Mozart 1756-1791 essays

Mozart 1756-1791 essays Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born January 27, 1756 in Salzburg Austria to Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria Pertl. Leopold was the son of a bookbinder while Anna Maria was the daughter of a county official and amateur musician. Leopold himself was a violinist and worked as the Vice Kapllmeister for Archbishop Schrattenbach of Salzburg. He at the age of twenty-eight married Anna Maria then twenty-seven after a long courtship. The couple had seven children, two of which lived, the second, Maria Anna (Nannerl) and the Seventh Wolfgang. Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart is his full baptismal name; he went by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I take it that his first name is attributed to the fact that his mother grew up near Lake Wolfgang. Amadeus is Latin for Theophilus, which is Greek and in all languages means: Beloved of God. One wonders whether he ever heard of the ancient Greek king Menander's saying: Whom the gods love dies young.?1 At age three Wolfgang began imitating his sister as she played the clavier. When he played and the music sounded good, he was happy, but if it sounded bad he would start to cry. By age four he composed his first piece, minuet in G and attempted to write a clavier concerto. Wolfgang could write music before he was able to write most words. The same year he also began playing the violin. When Wolfgang turned six he began touring Munich and Vienna with his sister to gain recognition. The empress Maria Theresa invited them to perform, when the performance was over, Wolfgang ran up to the empress and kissed her, something that was very inappropriate, but she didn't seem to mind. Wolfgang Amadeus is such a charming and gifted child,? she said. Such great talent in such a small boy!? And her husband Francis I called him a little magician.?1 After the performance Wolfgang slipped and fell while playing hide and seek. One of the Maria Theresa's daughters helped him...