The works of the musical genius of the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart were able to make Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky plunge into his sensual world so much that they caused trembling and tears of delight. The renowned composer considered Mozart's music almost perfect, able to discover and show him what music really is.

Composer's childhood

Amadeus was born at the beginning of 1756, on January 27, a son was born in the family of Leopold Mozart, who later glorified the family and left an indelible mark on the history of music, being a real talent and genius.

The boy's father, a violinist and teacher, who, among other things, played the organ, managed to notice his son's perfect hearing in time and develop his abilities to perfection. Of Wolfgang's six siblings, only his older sister survived. It was from her that Leopold first began to study music with children, teaching the girl to play the clavier. Being with them all the time, little Mozart occupied himself with the selection of the melodies he heard. Paying attention to this, the father considered the unique gift of his child. The first classes of father and son began to take place in the form of a game.

Further development was not long in coming:

• at the age of four, the boy begins to write a harpsichord concerto on his own;
• at the age of five, the young musician is fluent in composing small pieces;
• and by the age of six he is capable of a good performance of complex compositions.

The father who supports music lessons, wishing a better life for his son, organizes a tour with the boy's performances in the hope of his further prosperous and interesting life.

The young musician had a unique musical memory that allowed him to accurately record any piece he heard. It is generally accepted that already at the age of six the composer wrote his first work.

Tour with concert program

Taking both children with them on tour, the family visits many European cities, including the capital of Austria. Among those who listened to the performances of the young musician were residents of the capitals of France and England, as well as many other cities of old Europe. Listeners, admiring the virtuoso playing on the harpsichord, were also amazed by his mastery of the violin along with the organ. Long performances lasted for five hours, which was affected by fatigue. However, the father did not stop his son's training and continued to work with him.

At the age of ten, Mozart and his family returned to their native Salzburg, but did not stay there for long. The young genius became a full-fledged rival to the musicians of the city, which could not have a positive effect on their attitude towards the boy. By the decision of the father, already together, they go to Italy, where Leopold expects to receive true recognition and appreciation of the genius of his son.

Italy and Mozart

The four-year period of stay in Italy had a good effect on improving the talent of a hardworking musician. Classes with masters who met the boy in a new country gave tangible results. It was in this country that several operas by the composer were staged. The young performer becomes the first member of the Bologna Academy to be so young. The father hoped for the further good fate of his son. However, the Italian beau monde did not leave wary of the young genius and it was not possible to find work in a new country.

And again Salzburg

Upon returning to their homeland, the family did not feel the enthusiasm of the inhabitants. The heir to the deceased count was a cruel man, not ashamed to humiliate Mozart and oppress him in every possible way. Without giving his permission for Wolfgang to participate in concerts, he forced the young musician to write only church music and some entertainment works. Using his long-awaited vacation to travel to Paris, Mozart does not get the impressions he expected to find - the composer's mother dies from hardships and life's hardships.

With difficulty endured the next couple of years, the musician again returned to his homeland. At the same time, the triumph of his opera, staged in Munich, forces the young man to abandon his dependent position and leave for Vienna. This city becomes the last refuge of the great musician.

Mozart and Vienna

In the capital of Austria, the musician marries his girlfriend without getting the consent of her parents. At first, life in a new city is very difficult for Mozart. However, after the success of the next work, the circle of acquaintances and connections of the composer expanded significantly. And then the long-awaited success came again. The brilliant composer did not have time to finish his last work. Mozart's student was able to finish it, resorting to the musician's drafts left after his death.

Last years

Wolfgang's death occurred for an unknown reason, even the version of a possible poisoning is used. The grave of the creator was not found, it is only known that it was a common burial due to the utter poverty of his relatives.

Mozart(Mozarl) Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791) Austrian composer. He had a phenomenal musical ear and memory. He performed as a virtuoso harpsichordist, violinist, organist, conductor, brilliantly improvised. Music lessons began under the guidance of his father - L. Mozart. The first compositions appeared in 1761. From the age of 5 he toured with triumph in Germany, Austria, France, Great Britain, Switzerland, and Italy. In 1765, his first symphony was performed in London. In 1770, Mozart took lessons from G. B. Martini for a while and was elected a member of the Philharmonic, an academy in Bologna. In 1769-1781 (with interruptions) he was in the court service of the archbishop in Salzburg as an accompanist, from 1779 as an organist. In 1781 he moved to Vienna, where he created the opera The Abduction from the Seraglio. "The Wedding of Figaro"; performed in concerts ("academies"). In 1787 in Prague, Mozart completed the opera Don Giovanni, at the same time he was appointed to the position of "imperial and royal chamber musician" at the court of Joseph II. In 1788 he created 3 most famous symphonies: Es-dur, g-moll, C-dur. In 1789 and 1790 he gave concerts in Germany. In 1791 Mozart wrote the opera The Magic Flute; worked on a requiem (finished by F. K. Süssmayr). Mozart was one of the first composers to embrace the precarious life of a freelance artist.

