. The disease overtook both children in Olmutz (now Olomouc, Czech Republic), where they had to stay until December. In January 1768 they reached Vienna and were again received at court; Wolfgang at that time wrote his first opera - The Imaginary Simple Woman (La finta semplice), but her production did not take place due to the intrigues of some Viennese musicians. At the same time, his first great mass for choir and orchestra appeared, which was performed at the opening of the church at the orphanage in front of a large and friendly audience. By order, a trumpet concerto was written, unfortunately not preserved. On the way home to Salzburg, Wolfgang performed his new symphony (K. 45a) at the Benedictine monastery in Lambach.

(Note on the numbering of Mozart's works: In 1862 Ludwig von Köchel published a catalog of Mozart's works in chronological order. From that time on, the titles of the composer's works usually include the Koechel number, just as the works of other authors usually contain the opus designation. For example, the full name of Piano Concerto No. 20 would be: Concerto No. 20 in D minor for Piano and Orchestra (K. 466). The Kochel index has been revised six times. In 1964, the Breitkopf & Hertel publishing house (Wiesbaden, Germany) published a deeply revised and supplemented Koechel index. It includes many works for which the authorship of Mozart has been proven and which were not mentioned in earlier editions. The dates of the compositions are also specified in accordance with the data of scientific research. In the 1964 edition, changes were made to the chronology, and consequently, new numbers appeared in the catalog, but Mozart's compositions continue to exist under the old numbers of the Koechel catalog.)

The purpose of the next trip planned by Leopold was Italy - the country of opera and, of course, the country of music in general. After 11 months of study and preparation for the trip in Salzburg, Leopold and Wolfgang began the first of three trips across the Alps. They were absent for more than a year (from December 1769 to March 1771). The first Italian journey turned into a chain of continuous triumphs - for the pope and the duke, for the king (Ferdinand IV of Naples) and for the cardinal and, most importantly, for the musicians. Mozart met with N.Picchini and G.B.Sammartini in Milan, with N.Iommelli, J.F. and Mayo and G. Paisiello in Naples. In Milan, Wolfgang received an order for new opera-series for presentation during the carnival. In Rome, he heard the famous Miserere G. Allegri, which he then wrote down from memory. Pope Clement XIV received Mozart on July 8, 1770 and awarded him the Order of the Golden Spur.

While studying counterpoint in Bologna with the famous teacher Padre Martini, Mozart began work on a new opera, Mithridates, King of Pontus (Mitridate, re di Ponto). At Martini's urging, he underwent an examination at the famous Bologna Philharmonic Academy and was accepted as a member of the academy. The opera was successful

hom is shown at Christmas in Milan.

Wolfgang spent the spring and early summer of 1771 in Salzburg, but in August father and son went to Milan to prepare the premiere of the new opera Ascanio in Alba, which was successfully held on October 17. Leopold hoped to convince the Archduke Ferdinand, for whose wedding a festivity was organized in Milan, to take Wolfgang into his service; but by a strange coincidence, Empress Maria Theresa sent a letter from Vienna, where she expressed her displeasure with the Mozarts in strong terms (in particular, she called them "a useless family"). Leopold and Wolfgang were forced to return to Salzburg, unable to find a suitable job for Wolfgang in Italy.

On the very day of their return, December 16, 1771, Prince-Archbishop Sigismund, who was kind to the Mozarts, died. His successor was Count Jerome Colloredo, and for his inaugural celebrations in April 1772 Mozart composed a "dramatic serenade" of Scipio's Dream (Il sogno di Scipione). Colloredo accepted the young composer into the service with an annual salary of 150 guilders and gave permission to travel to Milan (Mozart undertook to write a new opera for this city); however, the new archbishop, unlike his predecessor, did not tolerate the Mozarts' long absences and was not inclined to admire their art.

The third Italian trip lasted from October 1772 to March 1773. Mozart's new opera, Lucio Silla, was performed the day after Christmas 1772, and the composer did not receive further opera orders. Leopold tried in vain to enlist the patronage of the Grand Duke of Florence, Leopold. Having made several more attempts to arrange his son in Italy, Leopold realized his defeat, and the Mozarts left this country, never to return there again.

For the third time, Leopold and Wolfgang tried to settle in the Austrian capital; they remained in Vienna from mid-July to the end of September 1773. Wolfgang had the opportunity to get acquainted with the new symphonic works Viennese school, especially with dramatic symphonies in minor keys by J. Wanhal and J. Haydn; the fruits of this acquaintance are evident in his symphony in G minor (K. 183).

Forced to stay in Salzburg, Mozart devoted himself entirely to composition: at this time, symphonies, divertissements, works of church genres, as well as the first string quartet appeared - this music soon provided the author with a reputation as one of the most talented composers in Austria. The symphonies composed in late 1773 and early 1774 (for example, K. 183, 200, 201) are notable for their high dramatic integrity.

A short break from the Salzburg provincialism he hated was given to Mozart by an order that came from Munich for a new opera for the carnival of 1775: the premiere of the Imaginary Gardener (La finta giardiniera) was successfully held in January. But the musician almost did not leave Salzburg. Happy family life to some extent compensated for the boredom of Salzburg everyday life, but Wolfgang, who compared his current situation with the lively atmosphere of foreign capitals, gradually lost patience.

