Composer Profile - Activefolio

68 Chapter 6
Composer Profile
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
To say that Mozart was a great prodigy does
not do him justice. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
was perhaps the most brilliant prodigy who ever lived.
Born on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria, Mozart
began to show his musical inclinations at the age of
three. Mozart’s father, Leopold Mozart, was a wellknown
composer who soon recognized the special
gifts of young Wolfgang. He took it upon himself to
train the boy in music. When Wolfgang was four years
old, he was taken on his first tour to perform for the
public and for the royalty. He was a sensation.
Wolfgang had a tremendous memory and formidable
skills on the keyboard. He composed his first works
for keyboard at age four, his first symphony at eight,
Mozart
portrait
Library of Congress: LC-D420-2370
Mozart
and his first complete opera at age twelve. As a child, his father took Wolfgang
on several concert tours around Europe. His fame spread rapidly, as royalty and
the general public were very curious to witness firsthand Mozart’s extraordinary
talents. He was constantly given musical tests and challenges, all of which he
passed without apparent effort. On a trip to Italy, when Wolfgang was 14, he
heard Gregorio Allegri’s 9-part vocal work Miserere twice, and later wrote down
the entire score from memory, without mistakes. It seemed that there was nothing
the young master could not accomplish musically.
The only problem with being a famous child prodigy is that eventually you
must grow up and compete with other people on an even playing field. This
proved extremely difficult for young Wolfgang. Having been told his whole life
how great he was, Mozart exuded a confidence in his abilities that was often
mistaken for arrogance. He was not equipped to handle the battles for commissions
and jobs that he would soon encounter. He sometimes found complete
indifference to his presence and his music, because an adult looking for a job is
not nearly as interesting as a young boy with dazzling technique. A new Archbishop
who did not care about Mozart or his music replaced the Archbishop of
Salzburg, Mozart’s long-time employer. The next few years were very difficult for
the young Mozart; the new Archbishop paid him poorly and was often abusive
in his treatment. Eventually Mozart left the Archbishop and his hometown of
Salzburg for good in 1781, and moved to Vienna.
In Vienna Mozart had high hopes of finding stable employment. He married
Costanze, the sister of his former girlfriend, and together they had one son.
His imagination was incredibly fertile, and he turned out masterful works at a
fantastic pace. The Viennese musical establishment however was not prepared
to receive Mozart with open arms. Some composers, to be sure, had profound
respect for Mozart. Haydn in particular was a great friend and admirer of his,
and virtually all musicians in the area recognized his immense gifts. In fact,
Haydn was quoted as saying that Mozart “is the greatest composer I know,
either personally or by name.” However, some composers were jealous of Mozart’s
abilities and were further dismayed by his lack of humility. Antonio Salieri, perhaps
the most prominent composer in Vienna at the time, erected many roadblocks
to try and stop Mozart from mounting some operas and getting hired for
profitable employment posts.