Mozart's biography is briefly the most important thing. Vienna Classical School: Amadeus Mozart A short message about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

According to the great Russian composer P. Tchaikovsky, Mozart was the highest point of beauty in music.

Birth, difficult childhood and adolescence

He was born on the twenty-seventh of January 1756 in Salzburg, and his arrival nearly cost his mother's life. He was named by Johann Chrysostomus Wolfgang Theophilus. Mozart's elder sister Maria Anna, under the guidance of her father Leopold Mozart, started playing the clavier quite early. Little Mozart liked playing music very much. A four-year-old boy learned the minuets with his father, playing them with amazing purity and a sense of rhythm. A year later, Wolfgang began composing small pieces of music. A gifted boy at the age of six played the most difficult pieces, not leaving the instrument all day.

Seeing the amazing abilities of his son, the father decided to go with him and his talented daughter on a concert journey. Munich, Vienna, Paris, The Hague, Amsterdam, London have heard the play of the young virtuoso. During this time, Mozart wrote many musical creations, including a symphony, 6 sonatas for violin and harpsichord. A small, thin, pale boy in a gold embroidered court suit, in a powdered wig in the fashion of the time, captivated the audience with his talent.

Concerts lasting 4-5 hours tired the child. But the father was also actively involved in the musical education of his son. It was a difficult but happy time.

In 1766, the family, tired from long tours, returned to Salzburg. However, the long-awaited vacation was quickly over. Preparing to consolidate Wolfgang's success, his father prepared him for new concert performances. This time it was decided to go to Italy. In Rome, Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, concerts of the fourteen-year-old musician are held in triumph. He performs as a violinist, organist, accompanist, virtuoso harpsichordist, singer-improviser, conductor. Due to his outstanding talent, he was elected a member of the Bologna Academy. It seemed that everything was turning out more than wonderful.

However, his father's hopes for Wolfgang to get a job in Italy were not destined to come true. The brilliant young man was just another fun of the Italians. I had to return to the gray days of Salzburg.

Creative achievements and unfulfilled hopes

The young musician becomes the conductor of the orchestra of Count Coloredo, a cruel and domineering man. Feeling free-thinking and intolerance to rudeness by Mozart, the ruler of the city humiliated the young man in every possible way, considering him his servant. Wolfgang could not accept this.

At 22, he went to Paris with his mother. However, in the capital of France, which once applauded the young talent, there was no place for Mozart. Because of worries about her son, his mother died. Mozart fell into deep depression. There was no choice but to return to Salzburg, where he lived for 1775-1777. The life of a humiliated court musician burdened the talented composer. And in Munich his opera Idomeneo, King of Crete was a huge success.

Determined to end his addiction, Mozart submits a letter of resignation. A series of humiliations from the archbishop almost led him to mental breakdown. The composer made a firm decision to stay in Vienna. From 1781 until the end of his life, he lived in this beautiful city.

The flowering of talent

The last decade of his life was the time of the composer's brilliant creations. Although, in order to earn his living, he had to work as a musician. In addition, he married Constance Weber. True, even here difficulties awaited him. The girl's parents did not want such a marriage for their daughter, so the young people had to get married in secret.

Six string quartets dedicated to Haydn, the operas The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and other genius creations date from this time.

Material deprivation, constant hard work gradually worsened the composer's health. Attempts at concert performances were generating little revenue. All this undermined the vitality of Mozart. He passed away in December 1791. The legendary story of the poisoning of Mozart Salieri has not found documentary evidence. The exact place of his burial is unknown, because he was buried in a common grave due to lack of funds.

However, his works, especially refined, delightfully simple and excitingly deep, still delight.

If this message is useful to you, it's good to see you.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart(it. Wolfgang amadeus mozart, IPA [ˈvɔlfɡaŋ amaˈdeus ˈmoːtsaʁt] (i); January 27, 1756, Salzburg - December 5, 1791, Vienna), baptized as Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Theophil Mozart is an Austrian composer and virtuoso performer who began to compose at the age of four. He is one of the most popular classical composers, who deeply influenced the further Western musical culture. According to contemporaries, Mozart had a phenomenal ear for music, memory and the ability to improvise.

The uniqueness of Mozart lies in the fact that he worked in all musical forms of his time and composed more than 600 works, many of which are recognized as the pinnacle of symphonic, concert, chamber, opera and choral music. Along with Haydn and Beethoven, he belongs to the most significant representatives of the Vienna Classical School.

Biography

early years

Childhood and family

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, then the capital of the Archbishopric of Salzburg, in the house at Getreidegasse 9. His father Leopold Mozart was a violinist and composer in the court chapel of the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, Count Sigismund von Strattenbach. Mother - Anna Maria Mozart(née Perthl), daughter of the trustee-commissioner of the almshouse in St. Gilgen. Both were considered the most beautiful married couple in Salzburg, and the surviving portraits confirm this. Of the seven children from the Mozart marriage, only two survived: daughter Maria Anna, whom friends and relatives called Nannerl, and a son Wolfgang... His birth nearly cost his mother her life. Only after some time was she able to get rid of the weakness that inspired fear for her life. On the second day after birth Wolfgang was baptized in the Salzburg Cathedral of St. Rupert. A baptismal entry gives his name in Latin as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus (Gottlieb) Mozart. In these names, the first two words are the name of St. John Chrysostom, which is not used in everyday life, and the fourth during Mozart's life varied: lat. Amadeus, it. Gottlieb, Italian. Amadeo, which means "beloved of God." Mozart himself preferred to be called Wolfgang.

The musical talent of children manifested itself at a very early age. Nannerl's lessons on the harpsichord influenced little Wolfgang, who was only about three years old: he sat down at the instrument and could entertain himself for a long time by selecting consonances. In addition, he memorized individual passages of pieces of music that he heard, and could play them on the harpsichord. This made a big impression on his father, Leopold. At the age of 4, his father began to learn small pieces and minuets with him on the harpsichord. Almost immediately Wolfgang learned to play them well. Soon, he had a desire for independent creativity: at the age of five, he composed small plays, which his father wrote down on paper. The very first compositions Wolfgang steel and Allegro in C major for clavier. They are marked by Leopold, from which it follows that they were composed between the end of January and April 1761.

Andante and Allegro in C major, written in the hand of Leopold Mozart
Leopold started musical notebooks for his children, in which he himself or his friends - musicians recorded various compositions for the clavier. Nannerl's music book contains minuets and similar small pieces. To date, the notebook has been preserved in a badly damaged and incomplete form. This notebook also taught little Wolfgang; his first works are also recorded here. Notebook itself Wolfgang on the contrary, it has been completely preserved. It contains works by Telemann, Bach, Kirkhoff and many other composers. Wolfgang's musical abilities were amazing: in addition to the harpsichord, he practically independently learned to play the violin.

An interesting fact that speaks of the tenderness and subtlety of his hearing: according to a letter from a friend of the Mozart family, to the court trumpeter Andreas Schachtner, which was written at the request of Maria Anna after her death Mozart, little Wolfgang, until almost ten years of age, was afraid of the trumpet, if they played only on it alone, without the accompaniment of other instruments. Even the very sight of the pipe had an effect on Wolfgang as if a pistol was pointed at him. Schachtner wrote: “Papa wanted to suppress this childish fear in him, and ordered me, despite the resistance Wolfgang, blow his face; but my god! I wish I had disobeyed. As soon as Wolfgangerl heard a deafening sound, he turned pale and began to sink to the ground, and if I had continued longer, he would certainly have had convulsions. "

Father Wolfgang loved unusually tenderly: in the evenings, before going to bed, his father put him on an armchair, and had to sing with him Wolfgang song with meaningless lyrics: "Oragnia figa tafa". After that, the son kissed his father on the tip of his nose and promised him that when he grows old, keep him in his glass case and respect him. Then he went to bed contentedly. The father was the best teacher and educator for his son: he gave Wolfgang excellent home education. The boy was always so devoted to what he was forced to learn that he forgot about everything, even about music. For example, when I was learning to count, the chairs, walls and even the floor were covered with numbers written in chalk.

First travels

Leopold wanted to see his son as a composer, and therefore first decided to introduce Wolfgang to the musical world as a virtuoso performer [Ph. 1]. Hoping to get a good position for the boy and a patron among the representatives of famous noblemen, Leopold had the idea of ​​concert travels to the royal courts of Europe. The time of wandering began, which lasted almost ten years with short or relatively long interruptions. In January 1762, Leopold undertook a concert trip to Munich with his prodigy children. The journey lasted three weeks, and the children performed in front of the Elector of Bavaria Maximilian III.

The success in Munich and the enthusiasm with which the audience greeted the children's play satisfied Leopold and strengthened his intention to continue such trips. Soon after arriving home, he decided that the whole family would go to Vienna in the fall. It is not without reason that Leopold had hopes for Vienna: at that time it was the center of European culture, there were wide opportunities for musicians, they were supported by influential patrons. The nine months remaining before the trip were spent by Leopold on further education. Wolfgang... However, he focused not on the theory of music, in which the boy still had a lot to learn, but on all kinds of visual tricks, which the public of that time appreciated more than the game itself. For example, Wolfgang learned to play the cloth-covered keyboard without making mistakes. Finally, on September 18 of the same year, Mozarts went to Vienna. On the way, they had to stop at Passau, yielding to the desire of the local archbishop to listen to the play of children - virtuosos. Having made them wait for the requested audience for five days, the bishop finally listened to their game, and, without experiencing any emotions, dismissed Mozarts by giving them one ducat as a reward. The next stop was in Linz, where the children gave a concert in the house of Count Schlick. The concert was also attended by Counts Herberstein and Pahlffy, great music lovers. They were so delighted and surprised by the play of the little prodigies that they promised to attract the attention of the Viennese nobility to them ..

