An Outline of The History of Western Music Grout ... - The Reel Score

a) born in Salzburg - his father, Leopold Mozart served in the archbishops chapel
also wrote a celebrated treatise on violin playing, he dropped all to devote himself
to educating and exhibiting Wolfgang's talents
b) Wolfgang starting as a keyboard virtuoso soon became an accomplished organist
and violinist
c) produced his first minuets at the age of five, his first symphony just before his ninth
birthday, his first oratorio at eleven, and his first opera at twelve
d) thanks to his fathers education, he became familiar with every kind of music that
was being written or heard in contemporary western Europe - his work became a
synthesis of national styles - a mirror that reflected the music of a whole age -
illuminated by his own genius
2. Early Works - Pre 1774
a) became interested early on in the works of Johann Gottfried Eckard (1735-1809)
and Johann Schobert (1720?-1767)
b) J.C. Bach whom Mozart met in London had an important and lasting influence on
the young Mozart
c) Haydn's music also became increasing important in the young composer's life
3. The Salzburg Years (1774-1781)
a) From 1774 to 1781, Mozart lived chiefly in Salzburg - viewing it as a narrow
provincial life with limited opportunity
b) in 1777 he took a fruitless journey to Munich, Augsburg, Mannheim, and Paris
(with his mother who died in 1778)
c) 1781 he composed Idomeneo an opera for the city of Munich he then went to
Vienna to try his had as a freelance musician - like his contemporaries, he was a
commercial composer expecting his music to be performed, please an audience,
and make money
d) Serenades & Divertimentos - for garden parties, outdoor performances, weddings,
birthdays, or for concerts at the homes of friends & patrons
e) Piano & Violin sonatas
1: themes have a distinct melodic profile - balanced antecedent and consequent
phrases but often the second phrase is extended
2: the piano sonatas are closely related to his sonatas for piano and violin - in the
early years these duos were really piano pieces with optional violin
accompaniment
f) Solo Concertos - among the notable compositions of the Salzburg period
4. The Vienna Years (1781 onward)
a) he quite the service of the archbishop of Salzburg to settle in Vienna in 1781
b) most of the works that immortalized Mozart came were composed between the
ages of 25 & 35
c) principal influences on Mozart during the last 10 yrs of his life came from his
continuing study of Haydn and his discovery of J.S. Bach (seen in the increasing
contrapuntal nature of Mozart's later works)
1: introduced to J.S. Bach's work through Baron Gottfried van Swieten
2: became acquainted at a reading session at Swieten home of Art of the Fugue, &
Well-Tempered Keyboard
d) piano works - most important of Vienna period are the Fantasia & Sonata in C
minor