Mozart, along with I. Haydn and L. Beethoven, is a representative of the Viennese classical school, one of the founders of the classical style in music, associated with the development of symphonism as the highest type of musical thinking, a complete system of classical instrumental genres (symphony, sonata, quartet), classical norms of musical language, its functional organization. In Mozart's work, the idea of ​​dynamic harmony as a principle of seeing the world, a way of artistic transformation of reality, gained universal significance. At the same time, it developed the qualities of psychological truthfulness and naturalness, new for that time. Reflection of the harmonic integrity of being, clarity, luminosity and beauty are combined in Mozart's music with deep drama. The sublime and the ordinary, the tragic and the comic, the majestic and graceful, the eternal and the transient, the universal and the individually unique, the nationally characteristic appear in Mozart's works in a dynamic balance and unity. At the center of Mozart's artistic world is the human personality, which he reveals as a lyricist and at the same time as a playwright, striving for an artistic recreation of the objective essence of the human character. Mozart's dramaturgy is based on revealing the diversity of contrasting musical images in the process of their interaction.

The artistic experience of different eras, national schools, traditions of folk art is organically implemented in Mozart's music. Mozart was greatly influenced by the Italian composers of the 18th century, representatives of the Mannheim school, and also by older contemporaries J. Haydn, M. Haydn, K. V. Gluck, J. K. and K. F. E. Bach. Mozart was guided by the system of typified musical images, genres, expressive means created by the era, subjecting them at the same time to individual selection and rethinking.

Mozart's style is distinguished by intonational expressiveness, plastic flexibility, cantilena, richness, ingenuity of melody, interpenetration of vocal and instrumental principles. Mozart made a huge contribution to the development of the sonata form and the sonata-symphonic cycle. Mozart is characterized by a heightened sense of tonal-harmonic semantics, the expressive possibilities of harmony (the use of minor, chromaticisms, interrupted revolutions, etc.). The texture of Mozart's works is distinguished by a variety of combinations of homophonic-harmonic and polyphonic warehouse, forms of their synthesis. In the field of instrumentation, the classical balance of compositions is complemented by the search for various timbre combinations, personalized interpretation of timbres.

Mozart created St. 600 works of various genres. The most important area of ​​his work is musical theater. Mozart's work constituted an epoch in the development of opera. Mozart mastered almost all contemporary operatic genres. His mature operas are characterized by the organic unity of dramaturgy and musical and symphonic patterns, the individuality of dramaturgy. Taking into account the experience of Gluck, Mozart created his own type of heroic drama in Idomeneo, in Le nozze di Figaro. Based on the opera buffa, he came to a realistic musical comedy of characters. Mozart turned the Singspiel into a philosophical fairy tale-parable imbued with enlightening ideas (“The Magic Flute”). The versatility of contrasts, an unusual synthesis of opera-genre forms distinguishes the dramaturgy of the opera Don Giovanni.

The leading genres of Mozart's instrumental music are symphonies and chamber ensembles. concerts. Mozart's symphonies of the pre-Viennese period are close to everyday, entertaining music of that time. In his mature years, the symphony acquires the meaning of a conceptual genre from Mozart, develops as a work with an individualized dramaturgy (symphony D-dur, Es-dur, g-moll. C-dur). Mozart's symphonies are an important stage in the history of world symphony. Among the chamber-instrumental ensembles, string quartets and quintets, violin and piano sonatas stand out in importance. Focusing on the achievements of I. Haydn, Mozart developed a type of chamber-instrumental ensemble, distinguished by the refinement of lyric-philosophical emotion, a developed homophonic-polyphonic warehouse, and the complexity of the harmony of the language.

Mozart's clavier music reflects the features of a new performing style associated with the transition from the harpsichord to the pianoforte. Compositions for the clavier, mainly concertos for piano and orchestra, give an idea of ​​the performing art of Mozart himself with his inherent brilliant virtuosity and, at the same time, spirituality, poetry, and grace.

Mozart owns a large number of works of other genres, incl. songs, arias, everyday music for orchestras and ensembles. Of the late samples, the most famous is "Little Night Serenade" (1787). Mozart's choral music includes masses, litanies, vespers, offertorias, motets, and cantatas. oratorios, etc.: among the outstanding works: the motet "Ave verum corpus", a requiem.

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 the Notebook with light pieces composed by her father in 1759 for Nannerl was then useful 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 measures, and did it 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 Köchel number, just as the compositions of other authors usually contain the designation of the opus. For example, the full title of the piano Concerto No. 20 will be: Concerto No. 20 in D Minor for Piano and Orchestra (K. 466. The Koechel Index has been revised six times. In 1964, the publishing house Breitkopf & Hertel (Wiesbaden, Germany) published a deeply revised and supplemented Koechel Index. It includes there are many works for which Mozart's authorship has been proven and which were not mentioned in earlier editions.The dates of the compositions are also corrected in accordance with the data of scientific research.Chronology was also changed in the 1964 edition, and therefore new numbers appeared in the catalog, but the compositions Mozart continue to exist under the old numbers of the Koechel catalogue.)