Little Mozart plays the organ in the monastery in Ybbs
From Linz, on a postal boat along the Danube, the Mozarts finally set off for Vienna. On the way, they stopped at Ybbs. There, in a Franciscan monastery, Wolfgang tried his hand at playing the organ for the first time in his life. Hearing the music, the Franciscan fathers, who were sitting at the meal, ran to the choir, and almost died of admiration when they saw how the boy played excellently. On October 6, the Mozarts landed in Vienna. There Wolfgang saved the family from customs inspection: with his characteristic open disposition and childlike spontaneity, he met the customs officer, showed him his clavier and played the minuet on the violin, after which they were allowed to pass without inspection.

Meanwhile, Counts Herberstein and Pahlffy kept their promise: having arrived in Vienna much earlier Mozarts, they told about the concert in Linz to Archduke Joseph, who, in turn, told about the concert of his mother, Empress Maria Theresa. Thus, after arriving in Vienna on October 6, Father received an invitation to an audience at Schönbrunn on October 13, 1763. While the Mozarts were waiting for the appointed day, they received many invitations and performed at the houses of the Viennese nobility and nobles, including the house of the Vice-Chancellor, Count Colloredo, the father of the future patron Mozart, Archbishop Jerome Colloredo. The audience was delighted with Little Wolfgang's playing. Soon, all the Viennese aristocracy was only talking about the little genius.

On the appointed day, October 13, Mozarts went to Schönbrunn, where the summer residence of the imperial court was then located. There they had to stay from 3 to 6 hours. The Empress arranged Mozart such a warm and polite welcome that they felt relaxed and at ease. At a concert that lasted several hours Wolfgang flawlessly played a wide variety of music: from his own improvisations to works given to him by the court composer of Maria Theresa, Georg Wagenzeil. At the same time, when Wagenzeil gave Wolfgang the sheet music for his harpsichord concerto, Wolfgang asked him to turn the pages for him himself. Emperor Franz I, wanting to see firsthand the talent of the child, asked him to demonstrate all kinds of performing tricks when playing: from playing with one finger to playing on a keyboard covered with a cloth. Wolfgang easily coped with such tests. The Empress was fascinated by the play of the little virtuoso. After the game ended, she sat Wolfgang on her lap and even allowed herself to be kissed on the cheek. At the end of the audience, the Mozarts were offered food, and then they got the opportunity to inspect the castle. There is a famous historical anecdote associated with this concert: allegedly, when Wolfgang was playing with the children of Maria Theresa, the little archduchess, he slipped on the rubbed floor and fell. Archduchess Marie Antoinette, future Queen of France, helped him up. Wolfgang seemed to jump up to her and said: "You are nice, I want to marry you when I grow up."

Mozarts have been to Schönbrunn several times. So that they could appear there in more dignified clothes than the one they had, the empress ordered to deliver to the hotel where they lived Mozarts, two suits - for Wolfgang and his sister Nannerl. A suit intended for Wolfgang, before that belonged to the Archduke Maximilian. The suit was made of the finest lilac drape with the same moire waistcoat, and the whole set was trimmed with wide gold lace.

Mozarts every day received new invitations to receptions in the houses of the nobility and aristocracy. Leopold wanted to refuse the invitations of these dignitaries, since he saw in them the potential patrons of his son. You can get an idea of ​​one of these days from Leopold's letter to Salzburg on October 19, 1762:

We visited the French ambassador today. Tomorrow, from four to six, I will have an appointment with Count Harrach, although I don’t know exactly which one. I can understand this by the way the carriage takes us, because they always send a carriage after us with an escort of lackeys. From half past six to nine, we take part in a concert that is supposed to bring us six ducats and in which the most famous Viennese virtuosos will play. In order to be sure that we will surely respond to the invitation, the date of the appointment is usually agreed four, five or six days in advance. On Monday we go to Count Paar. Wolferl is very fond of walking at least twice a day. Recently we came to one house at half past three and stayed there until almost four. From there we hurried to Count Gardegh, who sent a carriage for us, which took us at a gallop to the house of a lady, from whom we left at half past six in a carriage sent for us by Chancellor Kaunitz, in whose house we played until about nine o'clock in the evening.

These performances, which sometimes lasted for several hours, were very exhausting Wolfgang... In the same letter, Leopold expresses fear for his health. Indeed, on October 21, after another performance before the empress, Wolfgang I felt unwell, and upon arriving at the hotel, I lay down, complaining of pain all over my body. A red rash appeared all over the body, a strong fever began - Wolfgang fell ill with scarlet fever. Thanks to a good doctor, he quickly recovered, but invitations to receptions and concerts stopped coming, as the aristocrats were afraid of catching the infection. Therefore, an invitation to Pressburg (now Bratislava), coming from the Hungarian nobility, turned out to be very useful. Returning to Salzburg, Mozarts again stayed in Vienna for several days, and finally left it in the first days of the new 1763.

big Adventure

1770-1774 years Mozart spent in Italy. In 1770, in Bologna, he met the composer Josef Myslivechek, extremely popular at that time in Italy; the influence of the "Divine Bohemian" was so great that later, due to the similarity of style, some of his works were attributed Mozart, including the oratorio "Abraham and Isaac".

In 1771 in Milan, again with the opposition of theatrical impresarios, an opera was staged Mozart"Mithridates, king of Pontic" (Italian. Mitridate, Re di Ponto), which was received by the public with great enthusiasm. His second opera Lucio Silla (1772) was also given with the same success. For Salzburg Mozart wrote "The Dream of Scipio" (Italian Il sogno di Scipione), on the occasion of the election of a new archbishop, 1772, for Munich - the opera "La bella finta Giardiniera", 2 masses, offertory (1774). When he was 17 years old, among his works there were already 4 operas, several spiritual works, 13 symphonies, 24 sonatas, not to mention the mass of smaller compositions.

In 1775-1780, despite worries about material support, a fruitless trip to Munich, Mannheim and Paris, the loss of his mother, Mozart wrote, among other things, 6 clavier sonatas, a concerto for flute and harp, a large symphony No. 31 in D major, nicknamed Parisian, several spiritual choirs, 12 ballet numbers.

In 1779 Mozart received the position of court organist in Salzburg (collaborated with Michael Haydn). On January 26, 1781, the opera "Idomeneo" was staged in Munich with great success, marking a definite turn in creativity Mozart... In this opera, traces of the old Italian opera seria are still visible (a large number of coloratura arias, the part of Idamante, written for castrato), but a new trend is felt in the recitatives, and especially in the choirs. A big step forward is also seen in instrumentation. While in Munich Mozart wrote the offertory "Misericordias Domini" for the Munich Chapel - one of the best examples of church music of the late 18th century.

Vienna period

1781-1782

On January 29, 1781, the premiere of the opera took place in Munich with great success Mozart Idomeneo. Bye Mozart in Munich he received congratulations, his employer, the Archbishop of Salzburg, attended the ceremonial events on the occasion of the coronation and accession to the Austrian throne of Emperor Joseph II. Mozart decided to take advantage of the absence of the archbishop and stayed in Munich longer than expected. Upon learning of this, Colloredo ordered Mozart urgently arrive in Vienna. There, the composer immediately realized that he fell out of favor. Having received many flattering reviews in Munich, caressing his pride, Mozart was offended when the Archbishop treated him like a servant, and even ordered him to sit next to the valets during dinner. Moreover, the archbishop forbade him to serve under Countess Maria Thun for a fee equal to half of his annual salary in Salzburg. As a result, the quarrel reached its climax in May: Mozart submitted a letter of resignation, but the archbishop refused to accept it. Then the musician began to behave emphatically defiantly, hoping to get freedom in this way. And he got his way: the next month the composer was fired literally with a kick in the ass by the archbishop's butler, Count Arco.

First steps in Vienna

Mozart arrived in Vienna on March 16, 1781. Already in May, he rented a room in the Weber house on St. Peter's Square, who had moved to Vienna from Munich. Mozart's friend and Aloisia's father Fridolin Weber had died by that time, and Aloisia married the dramatic actor Joseph Lange, and since at that time she was invited to the Vienna National Singspiel, her mother, Frau Weber, also decided to move. to Vienna with her three unmarried daughters Joseph, Constance and Sophie. Mozart I was very glad of the opportunity thus presented to find a refuge with old acquaintances. Soon, rumors reached Salzburg that Wolfgang was going to marry one of the daughters. Leopold was in terrible anger; now he stubbornly insisted that Wolfgang changed apartment, and received the following answer:

I repeat once again that I had intended to rent another apartment for a long time, and only because of the chatter of people; it is a pity that I have to do this because of ridiculous gossip, in which there is not a word of truth. I would still like to know what kind of people they are who can rejoice that in broad daylight they talk like that, without having any reason to do so. If I live with them, I will marry my daughter! ...
I do not want to say that in the family I am also unapproachable with Mademoiselle, with whom I was already married, and I do not speak to her at all, but I am not in love either; I play the fool and joke with her if time permits me (but only in the evenings and if I dine at home, because in the morning I write in my room, and in the afternoon I’m rarely at home) —that’s nothing else. If I had to marry everyone I joke with, it could easily happen that I would have 200 wives ...

Despite this, the decision to leave Frau Weber turned out to be quite difficult for him. At the beginning of September 1781, he nevertheless moved to a new apartment "Auf-dem-Graben, No. 1775 on the 3rd floor."

Myself Mozart was extremely pleased with the reception he received in Vienna. He hoped to soon become a famous performer-pianist and teacher. This was beneficial to him, as in this way he could pave the way for his writings. However, it immediately became clear that the timing was unsuccessful for his entry into Vienna's musical life: at the beginning of summer, the Viennese nobility moved to their country estates, and thus the academies [K. 2] nothing could be achieved.