In the summer of 1777, Mozart was dismissed from the service of the archbishop and decided to seek his fortune abroad. In September, Wolfgang and his mother traveled through Germany to Paris. In Munich, the elector refused his services; on the way they stopped at Mannheim, where Mozart was greeted friendly by local orchestra members and singers. Although he did not get a place at the court of Karl Theodor, he lingered in Mannheim: the reason was his love for the singer Aloysia Weber. In addition, Mozart hoped to make a concert tour with Aloisia, who had a magnificent coloratura soprano, he even went with her secretly to the court of the Princess of Nassau-Weilburg (in January 1778). Leopold initially believed that Wolfgang would go to Paris with a company of Mannheim musicians, letting his mother go back to Salzburg, but when he heard that Wolfgang was in love with no memory, he strictly ordered him to immediately go to Paris with his mother.

The stay in Paris, which lasted from March to September 1778, turned out to be extremely unsuccessful: on July 3, Wolfgang's mother died, and the Parisian court circles lost interest in the young composer. Although Mozart successfully performed two new symphonies in Paris and Christian Bach arrived in Paris, Leopold ordered his son to return to Salzburg. Wolfgang delayed the return as long as he could, and especially lingered in Mannheim. Here he realized that Aloysia was completely indifferent to him. It was a terrible blow, and only the terrible threats and entreaties of his father forced him to leave Germany.

Mozart's new symphonies (e.g. G major, K. 318; B-flat major, K. 319; C major, K. 334) and instrumental serenades (e.g., D major, K. 320) are marked by crystal clarity of form and orchestration, richness and the subtlety of emotional nuances and that special cordiality that put Mozart above all Austrian composers, with the possible exception of J. Haydn.

In January 1779, Mozart resumed his duties as organist at the archbishop's court with an annual salary of 500 guilders. church music, which he was obliged to compose for Sunday services, in depth and variety is much higher than what he wrote earlier in this genre. The Coronation Mass and Missa solemnis in C major (K. 337) stand out in particular. But Mozart continued to feel hatred for Salzburg and the archbishop, and therefore gladly accepted the offer to write an opera for Munich. Idomeneo, King of Crete (Idomeneo, re di Creta) was installed at the court of Elector Charles Theodor (his winter residence was in Munich) in January 1781. Idomeneo was an excellent result of the experience acquired by the composer in the previous period, mainly in Paris and Mannheim. The choral writing is especially original and dramatic.

At that time, the Salzburg archbishop was in Vienna and ordered Mozart to immediately go to the capital. Here, the personal conflict between Mozart and Colloredo gradually assumed alarming proportions, and after the resounding public success of Wolfgang in a concert given in favor of the widows and orphans of Viennese musicians on April 3, 1781, his days in the service of the archbishop were numbered. In May, he submitted his resignation, and on June 8 he was put out the door.

Against the will of his father, Mozart married Constance Weber, the sister of his first lover, and the mother of the bride managed to get very favorable conditions from Wolfgang marriage contract(to the anger and despair of Leopold, who showered his son with letters, begging him to change his mind). AT

Wolfgang and Constanta were married in the Vienna Cathedral of St. Stephen on August 4, 1782. Although Constanta was as helpless in money matters as her husband, their marriage, apparently, turned out to be a happy one.

In July 1782, Mozart's opera The Abduction from the Seraglio (Die Entfhrung aus dem Serail) was staged at the Vienna Burgtheater; it was a significant success, and Mozart became the idol of Vienna, not only in court and aristocratic circles, but also among concertgoers from the third estate. Within a few years, Mozart reached the pinnacle of fame; life in Vienna prompted him to a variety of activities, composing and performing. He was in great demand, tickets for his concerts (the so-called academies), distributed by subscription, sold out completely. For this occasion, Mozart composed a series of brilliant piano concertos. In 1784 Mozart gave 22 concerts in six weeks.

In the summer of 1783 Wolfgang and his fiancee paid a visit to Leopold and Nannerl in Salzburg. On this occasion, Mozart wrote his last and best Mass in C minor (K. 427), which has not come down to us in full (if the composer finished the composition at all). The Mass was performed on 26 October at the Salzburg Peterskirche, with Constanza singing one of the soprano solo parts. (Constanze, apparently, was a good professional singer, although her voice was in many ways inferior to that of her sister Aloysia.) Returning to Vienna in October, the couple stopped in Linz, where the Linz Symphony (K. 425) appeared. The following February, Leopold paid a visit to his son and daughter-in-law in their large Viennese apartment near cathedral(this beautiful house has survived to our time), and although Leopold could not get rid of his dislike for Constanza, he admitted that his son's affairs as a composer and performer were going very well.

By this time, the beginning of many years of sincere friendship between Mozart and J. Haydn dates back. At a quartet evening at Mozart's in the presence of Leopold, Haydn, turning to his father, said: "Your son is the greatest composer of all whom I personally know or have heard of." Haydn and Mozart had a significant influence on each other; as for Mozart, the first fruits of this influence are evident in the cycle of six quartets which Mozart dedicated to a friend in a famous letter in September 1785.

In 1784 Mozart became a freemason, which left a deep imprint on his life philosophy; Masonic ideas can be traced in a number of Mozart's later compositions, especially in The Magic Flute. In those years, many well-known scientists, poets, writers, musicians in Vienna were members of Masonic lodges (Haydn was among them), Freemasonry was also cultivated in court circles.