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 a commission for a new opera seria to be performed 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 successfully 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 stayed in Vienna from mid-July to the end of September 1773. Wolfgang had the opportunity to get acquainted with the new symphonic works of the Viennese school, especially the dramatic symphonies in minor keys by J. Wahnhal 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 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. A 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 clear 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 again assumed the duties of organist at the archbishop's court with an annual salary of 500 guilders. Church music, which he was obliged to compose for Sunday services, is much higher in depth and variety than what he had previously written 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 Constanza Weber, the sister of his first lover, and the mother of the bride managed to get very favorable conditions from Wolfgang for a marriage contract (to the anger and despair of Leopold, who showered his son with letters, begging him to change his mind). 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 work 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. In February of the following year, Leopold paid a visit to his son and daughter-in-law in their large Viennese apartment near the cathedral (this beautiful house has survived to our time), and although Leopold could not get rid of his dislike for Constance, he admitted that his son's work as a composer and performers are doing 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 philosophy of life; 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, by which time the German translation of the play had 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 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; the 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 Freihaustheater in the Viennese suburb of Wieden (the current theater An der Wien), and in the spring Mozart began to 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 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 works, including his wonderful piano concertos and all of his later symphonies (none of which 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 a charity concert held in Vienna in favor of Constanta), and he created a number of quite professional instrumental works.

Perhaps the world would not have known about Amadeus Mozart if his father Leopold had not been a musician and had not seen the boy's talent in time. However, according to most, Mozart would not be who he became if it were not for the special connection between him and God. Amadeus did not just write divine reproductions, he created his own unique style, which is not imprinted by time.

"The Marriage of Figaro" - the pinnacle of operatic works

Among the musical works of Mozart, operas, both classical and comic, are the most popular. Throughout his life, Amadeus has more than 20 operas, including such pearls as Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, The School for Lovers, The Abduction from the Seraglio and, of course, The Marriage of Figaro.

Amadeus did not want to have a permanent job, so he could take part in any project of interest to him at any time. Thanks to this system, most of Mozart's works appeared.

Mozart composed the music for The Marriage of Figaro for 5 months, starting in December 1785. The opera premiered on May 1, 1786 in Vienna, despite the fact that many did not want it. Salieri and many of Count Rosenberg's court theater realized from rehearsals that Figar's Marriage was a masterpiece of a higher level of art. They tried in every possible way to delay the premiere, fearing that after it they would lose their own authority.

The premiere really brought Mozart victory, despite the fact that the "Marriage of Figaro" was somehow banned due to. This victory has not only not faded over the past 2 centuries, but has even more shined.

"Requiem" - the last work of Mozart

In 1791, Mozart was contacted anonymously by a mysterious client who offered to write a requiem for his deceased wife. At this point, Amadeus was already suffering from the unknown then and decided to accept the offer as his last order. Many believe that subconsciously Mozart wrote a requiem for his own.

Despite his musical genius, Mozart did not know how to competently manage his financial affairs, so his well-being was constantly changing: from chic and brilliance to absolute poverty.

Unfortunately, the great composer did not have time to finish his last work, he died without completing it. At the request of his wife, Constance, the work was completed by one of Amadeus' students, Franz Süssmeier, and handed over to the customer. Later it turned out that Mozart's last client was Count Franz von Walsegh, who liked to pass off strangers as his own, which he did, appropriating the posthumous masterpiece of the great composer to himself.

Later, Constance was able to identify the work of her own husband and the truth triumphed. However, with the "Requiem" it remained not clear to the end: it is known that most of the work was written by Mozart, but it was not possible to calculate what exactly his student added. But, despite this, "Requiem" is the greatest work, one of the most touching works of Mozart.

Related article

Mozart is one of the most prominent figures in world culture and art. The name of this musical genius is known not only in Europe, but all over the world. Many of the author's works have become real masterpieces of world music and still impress listeners from all over the world.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, however, due to some changes, this one belongs to Austria, so the Austrians proudly call the composer "their own". Born in 1756, the musical genius created something unimaginable when he approached and began to compose. "The Marriage of Figaro" - it is Mozart that many art historians call the king of operatic works.

All his compositions are perceived to this day with delight. The little boy Johann, at about three years old, was already distinguished by his unique musical abilities and love for. Later he began to play the violin, harpsichord, organ.

London and Dutch specialists admired the talent and experimented with it, believing that he had a real gift from God.

The virtuoso melodist began to study music, and later devoted himself to composing. Count Franz von Walsegh, who for a long time pretended to be an anonymous customer, was the impetus for Mozart to make one of his masterpieces - Requiem. Many believe that the composer wrote this music to say goodbye to himself.

As a result, without completing the Requiem, the cheerful and at the same time sad genius died in 1791, and one of his lucky students, Franz Süssmeier, finalized it for him.

Among the works of Mozart, the following can be distinguished: “The Abduction from the Seraglio”, “Davide penitente” (Penitent David), “Don Giovanni”, “Mercy of Titus”.

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Nature endowed the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with a phenomenal musical talent. During his short life, filled with performances at concerts from early childhood, the brilliant musician created a lot of works of different genres.

Instruction

The musical world of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is presented to listeners from different angles: inaccessible secrets are hidden in it and the surrounding reality is very clearly felt, it takes you into space and exists inseparably from man.