Shortly after arriving in Vienna Mozart met with the patron of the arts and patron of musicians, Baron Gottfried van Swieten (English) Russian .. The Baron had a large collection of works by Bach and Handel, which he brought from Berlin. At the suggestion of van Swieten Mozart began to compose music in the Baroque style. Mozart rightfully thought that thanks to this his own creativity would become richer. Van Swieten's name first appears in letters to Mozart in May 1781; a year later he already writes [p. 2]: Every Sunday at 12 noon I go to Baron van Swieten [K. 3], nothing is played there except Handel and Bach. I am just composing for myself a collection of Bach fugues. Both Sebastian and Emanuel and Friedemann Bach.

At the end of July 1781 Mozart begins writing the opera "The Abduction from the Seraglio" (German: Die Entführung aus dem Serail), which premiered on July 16, 1782. The opera was enthusiastically received in Vienna, and soon became widespread throughout Germany.

In the hope of establishing a firm foothold at court, Mozart With the help of his former patron in Salzburg, the younger brother of the emperor, Archduke Maximilian, he hoped to become a music teacher with the younger cousin of Emperor Joseph II. The Archduke warmly recommended Mozart princess as a music teacher, and the princess happily agreed, but the emperor suddenly appointed Antonio Salieri to this post, considering him the best teacher of singing. "For him, no one exists except Salieri!" - Mozart writes disappointedly to his father on December 15, 1781 [p. 3]. However, it was quite natural that the emperor preferred Salieri, whom he valued primarily as a vocal composer, and not Mozart... Like most Viennese, the emperor knew Mozart just as a good pianist, nothing more. However, in this capacity, Mozart, of course, enjoyed exceptional authority with the emperor. So, for example, on December 24, 1781, the emperor ordered Mozart come to the palace in order to enter into competition with the Italian virtuoso Muzio Clementi, who then arrived in Vienna, according to the well-known ancient custom. According to Dittersdorf, who was present there, the emperor later noted that only art dominates in Clementi's game, and in the game Mozart- art and taste. After that, the emperor sent Mozart 50 ducats, which he really needed then. Clementi was delighted with the game Mozart; Mozart's judgment about him, on the contrary, was strict and harsh: "Clementi is a zealous harpsichordist, and that says it all," he wrote. By the winter of 1782, the number of female students increased. Mozart, among which should be noted Teresa von Trattner - Mozart's beloved, to whom he would later devote sonata and fantasy.

New sweetheart and wedding

Constance Mozart... Portrait by Hans Hassen, 1802
While still living with the Weberians, Mozart began to show signs of attention to his middle daughter, Constance. Obviously, this gave rise to rumors that Mozart rejected. Nevertheless, on December 15, 1781, he wrote a letter to his father in which he confessed his love for Constance Weber and announced that he was going to marry her. However, Leopold knew more than was written in the letter, namely that Wolfgang had to give a written commitment to marry Constance within three years, otherwise he would pay 300 florins annually in her favor.

According to the letter Wolfgang of December 22, 1781, the main role in the story with a written commitment was played by the guardian of Constance and her sisters - Johann Torvart, an auditor of the court directorate and an inspector of the theater wardrobe, who enjoyed authority with Count Rosenberg. Torvart asked his mother to forbid Mozart to communicate with Constance before "this matter is not completed in writing." Mozart due to a highly developed sense of honor, he could not leave his beloved and signed a statement. However, later, when the guardian left, Constance demanded a commitment from her mother, and said: “Dear Mozart! I do not need any written commitment from you, I already believe your words, ”she tore up the statement. This act of Constance made her even more dear to Mozart.

Despite numerous letters from his son, Leopold was adamant. In addition, he, not without reason, believed that Frau Weber was playing an "ugly game" with his son - she wanted to use Wolfgang as a wallet, because just at that time great prospects opened up before him: he wrote "The Abduction from the Seraglio", held concerts by subscription and now and then received orders for various compositions from the Viennese nobility. In great confusion, Wolfgang appealed to his sister for help, trusting her good old friendship. At Wolfgang's request, Constance sent various gifts to his sister.

Despite the fact that Maria Anna graciously accepted these gifts, the father persisted. Without hopes for a secure future, the wedding seemed impossible to him.

Meanwhile, the gossip became more and more intolerable: on July 27, 1782, Mozart, in complete despair, wrote to his father that most people took him for already married and that Frau Weber was extremely indignant at this and tortured him and Constance to death. The patroness came to the aid of Mozart and his beloved Mozart, Baroness von Waldstedten. She invited Constance to move into her apartment in Leopoldstadt (house no. 360), to which Constance willingly agreed. Because of this, Frau Weber was now angry and intended to eventually bring her daughter back to her home by force. To preserve the honor of Constance, Mozart had to do everything to bring her into his house; in the same letter, he most persistently begged his father for permission to marry, repeating his request a few days later [p. 5]. However, the desired agreement was again not followed. But in the meantime, Baroness von Waldstedten did not stand aside - she eliminated all difficulties and even tried to convince her father that Constance did not go to the Weberians in character and that on the whole she was "a good and decent person."

On August 4, 1782, the betrothal took place in Vienna's Cathedral of St. Stephen, which was attended only by Frau Weber with her youngest daughter Sophie (English) Russian, Herr von Torvart as guardian and witness of both, Herr von Zetto, the bride's witness, and Franz Xaver Gilovski as a witness to Mozart. The wedding feast was hosted by the Baroness, with a serenade for thirteen instruments (K.361 / 370a). Only a day later the long-awaited consent of the father came. On August 7, Mozart wrote to him: “When we were married, my wife and I began to cry; this touched everyone, even the priest, and everyone wept, as they witnessed the emotion of our hearts ”[p. 6].

During the marriage of a married couple Mozarts 6 children were born, of which only two survived:

Raimund Leopold (June 17 - August 19, 1783)
Karl Thomas (September 21, 1784 - October 31, 1858)
Johann Thomas Leopold (October 18 - November 15, 1786)
Theresia Constance Adelaide Frederick Marianne (December 27, 1787 - June 29, 1788)
Anna Maria (died shortly after birth, December 25, 1789)
Franz Xaver Wolfgang (July 26, 1791 - July 29, 1844)

1783-1787

Trip to Salzburg

Despite the fact of a happy marriage for both spouses, a gloomy shadow of his father always fell on the marriage: outwardly he seemed to be reconciled with Wolfgang's marriage, but his hostility towards marriage remained unchanged and grew into cruel anger. On the contrary, Wolfgang's innate kindness did not allow him to be annoyed with his father for so long. True, since then his letters to his father have become increasingly rare and, most importantly, more businesslike.

At first Mozart I also hoped that a personal acquaintance with Constance would help change my father's opinion. Soon after the wedding, the couple thinks about a trip to Salzburg. Originally Wolfgang and Constance planned to arrive there at the beginning of October 1782, and then on November 15, for her father's name day. For the first time, their calculations were canceled out by the visit of the Russian prince Paul, during which Mozart Conducted the performance of "The Abduction from the Seraglio", for the second time - concerts and teaching activities that continued throughout the winter. In the spring of 1783, the main obstacle was the expectation of the birth of Costantia. Child, boy - born June 17, and was named Raimund Leopold, in honor of his godfather, Baron von Wetzlar, and his grandfather, Leopold Mozart... According to Mozart himself, Raimund Leopold was "a poor, plump, fat and sweet boy."

Wolfgang among other things, he was worried whether the archbishop would be able to use his arrival in order to issue an "arrest order", since he parted from the service without formal resignation. Therefore, he suggested that his father meet on neutral ground - in Munich. However, Leopold reassured his son about this, and at the end of July, the young couple set off, leaving the newborn child to a paid wet nurse [K. 4], and arrived in Salzburg on July 29.

Contrary to expectations Mozart Leopold and Nannerl greeted the Consants coolly, though politely enough. Mozart brought with him several parts of the still unfinished Mass in C minor: they were Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus and Benedictus. Credo remained unfinished, and Agnus Dei was not written at all. The premiere of the mass took place on August 26 in St. Peter's Church, while Constance sang the soprano part, written especially for her voice. In addition, in Salzburg, Mozart met with his librettist for Idomeneo, Varesco, who, at the composer's request, sketched the libretto L'oca del Cairo (Cairo Goose), which Mozart will set to music for the never-finished opera of the same name.

The couple left Salzburg on October 27, 1783. Despite all efforts, the main purpose of the trip - to change the mood of his father in favor of Constance - was not achieved. Deep down, Constance was offended by this reception and never forgave her father-in-law or sister-in-law. However, Wolfgang left his hometown disappointed and upset. On the way to Vienna, on October 30, they stopped at Linz, where they stayed with Mozart's old friend, Count Joseph Thun, having stayed here for 3 weeks. Here Mozart wrote his Symphony No. 36 in C major (K.425), which premiered on 4 November at the academy in the count's house.

The peak of creativity

Domgasse 5. Apartment Mozart was on the second floor
At the zenith of your glory Mozart receives huge royalties for his academies and the publication of his works: in September 1784, the composer's family settled in a luxurious apartment in house number 846 on Gross Schulerstrasse (now - Domgasse 5) [Ph. 5] with an annual lease of 460 florins. The income allowed Mozart to keep a servant at home: a hairdresser, a maid and a cook; he buys a piano from the Viennese master Anton Walter for 900 florins and a billiard table for 300 florins. At about the same time, Mozart met Haydn, and they began a cordial friendship. Mozart even dedicates his collection of 6 quartets to Haydn, written in 1783-1785. Another important event in the life of Mozart also belongs to this period: on December 14, 1784, he joined the Masonic lodge "To Charity".

