Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Joannes Chrisostomos Wolfgang Gotlieb Mozart was born January 27, 1756. His parents were overjoyed because he was the second of seven children who lived in the Mozart family of Salzburg, Austria. Mozart's mother was named Anna Maria and his father was named Leopold. Mozart also had a sister who was one year older than him and was good at music also. Her name was Maria Anna, but everyone called her Nannerl.

Mozart was amazingly fast at learning music. When Mozart was four years old, he could already play violin. Mozart's first concerto was so confusing that no one could understand it correctly. Mozart wrote his first symphony at age eight and became a concertmaster at thirteen.

He was also good at other things. He loved to do math and study geography. Although he was a very fast learner, his musical obligations kept him from going to school. However, he learned about fifteen languages because he traveled so much to perform concerts.

While they were on the road, Mozart and his father, Leopold, wrote lots of letters to the rest of his family. Mozart wasn't always working on music; sometimes he went to the carnival, played with his toys, or shopped for wigs.

Mozart was famous for many compositions such as Rondo Alla Turca, Lacrymosa, and the operas, Don Giovonni and The Magic Flute. He wrote many more concertos, symphonies, and ensembles, as well as church and ballet music -- in all, about six hundred pieces.

Mozart performed mainly in special concerts for the nobility, but he also worked for an unhappy time as a musical servant to the Archbishop of Salzburg. Mostly, he performed alone, but sometimes with his sister or his friend, Thomas Linley. He was greatly influenced by his mentor and teacher, Franz Joseph Haydn.

Amadeus Mozart died on December 5, 1791, while he was working on a Requiem Mass. Some people think Mozart died from kidney problems, others think he died poisoned by a rival musician. Current belief is that he died of heart failure following a bout of rheumatic fever. He died broke and was buried in a pauper's grave.

I will remember Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the best musician ever. Will you?