Mozart inherited the talent of a musician from his father, a court violinist and composer, under whose skillful guidance the musical abilities of children developed. The boy's genius manifested itself already at the age of four: he rapidly mastered the art of playing several musical instruments, even composing music. During his father's tours, the performances of the clavier-player's sister and brother, singer, musician, conductor and improviser, caused great delight among the public.

At the age of fourteen, he was already the owner of the papal order of the Golden Spur, a member of the Philharmonic Academy in the Italian city of Bologna.

The first symphonies appeared with the little composer after meeting the famous German composer Bach, and at the age of twelve, the talented Wolfgang received musical orders. But the capital European courts did not pay attention to the gifted young man, and Mozart had to act as an accompanist at the court of his native city of Salzburg. This is the time of creating spiritual music, entertaining plays, which he also turned to in his further work. Many classical music lovers know the humorous Little Night Serenade. In a huge number of works created by the composer, the Symphony in G minor No. 25, which conveys the rebellious mood of the era of Storm and Onslaught, ranks high.

Violin symphonies, clavier sonatas, opera performances are the musical heritage left by Mozart before his arrival in Vienna. The composer's debut in Vienna, Abduction from the Seraglio, was highly acclaimed, but subsequent opera orders were infrequent.

The main creations of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are the operas Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni. The opera The Magic Flute, which sings of light and reason, filled with a mournful feeling, unfinished genius Requiem - the last creations of the great composer, forever remaining immortal.

The artistic interests of the composer, deeply and seriously embodied in a new way, were formed under the influence of the works of Bach, Handel, Haydn.

The music of a talented composer acquired deeply individual features, became perfect, and in the Viennese court he was needed only as the creator of dances for masquerades.

For subsequent generations, Mozart is an inimitable example of musical art. The artistic world of the great composer is inhabited by a wide variety of characters that convey the peculiarities of human characters. From the works breathes the spirit of events taking place in the era of the life of a genius, the main of which is the Great French Revolution.

According to the research of physicians and psychologists, Mozart's music is able to heal people from various diseases, as it has positive energy. The music of the Austrian composer has a special effect on children, having a fruitful effect on their psyche and intellect.

Sources:

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Music by Mozart. Treatment and improvement of brain activity

Advice 4: Constance Mozart: biography, creativity, career, personal life

Constance Mozart was the wife of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the greatest contemporary composer. There are still many rumors about her - someone considers her a stupid and windy woman and blames her famous husband for the death, and someone believes that Constance was the muse of the great composer. Most likely, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Childhood and youth

Constance Mozart (nee Weber) was born in 1762 in Mannheim. Her father, Franz Weber, sang in the theater and her cousin later became a well-known composer.

Since childhood, Constance was not accustomed to living in a big way, she grew up as a diligent and hardworking girl. Mozart once wrote to his father about her that the maiden Weber does not have beauty, but is extremely kind and economic.

The Weber family did not live well; three more daughters grew up in it besides Constance. In addition, the father of the family soon died, and the mother had to earn a living by renting out rooms. In one of these rooms, the young Mozart settled.

Acquaintance with Mozart and marriage

At first, the future composer was carried away by his elder sister Weber, but soon he developed a passion for Constance as well. It should be noted that the young Mozart was a well-known ladies' man, he even once wrote to his father that he was ready to marry, but could not choose from hundreds of women.

Constance's mother used all the female cunning to force Mozart to marry her daughter. Mozart's father was initially against this marriage, since the Webers were lower in the social ladder than the Mozarts.

But, probably, something happened between the young Wolfgang and Constance, and Weber's mother, in order to avoid the shame of her daughter, began to insist on the wedding. Mozart even signed a contract stating that he was obliged to marry Constance, otherwise he would have to pay a decent amount of money. As a result, the young composer gave up.

Life with a genius

Many of Mozart's contemporaries believe that the marriage was successful. The composer wrote letters to his wife full of love and tenderness. True, at the same time he did not leave his love affairs, which he did not particularly hide.

The Mozart couple lived in poverty, despite the one-time decent earnings of the composer. Probably, Mozart himself did not know how to spend money and did not let his wife do it. And the wife of a genius was forced to obey.

Constance gave birth six times, but only two children survived. Whether she was happily married is a big question. But she knew for sure that she was married to a genius. It was to her that he first showed his works. She performed the main roles in his operas.

Mozart's mysterious death cast a shadow over Constance Mozart. It was quite obvious that the composer did not die a natural death. Who could have poisoned Mozart has not yet been clarified. It was rumored that it could be Constance. The day before, she found him with his mistress.

Second marriage

After the death of her great husband, Constance remarried the diplomat Georg Nissen. The second husband of Constance was an ardent fan of Mozart. Together they collected the archives of the famous composer and released his biography. This work made a huge contribution to the preservation of Mozart's heritage. The image of the great husband did not leave Constance until his death.

Advice 5: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: biography, creativity, career, personal life

What would you name a child who started composing at the age of five and performed in public at the age of eight? Wunderkind, right? Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ranks first in the list of composers who have a special place in the musical field. During his short life, he became the most famous musician, writing almost 600 pieces of music, all of which are recognized as musical masterpieces.

