Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
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His name (at baptism) was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus
Mozart. This name was used because Mozart was baptized on January 27, which
was the feast day of St. John Chrysostom. The other names were for a grandfather
and godfather.
Mozart liked to play games with his own name; for example, sometimes he gave
his first name in retrograde, as “Gnawflow”. He also made anagrams out of his
last name, for example “Trazom” or “Romatz”.
Theophilus quickly was translated into German by Leopold as “Gottlieb”, so that
his name was given on his earliest compositions as J.G. Wolfgang Mozart.
Mozart himself used “Amadè” or frequently. He rarely used “Amadeus” except as
a joke with his sister, and not until 1774.
The name “Wolfgang Amadeus” was a posthumous process.
The main body of Mozart’s works consists of about 626 numbered works. The works
have “KV” numbers, which refers to Köchel Verzeichnis. Ludwig Ritter von Koechel
catalogued Mozart’s works.
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Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tute,
Die Zauberflöte are the titles of the five major Mozart operas. There are 15 other
operas and stage works
23 piano concertos (the traditional number is 27)
15 other concertos, including 5 violin concertos and a sinfonia concertante for
violin and viola, concertos for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn, and a
concerto for flute and harp
55 symphonies—B&H established that there were 41 symphonies, including some
of doubtful authorship and omitting many early works)
About 26 string quartets and many other quintets, piano trios and quartets
19 piano sonatas
18 masses and a Requiem (final work)
Mozart’s creative life can be divided into the following periods:
1756-62
1762-81
1781-91
Childhood and formative years; European travels
Years in Salzburg, except for the last 4 years. In 1777, the Mozart family
petitioned to be released from the service of the Archbishop. They were
released, but Leopold was reinstated, because he could not afford to leave.
Wolfgang spent the years 1777-1780/81 traveling and seeking
employment. His mother died on the 1777 trip in Paris.
Years in Vienna
Family and Childhood
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Mozart was born in Salzburg, which was an independent Archbishopric within the
Holy Roman Empire. In other words, it was an independent city in Bavaria. This
means the Royal and Church power were consolidated under the rule of an
Archbishop who was both the sacred and secular leader of the territory. In
Mozart’s case, the Archbishop was Archbishop Colleredo, a generally enlightened
ruler, although by contemporary standards, he can easily be viewed as a depot.
Mozart’s father was an accomplished musician in his own right. He was a
Kapellmeister of Salzburg and a noted violin pedagogue. His treatise on violin
playing was published in 1756, the same year as Mozart’s birth.
Mozart’s sister was nearly as talented as was her younger brother.
Both brother and sister received musical training from their father, who realized
the extraordinary talent of his children, especially his son.
Mozart was already composing by the age of five. At five, he was an
accomplished harpsichordist. At six, he began composing music. Leopold realized
that he could earn a substantial income from presenting his son to the major courts
of Europe. His motives are often represented as being purely financial
He was also interested in giving his son exposure to music outside of Salzburg
and to helping him gain a secure position later in life within the patronage system,
which was the only system Leopold knew and understood.
These extensive travels led to serious childhood illnesses which may have
contributed to Mozart’s premature death
1762—trip to Munich, in Bavaria.
1762—trip to Vienna and the Imperial Court
1762-1765—a long concert tour which included Munich, Mannheim, Paris,
London, The Hague, and Zurich. In this period, he met Stamitz, JC Bach
1767 & 1768—Vienna again
1769-71—three trips to Italy, where he met Sammartini and studied counterpoint
from Padre Giovanni Battista Martini. On this trip he heard a “Miserere” of
Allegri performed at the Vatican once and proceeded to copy it out by memory,
thus producing the first illegal copy of closely-guarded Vatican property.
In 1772, at the age of 16, Mozart was appointed third concertmaster in Salzburg.
Years of Travel
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From 1772 until 1781, Mozart struggled to get free of Salzburg
1777—European tour (Munich, Augsburg, Mannheim, and Paris) this one with
his mother, only. She died in Paris. The Mozarts (father and son) petitioned to be
released from the service of the Archbishop. They were released, but Leopold was
reinstated, because he could not afford to leave.
From 1778-81, Mozart slowly faced the grim reality that he had failed to obtain a
post outside of Salzburg. He lost at least one post because the Ruler believed that
he would have to hire Leopold as well as Wolfgang.
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The principal source of the conflict was, in my view, Mozart’s basic desire to be
an opera composer, while at the Court in Salzburg, musical life centered on
instrumental music and Church music.
