Interesting facts from the life of Mozart. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: biography
In this article, we will tell you some interesting facts from the life of Mozart. This composer has become a real legend. He was born in 1756, on 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 masterfully owned several instruments, and also had an incredible memory and perfect ear. However, this is far from the end of 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 gifts 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, led the church choir. He also wrote a book on playing the violin, which was considered at that time one of the best teaching aids for this instrument.
This man instilled a love for music and his children: a son who began to play the harpsichord at the age of three, and later mastered the organ and violin, and his daughter, who also played the harpsichord perfectly, as well as the piano.
Of the seven children, only two survived in the Mozart family: Wolfgang and his older sister.
young genius
A friend of the family, Schachtner Johann Andreas, a Salzburg court trumpeter, told the following story, which should certainly be included in our story on the topic "Interesting Facts from the Life of Mozart". One day, Leopold Mozart, along with Shachtner, came to his home and saw young Wolfgang (who was only 4 years old) writing something on music paper. The son dipped not only the pen, but also his fingers into the ink. Mozart Jr. told the adults that he was writing a concerto. The father took the sheet stained with blots 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 knees and performed sonatas on the harpsichord with him. A few bars were played by Bach, a few by Mozart. 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.
Speaking during Lent
Wolfgang often traveled to other countries as a child. These trips were arranged by the boy's father so that his 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 forbidden during fasting. However, they made an exception for Mozart. The clergy saw God's gift in his talent.
Opera for the emperor
Joseph II ordered Mozart an opera when the boy was only 12 years old. It was called "Imaginary simpleton" and was intended for the Italian troupe. The young composer composed the piece in just a few weeks. The singers, however, did not like it, so the premiere of the opera never took place.
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 into the lodge. The composer composed music for a number of Masonic rituals, even in the famous opera called "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 created such a thing for the clavier that no person in the world, except Mozart himself, is able to perform. Salieri, looking at the notes, exclaimed that the young musician would also not be able to do this, since both hands would have to perform the most difficult passages, and besides, at 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, it will still not be possible to perform the written, because the tempo of the work is too fast. Quite pleased, Mozart laughed. He sat down at the clavier and performed this work exactly as indicated in the notes. And difficult notes were taken by the nose!
Constance, Mozart's wife
Earning decent fees with his work, nevertheless Mozart, whose biography is sometimes contradictory, was often forced to borrow money from his friends. So, for example, having received a thousand guilders (a fabulous amount at that time) for performing at one of the concerts, he was without money in two weeks. A friend of Mozart, whom the composer tried to borrow, remarked with surprise that the musical genius had neither a stable, nor a castle, nor a bunch 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," said the composer.
Complex concert
Mozart, whose biography, like all child prodigies, since childhood was marked by facts testifying to a unique talent, wrote his first concerto at the age of four. It was a piece for the clavier. It was so complex that no European virtuoso would ever have been able to perform it. When the father took the still unfinished record from the boy, explaining that such a difficult concerto, in his opinion, could not be played, Mozart replied that all this was nonsense. After all, even a child can do it. He, for example.
Mozart playing with a cat
All the young genius was a series of musical studies and performances. In various parts of Europe, at numerous concerts, the child prodigy entertained the audience from high society: he played the clavier with his eyes closed. 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 work 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 with all his might. Forgetting about the listeners, he began to play with this animal. To his father's cry, the young genius replied that the harpsichord would not go anywhere anyway, and the cat would leave now.
History of 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 his feet. 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 asked the little "groom" with a smile why he said that. Mozart replied: "Out of gratitude."
Mozart's meeting with Goethe
Once seven-year-old Mozart gave concerts in Frankfurt am Main. A 14-year-old boy approached him after the performance. He praised his game, saying that he would never learn such a skill, because it is very difficult. Young Wolfgang was surprised and asked him if he tried to write music. The interlocutor replied that no, since only poems come 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. Mozart's interlocutor was Goethe.
Cause of composer's death
The causes of death of this greatest composer still cause controversy and questions. The medical report indicated that Wolfgang died of rheumatic fever, which may have been complicated by acute renal or However, some art historians believe that he was poisoned by his rival. But there is really not much reason to believe that there was enmity between these two people. In 1997, despite this, 200 years after the death of Wolfgang, Salieri was tried in Milan. The researchers of the work of these two musicians, as well as the doctors, were heard by the judge, who subsequently ruled that Salieri was not guilty of the death of the famous composer.
How was Mozart buried?
The composer, despite all his merits and greatest talent, was buried like a pauper. 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 near the cemetery walls, and not on the grave. On the day of the funeral, none of his relatives reached the cemetery of the composer. Could not say goodbye to her husband and the sick widow of Mozart. Only before the city gates did the guests see off such a great composer as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Interesting facts from the life of this man do not end there. There are quite a few of them. Some of them took place in reality, while others are semi-legendary. 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. 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, who 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.