Childhood

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756, as the son of Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart at Getreidegasse in Salzburg (part of present-day Austria, which at that time was part of the Roman Empire). Originally from Augsburg, his father Leopold was a violinist and composer in the court chapel of the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, Count Sigismund von Strattenbach. Speaking about Wolfgang's mother, there is practically no information about her. She was a year younger than her husband and always recognized the superiority of Leopold.

Mozart's only sister who survived was Maria Anna, his older sister. The day after Mozart was born, he was baptized at St. Rupert's Cathedral. According to church archives, his baptismal name is John Chrysostom Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. When Mozart was four years old, his father taught him several minuets, which he began to play effortlessly and with pleasure. And at the age of five, Wolfgang already composed his first musical works.

Leopard Mozart was the young Mozart's only childhood teacher. Mozart was always enthusiastic and eager to learn much more than he was taught. But not only music captivated young Amadeus, he loved mathematics no less passionately. When he learned to count, everything: furniture, floor, chairs were covered with numerous numbers drawn in chalk. His love of mathematics remained with him until the end of his life.

Youth

During his younger years, Mozart traveled extensively in Europe, where he and his sister performed as child prodigies. In 1762, his trip to the court of Prince Elector Maximilian III of Bavaria in Munich and to the imperial court in Vienna and Prague lasted almost three and a half years. On this trip, he also visited cities such as Munich, Mannheim, Paris, London, The Hague, Zurich and Donaueschingen. It was during this trip that Mozart became acquainted with the works of other musicians and composers, the most important of which were the works of Johann Christian Bach. In 1767, while the family was in Vienna, Mozart wrote a Latin drama and performed at the University of Salzburg. After returning to Salzburg, Mozart traveled to Italy with his father in December 1769. This trip gave him the chance to meet Mr. B. Martini in Bologna and became a member of the famous "Academy of the Philharmonica". In Milan, Mozart wrote the opera "Mithridates", "re di Ponto" (1770) and successfully performed it. He later visited Milan in 1771, 1772 and 1773 for the premieres of "Ascanio in Alba" (1771) and "Lucio Silla" (1772). Towards the end of his last Italian journey, he wrote his first work, "Exsultate, jubilate'.

After returning to his homeland in 1773, Mozart became the court composer of the ruler of Salzburg, Prince-Archbishop Jerome Colloredo. It was during this time that he released five violin concertos and piano concertos, some of which are considered by critics to be breakthroughs in the field of music. During his stay in Salzburg, he and his father visited Vienna and Munich, resulting in the premiere of his opera La finta giardiniera. By this time he had many friends and admirers and worked in a wide variety of genres, including symphonies, sonatas, string quartets and minor operas.

Chasing a dream

In 1777 Mozart retired from his service and traveled to Augsburg, Mannheim, Paris and Munich in search of a better career. For a while he collaborated with Mannheim, a famous orchestra in Europe, but alas, this did not bring him much benefit. He was offered a position as organist at Versailles, which he turned down and ended up in debt. In 1778, Mozart's mother died. Mozart was again offered a job as court organist and concertmaster in Salzburg. Although he was not ready to accept it, but, unable to find suitable work in Mannheim and Munich, Mozart returned home in 1779 and set to work. But already he settled in Vienna as an independent performer and composer.

Life in Vienna

In Vienna, Mozart often performed as a pianist. He soon established himself as a keyboardist and composer. The opera "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" ("The Abduction from the Seraglio"), premiered in 1782, was a great success and gained a reputation as a talented composer. At the same time, he begins to care for Alocia Weber's sister, Constanza. Although they were separated for a short time, they were married in 1782, in St. Stephen's Cathedral. The couple had six children, of whom only two survived.

Career Peak

Between 1782 and 1783 Mozart became acquainted with the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. This inspired Mozart to compose in the Baroque style and then led to the development of his own unique musical language. In 1783, Mozart and his wife visited Salzburg, where he wrote one of his greatest pieces, Mass in C Minor. In 1784, Mozart met Haydn, who became his lifelong friend. Mozart later dedicated his six quartets to Haydn. During this time, Mozart also performed as a soloist with three or four piano concertos a season. Since there was little space in theaters, he chose non-traditional locations such as a large room in an apartment or a ballroom. Due to improved financial stability, thanks to concert fees, Mozart and his wife moved into an expensive apartment. In 1784 Mozart became a Freemason.

After the huge success of "Die Entführung aus dem Serail", Mozart rests for a while. He later collaborated with the librettist Lorenzo da Ponte and wrote The Marriage of Figaro, which premiered in Vienna in 1786. The huge success and general enthusiasm inspired him to continue his collaboration with da Ponte and composed "Don Giovanni", which premiered in 1787. The opera was successfully staged in Prague and Vienna the following year. These two operas are still masterpieces of the opera genre today, but the musical complexities pose a great challenge to both performers and listeners. Mozart's father died in 1787.

