There are those who rise to the top of their specific craft, which all other people aspire to climb, but few come close. For classical music, such is the case with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the child prodigy who would one day be known as the greatest classical musician of all time.
Born on January 27, 1756, Mozart would complete 600 compositions that are recognized as the pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. He is the most popular of all classical composers and most of his works are standard concert pieces.
His love for Mozart’s music would begin when his sister was seven years old and he, at three, watched fascinated as they gave him piano lessons. When he was four years old, his father began teaching him to play the piano. Within a very short time, he was able to play the piano with no problem, and by the age of five he was composing short piano pieces.
When Mozart was seven years old, the family traveled across Europe to display the musical prodigy at courts across the country. A concert tour for the family lasted three and a half years, from Munich to Paris. During the trip, he met Johann Christian Bach in 1765, who proved to be a great influence on him.
Mozart’s abilities were on display during those years. Once, while listening to Miserere in the Sistine Chapel, he wrote it entirely from memory, producing the first illegal copy of a closely guarded Vatican piece of music, followed by two more operas when he was 15 and 16.
Through the years, until his untimely death in 1791, Mozart was a highly influential figure in the world of music. Considered by many to be the second greatest composer of all time, Ludwig Van Beethoven was heavily influenced by him, becoming closely acquainted with Mozart’s work as a teenager.
Throughout history, since his death, Mozart’s music has been performed by countless people, all of whom cite him as a paramount influence on his work. Arguably one of the greatest musicians of all time, Mozart transcended beyond mere performer and legend, becoming a mythical person, whose mind seemed to touch a musical part of the world that the rest of us couldn’t see.
Much of his music is still played today. The instruments are similar but not the same. They are much more tuned and much more expensive. There are musical instrument makers who still make instruments like the ones used in Mozart’s time. However, in terms of clarity, intonation, and sound, most modern instruments, whether new or used, are superior to those used hundreds of years ago.
Mozart’s music is played in symphonies, quartets, and small ensembles. They are still a favorite around the holidays and are often played at weddings and receptions. While the instruments may have changed and improved over time, Mozart’s compositions remain beautiful and timeless.