As a result of various operatic and theatrical intrigues, L. da Ponte, court librettist, heir to the famous Metastasio, decided to work with Mozart in opposition to the clique of court composer A. Salieri and da Ponte's rival, librettist Abbe Casti. Mozart and da Ponte began with Beaumarchais's anti-aristocratic play The Marriage of Figaro, German translation The play has not yet been banned. With the help of various tricks, they managed to obtain the necessary censorship permission, and on May 1, 1786, Figaro's Wedding (Le nozze di Figaro) was first shown at the Burgtheater. Although later this Mozart opera was a huge success, at the first production it was soon superseded by the new opera by V. Martin i Soler (1754–1806) A Rare Thing (Una cosa rara). Meanwhile, in Prague, the Marriage of Figaro gained exceptional popularity (melodies from the opera sounded on the streets, danced to arias from it in ballrooms and in coffee houses). Mozart was invited to conduct several performances. In January 1787, he and Constanta spent about a month in Prague, and this was the happiest time in the life of the great composer. The director of the opera company, Bondini, ordered him a new opera. It can be assumed that Mozart himself chose the plot - the old legend about Don Giovanni; the libretto was to be prepared by none other than da Ponte. The opera Don Giovanni was first performed in Prague on October 29, 1787.

In May 1787, the composer's father died. This year generally became a milestone in the life of Mozart, with regard to its external flow and the composer's state of mind. His reflections were increasingly colored by deep pessimism; forever gone are the brilliance of success and the joy of youth. The peak of the composer's journey was the triumph of Don Giovanni in Prague. After returning to Vienna at the end of 1787, Mozart began to pursue failures, and at the end of his life - poverty. The production of Don Giovanni in Vienna in May 1788 ended in failure; at the reception after the performance, Haydn alone defended the opera. Mozart received the position of court composer and bandmaster of Emperor Joseph II, but with a relatively small salary for this position (800 guilders per year). The emperor understood little about the music of either Haydn or Mozart; about the works of Mozart, he said that they were "not to the taste of the Viennese." Mozart had to borrow money from Michael Puchberg, his fellow Masonic.

In view of the hopelessness of the situation in Vienna (documents confirming how soon the frivolous Viennese forgot their former idol make a strong impression), Mozart decided to make a concert trip to Berlin (April - June 1789), where he hoped to find a place for himself at the court of the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm II . The result was only new debts, and even an order for six string quartets for His Majesty, who was a decent amateur cellist, and six clavier sonatas for Princess Wilhelmina.

In 1789, the health of Constanta, then Wolfgang himself, deteriorated, and the financial situation of the family became simply threatening. In February 1790, Joseph II died, and Mozart was not sure that he could keep his post as court composer under the new emperor. The celebrations for the coronation of Emperor Leopold were held in Frankfurt in the autumn of 1790, and Mozart went there at his own expense, hoping to attract the attention of the public. This performance (the “Coronation” clavier concerto, K. 537 was performed) took place on October 15, but did not bring any money. Returning to Vienna, Mozart met with Haydn; London impresario Zalomon came to invite Haydn to London, and Mozart received a similar invitation to the English capital for the next winter season. He wept bitterly as he saw Haydn and Salomon off. “We will never see each other again,” he repeated. The previous winter, he invited only two friends, Haydn and Puchberg, to rehearsals of the opera Cos fan tutte.

In 1791, E. Schikaneder, a writer, actor and impresario, an old acquaintance of Mozart, ordered him a new opera in German for his Freihaus Theater in the Vienna suburbs

Wieden (today's Theater An der Wien), and in the spring Mozart began work on The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflte). Then he received from Prague an order for the coronation opera - La clemenza di Tito (La clemenza di Tito), for which Mozart's student F.K. Together with a student and Constanza, Mozart went to Prague in August to prepare a performance, which was held without much success on September 6 (later this opera was very popular). Mozart then left hastily for Vienna to complete the Magic Flute. The opera was performed on September 30, and at the same time he completed his last instrumental work, a concerto for clarinet and orchestra in A major (K. 622).

Mozart was already ill when, under mysterious circumstances, a stranger came to him and ordered a requiem. It was the manager of Count Walsegg-Stuppach. The count commissioned a composition in memory of his dead wife, intending to perform it under his own name. Mozart, confident that he was composing a requiem for himself, feverishly worked on the score until his strength left him. On November 15, 1791 he completed the Little Masonic Cantata. Constanza was at that time being treated in Baden and hastily returned home when she realized how serious her husband's illness was. On November 20, Mozart fell ill and a few days later felt so weak that he took communion. On the night of December 4-5, he fell into a delirious state and, in a semi-conscious state, imagined himself playing the timpani in Dies irae from his own unfinished requiem. It was almost one in the morning when he turned his back to the wall and stopped breathing. Constanța, broken by grief and without any means, had to agree to the cheapest funeral service in the chapel of the Cathedral of St. Stephen. She was too weak to accompany the body of her husband on a long journey to the cemetery of St. Mark, where he was buried without any witnesses other than gravediggers, in a pauper's grave, the location of which was soon hopelessly forgotten. Süssmeier completed the requiem and orchestrated large unfinished text fragments left by the author.

