Mozart’s life

Born in 1756 to a family of professional musicians, Mozart was probably the most gifted child prodigy of the classical era. Educated by his father, Leopold, much of Mozart’s childhood was spent touring Europe, along with his older sister, Maria-Anna, (nicknamed Nannerl), as a piano and violin virtuoso. His performances and concert compositions made him a legend at the tender age of seven. At the age of eleven, commissions were already flooding in. Mozart’s musical mastery was twofold; coming firstly from technical genius and secondly from his instant assimilation of different styles. His unsettled childhood would have a lasting effect on his health, which ultimately contributed to his untimely death at the age of thirty-five.

After fruitful but frustrated attempts to launch a career in Italy, Mozart’s first settled post was in the service of the Archbishop of Salzburg, his hometown. He did not find this a tolerable position and was dismissed after going to Mannheim to supervise the performers of his first great opera, Idomeneo. Mozart soon settled in Vienna, Europe’s cultural capital, where sudden freedom and a dislike of teaching made it difficult for him to make a living.

Mozart’s main source of income was from concerts given in the homes of the wealthy. Opera was a good opportunity to make money and, after the success of Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, Mozart composed the sequel, La Nozze di Figaro. This was his first opera in over a decade and one which was exemplary of Opera Buffa in every way. Figaro was not a great success in Vienna but was a triumph in Prague, where it led to a commission for Don Giovanni. The Vienna revival of Figaro in 1789 led to another commission: Cosi fan tutti. Mozart continued to produce symphonic and instrumental works throughout this time.

In 1791, the last year of the composer’s life, he completed two string quintets, two operas (Die Zauberflöte and La clemenza di Tito) and nearly completed his Requiem Mass. TheRequiem has also been subject to speculation, such as the idea (popularised by Stendhal) that it was commissioned by Death himself for Mozart’s own funeral. The truth is that it was commissioned by Count Walsegg, who intended pass it off as his own work. Though Mozart expressed fear that he had been poisoned, it is likely that he died from a relapse of a childhood illness brought on by overwork. His death was subject to great intrigue and conspiracy, popularly pointing towards Mozart’s friend and rival, Antonio Salieri. A one-act play by Alexandr Pushkin, entitled Mozart and Salieri became the source material for the play (and film adaptation), Amadeus by Anthony Shaffer. In spite of his accumulated debts, Mozart was not buried in a mass grave as is commonly believed but was given a basic funeral by the state. In order to pay his debts and provide for their children, Mozart’s widow gave the Requiem to one of his associates to be completed.