From February 10 to April 25, 1785, Leopold paid his son a return visit to Vienna. Although their personal relationship did not change, Leopold was very proud of his son's creative success. On the very first day of his stay in Vienna, February 10, he visited the Wolfgang Academy at the Melgrube casino, which was also attended by the emperor; there the premiere of a new piano concerto in D minor (K.466) took place, and the next day Wolfgang hosted a quartet evening at his home, to which Joseph Haydn was invited. At the same time, as usual in such cases, Dittersdorf played the first violin, Haydn played the second, Mozart himself played the viola part, and Wangal played the cello. After performing the quartets, Haydn expressed his admiration for Wolfgang's work, which gave Leopold great joy:

“I tell you before God, as an honest man, your son is the greatest composer whom I know personally and by name;
he has a taste, and on top of that, he has the greatest knowledge of composition. "
Leopold was also very happy with his second grandson Karl, who was born on September 21 of the previous year. Leopold found that the child was unusually similar to Wolfgang. It is important to note that Wolfgang persuaded his father to join the Masonic lodge. This happened on April 6, and on April 16, both were elevated to the degree of master.

Despite the successes of chamber compositions Mozart, his affairs with the opera were not going well. Contrary to his hopes, German opera gradually fell into decay; the Italian, on the other hand, experienced a tremendous upsurge. Hoping to get an opportunity to write an opera at all, Mozart turned his attention to Italian opera. On the advice of Count Rosenberg, back in 1782, he began searching for an Italian text for a libretto. However, his Italian operas L'oca del Cairo (1783) and Lo sposo deluso (1784) remained unfinished.

Finally, Mozart received an order from the emperor for a new opera. For help writing the libretto Mozart turned to a familiar librettist, Abbot Lorenzo da Ponte, whom he met at his apartment with Baron von Wetzlar back in 1783. As material for the libretto Mozart suggested Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy "Le Mariage de Figaro" ("The Marriage of Figaro"). Despite the fact that Joseph II banned the production of comedy at the National Theater, Mozart and da Ponte still got down to work, and, thanks to the lack of new operas, won the position. However, when he wrote the opera, Mozart faced extremely strong intrigues associated with the forthcoming rehearsals of the opera: the fact is that almost simultaneously with Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, the operas of Salieri and Rigini were completed. Each composer claimed to have his opera performed first. At the same time, Mozart, flushed, once said that if his opera did not go on stage first, he would throw the score of his opera into the fire. Finally, the dispute was resolved by the emperor, who ordered the rehearsals of the opera to begin. Mozart.

It had a good reception in Vienna, but after several performances it was removed and not staged until 1789, when the production was resumed by Antonio Salieri, who considered Mozart's Marriage of Figaro the best opera by Mozart. But in Prague "The Wedding of Figaro" was an overwhelming success, melodies from it were sung on the street and in taverns. Thanks to this success, Mozart received a new order, this time from Prague. In 1787, a new opera, created in collaboration with Da Ponte, was released - Don Giovanni. This work, which is still considered one of the best in the world opera repertoire, was even more successful in Prague than Le Nozze di Figaro.

Much less success fell to the lot of this opera in Vienna, generally since the time of "Figaro" has cooled to the work of Mozart. Mozart received 50 ducats from Emperor Joseph for Don Giovanni, and, according to J. Rice, during 1782-1792 this was the only time that the composer received payment for an opera ordered outside Vienna. However, the audience as a whole remained indifferent. Since 1787 his “academies” ceased, Mozart was unable to organize the performance of the last three, now the most famous symphonies: No. 39 in E flat major (KV 543), No. 40 in G minor (KV 550) and No. 41 in C major “Jupiter” ( KV 551), written within a month and a half in 1788; only three years later one of them, Symphony No. 40, was performed by A. Salieri in charity concerts.

At the end of 1787, after the death of Christoph Willibald Gluck, Mozart received the post of "imperial and royal chamber musician" with a salary of 800 florins, but his duties were reduced mainly to composing dances for masquerades, the opera was a comic, with a plot from high life. commissioned to Mozart only once, and it became Così fan tutte (1790).

A content of 800 florins could not fully cover Mozart; apparently, already at this time he began to accumulate debts, aggravated by the cost of treating his ailing wife. Mozart recruited students, however, according to experts, there were not many of them. In 1789, the composer wanted to leave Vienna, but his trip to the north, including to Berlin, did not justify his hopes and did not improve his financial situation.

The story of how in Berlin he received an invitation to become the head of the court chapel of Friedrich-Wilhelm II with a content of 3 thousand thalers, Alfred Einstein relates to the realm of fantasy, as well as the sentimental reason for refusal - as if out of respect for Joseph II. Frederick Wilhelm II only commissioned six simple piano sonatas for his daughter and six string quartets for himself.

The money raised during the trip was scarce. They were barely enough to pay the debt of 100 guilders, which were taken from the brother of the freemason Hofmedel for travel expenses [source not specified 1145 days]. In 1789, Mozart dedicated a string quartet with the concert cello part (D major) to the King of Prussia.

According to J. Rice, from the moment Mozart arrived in Vienna, Emperor Joseph gave him more patronage than any other Viennese musician, with the exception of Salieri. In February 1790, Joseph died; with the accession to the throne of Leopold II, Mozart at first pinned great hopes; however, the musicians did not have access to the new emperor. In May 1790, Mozart wrote to his son, Archduke Franz: “The thirst for glory, love of activity and confidence in my knowledge make me dare to ask for a place as second conductor, especially I have mastered this style to perfection in my youth ”. But his hopes were not justified, Ignaz Umlauf remained as Salieri's deputy, and Mozart's financial situation turned out to be so hopeless that he had to leave Vienna from the persecution of creditors in order to improve his affairs a little with an artistic journey.

1789-1791

Trip to Northern Germany

The reason for the trip came from a friend and student of Mozart, Prince Karl Lichnovsky (English) Russian., Who in the spring of 1789, going to Berlin on business, offered Mozart a place in his carriage, to which Mozart gladly agreed. King Frederick Wilhelm II of Prussia was a great music lover, and his possible patronage awakened in Mozart the hope of earning enough money to pay off the debts so burdensome for him. Mozart had no money even for travel expenses: he had to ask for a loan of 100 florins from his friend Franz Hofdemel. The journey lasted nearly three months: from April 8 to June 4, 1789.

During the trip, Mozart visited Prague, Leipzig, Dresden, Potsdam and Berlin. Despite Mozart's hopes, the trip was unsuccessful: the money raised from the trip was catastrophically small. During the trip, Mozart wrote only two compositions - Variations on a Theme of Duport's Minuet (K. 573) and Gigou for Piano (K. 574).

Last year

Mozart's last operas were "Everybody Do This" (1790), "The Mercy of Titus" (1791), written in 18 days and containing wonderful pages, and finally, "The Magic Flute" (1791).

Introduced in September 1791 in Prague, on the occasion of the coronation of Leopold II by the Bohemian king, the opera Titus' Mercy was received coldly; The Magic Flute, staged in the same month in Vienna in a suburban theater, on the other hand, had such a success as Mozart had not known in the Austrian capital for many years. In the vast and varied activities of Mozart, this fairy-tale opera occupies a special place.

In May 1791, Mozart was admitted to the unpaid position of assistant conductor of St. Stephen's Cathedral; this position gave him the right to become a conductor after the death of the seriously ill Leopold Hoffmann; Hoffmann, however, outlived Mozart.

Mozart, like most of his contemporaries, also paid a lot of attention to sacred music, but he left few great examples in this area: apart from "Misericordias Domini" - "Ave verum corpus" (KV 618, 1791), written in a completely uncharacteristic Mozart's style, and the majestically woeful Requiem (KV 626), on which Mozart worked in the last months of his life. The history of writing "Requiem" is interesting. In July 1791, a mysterious stranger in gray visited Mozart and ordered him a Requiem (funeral mass for the dead). As the composer's biographers established, this was a messenger from Count Franz von Walsegg-Stuppach, an amateur music player who loved to perform other people's works in his palace with his chapel, buying authorship from composers; with a requiem, he wanted to honor the memory of his late wife. The unfinished Requiem, stunning in its mournful lyricism and tragic expressiveness, was completed by his student Franz Xaver Süsmaier, who had previously taken part in the composition of the opera Titus's Mercy.

Sickness and death

In connection with the premiere of the opera Titus' Mercy, Mozart arrived in Prague already ill, and since then his condition has worsened. Even during the completion of The Magic Flute, Mozart began to faint, he was greatly discouraged. As soon as The Magic Flute was performed, Mozart enthusiastically began work on the Requiem. This work interested him so much that he even intended not to accept more students until the Requiem was completed [K. 6]. Upon returning from Baden, Constance did everything to keep him from work and bring him to more cheerful thoughts, but he still remained sad and dejected. During one of his walks in the Prater, he said with tears in his eyes that he was writing a Requiem for himself. In addition, he said: “I feel too well that I will not last long; of course, they gave me poison - I can't get rid of this thought. " Shocked Constance tried in every possible way to calm him down; in the end she took the score of the Requiem from him and called the best physician in Vienna, Dr. Nikolaus Kloss.

Indeed, thanks to this, Mozart's condition improved so much that he was able to complete his Masonic cantata on November 15 and conduct it. He felt so good that he called the thought of his poisoning the result of depression. He told Constance to return the Requiem to him and worked on it further. However, the improvement did not last long: on November 20, Mozart went to bed. He developed weakness, his arms and legs were swollen to such an extent that he could not walk, followed by sudden bouts of vomiting. In addition, his hearing sharpened, and he ordered the cage with his beloved canary to be removed from the room - he could not bear her singing.