If during the life of Mozart his creative power was realized only by a relatively small number of listeners, then already in the first decade after the death of the composer, the recognition of his genius spread throughout Europe. This was facilitated by the success that The Magic Flute had with a wide audience. The German publisher André acquired the rights to most of Mozart's unpublished compositions, including his wonderful piano concertos and all later symphonies (none of them were printed during the composer's lifetime).

Mozart personality.

250 years after the birth of Mozart, it is difficult to form a clear picture of his personality (although not as difficult as in the case of J.S. Bach, about whom we know even less). Apparently, the most opposite qualities were paradoxically combined in Mozart's nature: generosity and a penchant for caustic sarcasm, childishness and worldly sophistication, gaiety and a penchant for deep melancholy - up to pathological, wit (he ruthlessly mimicked those around him), high morality (although he did not favored the church too much), rationalism, a realistic outlook on life. Without a shadow of pride, he enthusiastically spoke about those whom he admired, for example, about Haydn, but he was merciless towards those whom he considered amateurs. His father once wrote to him: "You are all extremes, you do not know the golden mean," adding that Wolfgang is either too patient, too lazy, too indulgent, or - at times - too obstinate and restless, too rushing the course of events instead of giving them to go their own way. And after centuries, his personality seems to us mobile and elusive, like mercury.

Mozart family. Mozart and Constanza had six children, of whom two survived: Carl Thomas (1784–1858) and Franz Xaver Wolfgang (1791–1844). Both studied music, Haydn sent the elder to study at the Milan Conservatory with the famous theorist B. Azioli; however, Karl Thomas was still not a born musician and eventually became an official. The youngest son had musical abilities (Haydn even introduced him to the public in charity concert, which was held in Vienna in favor of Constanta), and he created a number of quite professional instrumental works.

MUSIC OF MOZART

It is impossible to find another composer who, with such brilliance as Mozart, mastered the most diverse genres and forms: this applies to the symphony and concerto, divertissement and quartet, opera and mass, sonata and trio. Even Beethoven cannot compare with Mozart in the exceptional brightness of operatic images (as for Fidelio, this is rather a monumental exception in Beethoven's work). Mozart was not an innovator like Haydn, but he made bold breakthroughs in the field of updating the harmonic language (for example, the famous Little Gigue in G major, K. 574 for piano - a very significant example, reminiscent of the modern 12-tone technique). Mozart's orchestral writing is not as strikingly new as Haydn's, but the impeccability and perfection of the Mozart orchestra is a constant object of admiration for both musicians and laymen, who, in the words of the composer himself, "enjoy without realizing what it is." Mozart's style was formed on Salzburg soil (where there was a strong influence of Michael Haydn, Joseph's brother), and the impressions of numerous travels made in childhood had a deep and lasting impact on him. The most significant of these impressions is associated with Johann Christian Bach (the ninth, youngest son of Johann Sebastian). Mozart became acquainted with the art of the "English Bach" in London, and the strength and grace of his scores left an unforgettable mark on the mind of the young Wolfgang. Later, Italy played a big role (where Mozart visited three times): there he took on the basics of dramaturgy and the musical language of the opera genre. And then Mozart became a close friend and admirer of J. Haydn and was captivated by Haydn's deeply meaningful interpretation of the sonata form. But in general, during the Viennese period, Mozart created his own, exclusively original style. And only in the 20th century. the amazing emotional richness of Mozart's art and its inner tragedy, closely adjacent to the external serenity, sunshine of the major fragments of his music, were fully realized. AT old days only Bach and Beethoven were regarded as the main pillars of Western European music, but today many musicians and music lovers believe that this art has found its most perfect expression in the works of Mozart.

Biography and episodes of life Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. When born and died Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, memorable places and dates important events his life. composer quotes, images and videos.

Life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:

born January 27, 1756, died December 5, 1791

Epitaph

"Mozart lives here,
He believed in something
What has no name
And there are no words to explain it.
He was able to express this through music.
When he died,
Only his bodily form was taken away.
They said they didn't recognize him.
And the body was buried in a common grave.
But we choose to believe
That he was never buried
Because he never died.
Take heed."
Stymin Karpen, epitaph to Mozart, translated by D. Samoilov

Biography

One day Mozart's father came home accompanied by his friend, the court trumpeter AI Shakhtner. Entering the house, the men saw how little Wolfgang, sitting at the table, diligently displays inscriptions on a sheet of music. When asked by his father about what he was doing, young Mozart replied that he was writing a musical composition for the harpsichord. Such a serious answer amused both the father and Mr. Shachtner, but their laughter continued only until the moment when they looked at the sheet of music covered with uneven children's handwriting. Father read the notes, and tears flowed from his eyes: “How everything here is correct and meaningful!” he exclaimed. But the genius at that time was only four years old.

The first years of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's life were spent in Salzburg, the then capital of a small Austrian principality. Mozart's musical talent manifested itself very early: already at the age of three, he could build chords, improvise and play melodies by ear. Under the guidance of Father Leopold Mozart - an outstanding musician of that time - Wolfgang Amadeus learned to play the harpsichord, violin and organ. By the way, his older sister Maria Anna was no less gifted.

Concert activity in the biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began at the age of six. True, at that time the young master toured in the company of his father and sister, nevertheless leaving behind him cheering crowds of spectators and a trail of glory growing every day. Thus, while still a child, Mozart visited almost all cultural centers Europe, which, in fact, provided him with the foundation for further solo career. During his life, Wolfgang Amadeus wrote more than 600 pieces of music.

