Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(Wikipedia (Carmontelle))

"You know that I am, so to speak, soaked in music, that I am immersed in it all day long, and that I love to plan works, study, and meditate." ("Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus." Arts qtd. Wolfgang Mozart). This line was written to Leopold Mozart by his son, Wolfgang Mozart, in a private letter. This quote describes Wolfgang Mozart's life quite accurately. Beginning to play the piano and harp by the age of five, Mozart planted his musical roots quite early. "...in 1764 at the age of eight, he performed before King Louis XV of France" ("Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)"). As he grew older, his experience grew, and likewise, so did the complexities and difficulty level of his music. In addition to Mozart's incredible skills and talents, Mozart was extremely devoted with a hardworking spirit. His pieces would also later earn him a reputation that would continue past his death, and into the next generation of musicians. Mozart can be illustrated as a role model through his inspiring music, hardworking spirit, and incredible musical talents.

Wikipedia (Barbara Krafft)

Mozart composed and published over seventy pieces of music that later inspired musicians centuries later. Although Mozart wrote quickly with great amounts of success, there were times where he was rejected an opportunity to perform. "Mannheim was the seat of a famous court orchestra, along with a fine opera house. He wrote a number of attractive works while there (including his three Flute Quartets and five of his Violin Sonatas), but he was not offered a post." ("Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus." Arts). These times were few and far between, but they still existed. Failure was a part of Mozart's world. Many years later, however, people would listen to these pieces and wonder why they were turned away. "...the means of characterization and dramatic expression have been built into the arias and ensembles. This principle, grasped by only a few composers in the history of music, was evolved by Mozart in these years, and, like everything he touched, totally mastered as a technique. It is this that gives these works the quality of perfection that opera audiences have attributed to them, together with their absolute mastery of musical design." ("Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)"). Mozart's music, especially towards the end of his life, became more and more beautiful as he perfected his style of music. This attracted more and more people to his concerts and performances to hear such wonderful music. Mozart's music and composition skills were phenomenal; that is why he is popular around the world.

Mozart has exceeded in part because of his hardworking spirit and his perseverance. Mozart, too, started at the "bottom". He began at about the age of thirteen, searching for anyone to play his compositions. This did not last long, however. "From the age of ten to seventeen, Mozart's reputation as a composer grew to a degree of maturity equal to that of mostolder established musicians. He spent the years from 1766 to 1769 at Salzburg writing instrumental works and music for school dramas in German and Latin, and in 1768 he produced his first real operas: the German Singspiel (that is, with spoken dialogue) Bastien und Bastienne. Despite his growing reputation, Mozart found no suitable post open to him; and his father once more escorted Mozart, at age fourteen (1769), and set off for Italy to try to make his way as an opera composer."("Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus." UXL) Mozart soon gained a reputation of a skilled composer and musician. He did not just start with 1,000 people in his audience. He had to work hard to earn the reputation he wanted. Earlier in Mozart's life, he first began to show his musical gifts around the age of five. This was also around the time Mozart's sister, Nannerl, began to play the harp and piano. "Wolfgang's early forays into music-making took his father by surprise. "'This minuet and trio were learned by Wolfgang in half an hour, at half-past nine at night on the 26th of January 1761, one day before his fifth birthday,'" Leopold jotted in Nannerl's music book, according to Maynard Solomon's Mozart: A Life. Because of Wolfgang's apparent aptitude, Leopold soon launched his son's music education instead of waiting until the boy was 8" (Rusch). Leopold Mozart, Mozart's father, was quite surprised that his five-year-old son was capable of playing music like his eight-year-old daughter. Leopold then decided to move forward with Mozart's musical education and begin to tutor him at the age of five, instead of the typical age of eight. Mozart could not have progressed to such a high level musicianship if it not for Mozart's dedication and passion for music.

(Wikipedia ( Johann Nepomuk della Croce))

Playing music at a young age, Mozart had a lot of raw musical talent. His father recognized this quite early and took Mozart under his wing. "Leopold Mozart, a well-educated musician, devoted great energies to nurturing and promoting the talents of his son, whose musical genius manifested itself very early. His father took him on a three-year European performing tour, with his older sister Maria Anna that began when he was only seven" ("Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus." Arts). Leopold believed that Mozart and his older sister Nannerl were at a high enough ability level to go out into the world and play music for others. Mozart's tour that his father brought him on influenced Mozart greatly. "He excelled as an organist and violinist as well as at the harpsichord, and later would turn to the piano. The tour helped expose Mozart to the musical styles in all parts of Europe, and so aided the development of his own style as a composer. In 1764 at the age of eight, he performed before King Louis XV of France" ("Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)"). Mozart learned about all the different styles of music across Europe, which can be seen slightly in his own compositions. His work could then span across multiple genres of music across Europe, which may be why so many found his compositions favorable. Mozart's talent and skill was extremely influential in his upbringing, and then through the rest of his life.

Mozart began his musical life by overshadowing his older sister through his musical talents. As a wealthy and talented child he had significant financial advantages. His father could take him around the world and introduce him to new styles of music. Mozart would become recognized through events such as playing in front of King Louis XV of France. Mozart left home and was walking around the streets, not giving up. He knew he would eventually find someone to play his compositions. Those who listened to his music were entranced by his style and grace. Through these traits, Mozart was looked up to as a role model by many; after his death is when he gained his most recognition. "...he is supposed to have become obsessed with the belief that he was, in effect, writing it for himself. Ill and exhausted, he managed to finish the first two movements and sketches for several more, but the last three sections were entirely lacking when he died." ("Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)"). Mozart can be described as one who never stopped doing what he loved the most- writing and playing music. He literally wrote music until the day that he died. Even as Mozart told his father, there was nothing he would rather be doing other than writing music. We can all take something away from the role model we know today as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart- musician, composer, and dedicated worker.