Mozart

Mozart was born on January 27th, 1756. He was born to Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart. He had a sister named Maria Anna Mozart, who was also musically talented. Mozart was a young boy who showed talent from the beginning of his life. He never attended a proper school, which was a custom for children of that time. Instead of going to school, he was taught by his father who was a respectable man in Salzburg. His father held many professions such as concertmaster for the court orchestra of the Archbishop of Salzburg; violinist, composer and author. At the age of six, Mozart had become a performer on the clavier, violin, and organ. He was also skilled in sight-reading and improvisation. There are have piano pieces that were composed by Mozart when he was six years old and are still frequently played today. One of the pieces are "Twinkle Twinkle." When he's sister was at the age of ten and he at the age of six, their father took them to Munich and Vienna to play a series of concerts. In 1763, Leopold Mozart took a leave from his position at Salzburg court to take his family on a tour of Western Europe. Mozart and his sister performed in the major musical centers, including Stuttgart, Mannheim, Mainz, Frankfurt, Brussels, Paris, London, and Amsterdam. The family did not return to Salzburg until 1766. During that period of time touring, Mozart began to compose longer pieces with more structure and skill in them. He completed his first symphony at the age of nine and publishing his first sonatas in the same year. In 1769, Mozart and his father left the rest of the family to tour Italy for more than a year. They spent sufficient time in Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples, and Bologna. Mozart got to experience the taste of another culture. During those years, Wolfgang completed an opera called "Ro di Ponto," which was celebrated in Italy. The same year, Mozart was appointed concertmaster to the Archbishop of Salzburg, and later in the same here, the Pope made him a chevalier of the Order of the Golden Spur. He also completed his first German operetta called, "Bastien une Bastienne," in the same year. At the age of fourteen, Mozart was commissioned to write a serious opera. This work was called, "Mitridate, re di Ponto." While Mozart was touring in Italy, the Archbishop of Salzburg died, and Hieronymus, count von Colleredo was the successor. This man cared little for music, and looked down upon Mozart. After five years of composing music for almost no money, Mozart obtained a leave of absence for a concert tour. In 177, he left with his mother for Munich. The courts of Europe ignored the twenty-one year old composer in his search for a more congenial and rewarding appointment. This was hard for Mozart, and at the same period of time his mother fell ill. His father, Leopold order his wife and Mozart to go to Paris. In Paris on July 1779, his mother died. He returned to Salzburg in 1779 and composed two masses and numerous symphonies, sonatas, and concertos. His work started to gain a unique style, and a completely mature understanding of musical media. In 1781, Mozart has a success of an Italian opera series called, "Idomeneo, re di Creta," prompted the new successor to the Archbishop of Salzburg to invite Mozart to his palace in Vienna. A series of court intrigues and his exploitation at the hands of the court soon forced Mozart to leave. Friends rented the house in Vienna for him, Mozart hoped to sustain him by teaching. During this time, he composed a singspiel called, "The Adduction from Seraglio," which was requested by Emperor Joseph the Second in 1782. When the Mozart family made their tip to Italy in 1769, they were introduced to the Webers. Franz Weber was a musician from Austria, living in Italy. He has a wife and two children who were named Constanze and Aloysia. Mozart loved this family, but his father disliked them for some reason. Mozart's father didn't want Mozart to be around this family, but Mozart dismissed his father's wishes for and consorted with the two girls often. Being old enough to go off on his own, the trips made to Italy were partly because of the Weber girls. After many letters between Mozart and the Weber girls, Mozart decided to ask Aloysia Weber for her hand in marriage. Mozart's father was furious at him and saying that the Weber girls would bring nothing but grief to his son, grief to his whole family. Mozart didn't care about what his father said and asked Aloysia to marry him, and she said yes. The wedding day of Aloysia and Mozart came along, and many people came to the ceremony; including Aloysia's sister Constanze, and Mozart's father who came against his wishes. The wedding was looked like it could have gone perfect until Aloysia rejected the issued vows. Mozart was embarrassed, more so because his father had been proven right than because of his personal losses. For many years the Weber and Mozart families did not speak to each other. A year after the marriage incident, Mozart beings to once again visit the family, who have now moved to Vienna. On December 15th, 1781 Mozart informs his father on his marriage plans, and his father was enraged. He never liked his son's acquaintance with the Webers. Mozart thinks his father is being unfair about the whole matter, and leaves Salzburg for Vienna to be married. On August 4th, 1782 Mozart marries Aloysia in St. Stephen's Cathedral. Mozart's father refuses his son's invitation to the wedding, so does Aloysia. The couple moved into a house in Vienna together and had six children, two of which survived. The two surviving children were named Franz Xavier, and Karl Thomas Mozart. Sickness and poverty plague the family until the day of Mozart's death. Seven years after Mozart's death, Constanze married another man. Mozart and his family moved often in Vienna. Prior to his marriage, Mozart moved to the house called, "Zum roten Sabel," where he had lived as a twelve-year old. A few months later, he lived at Wipplingerstrasse 14, at Kohlmarkt 7, and at Judenplatz 3-4. In 1784, Mozart moved to one of the most representative houses in Vienna called, "Trattnerhof." At the ceremonial hall of the Trattnerhof house, Mozart's piano concertos K449, 450, and 451 were premiered. Mozart's only home in Vienna preserved until today is the "Figarohaus," which is located behind St. Stephen's Cathedral. Mozart lived there from October 1784 until April 1787. It's where he played his most mature compositions. Joseph Haydn paid visited here; Mozart dedicated six string quartets to him. Mozart Becomes a Freemason In December 1784, Mozart became an "apprentice" in the Masonic lodge called, "Zur Wohltatigkeit." In this lodge, he became a "visiting brother." After a month, he became a "journeyman." His "Masonic

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