Mozart's personal life was not only stormy, but not without scandals. The composer had only one chosen one - Constance Weber - a girl from a famous Munich family, in whose house he rented a room. The love of young people was strong and mutual, but Mozart's father prevented the wedding for a long time, caring more about his son's career and material well-being. However, the wedding nevertheless took place, and Constance became a faithful companion of Mozart, remaining his muse and benefactor until the very last days.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died at the age of 36. It seemed that the composer felt the proximity of his own death. AT last days of his life, he tirelessly worked on the "Requiem" and tearfully admitted to his wife that he was writing a memorial work for himself. Constance tried to entertain her lover with more cheerful topics, but, alas, you can’t get away from fate: in the end, the genius fell ill from a serious illness. For two weeks he did not get out of bed, but he was still conscious. A December 5, 1791 great composer died. Modern researchers claim that the cause of Mozart's death was a staphylococcal infection.

The news of Mozart's death instantly spread throughout the world, shocking the public. However, the funeral of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - the greatest musical genius of mankind - was held in the so-called third category: in a simple coffin to a common grave. And in this, by the way, there was nothing unusual, because only the richest people of that time could afford monuments and personal graves, to whom, alas, Mozart did not belong. But time compares the scores: Mozart's grave is currently the most visited place in St. Mark's cemetery in Vienna.

life line

January 27, 1756 Date of birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
1761 The appearance of the first musical compositions of the young genius: Andante in C major and Allegro in C major.
1762 Start concert activity Wolfgang and his sisters.
1770 Young Mozart moves to Italy, where he meets outstanding masters working in the musical field.
1779 Wolfgang Amadeus returns to Salzburg and receives a position as court organist.
1781 The composer moves to Vienna, where he reaches the peak of fame.
August 4, 1782 Wedding date of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Constance Weber.
1787 Mozart receives the position of imperial and royal chamber musician.
November 20, 1791 Beginning of Mozart's illness.
December 5, 1791 Date of Mozart's death.
December 6, 1791 Mozart's funeral at St. Mark's Cemetery in Vienna.

Memorable places

1. Mozart's home in Salzburg (now the Mozart House Museum) at Getreidegasse 9, 5020 Salzburg.
2. Cathedral of St. Rupert in Salzburg, where Mozart was baptized.
3. The city of Munich, where the first concert of the young composer took place.
4. St. Stephen's Cathedral, where the betrothal of Wolfgang Amadeus and Constance took place.
5. The Prater Park in Vienna is the composer's favorite place for walking.
6. Cemetery of St. Mark, where Mozart is buried. Mozart's grave is marked with a commemorative cenotaph.

Episodes of life

In the process of learning to play the violin, young Mozart used the instrument of a family friend, Mr. Schachtner. Later, playing his own violin, the boy noticed that the previous violin was tuned one-eighth of a tone higher than the previous one. Schachtner did not take the remarks seriously, but Leopold Mozart, knowing about his son's exceptional hearing, asked his friend to bring his violin for comparison. It turned out that Shachtner's violin was indeed tuned with an error of one eighth of a tone.

When Mozart's relationship with his future bride was only gaining momentum, the guardian of Constance Weber, Johann Thorowart, rudely interfered in them. He forced the young man to sign a written agreement that if Mozart did not marry Constance within three years, he would be forced to pay financial compensation in her favor for life. In order to prove the seriousness of his intentions, Wolfgang agreed. However, later Constance broke this obligation, arguing that she completely trusts the words of Mozart and does not need any written confirmation. With this event, Mozart's love for Constance grew stronger many times over.

Documentary about Mozart

Covenant

“Music, even in the most terrible dramatic situations, must always captivate the ear, always remain music.”

condolences

“It is my deep conviction that Mozart is the highest, culminating point, to which beauty has reached in the field of music.”
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer

“Mozart is the youth of music, an eternally young spring, bringing to mankind the joy of spring renewal and spiritual harmony.”
Dmitri Dmitrievich Shostakovich, composer

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg on January 27, 1756. His father was the composer and violinist Leopold Mozart, who worked in the court chapel of Count Sigismund von Strattenbach (Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg). The mother of the famous musician was Anna Maria Mozart (nee Pertl), who came from the family of the commissioner-trustee of the almshouse of the small commune of St. Gilgen.

In total, seven children were born in the Mozart family, but most of them, unfortunately, died at a young age. The first child of Leopold and Anna, who managed to survive, was the elder sister of the future musician Maria Anna (relatives and friends called the girl Nannerl from childhood). About four years later, Wolfgang was born. The birth was extremely difficult, and the doctors feared for a long time that they would be fatal for the boy's mother. But after a while Anna went on the mend.

Family of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Both Mozart children from an early age showed a love for music and excellent abilities for it. When her father began teaching Nannerl to play the harpsichord, her younger brother was only about three years old. However, the sounds heard during the lessons so excited little boy that since then he often approached the instrument, pressed the keys and picked up pleasant-sounding harmonies. Moreover, he could even play fragments of musical works that he had heard before.

Therefore, already at the age of four, Wolfgang began to receive his own harpsichord lessons from his father. However, the child soon got bored with learning minuets and pieces written by other composers, and at the age of five, young Mozart added to this type of activity the composition of his own small pieces. And at the age of six, Wolfgang mastered the violin, and with little or no outside help.