During the two weeks Mozart spent in bed, he remained fully conscious; he constantly remembered death and prepared to face it with complete composure. All this time, the recumbent Mozart was looked after by his sister-in-law Sophie Heibl. She says:

When Mozart fell ill, we both sewed him a nightgown, which He could wear in the front, because due to swelling, he could not turn, and since we did not know how seriously ill he was, we also made him a padded dressing gown [...] so that he could wrap himself up well if he needed to get up. So we visited him diligently, he also showed heartfelt joy when he received the dressing gown. I went to the city every day to visit him, and when one Saturday evening I came to them, Mozart told me: “Now, dear Sophie, tell my mother that I feel very good, and that a week after her name day (November 22 ) I'll come to congratulate her again. "

"The last hours of Mozart's life"

On December 4, Mozart's condition became critical. In the evening Sophie came, and when she approached the bed, Mozart called out to her: "... Oh, dear Sophie, it's good that you are here, tonight you must stay here, you must see me die." Sophie only asked permission to run to her mother for a moment, to warn her. At the request of Constance, on the way she went to the priests of the Church of St. Peter and asked one of them to come to Mozart. Sophie barely managed to persuade the priests to come - they were frightened off by Mozart's Freemasonry [K. 7]. In the end, one of the priests did come. Returning, Sophie found Mozart enthusiastically talking with Süsmeier about working on the Requiem, and Mozart with tears in his eyes said, "Didn't I say that I am writing this Requiem for myself?" He was so sure of the nearness of his death that he even asked Constance to inform Albrechtsberger of his death before others knew about it, so that he could take the place of Mozart himself. Mozart himself always said that Albrechtsberger was a born organist, and therefore believed that the place of assistant conductor in St. Stephen's Cathedral should rightfully be his.

Late in the evening they sent for a doctor, and after a long search they found him in the theater; he agreed to come after the end of the show. In secret, he told Süsmeier about the hopelessness of Mozart's situation, and ordered a cold compress on his head. This affected the dying Mozart so that he lost consciousness [K. eight]. From that moment on, Mozart lay in a bed, rambling randomly. At about midnight, he got up on the bed and stared motionlessly into space, then leaned against the wall and dozed off. After midnight, five minutes to one o'clock, that is, on December 5, death occurred.

Already at night, Baron van Swieten appeared in Mozart's house, and, trying to console the widow, ordered her to move to friends for several days. At the same time, he gave her urgent advice to arrange the burial as simple as possible: indeed, the last debt to the deceased was given in the third class, which cost 8 florins 36 kreutzers and another 3 florins for a hearse. Soon after van Swieten, Count Deim arrived and removed the death mask from Mozart. Diner was summoned early in the morning to dress the master. The people from the funeral fraternity, covering the body with a black cloth, carried it on a stretcher to the workroom and put it next to the piano. During the day, many of Mozart's friends came there, wishing to express their condolences and see the composer again.

Funeral

Mozart was buried on December 6, 1791 at St. Mark's Cemetery. At about 3 pm his body was brought to St. Stephen's Cathedral. Here, in the Cross Chapel, adjacent to the north side of the cathedral, a modest religious ceremony was held, attended by friends of Mozart van Swieten, Salieri, Albrechtsberger, Susmeier, Diner, Rosner, cellist Orsler and others [Ph. nine]. The hearse went to the cemetery after six in the evening, that is, already in the dark. Those who saw off the coffin did not follow him outside the city gates.

Contrary to popular belief, Mozart was not buried in a linen sack in a mass grave with the poor, as was shown in the film "Amadeus". His funeral was held in the third category, which provided for burial in a coffin, but in a common grave along with 5-6 other coffins. There was nothing unusual about Mozart's funeral at that time. This was not a beggar's funeral. Only very rich people and representatives of the nobility could be buried in a separate grave with a tombstone or monument. Beethoven's impressive (albeit second-class) funeral in 1827 took place in a different era and, moreover, reflected the dramatically increased social status of musicians.

For the Viennese, Mozart's death passed almost imperceptibly, but in Prague, with a large crowd of people (about 4,000 people), in memory of Mozart, 9 days after his death, 120 musicians performed with special additions the “Requiem” by Antonio Rosetti, written back in 1776.

The exact burial place of Mozart is not known for certain: in his time, the graves remained unmarked, tombstones were allowed to be placed not at the burial site itself, but at the wall of the cemetery. For many years in a row, the wife of his friend Johann Georg Albrechtsberger visited the grave of Mozart, who took her son with her. He accurately remembered the burial place of the composer and, when, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Mozart's death, they began to search for his burial, he was able to show him. A simple tailor planted a willow on the grave, and then, in 1859, a monument was erected there according to the design of von Gasser, the famous Weeping Angel. In connection with the centenary of the composer's death, the monument was moved to the "musical corner" of Vienna's Central Cemetery, which again posed the danger of losing the real grave. Then the overseer of the cemetery of St. Mark Alexander Kruger erected a small monument from various remains of former gravestones. Currently, the Weeping Angel has returned to its original location.

Appearance and character

It is not easy to get an idea of ​​what Mozart looked like, despite his many images that have survived to this day. Excluding portraits that are not genuine and consciously idealizing Mozart, there are significant differences among the believable paintings. Despite its incompleteness, researchers consider the portrait by Joseph Lange to be the most accurate. It was written in 1782 when the composer was 26 years old.

According to the recollections of contemporaries, when Mozart was not sitting at the piano, his body was in constant motion: he either gesticulated with his hands or tapped his foot. His face was extremely mobile: his expression was constantly changing, which indicated strong nervousness. In addition, his sister-in-law Sophie Heibl reports that he constantly played "as if on a clavier" with a variety of things - a hat, a cane, a watch chain, a table, and chairs.

Mozart did not have a beautiful or even attractive appearance: he was small in stature - about 160 centimeters. The shape of the head was normal, except for its size - the head was too large for his height. Only the ears stood out: they had no lobes, and the shape of the auricle was also different. This defect caused him suffering, and therefore the locks of hair covered his ears so that they were not visible. His hair was light and rather thick, and his complexion was pale - the result of many diseases and unhealthy lifestyles. This was also the reason that his large beautiful blue eyes had an absent-minded and disturbing look, according to the recollections of his contemporaries. A wide, but too high forehead sloped backward, the nose continued its line, barely separated from it by a small depression. The nose itself was quite large, which was noted by contemporaries. Judging by the portraits, Mozart inherited his facial features from his mother. The mouth was of normal size, the upper lip was rather large, the corners of the mouth were raised upward.

One of the characteristic features of Mozart's personality was an innate observation in communication with people. It is characterized in the amazing acuity and precision with which he characterizes the people he meets. However, in his judgments there was no moralizing pathos, they contained only the joy of observation as such and, above all, the desire to reveal the essential in a given person. Mozart's highest moral property was his honor, to which he constantly returns in his letters, and if a threat to his freedom arose, then he generally forgot about the fear of people. However, he never benefited for his own person, did not envy another in his personal well-being, nor, moreover, did not deceive anyone for the sake of this. His innate self-esteem never left him in aristocratic houses - Mozart always knew his worth.

From the above-mentioned source of Mozart's worldview, two main aspects of his personality follow - humor and irony. Mozart inherited his light character, as well as a penchant for rude and, at times, vulgar speech from his mother, who loved all kinds of jokes and practical jokes. Mozart's jokes were quite witty, especially when he was describing people. In his early letters to his family, there are a lot of toilet jokes and other vulgarities.

According to the memoirs of Joseph Lange, Mozart's entourage had to listen to a lot of vulgarity just when he was inwardly occupied with any major work.

It is worth noting, however, that these jokes are quite natural for him: it never occurred to Mozart to deliberately pretend to be a humorist. In addition, he was characterized by grotesque rhymes and wordplay: he often came up with playful names and surnames for himself and his inner circle: he once called himself Trats [k. 10], putting the letters of your surname in the reverse order. Even in the wedding registration book of St. Stephen's Cathedral, he entered himself as Wolfgang Adam (instead of Amadeus).

Another feature of his personality was a special susceptibility to friendship. This was facilitated by his innate heart-like kindness, his willingness to always come to the aid of his neighbor in all troubles. But at the same time, he never imposed on another person. On the contrary, he had a remarkable ability (again stemming from his observations of people) to instinctively recognize in every person who tried to get closer to him what he had to offer him, and treated him accordingly. He treated his acquaintances in the same way as with his wife: he revealed to them only that part of the inner world that they were able to understand.

Mozart Apartments in Vienna

During his ten years in Vienna, Mozart moved from place to place several times. Perhaps this was due to the habit of constant wandering, in which he spent most of his previous life. It was difficult for him to become a homebody. For the longest time - two and a half years - he lived in the luxurious house no. 846 on Gross Schulerstrasse. Usually the composer stayed in the same place for no more than a year, having changed in total 13 apartments in Vienna.

After leaving Salzburg after breaking up with the archbishop, Mozart first settled in Vienna in the house of Frau Weber, the mother of his first lover Aloysia. Here began his romance with Constance, who later became the composer's wife. However, even before the wedding, in order to suppress unwanted rumors about his connection with Constance, he moved to a new place. Four months after the wedding, in the winter of 1782, the couple moved to the house of Herberstein Jr. on Hoch Brück. In September 1784, when Mozart was at the zenith of his fame, his family settled on Gross Schulerstrasse 5, in what is now called the "House of Figaro". In 1788, Mozart settled in the Viennese suburb of Alsergrund on Waringerstrasse 135, in the house "At the Three Stars" [K. eleven]. It is noteworthy that in a letter to Puchberg, Mozart praises his new home for the fact that the house has its own garden [p. eight]. It is in this apartment that the composer composes the opera "Everybody Does It" and the last three symphonies.