In 1787, Emperor Joseph II appointed Mozart "chamber composer" for 800 florins a year. The job required Mozart to compose dance music for the annual balls. However, historical evidence suggests that the emperor's goal was to keep Mozart in Vienna and prevent him from leaving the city in search of better prospects.

By 1786 the musicians in Vienna were having a hard time as Austria was at war and the financial power of the aristocracies was at stake. By 1788, Mozart moved with his family to the suburb of Alsergrund to cut down on rental costs. During this time, Mozart traveled to Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin, Frankfurt, Mannheim and other German cities in search of a better fortune. These tours did not bring much success.

Final years and death

Mozart's later years were very prolific, he wrote many works such as The Magic Flute, K. 595 in B-flat, K. 622, K. 614 in E-flat, K. 618 and K. 626, which he left unfinished. Mozart's financial situation also improved, mainly due to annuities provided to him by wealthy patrons in Amsterdam and Hungary. He also made a good profit from the sale of dance music he had written for the Imperial Chamber. In recent years he has been very pleased, mainly due to the success of his work, most notably "The Magic Flute".

Mozart fell ill in 1791. Although he continued to make public appearances for some more time, his health continued to deteriorate and very soon he became bedridden. On December 5, 1791, Mozart died at the age of 35. However, the cause of his death is still unclear, and researchers have listed at least 118 possible causes of his death.

Heritage

Although Mozart lived only 35 years, Mozart's legacy is unparalleled. With almost 600 pieces of music, Mozart's contribution to all genres of music, from symphonies, concertos, operas, chamber music to piano solos, is invaluable. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest musicians, if not the greatest.

Advice 6: Leopold Mozart: biography, creativity, career, personal life

Johann Georg Leopold Mozart, a gifted musician and an outstanding teacher, was born on November 14, 1719 in Augsburg. At the age of five, he was enrolled in the Jesuit gymnasium, from which he graduated at seventeen with excellent reports regarding his academic progress (diploma magna cum laude) and behavior. In those moments of his life, Leopold did not strive for the corresponding professional aspirations, but in the process of learning, however, he diligently studied music, singing in the choir, playing the organ.

In November 1737 he was enrolled in the university, and already on July 22, 1738 he was awarded the title of Studiosus philosophiae Baccalaureus. In September 1739, Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was expelled from the university. Of course, all this time the young man Leopold Mozart diligently studied music, thanks to which, after being expelled from the university, he entered the service of the canon of the Salzburg Cathedral, Count von Thurn-Walsassin, as a valet, which in those days marked a person who served as a musician and personal secretary.

The path to acquiring a permanent place of paid service was painful and long, but in 1747 Leopold was already the court musician of the Salzburg Archbishop and was able, in the end, to start a family with Anna Maria Walburga Pertl in February 1748.

The manner of his compositions, being very original, covers the basics of folk music and is a vivid example of the so-called frontier style at the junction of the baroque and early classicism eras. As a member of the Leipzig "Society of Musical Sciences", Leopold Mozart was in correspondence with such famous musicologists as Christian Fürchtegott Gellert and Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg. It was Marpurg who wrote about the “School”: “The need for this kind of work arose long ago, but we could not even hope to find it: a gifted and thorough virtuoso, a reasonable and methodical teacher, an educated musician; qualities, each of which already makes the owner of it a worthy person, are gathered here together.

The success of the "School" was enormous. She withstood two lifetime editions - in 1756 and 1769, the third in 1787, and the next in 1800. The book was translated into Dutch and French in 1766 and 1770, and in 1804 into Russian. The musical talent of Wolfgang Amadeus and Maria Anna, who was famous as Nannerl, became apparent as early as 1759. From this moment on, Leopold becomes known as a father of gifted children, who is extremely diligent in their musical education and takes care of their careers. Yes, the Age of Enlightenment had already reigned in Europe, but Wolfgang's sister realized in herself the role of mistress, mother and wife.

With each year of growing up of his son, Leopold Mozart's attention to his own compositions and the career of a court musician was rapidly declining. From 1763 until his death, he remained vice-kapellmeister, never becoming the first or chief bandmaster of the court. In order to accompany the children on trips, where, by the way, he proved to be an excellent and tireless mentor and organizer, he had to, despite the displeasure of his superiors and the archbishop personally, absent himself for ever longer periods. For unauthorized absences in 1777, he was even dismissed from service, where, however, he was soon reinstated.

While Wolfgang Amadeus from 1777 visited his native home only on short visits, and in 1781 he finally moved to Vienna, his father continued to serve and teach in Salzburg. His daughter, Nannerl, married at her age and moved to St. Gilgen. Leopold Mozart traveled extensively in his last years, mostly to Bavaria, became a member of the Masonic lodge and tirelessly admired the success of his beloved son, whom he met for the last time in 1785 in Vienna.

On May 28, 1787, after three months of illness, he died in the arms of his daughter and was buried in the churchyard of St. Sebastian. After his death, his property was sold under the hammer.

