Volfgang Amadeus Mozart

Aleksandra Bojović

VOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

Publishing House PČELICA Kolubarska 4, Čačak, Serbia office@pcelica.rs www.pcelica.rs

H

e began composing at the young age of five, he was a child prodigy, and an attraction in nearly all European cities in the 18th century.

He is known as one of the most important composers of classical music. His name is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A Child Prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a pianist and one of the best

known composers of classical music of all time, was born in 1756 in the Austrian city of Salzburg. He was the youngest son of Anna Maria Pertl and Leopold Mozart, a composer and music teacher.

It can easily be said for Mozart that his childhood was unlike that of other children. He didn’t spend his days in carefree play. From the very beginning he knew only of work and study. He became a skilled and successful piano player even before learning to read and write. He composed his first piece of music when he was only five years old. His father, a musician himself, recognized young Mozart’s genius and completely devoted his time to perfecting his son’s talent.

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Brother and Sister Mozart

had an older sister, called Ana Maria, better known as Nannerl, who was also a good pianist1 at a young age. Their father sacrificed his career and devoted himself to their musical education.

Thoughts on Music Music has always been the food of love, and love is the food of music.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Despite her talent, Nannerl remained in the shadow of her brother and faithfully followed him on numerous tours all over Europe. Today she is known only as the sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

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A pianist is a musician who plays the piano.

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The Young Travelling Musicians Realising that he could make a good living showcasing his

talented children, Leopold Mozart organised concerts in aristocratic1 and royal courts all over Europe. In this way he was more their teacher, manager and promoter than their father.

Although very young, the children performed on numerous exhausting concerts in Austria, the Habsburg Empire at the time, Italy, France, the Netherlands and England. Due to a lack of sleep and the fact that they were unable to relax and play like other children, young Mozart and Nannerl were often ill and even contracted the deadly typhus fever2 in The Hague3. Many assume that such a lifestyle was the cause of Mozart’s short stature.

Aristocracy was the rich part of society which used to hold the most power.

Typhus is a dangerous contagious disease.

3 The Hague is one of the two capital cities in the Netherlands.

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In order to impress audiences, Mozart and Nannerl often played with their arms intertwined, with blindfolds over their eyes, or with a bed sheet over the piano keys. Furthermore, on the posters promoting their performances, their father often advertised them as younger than they actually were.

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Aleksandra Bojović

VOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

Publishing House PČELICA Kolubarska 4, Čačak, Serbia office@pcelica.rs www.pcelica.rs