Creation

A distinctive feature of Mozart's work is the combination of strict, clear forms with deep emotionality. The uniqueness of his work lies in the fact that he not only wrote in all forms and genres that existed in his era, but also left works of enduring significance in each of them. Mozart's music reveals many connections with different national cultures (especially Italian), nevertheless, it belongs to the national Viennese soil and bears the stamp of the creative personality of the great composer.

Mozart is one of the greatest melodists. Its melody combines the features of Austrian and German folk songs with the melodiousness of the Italian cantilena. Despite the fact that his works are distinguished by poetry and subtle grace, they often contain melodies of a courageous nature, with great dramatic pathos and contrasting elements.

Mozart attached particular importance to opera. His operas represent a whole era in the development of this kind of musical art. Along with Gluck, he was the greatest reformer of the opera genre, but unlike him, he considered music to be the basis of opera. Mozart created a completely different type of musical drama, where opera music is in complete unity with the development of stage action. As a result, in his operas there are no unambiguously positive and negative characters, the characters are lively and multifaceted, the relationship of people, their feelings and aspirations are shown. The most popular were the operas The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute.

Mozart paid much attention to symphonic music. Due to the fact that throughout his life he worked in parallel on operas and symphonies, his instrumental music is distinguished by the melodiousness of an opera aria and dramatic conflict. The most popular were the last three symphonies - No. 39, No. 40 and No. 41 ("Jupiter"). Mozart also became one of the creators of the classical concert genre.

Mozart's chamber and instrumental creativity is represented by a variety of ensembles (from duets to quintets) and pieces for piano (sonatas, variations, fantasies). Mozart abandoned the harpsichord and clavichord, which have a weaker sound compared to the piano. Mozart's piano style is distinguished by elegance, distinctness, meticulous finishing of the melody and accompaniment.

The thematic catalog of Mozart's works, with notes, compiled by Koechel ("Chronologisch-thematisches Verzeichniss sämmtlicher W. A. ​​Mozart's", Leipzig, 1862), is a volume of 550 pages. According to Kechel's reckoning, Mozart wrote 68 spiritual works (masses, offertorias, hymns, etc.), 23 works for theater, 22 sonatas for harpsichord, 45 sonatas and variations for violin and harpsichord, 32 string quartets, about 50 symphonies, 55 concerts and etc., a total of 626 works.

Pedagogical activity

Mozart also went down in history as a music teacher. Among his students was, in particular, the English musician Thomas Attwood, who, upon returning from Austria to the capital of the British Empire, the city of London, immediately took the position of court bandmaster, organist at St. Paul's Cathedral, musical mentor to the Duchess of York, and then the Princess of Wales.

Mozart and Freemasonry

The time of Mozart's life coincided with the awakening in Europe of a great interest in spiritual and mystical teachings. In a relatively calm period of the middle of the eighteenth century, along with the desire for enlightenment, the search for an intellectual and social educational order (French enlightenment, encyclopedists), an interest in the esoteric teachings of antiquity arises.

On December 14, 1784, Mozart entered the Masonic Order, and by 1785 had already been initiated into the degree of Master Mason. The same thing happened later with Joseph Haydn and Leopold Mozart (the composer's father), who came to the degree of Master in 16 days from the moment of joining the lodge.

There are several versions of Mozart's joining the Masonic brotherhood. According to one of them, his friend and future librettist of The Magic Flute, Emmanuel Schikaneder, was the guarantor for his admission to the Vienna Zur Wohltatigkeit (In the Name of Charity) lodge. Among the prominent brothers of the lodge were the philosophers Reichfeld and Ignaz von Born. Later, on the recommendation of Mozart himself, Wolfgang's father, Leopold Mozart (in 1787), was admitted to the same box.

After becoming a Master Mason, Mozart in a short time created a lot of music intended directly for work in the lodge. As A. Einstein points out,

“Mozart was a passionate, convinced Freemason, not at all like Haydn, who, although he was listed as such, from the moment he was accepted into the brotherhood of 'free masons', never participated in the activities of the lodge and did not write a single Masonic thing. Mozart, however, not only left us a number of significant works written specifically for Masonic rites and celebrations, but the very thought of Freemasonry permeates his work "
Vocal works predominate among Mozart's "Masonic" works: in some cases these are small choral songs, in other cases they are constituent parts of cantatas. Musicologists note the characteristic features of these works: "a simple, somewhat hymnological structure, a three-part chord, a somewhat rhetorical general character."

Among them are such compositions as:

Funeral Masonic Music (K.477 / 479a)
Adagio for two basset horns and bassoon in F major. (K.410 / 484d) Used to accompany ritual Masonic processions.
Adagio for 2 clarinets and 3 basset horns in B major (K.411 / 484a) for the entry into the lodge brothers' box.
Cantata "Sehen, wie dem starren Forschcrauge." E major, (K.471)
Adagio and Fugue for String Orchestra in C minor, (K.546)
Adagio and Rondo in C minor for flute, oboe, viola, cello and glass harmonica, (K.617)
Little Cantata "Laut verkünde unsre Freude" (K.623), and others.
The most saturated with views, ideas and symbols of Freemasonry is the opera The Magic Flute (1791), the libretto for which was written by the freemason Emmanuel Schikaneder.

As the journalists A. Rybalka and A. Sinelnikov, who study the history of Freemasonry, believe, the creation of the opera is due to the fact that by the time Mozart entered the Masonic lodge, Europe began to experience social and political instability. The liberation struggle in Italy and in many areas of the Austrian Empire intensified. In this demoralizing atmosphere, Mozart and Schikaneder decided that their singspiel "The Magic Flute" would be a demonstration of the goodwill and loyalty of the Freemasons to the authorities. According to the same authors, one can guess in the symbolism of the opera: a benevolent allusion to the Empress Maria Theresa (the image of the Queen of the Night), Emperor Joseph II (Prince Tamino), Ignaz von Born, the well-known ideologist of Austrian Masons (priest Sarastro), the image of the kind and glorious Austrian people (Papageno and Papagena).

The opera's symbolism clearly traces the declaration of the basic Masonic principles. The triunities, characteristic of Masonic philosophy, permeate the action in all directions: three fairies, three boys, three geniuses, etc. The action opens with the fact that three fairies kill a snake - the personification of evil. Both in the first and second acts of the opera there are clear crossings with Masonic symbols denoting life and death, thought and action. Mass scenes are interwoven into the development of the opera plot, literally demonstrating Masonic rituals.

The central image of the opera is the priest Sarastro, whose philosophical declarations contain the most important Masonic triads: Power, Knowledge, Wisdom, Love, Joy, Nature. As T.N. Livanova writes,

“… The victory of the wise Sarastro over the world of the Queen of the Night has a moral, instructive, allegorical meaning. Mozart even brought the episodes associated with his image closer to the musical style of his Masonic songs and choirs. But to see in all the fiction of The Magic Flute, first of all, the Masonic sermon means not to understand the diversity of Mozart's art, its direct sincerity, its wit, alien to any didactics. "

Musically, as T. N. Livanova notes, "in the duet and choirs of the priests from the first act, there is a noticeable similarity with the simple and rather strict hymn-everyday character of Mozart's Masonic songs, their typical diatonism, chord polyphony."

The main key of the orchestral overture is the key of E flat major, which has a key of three flat and characterizes virtue, nobility and peace. This tonality was often used by Mozart in Masonic compositions, and in later symphonies, and in chamber music. In addition, three chords are persistently repeated in the overture, which again reminds of Masonic symbolism.

There are also other points of view on the relationship between Mozart and Freemasonry. In 1861, a book was published by the German poet GF Daumer, a supporter of the Masonic conspiracy theory, who believed that the depiction of Masons in The Magic Flute was a caricature.

Artworks

Opera

• The Duty of the First Commandment (Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebotes), 1767. Theatrical oratorio
• "Apollo and Hyacinth" (Apollo et Hyacinthus), 1767 - student musical drama on the Latin text
• "Bastien and Bastienne" (Bastien und Bastienne), 1768. Another student thing, singspiel. German version of the famous comic opera by J.-J-Rousseau - "The Village Wizard"
• La finta semplice (1768) - opera buffa exercise based on Goldoni's libretto
• "Mithridates, king of Ponto" (Mitridate, re di Ponto), 1770 - in the tradition of the Italian opera-seria, based on the tragedy of Racine
• Ascanio in Alba, 1771. Opera serenade (pastoral)
• Betulia Liberata, 1771 - oratorio. On the plot of the story of Judith and Holofernes
• Il sogno di Scipione, 1772. Opera serenade (pastoral)
• Lucio Silla, 1772. Opera Seria
• "Tamos, King of Egypt" (Thamos, König in Ägypten), 1773, 1775. Music to Gebler's drama
• "The Imaginary Gardener" (La finta giardiniera), 1774-5 - again a return to the tradition of the opera buff
• The Shepherd King (Il Re Pastore), 1775. Opera-serenade (pastoral)
• "Zaide", 1779 (reconstructed by H. Chernovin, 2006)
• "Idomeneo, king of Crete" (Idomeneo), 1781
• The Abduction from the Seraglio (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), 1782. Singspiel
• "Cairo goose" (L'oca del Cairo), 1783
• "The Deceived Spouse" (Lo sposo deluso)
• "Theater Director" (Der Schauspieldirektor), 1786. Musical Comedy
• Le nozze di Figaro, 1786. The first of 3 great operas. In the genre of opera-buff.
• Don Giovanni, 1787
• "Everyone does this" (Così fan tutte), 1789
• "The Mercy of Titus" (La clemenza di Tito), 1791
• Die Zauberflöte, 1791. Singspiel