1781—Mozart traveled to Vienna with the Prince-Archbishop. They had an
argument which led to his final dismissal with “a kick in the seat of the pants”
according to Mozart’s own testimony.
1781—Mozart premieres Idomeneo, an opera seria, for the Court at Munich,
which had replaced Mannheim as a major seat in the Empire. We do not have
record of the reception of the opera, but it was prepared by Cannabich and
received numerous performances. It was likely a success, and in any case, must
have exhilarated Mozart. He joined the Archbishop Colleredo in Vienna
immediately after leaving Munich.
Notable compositions from this period are:
1775—Violin Concertos K. 216, 218, 218
1777—Piano Concerto in E-flat, K 271
1781—Idomeneo, an opera seria, written for Munich
Vienna
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1781—Mozart determines to reside in Vienna. He took residence in the Weber
household in Vienna. It is not clear which of the Weber daughters he first fell in
love with, but in the end, he fell in love with and married Constanze. Leopold did
not approve the marriage.
Constanze and Wolfgang Mozart had six children, only two of whom survived
infancy. Neither of his surviving sons married or had children.
1782—Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail. The success of this singspiel in Vienna
marks a turning point in Mozart’s life.
1782 and successive years—Mozart begins a series of concerts which feature his
piano concertos. He was conductor and soloist at these concerts
1782-83—studies the music of JS Bach and Handel, whose music he gains access
to through Baron Gottfried van Swieten
1784—meets Joseph Haydn in Vienna. Haydn was still working for the
Eszterhazy family, but spent the off-season in Vienna.
1782-85—writes six quartets dedicated to Haydn. Haydn says: “Before God and
as an honest man I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me
either in person or by name.”
Late 1780s—joins the Freemasons. His lodge was a Catholic lodge.
1786—composes The Marriage of Figaro for Vienna. Figaro was only a moderate
success in Vienna, but it was a big success in Prague, leading to:
1787—composes Don Giovanni for Prague
1787—Leopold dies. Leopold’s death may have influenced the composition of
Don Giovanni.
Late 1780s—composes final three symphonies in about six weeks for no known
commission. Toward the end of the 1780s, Mozart’s music falls out of fashion.
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Continues to have a paid position at the Viennese Court; he accepts private
students, but his spending exceeds his income. Continues to receive commissions
from Courts outside of Vienna
1791—composes Requiem while ill. Final illness was described as “military
fever”, which is not a modern medical term. He could have died from mercury
poisoning (medically induced), bleeding (medically induced), or rheumatic fever
(likely, since he had this illness as a child), or simply a sudden, high fever. He
died and was buried in a mass grave (not a pauper’s grave)
1809—Constanze married Georg Nikolaus von Nissen.
Important Works
Piano Works
 Sonatas combine heterogeneous styles
 Fantasia and Sonata in C Minor—model for Beethoven and Schubert, especially
in its modulations and melodies
String Quartets
 The Haydn quartets combine Mozart’s Italianate tunefulness with Haydn’s quick
rate of change in texture and dynamics.
 Quartet in D Minor (K 421) stands out—tragic
Symphonies
 The Final six symphonies (Haffner, Linz, Prague, Symphony in E-Flat,
Symphony in G Minor, Jupiter) are comparable to Haydn’s London symphonies.
 Haffner—forceful opening (see page 363)
 Symphony in E-Flat (39)—French overture-style introduction to first movement
 Symphony in G Minor—murmuring, soft opening; chromatic passage in finale
 Jupiter Symphony—forceful opening; borrowed aria tune for Closing Theme;
contrapuntal tour-de-force in the finale (see pp. 363-365
Piano Concertos
 17 concertos from the Vienna period
 Balance of popular and learned appeal
 Formally, the follow the Koch model: “three main periods performed by the
soloist (exposition, development, recapitulation), which are enclosed by four
subsidiary periods performed by the orchestra as ritornellos”. Mozart learned this
form from J.C. Bach.
 After 1780, cadenzas act like secondary development sections
Five Great Operas
 Abduction—Turkish effects
 Figaro, Cosi, Don Giovanni—the three da Ponte operas. Da Ponte’s librettos
intensified the dramatic action, and Mozart’s music deepened the psychological
insight.
 Don Giovanni—dubbed a drama giocoso by Mozart, it combines opera buffa and
opera seria, the styles being assigned to the characters
 Magic Flute—combines German singspiel with Italian opera seria, a new kind of
German accompanied recitative, and even a revival of Baroque chorale prelude
technique