Nannerl and Wolfgang never went to school: Leopold gave them excellent home education. At the same time, young Mozart always immersed himself in the study of any subject with great zeal. For example, if it was about mathematics, then after several diligent studies of the boy, literally all surfaces in the room: from walls and floors to floors and chairs, were quickly covered chalk inscriptions with numbers, tasks and equations.

Euro-trip

Already at the age of six, the "wonder child" played so well that he could give concerts. The voice of Nannerl became a wonderful addition to his inspired game: the girl sang just fine. Leopold Mozart was so impressed musical ability his children, that he decided to go with them on a long tour of various European cities and countries. He hoped that this journey would bring them great success and considerable profit.

The family visited Munich, Brussels, Cologne, Mannheim, Paris, London, The Hague, and several cities in Switzerland. The trip dragged on for many months, and after a short return to Salzburg, for years. During this time, Wolfgang and Nannel gave concerts to stunned audiences, as well as visiting opera houses and performances by famous musicians with their parents.

Young Wolfgang Mozart at the instrument

In 1764, the first four sonatas of the young Wolfgang, intended for violin and clavier, were published in Paris. In London, the boy was lucky for some time to learn from Johann Christian Bach (the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach), who immediately noted the genius of the child and, being a virtuoso musician, gave Wolfgang many useful lessons.

Over the years of wandering, the "miracle children", who already had far from the best health by nature, were quite tired. Their parents were also tired: for example, during the stay of the Mozart family in London, Leopold became very ill. Therefore, in 1766, the child prodigies, together with their parents, returned to their hometown.

Creative development

At the age of fourteen, Wolfgang Mozart, through the efforts of his father, went to Italy, which was amazed by the talent of the young virtuoso. Arriving in Bologna, he successfully took part in the original musical competitions of the Philharmonic Academy, along with musicians, many of whom were suitable for his fathers.

The skill of the young genius impressed the Academy of Constance so much that he was elected an academician, although usually this honorary status was assigned only to the most successful composers, whose age was at least 20 years old.

After returning to Salzburg, the composer threw himself into composing diverse sonatas, operas, quartets, and symphonies. The older he got, the more daring and original his works were, they looked less and less like the creations of musicians that Wolfgang admired as a child. In 1772, fate brought Mozart together with Joseph Haydn, who became his main teacher and closest friend.

Wolfgang soon got a job at the archbishop's court, like his father. He got a large number of orders, but after the death of the old bishop and the arrival of a new one, the situation at court became much less pleasant. gulpcom fresh air for the young composer was a trip to Paris and major German cities in 1777, which Leopold Mozart asked the archbishop for his gifted son.

At that time, the family faced quite severe financial difficulties, and therefore only the mother was able to go with Wolfgang. The grown-up composer again gave concerts, but his bold compositions did not look like the classical music of those times, and the grown-up boy no longer aroused delight with his appearance alone. Therefore, this time the public received the musician with much less cordiality. And in Paris, Mozart's mother died, exhausted by a long and unsuccessful trip. The composer returned to Salzburg.

Career heyday

Despite money problems, Wolfgang Mozart had long been dissatisfied with the way he was treated by the archbishop. Without doubting his musical genius, the composer was indignant at the fact that the employer regards him as a servant. Therefore, in 1781, spitting on all the laws of decency and persuasion of his relatives, he decided to leave the service of the archbishop and move to Vienna.

There the composer met Baron Gottfried van Steven, who at that time was the patron of musicians and had a large collection of works by Handel and Bach. On his advice, Mozart tried to create music in the Baroque style in order to enrich his work. Then Mozart tried to get a position as a music teacher for Princess Elisabeth of Württemberg, but the emperor preferred singing teacher Antonio Salieri to him.

Peak creative career Wolfgang Mozart came in the 1780s. It was then that she wrote her most famous operas: The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni. At the same time, the popular "Little Night Serenade" was written in four parts. At that time, the composer's music was in great demand, and he received the largest fees in his life for his work.

Unfortunately, the period of unprecedented creative upsurge and recognition for Mozart did not last too long. In 1787, his beloved father died, and soon his wife, Constance Weber, fell ill with a leg ulcer, and a lot of money was needed for the treatment of her wife.

The situation was worsened by the death of Emperor Joseph II, after which Emperor Leopold II ascended the throne. He, unlike his brother, was not a fan of music, so the composers of that time did not have to rely on the location of the new monarch.

Personal life

Mozart's only wife was Constance Weber, whom he met in Vienna (for the first time after moving to the city, Wolfgang rented a house from the Weber family).

Wolfgang Mozart and his wife

Leopold Mozart was against the marriage of his son to a girl, as he saw in this the desire of her family to find a "profitable match" for Constance. However, the wedding took place in 1782.

The composer's wife was pregnant six times, but few of the couple's children survived infancy: only Carl Thomas and Franz Xaver Wolfgang survived.

Death

In 1790, when Constance again went for treatment, and the financial condition of Wolfgang Mozart became even more unbearable, the composer decided to give several concerts in Frankfurt. The famous musician, whose portrait at that time became the personification of progressive and immensely beautiful music, was greeted with a bang, but the fees from the concerts turned out to be too small and did not justify Wolfgang's hopes.