Other works

• 17 masses, including:
• Coronation in C major, K.317 (1779)
• "Great Mass" in C minor, K.427 / 417a (1782)
• Requiem in D minor, K.626 (1791)
• Mozart's manuscript. Dies irae from Requiem
• More than 50 symphonies [Ph. 12], including:
• No. 21 in A major, K.134 (1772)
• No. 22 in C major, K.162 (1773)
• No. 24 in B flat major, K.182 / 173dA (1773)
• No. 25 in G minor, K.183 / 173dB (1773)
• No. 27 in G major, K.199 / 161b (1773)
• No. 31 "Parisian" in D major, K.297 / 300a (1778)
• No. 34 in C major, K.338 (1780)
• No. 35 "Haffner" in D major, K.385 (1782)
• No. 36 "Linz" in C major, K.425 (1783)
• No. 38 "Prague" in D major, K.504 (1786)
• No. 39 in E flat major, K.543 (1788)
• No. 40 in G minor, K.550 (1788)
• No. 41 "Jupiter" in C major, K.551 (1788)
• 27 Concertos for Piano and Orchestra, including:
• Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 20 in D minor, K.466 (1785)
• concerts for two and three pianos and orchestra
• 6 concertos for violin and orchestra
• Concerto for two violins and orchestra in C major, K.190 / 186E (1774)
• Concert Symphony for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat major, K.364 / 320d (1779)
• 2 concertos for flute and orchestra (1778)
• No. 1 in G major, K.313 / 285c
• No. 2 in D major, K.314 / 285d
• Concerto for flute, harp and orchestra in C major, K.299 / 297c (1778)
• Concerto for oboe and orchestra in C major K.314 / 271k (1777)
• Concerto for clarinet and orchestra in A major K.622 (1791)
• Concerto for bassoon and orchestra in B-flat major, K.191 / 186e (1774)
• 4 concertos for French horn and orchestra:
• No. 1 in D major K.412 / 386b (1791)
• No. 2 in E flat major K.417 (1783)
• No. 3 in E flat major K.447 (1787)
• No. 4 in E flat major K.495 (1787)
• 10 serenades for string orchestra, including:
• Serenade No. 6 "Serenata notturna" in D major, K.239 (1776)
• Serenade No. 13 "Little Night Serenade" in G major, K.525 (1787)
• 7 divertissements for orchestra
• Various ensembles of wind instruments
• Sonatas for various instruments, trios, duets
• 19 sonatas for piano, including:
• Sonata No. 10 in C major, K.330 / 300h (1783)
• Sonata No. 11 "Alla Turca" in A major, K.331 / 300i (1783)
• Sonata No. 12 in F major, K.332 / 300k (1778)
• Sonata No. 13 in B-flat major, K.333 / 315c (1783)
• Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K.457 (1784)
• Sonata No. 15 in F major, K.533 / 494 (1786, 1788)
• Sonata No. 16 in C major, K.545 (1788)
• 15 cycles of variations for piano, including:
• 10 variations on the theme of Arietta "Unser dummer Pöbel meint", K. 455 (1784)
• Rondo, Fantasies, Plays, including:
• Fantasia No. 3 in D minor, K.397 / 385g (1782)
• Fantasia No. 4 in C minor, K.475 (1785)
• More than 50 arias
• Ensembles, choirs, songs, canons

Works about Mozart

The drama of Mozart's life and work, as well as the mystery of his death, have become a fruitful theme for artists of all kinds of arts. Mozart became the hero of numerous works of literature, drama and cinema. It is impossible to list all of them - below are the most famous of them:

Dramas. Plays. Books.

• 1830 - Small Tragedies. Mozart and Salieri. " - A. Pushkin, drama
• 1855 - "Mozart on the Way to Prague". - Eduard Mörike, story
• 1967 - "Sublime and earthly". - Weiss, David, novel
• 1970 - The Murder of Mozart. - Weiss, David, novel
• 1979 - Amadeus. - Peter Schaeffer, play.
• 1991 - "Mozart: The Sociology of a Genius" - Norbert Elias, a sociological study of the life and work of Mozart in the conditions of his contemporary society. Original title: “Mozart. Zur Sociologie eines Genies "
• 2002 - “Several meetings with the late Mr. Mozart”. - E. Radzinsky, historical essay.
• The highly acclaimed book about the composer was written by G.V. Chicherin
• The Old Chef. - K. G. Paustovsky

In this article, we will tell you some interesting facts from the life of Mozart. This composer has become a true legend. He was born in 1756, January 27, in the city of Salzburg. During his short life, this composer managed to write many concerts, operas, symphonies, sonatas (more than 600 different works in total). Mozart's work is truly multifaceted and voluminous. In each of which he worked, he managed to achieve unprecedented success. The composer's contemporaries said that he was a virtuoso master of several instruments, and also had an incredible memory and perfect pitch. However, this does not end with interesting facts from the life of Mozart. We have selected, in our opinion, the most curious of them, and we invite you to get acquainted with some details of the biography of this genius.

Musical talent of the Mozart family

The whole family was gifted musically. For example, his father, Leopold, played the organ and violin, and also served as a composer at the court of the Salzburg archbishop, and directed the church choir. He also wrote a book on playing the violin, which was considered at the time to be one of the best textbooks on this instrument.

This man instilled a love for music and his children: his son, who began to play the harpsichord at the age of three, and later also mastered the organ and violin, and his daughter, who also played the harpsichord and piano perfectly.

Of the seven children, only two survived in the Mozart family: Wolfgang and his older sister.

Young genius

Family friend Johann Andreas Schachtner, Salzburg court trumpeter, told the following story, which must certainly be included in our story on the topic "Interesting facts from the life of Mozart." One day Leopold Mozart, together with Schachtner, came to his home and saw how young Wolfgang (who was only 4 years old) was writing something on music paper. The son not only dipped his pen into the ink, but also his fingers. Mozart Jr. told the adults that he was writing a concert. My father took the blotted sheet of paper and burst into tears - everything was so harmonious in the composition.

Mozart and Bach

When the boy was about 8 years old, his talent was highly appreciated by Johann Christian Bach, who was the son of the famous Johann Sebastian Bach. They played together several times in public: Bach put the little genius on his lap and performed sonatas on the harpsichord with him. Bach played several measures, Mozart played several. It seemed that there was one musician behind the instrument - this duet sounded so harmoniously. The artists also played four hands and talked a lot about music.

Speech during Lent

Wolfgang often traveled to other countries as a child. These trips were arranged by the boy's father, so that the son would give concerts to the public, listen to famous musicians and learn something new. In Holland, one of the countries they visited, music was strictly prohibited during fasting. However, an exception was made for Mozart. The clergy saw God's gift in his talent.

Opera for the emperor

Joseph II, commissioned Mozart for an opera when the boy was only 12 years old. It was called "The Imaginary Simpleton" and was intended for an Italian troupe. The young composer wrote the piece in just a few weeks. The singers, however, did not like it, so the opera was never performed.

Composer and Freemasons

Interesting facts from the life of Mozart are connected not only with his musical career. This man, for example, became a Freemason and even brought his father to the box. The composer composed music for a number of Masonic rituals, even in the famous opera entitled "The Magic Flute" the theme of this movement sounds.

Mozart and Salieri

Once the hero of our story decided to play a trick on Salieri. He told his friend that he had created such a thing for the clavier that no other person in the world can perform, except for Mozart himself. Salieri, looking at the notes, exclaimed that the young musician would not be able to do this either, since he would have to perform the most difficult passages with both hands, and besides, on opposite ends of the keyboard. At the same time, you need to take a few more notes in the middle. Even if you play with your foot, you will still not be able to perform the written piece, since the tempo of the piece is too fast. Much pleased, Mozart laughed. He sat down at the clavier and performed this piece exactly as indicated in the score. And complex notes were taken with the nose!

Constance, wife of Mozart

Earning decent fees with his work, nevertheless, Mozart, whose biography is sometimes controversial, was often forced to borrow money from his friends. So, for example, having received a thousand guilders (a fabulous sum for those times) for performing at one of the concerts, he was left without money in two weeks. Mozart's friend, whom the composer tried to borrow from, noticed with surprise that the musical genius had neither a stable, nor a castle, nor a heap of children, nor an expensive mistress. "What do you need money for?" - he asked. Mozart replied that he had Constance, a wife. “She is my herd of thoroughbred horses, my castle, my bunch of children, my mistress,” the composer said.

Difficult concert

Mozart, whose biography, like all prodigies, was marked from childhood by facts testifying to a unique talent, wrote his first concert at the age of four. It was a piece for the clavier. It was so complicated that hardly anyone from the European virtuosos could ever perform it. When his father took the still unfinished recording from the boy, explaining that such, in his opinion, a difficult concert could not be played, Mozart replied that all this was nonsense. After all, even a child can do it. He, for example.

Mozart plays with a cat

All of the young genius was a series of musical studies and performances. In various parts of Europe, at numerous concerts, the prodigy entertained the high society audience: he played with his eyes closed on the clavier. At the same time, the father covered the child's face with a handkerchief. They also closed the keyboard, but the young genius still coped with the game. Mozart's creativity was admired by everyone. A cat appeared on the stage at one of the concerts of this composer. Then Mozart stopped playing and rushed to her as fast as he could. Forgetting about the listeners, he began to play with this animal. The young genius replied to his father's shout that the harpsichord would not go anywhere anyway, and the cat would leave now.

The story with Marie Antoinette

After little Mozart (the composer we are talking about) performed at the imperial palace, Marie Antoinette, the young duchess, decided to show him her luxurious home. A boy in one of the halls fell, slipping on the floor. Then the Duchess helped Mozart to get up. He noticed that the Duchess was kind to him. “Perhaps I will marry you,” said the musician. The girl told her mother about it. The Empress with a smile asked the little "groom" why he said so. Mozart replied, "Out of gratitude."