Fundamental contribution to the history of music

It is very difficult to display all aspects of the personality of Leopold Mozart in a few words. After all, he was at the same time a zealous Catholic, and a friend of Protestants and Jews, and a warning to his son against prolonged stays in Lutheran or Calvinist countries, and an opponent of bigots and saints, who, in his opinion, were not worthy of their dignity. He was a champion of hygiene, an admirer of communication, cards and chess. In recent years, sincerely grieving for his dead wife, he was in touching correspondence with Baroness Elisabeth von Waldstetten. He was a gifted musician and an outstanding teacher. His "Fundamental School of Violin Playing" is, without a doubt, a significant work, thanks to which Leopold Mozart has remained in the history of music for centuries.

Mozart's life

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - the great German composer, was born January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, died December 5, 1791 in Vienna.

The description of Mozart's youth is replete with details that we do not find in the biographies of other composers. His musical talent showed up so early and so brightly that it involuntarily drew attention to itself. It is known, for example, according to the testimony of the court trumpeter Shachtner and Anna Maria Mozart, that four years old Mozart had already written a concerto and that he could not hear the sound of the trumpet without physical irritation. In 1761, as a five-year-old child, he took part in the choir at a performance at the Salzburg University of Liederspiel Eberlin of Sigismund, King of Hungary.

Portrait of Mozart. Artist I. G. Edlinger, c. 1790

In 1762, six-year-old Mozart, with his eleven-year-old sister, went under the auspices of his father on a concert tour, first to Munich and then to Vienna. Further, stories are well-known about how, with his magnificent organ playing, he delighted the monks of the monastery of Ips, and his perfect piano playing - princesses and especially Marie Antoinette. It is also mentioned that many beautiful poems were written in honor of the wonderful child. The success of this trip prompted my father to undertake something new the following year - to Paris. At the same time, stops were made along the way, when visiting princely courts, residences, etc. In Mainz and Frankfurt, they gave concerts of outstanding success, visited Koblenz, Aachen and Brussels, and finally, on November 18, 1763, arrived in Paris. Here they met the patronage of Baron Grimm, played at the royal court, in front of Marchioness Pompadour and gave two of their own concerts with brilliant success. In Paris, for the first time, four violin sonatas of the young Mozart appeared in print, of which two were dedicated to Princess Victoria of France and two to Countess Tessa. From here they went to London, where they played at the royal court and where the Kapellmeister J.K. Bach, son of Johann Sebastian, performed several Mozart gizmos.

During this period of time, Mozart's skill in improvising, transposing to the most distant scales, accompanying from the sheet was decidedly incomprehensible. In England, he wrote six more violin sonatas dedicated to Queen Sophia-Charlotte; here, under his direction, small symphonies written by him were performed. From London they went to The Hague, at the invitation of the Princess of Nassau, to whom Mozart dedicated the next six sonatas. In Lille, Mozart fell seriously ill almost at the same time as his sister Marianne, and both lay in The Hague for about four months, to the great despair of their father. Upon recovery, they again visited Paris, where Grimm was delighted with the successes of Mozart, and then visited Bern, Dijon, Zurich, Ulm and Munich, and finally, after a three-year absence, returned to Salzburg at the end of November 1766.

Mozart. The best works

Here, as a ten-year-old boy, Mozart wrote his first oratorio (Mark the Evangelist). After a year of intensive studies, he went to Vienna. The smallpox epidemic forced them to move to Olmutz, which, however, did not save the children from chickenpox. Returning to Vienna, they played at the court of Emperor Joseph II, although they did not give their own concert. Being slandered and suspected that the true author of his works is his father, the young composer refuted the slander through a brilliant public improvisation on the topics indicated to him. At the suggestion of the king, Mozart wrote his first opera, La finta semplice (now called Apollo and Hyacinth), which, due to intrigues, did not hit the Vienna stage, was first presented in Salzburg (1769). For 12 years, Mozart led the performance of his "Solemn Mass", in honor of the illumination of the church of the orphanage. A year later, he was elected the Archbishop's accompanist, shortly before his trip to Italy with his father.

This journey was triumphant: in all the cities, churches and theaters where Mozart performed as a concertist (his sister was absent this time) were crowded with listeners, and tests carried out by the strictest judges, for example, Sammartini in Milan, Padre Martini in Bologna and Ballotti in Padua , passed brilliantly. Mozart was admired by the Neapolitan court, and in Rome he received the knight's cross of the golden spur from the pope. When moving back through Bologna, having passed the exam, he was accepted as a member of the Philharmonic Academy. Having made a stop in Milan, Mozart finished the opera Mithridates, King of Pontus, ordered by him, staged at the local theater in December 1770, after which it was given 20 times in a row with brilliant success.

Returning to Salzburg in March 1771, Mozart wrote the oratorio "The Liberation of Betulia", and in the autumn of that year he was again in Milan, where he wrote the serenade "Ascanius in Alba", in honor of the marriage of Archduke Ferdinand to Princess Beatrice of Modena. This work completely eclipsed Hass's opera "Ruggiero" on the stage. His next opera is The Dream of Scipio, dedicated to the successor of the deceased Archbishop of Salzburg, Count Hieronymus von Colloredo (1772). In December 1772, Mozart again visited Milan, where he staged the opera Lucius Sulla. In later years he composed symphonies, masses, concertos and concert music. In 1775, the opera The Imaginary Gardener ordered by him was staged in Munich with outstanding success. Soon after, his opera The Shepherd King was given in honor of the stay of Archduke Maximilian.