In 1791, the composer had an unprecedented creative upsurge. At this time, Symphony 40 came out from under his pen, and shortly before his death, the unfinished Requiem.

In the same year, Mozart became very ill: he was tormented by weakness, the composer's legs and arms were swollen, and soon he began to faint from sudden bouts of vomiting. Wolfgang's death came on December 5, 1791, her official reason- inflammatory rheumatic fever.

However, to this day, some believe that the cause of Mozart's death was poisoning by the then-famous composer Antonio Salieri, who, alas, was not at all as brilliant as Wolfgang. Part of the popularity of this version is dictated by the corresponding "little tragedy" written by . However, no confirmation of this version has been found so far.

• The composer's real name is Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus (Gottlieb) Mozart, but he himself always demanded that he be called Wolfgang.

Wolfgang Mozart. Last lifetime portrait

• During the great tour of the young Mozarts in Europe, the family ended up in Holland. Then there was a fast in the country, and music was banned. An exception was made only for Wolfgang, considering his talent a gift from God.
• Mozart was buried in common grave, where several more coffins were located: it was so heavy financial position families at the time. Therefore, the exact burial place of the great composer is still unknown.

The name of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is known far beyond the borders of his homeland - Austria.

He was a great composer and musician, representative of the Vienna Classical School of Music, author of over 600 pieces of music. Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus - musical genius. The second such genius, which can be compared with Mozart, is very difficult to find in history. There is no doubt that he is one of the the greatest musicians On the Earth. Truly - Mozart - a man of world scale.

Short biography of Mozart:

Mozart (Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Theophil (Gottlieb) Mozart) was born on January 27, 1756 in the city of Salzburg. The future composer was born in large family. However, not all children survived. Of the seven, only two, Amadeus and his older sister.

He had a love for music since birth. After all, Amadeus was born into a musical family. Father, Leopold Mozart, was an unsurpassed virtuoso of playing the organ and violin, leader church choir and composer at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg. The elder sister, Maria Anna Walburg Ignatia, mastered the piano and harpsichord from early childhood.

Of course, the first music teacher for the boy was his father Leopold Mozart. Wolfgang musical talent discovered in early childhood. His father taught him to play the organ, violin, harpsichord. From early childhood, Wolfgang Amadeus was a "miracle child": already at the age of four he tried to write a harpsichord concerto, and from the age of six he brilliantly performed with concerts throughout Europe. Mozart had an extraordinary musical memory: it was enough for him to hear any piece of music only once in order to accurately record it.

In 1762 the family travels to Vienna, Munich. There are concerts by Mozart, his sister Maria Anna. Then, while traveling through the cities of Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Mozart's music amazes listeners with amazing beauty. For the first time the composer's works are published in Paris.

Glory came to Mozart very early. In 1765, his first symphonies were published and performed in concert. In total, the composer wrote 49 symphonies. In 1769 he received a position as an accompanist at the court of the archbishop in Salzburg.

The next few years (1770-1774) Amadeus Mozart lived in Italy. Already in 1770, Mozart became a member of the Philharmonic Academy in Bologna (Italy), and Pope Clement XIV elevated him to the Knights of the Golden Spur. In the same year, Mozart's first opera, Mithridates, King of Pontus, was staged in Milan. In 1772, the second opera, Lucius Sulla, was staged there, and in 1775, the opera The Imaginary Gardener was staged in Munich. Mozart's operas receive great public success. The flowering of Mozart's creativity begins. Mozart's symphonies, his operas contain more and more new techniques.

From 1775 to 1780, the fruitful work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart added a number of outstanding compositions to his cohort of compositions. In 1777, the archbishop allowed the composer to go on a long journey through France and Germany, where Mozart gave concerts with constant success. By the age of 17, the composer's wide repertoire included more than 40 major works.

In 1779 he received the position of organist under the Archbishop of Salzburg, but in 1781 he refused it and moved to Vienna. Here Mozart completed the operas Idomeneo (1781) and The Abduction from the Seraglio (1782). The marriage of Wolfgang Mozart to Constance Weber was also reflected in his work. It is the opera "The Abduction from the Seraglio" that is saturated with the romance of those times.

The work of Mozart in the following years is striking in its fruitfulness along with skill. This was already the peak of the composer's fame. In 1786-1787, operas were written: The Marriage of Figaro, staged in Vienna, and Don Giovanni, which was first staged in Prague. Then these most famous famous operas The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni (both operas written jointly with the poet Lorenzo da Ponte) by the composer Mozart are staged in several cities.

Some of Mozart's operas remained unfinished, because the difficult financial situation of the family forced the composer to devote a lot of time to various part-time jobs. Piano concerts by Mozart were held in aristocratic circles, the musician himself was forced to write plays, waltzes to order, and teach.

In 1789, Mozart received a very lucrative offer to head the court chapel in Berlin. However, the composer's refusal further exacerbated the material shortage.

In 1790, the opera "That's the way everyone does it" was again staged in Vienna. And in 1791 two operas were written at once - "The Mercy of Titus" and "The Magic Flute". For Mozart, the works of that time were extremely successful. "Magic Flute", "Mercy of Titus" - these operas were written quickly, but very high quality, expressive, with beautiful shades.

The last work of Mozart was the famous "Requiem", which the composer did not have time to complete. This famous Requiem Mass was completed by F.K. Süssmeier, a student of Mozart and A. Salieri.