Mozart's meeting with Goethe

Once the seven-year-old Mozart gave concerts in Frankfurt am Main. After the performance, a 14-year-old boy approached him. He praised his game, saying that he would never learn such a skill, since it is very difficult. Young Wolfgang was surprised and asked him if he had tried to write notes. The interlocutor replied that no, since only poetry comes to his mind. Then Mozart retorted: "It must be very difficult to write poetry?" The boy replied that, on the contrary, it was very easy. Goethe turned out to be the interlocutor of Mozart.

The cause of death of the composer

Until now, controversy and questions about the cause of death of this greatest composer are raised. The medical report indicated that Wolfgang died of rheumatic fever, which may have been complicated by acute kidney problems or, however, some art historians believe that he was poisoned by his rival. But there really isn't much reason to believe that there was a feud between these two people. In 1997, despite this, 200 years after Wolfgang's death, Salieri was tried in Milan. Researchers of the work of these two musicians, as well as doctors, were heard by the judge, who later ruled that Salieri was not guilty of the death of the famous composer.

How was Mozart buried?

The composer, despite all his merits and great talent, was buried as a poor man. Mozart's remains were placed in a common grave along with several other coffins. The exact place of burial is still unknown. Tombstones and slabs at that time were placed at the cemetery walls, and not on the grave. On the day of the funeral, none of his relatives reached the composer's cemetery. The sick widow of Mozart could not say goodbye to her husband. Only to the city gates did the guests see such a great composer as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Interesting facts from the life of this person do not end there. There are quite a few of them. Some of them took place in reality, while others are of a semi-legendary nature. Interesting things about Mozart are interesting not only for professional musicians and fans of his work. Geniuses are always of great interest. Mozart's life was short-lived. He was born in 1756 and died in 1791, that is, at the age of 35. But during this time, the genius managed to create many immortal works that far outlived their author, which is Mozart. Piano, violin, clarinet, flute - for all these instruments the composer created many works that are performed and enthusiastically accepted by the public to this day.

Portrait of 1819
Barbara Kraft

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart born on January 27, 1756. The city of Salzburg is considered the birthplace of Amadeus Mozart, and the entire Mozart family belonged to the genus of musicians. Full name - Johann Chrysostomus Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
In the life of Amadeus, the musician's talent for creativity was discovered in deep childhood. Mozart's own father tried to teach him to play various musical instruments, including the organ.
In 1762, all members of the Amadeus Mozart family migrate to Munich. There, being in Vienna, large-scale concerts of the Mozart family are played, namely Mozart's own sister, Anna Maria. After a series of concerts, the family travels further, visiting cities where Mozart's musical works impress the audience with their unsurpassed skill.
The Paris publication is considered the debut edition of Wolfgang Mozart's works.
In the subsequent period of his life, namely 70-74 years, Mozart lives, creates and works in Italy on a permanent basis. It was this country that became fateful for Mozart - there he staged his symphonies for the very first time, which enjoyed overwhelming success among the high public.
It is worth noting that already at the age of 17, the musician's diverse repertoire contained at least 40 large-scale works.
In the period 75-80. 18th century, diligent and continuous creative activity of Amadeus replenishes volumes of his works with additional variations of famous compositions. After Mozart took the position of court organist, which happened in 79, Mozart's works, especially operas, as well as symphonies, begin to include more and more new and professional techniques.
Amadeus Mozart's creative activity was significantly influenced by his personal life, namely, the fact that Constance Weber became his wife. The romantic relationship of those times was reflected in the opera "The Abduction from the Seraglio".
Some of the great composer's works remained unfinished. This takes place only because of the difficult financial situation of the family, because of which Mozart was forced to devote all his free time to small side jobs in order to survive at least somehow.
The following years of Mozart's creative activity amaze with fruitfulness in tandem with skill. The works of Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart are staged in big cities, his concerts simply do not stop.
In 89, Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart received a very interesting offer - to become the head of the Berlin Court Chapel. But, for unknown reasons, Mozart does not accept this proposal, which further aggravates the financial situation, introducing himself not only into poverty, but also into need.
However, having a strong and strong-willed character, Amadeus Mozart does not give up and continues to create and not without success. Operas of that time are given to Mozart without much difficulty and quickly enough, but, despite this, they are of high quality, professional and expressive.
Unfortunately, from the end of October 1791, the great music creator Amadeus Mozart became very painful, and as a result, he stopped getting out of bed altogether. A month later, on December 5, 1791, the great musician died of a fever. He was buried in Vienna, in the cemetery "St. Mark".

Of all the representatives of the Vienna Classical School, Mozart is the most unique. His talent manifested itself in early childhood and developed until an unexpected death. The Austrian composer has created over 600 works, played brilliantly, worked in various musical forms. His ability to play from the age of four and his early death became the subject of much controversy and overgrown with myths. Mozart's biography, a summary of the life and work of which is divided into sections, is presented in the article.

early years

He was born on January 27, 1756 in the family of the violinist and composer Leopold Mozart. His hometown was Salzburg, where his parents were considered the most beautiful married couple. Mother, Anna Maria Mozart, gave birth to seven children, of which two survived - daughter Maria Anna and Wolfgang.

The boy showed a talent for music from the age of three. He loved to play the harpsichord and could pick up harmonies for a long time. The father began to study with the boy at the age of four, since he had a pronounced ability to memorize the melodies he heard and play them on the harpsichord. This is how Mozart's musical biography began, which is difficult to write about briefly, it is so eventful.

By the age of five, Mozart could compose small pieces. The father wrote them down on paper, putting the date of creation in the margins. Besides the harpsichord, Wolfgang learned to play the violin. The only instrument that terrified the young musician was the trumpet. He could not listen to her sound without the accompaniment of other instruments.

It was not only Wolfgang who played masterfully in the Mozart family. His sister was equally talented. They gave their first concerts together and delighted the audience. In Vienna, they were introduced to Empress Maria Theresa, who listened to their concert for several hours.

With his father, they traveled around Europe, giving concerts to noble nobles. They only returned home for a short time.

Vienna period

After a misunderstanding with his employer, the Archbishop of Salzburg, Amadeus Mozart, whose brief biography is presented in this article, decides to change his life and goes to Vienna. He arrived in the city on March 16, 1781. The timing was poorly chosen to start his career in Vienna. Most of the aristocrats left the city for the summer, and concerts were practically not held.

Mozart hoped to become the teacher of Princess Elizabeth, whose education was attended by Joseph II. But all attempts ended in failure. Instead, Joseph II chose Salieri and Zummer. However, Wolfgang had enough female students, albeit less distinguished ones. One of them was Teresa von Trattner, who is considered his lover. The composer dedicated a sonata in C minor and a fantasy in C minor to her.

After long expectations and obstacles, Mozart married Constance Weber. They had six children, but only two of them survived. It was the connection with Constance that spoiled the musician's relationship with his father, whom he loved from birth. Mozart's biography, summarized, is impossible without a version of his death.

Last year of life

In 1791, Mozart was ordered to "Requiem", which he did not have a chance to complete. This was done by his student Franz Xaver Süsmeier. In November, the composer felt very bad, he could not walk, he needed the help of doctors.

They ascertained that he had an acute millet fever. Many inhabitants of Vienna died from it at that time. The disease was complicated by a general weakening of the body.

By December 4, the composer's condition became critical. Mozart died on December 5. The biography (short) of the composer, who left many wonderful works to descendants, ends here.

The funeral took place on December 6, 1791 in the presence of only close friends. Then his body was taken to the cemetery for burial. Where it is located is unknown, but presumably on that place a monument "Weeping Angel" was erected over time.

The legend of the poisoning of Mozart

Many works describe the myth of Wolfgang's poisoning by his friend and famous composer Salieri. Some musicologists still support this version of death. However, there is no conclusive evidence. At the end of the last century, in the Palace of Justice (Milan), Antonio Salieri was acquitted on charges of the murder of Wolfgang Mozart.

Mozart's biography: briefly about creativity

Mozart's creations combine strict and clear forms with deep emotionality. His works are poetic and carry a subtle grace, while they are not devoid of masculinity, drama, and contrast.

He is known for his reformatory approach to opera. It is their novelty that captivates both the opera and the biography of Mozart, a summary of which begins at the age of three. There are no clearly expressed negative or positive characters in his works. Their characters are multifaceted. The most famous operas:

• "Don Juan";
• "The Wedding of Figaro";
• "Magical flute".

In symphonic music, Mozart (a biography, short but informative, probably allowed you to learn a lot about this composer) distinguished himself by the presence of melodiousness in opera arias and the dramatic nature of conflicts. Symphonies numbered 39, 40, 41 are considered popular.

Based on Kechel's thematic catalog, Mozart created:

• spiritual creations - 68;
• string quartets - 32;
• sonatas (variations) for harpsichord and violin - 45;
• theatrical works - 23;
• sonatas for harpsichord - 22;
• symphonies - 50;
• concerts - 55.

Mozart's hobbies

Most of all, the composer loved to be in a cheerful company. He gladly attended balls, masquerades, and hosted receptions. He often danced at balls.

Like his other peers, Wolfgang Mozart, whose brief biography we have described, played billiards well. At home he had his own table, which was a special luxury at that time. He often played with friends and wife.

As pets, he liked canaries and starlings, which he willingly kept with him. In addition, he had dogs and even horses. On the recommendation of a physician, he did early horseback riding every day.

Mozart's biography briefly told about the fate of a genius who did not live long, but made an invaluable contribution to the musical art of the whole world.