Despite all these successes, Mozart did not have a solid place, and his father began to think again about the tour. The archbishop, however, refused leave, after which Mozart resigned. This time he went on a journey with his mother, passing through Munich, Augsburg and Mannheim, although here his artistic trip was not successful. In addition, Mozart fell in love with the singer Alois Weber in Mannheim, and only with difficulty could they tear him away from this hobby. Finally arriving in Paris, he had artistic satisfaction after performing one of his symphonies in the Concert spirituel. But here he also experienced grief: his mother died (1778). Deeply distressed, having not achieved his goal, he returned to Salzburg, where he was forced to again take the same place under the archbishop.

In 1779 Mozart was appointed court organist here. In 1781, on a new order, he wrote the opera Idomeneo, with which the classical direction of his further works begins. Shortly thereafter, he finally broke off his relationship with the archbishop and moved to Vienna. For some time, Mozart remained without a place here, until in 1789 he was appointed court composer, with a content of 800 florins. But on the other hand, he had the opportunity to perform his great works, which he took advantage of. At the suggestion of the king, he wrote the vaudeville "The Abduction from the Seraglio", and he was put on stage by order of the king, despite the intrigues (1781). In the same year, Mozart married Constance Weber, the sister of his first love interest.

In 1785, he created the opera The Marriage of Figaro, which, due to its poor performance by the Italians, almost failed on the Vienna stage, but was superbly transmitted in Prague. In 1787, his Don Giovanni appeared, staged first in Prague, and then in Vienna, where the opera again failed. In general, misfortune haunted the brilliant Mozart in Vienna, and his works remained in the shadows, yielding to secondary compositions. In 1789, Mozart left Vienna and, accompanied by Count Lichnowsky, visited Berlin, played at the court in Dresden, Leipzig and, finally, in Potsdam before Frederick II, who appointed him the place of the first Kapellmeister with a salary of 3000 thalers, but here Mozart's Austrian patriotism triumphed and became a hindrance to him accepting the proposed place. By order of the Austrian king, he composed the following opera, “Thus do all (women)” (1790). In the last year of his life, he wrote two operas: The Mercy of Titus for Prague, in honor of the coronation of Leopold II (September 6, 1791) and The Magic Flute for Vienna (September 30, 1791). His last creation was a requiem, which gave rise to the well-known fantastic story about the death of Mozart due to poisoning by his rival, the composer. Salieri. This theme inspired A. S. Pushkin to create a "little tragedy" "Mozart and Salieri". Mozart's burial was very miserable: he was even buried in a common grave, so to this day the exact location of his remains is unknown. In 1859, a monument was erected to him in this cemetery (St. Mark). In 1841, a magnificent monument was erected in his honor in Salzburg.

Works by Mozart

In his amazing work, Mozart was fluent in musical means and forms. His personality always contains the charm of purity, intimacy and charm. His humor is less flamboyant than Haydn's, and Beethoven's stern grandeur is wholly alien to him. His style is a combination of happy Italian melody with German depth and positivity. Related features are inherent in Schubert and Mendelssohn, especially in terms of the fecundity of their creativity and the short duration of their lives. Mozart's composing significance is undoubtedly global: in all kinds of music, he made a major step forward and all his works are clothed with unfading beauty. He had a reformist spirit. glitch, which forced him to create unshakable types in the past and new time. If the external musical environment of his works now forces them to be evaluated from a historical point of view, then in terms of their internal content and their inspired thoughts, they still have not become outdated.

According to the catalog of Breitkopf and Hertel (1870-1886), Mozart's works are divided as follows:

Church music. 15 masses, 4 litanies, 4 kyries, 1 madrigal, 1 miserère, 1 Te Deum, 9 offertory, 1 De profundis, l motet for soprano solo, 1 motet for four voices, etc.

Stage works. 20 operas. Of these, the most famous are: "Idomeneo", "The Abduction from the Seraglio", "The Wedding of Figaro", "Don Giovanni", "Cosi fan tutte" ("All Women Do This"), "Mercy of Titus", "Magic Flute".

Concert vocal music. 27 arias, duets, tertsets, quartets, etc.

Songs (Lieder). 34 songs with piano accompaniment, 20 canons of two and many voices, etc.

Orchestral works. 41 symphonies, 31 divertissements, serenades, 9 marches, 25 dances, several pieces for wind and wood instruments, etc.

Concerts and solo pieces with orchestra. 6 violin concertos, concertos for various individual instruments, 25 piano concertos, etc.

Chamber music. 7 bow quintets, two quintets for different instruments, 26 bow quartets, 7 piano trios, 42 violin sonatas.

For piano. In 4 hands: 5 sonatas and Andante with variations, for two pianos one fugue and 1 sonata. Two hands: 17 sonatas, fantasy and fugue, 3 fantasies, 15 variation pieces, 35 cadences, several minuets, 3 rondos, etc.

For an organ. 17 sonatas, mostly with two violins and a cello, etc.