From November 1791, Mozart was ill a lot and did not get out of bed at all. Died famous composer December 5, 1791 from an acute fever. Mozart was buried in the cemetery of St. Mark in Vienna.

Monument to Mozart in Salzburg, the birthplace of the great composer

25 interesting facts about the life and work of W. A. ​​Mozart:

1. Mozart had an incredible capacity for work, an absolute ear for music and exceptional memory.

2. The full name of the "solar genius" is Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart. Where did the name Amadeus come from? The fact is that Theophilus, whose literal translation meant “beloved by God,” had several variations even during the lifetime of the virtuoso. Amadeus is the Italian version. The composer himself preferred the name Wolfgang to everyone else.

3. The composer showed his abilities in music, being just a child. At the age of 4 he wrote a harpsichord concerto, at the age of 7 he wrote his first symphony, and at the age of 12 he wrote his first opera.

4. Mozart was considered a child prodigy. In London, little Mozart was the object of scientific research.

5. Wolfgang Amadeus at the age of eight played with his son Bach.

6. When the young talent was only 12 years old, he was followed by an order for the opera The Imaginary Simple Girl. And he did an excellent job with this task. It took him a little time - just a few weeks.

7. Once in Frankfurt, a young man ran up to Mozart with delight from the composer's music. This young man was Johann Wolfgang Goethe.

8. Mozart's childhood passed in endless tours of the cities of Europe. Their initiator was the composer's father.

9. Wolfgang Amadeus was very fond of playing billiards and did not spare money for it.

10. It is known for certain that Mozart was a Freemason. The composer entered this closed society with many secrets and mysteries in 1784. And later his father, Leopold, joined the same lodge. The official purpose of entry was exclusively charity. He wrote music for their rituals, and the theme of Freemasonry was repeatedly raised in his musical works.

11. Wolfgang Amadeus was the youngest member of the Bologna Philharmonic Academy.

12. Mozart wrote his first work at the age of six.

13. For one fee after Mozart's performances, it was possible to feed a family of five for a month.

14. Mozart's son - Franz Xaver Mozart had a chance to live in Lviv for about 30 years.

15. The composer was a non-greedy person, and always gave money to those who asked him for it.

16. Even at a young age, Mozart knew how to play the clavier blindfolded.

17. Estates Theater in Prague is the only place left in its original form in which Mozart performed.

18. Wolfgang Amadeus loved humor and was an ironic person.

19. Mozart was a good dancer, and he was especially good at dancing the minuet.

20. The great composer treated animals well, and he especially loved birds - canaries and starlings.

21. In the spring of 1791, Mozart gave his last public concert.

22. In honor of Mozart, a university was founded in Salzburg.

23. There are Mozart museums in Salzburg: namely, in the house where he was born and in the apartment where he lived later.

24.Most famous monument the great composer was built in Seville from bronze.

25. In 1842, the first monument was erected in honor of Mozart.

Myths and legends about Mozart:

1. The extraordinary personality of Mozart gave rise to many myths and legends. For example, there is a very widespread opinion that the musician was buried in a common burial pit as a poor man. He, indeed, at the end of his life experienced extreme need. However, the philanthropist Gottfried van Swieten helped with the purchase of the coffin, and he was buried in a simple, inconspicuous, but separate grave, like many citizens of the time, belonging to the Viennese middle class.

2. Another myth is the premature death of Mozart and the possible poisoning of the virtuoso by his envious Salieri. In short, this story is rather doubtful, because there is no reliable data about this. The post-mortem report stated that the only cause of death was rheumatic fever. 200 years after the death of Mozart, the court found Antonio Salieri not guilty of the death of the great creator.

Aphorisms, quotes, sayings, phrases of Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus:

*Music, even in the most terrible dramatic situations, must remain music.

*To win applause, one must either write things so simple that any driver could sing them, or so incomprehensible that one would like it only because no one normal person does not understand this.

* Symphony is a very complex musical form. Start with some simple ditties, and gradually complicate, move to a symphony.

*I don't pay attention to anyone's praise or guilt. I just follow my own feelings.

*When I am traveling in a carriage, or taking a walk after a good meal, or at night when I cannot sleep, it is on such occasions that ideas flow best and most abundantly.

*I don't hear parts of the music in my imagination sequentially, I hear it all at once. And it's a pleasure!

*Work is my first pleasure.

*Neither a high degree of intelligence nor imagination can achieve genius. Love, love, love, that's the soul of a genius.

*It is not a great honor to be an emperor.

*Immediately after God comes the father.

*No one is able to do everything: joke and shock, cause laughter and deeply touch, and everything is equally good, as Haydn can do it.

*I don't pay attention to boasting. I just follow my feelings.

*Speak eloquently, a very great art, but you need to know the moment when to stop.

*Only death, when we come close to see it up close, is the true purpose of our existence.

*It is a great comfort to me to remember that God, whom I approached in humble and sincere faith, suffered and died for me, and that he will look upon me in love and compassion.

The creative legacy of Mozart, despite his short life, huge: according to the thematic catalog of L. von Köchel (an admirer of Mozart's work and the compiler of the most complete and generally accepted index of his works), the composer created 626 works, including 55 concertos, 22 clavier sonatas, 32 string quartets.

photo from internet