The Mozart Years

Through the hard times and financial insecurity of a musician in the 1700’s, Mozart accomplished his dream of becoming a great musician. Coming from a talentsed family, he spent his life with music. All this started when he was old enough to walk.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was baptized in a Salzburg cathedral the day after his birth; January 27th, 1756. He was born to the Leopold Mozart, a musical author, composer, and violinist; and to his wife Anna Marie Pertl. Only Wolfang and his sister Maria Anna, or Nannerl, survived infancy. Wolfgang was the seventh born child, out of seven children. Wolfgang was baptized under the name Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus. He never used these names in his later life. He often went by Amadeus or Amade. Although he could not walk until the age of three, Mozart started to display musical talent at the age of four. He could also play any piano melody given to him. It is believed that Mozart’s first music was composed shortly after his fourth birthday. At age five he could play the violin with perfect intonation. He injoined this attention that he was getting for being a gifted musician. He found great pleasure in learning and pleasuring his father. It took all of 30 minutes to master his first musical composition. This was a scherzo by Georg Christoph Wagenseil, learned three days before his fifth birthday. Leopold began to neglect his court career and devote more time to Wolfgang and Nannerl’s musical instruction. He then proceded to send his two children on tours to play in the courts of Europe.

The family set out from Salzburg on September 18, 1762. At Linz, Wolfgang gave his first public concert. Among the audience was Count Herberstein and Count Heronymous. Both were astonished and hurried to Vienna to spread the reports of Mozarts talent. All of Vienna was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the prodigies from Salzburg. ??We are already being talked f everywhere,? Leopold reported to Lorenz Hagenauer, his friend landlord back home?(Nagel, 57). The children’s appearance at Schonbrunn Palace on October 13 was judged by Leopold to be a smashing success. He wrote, ?Their Majesties recieved us with such extrodinary greatness that, wehn I shall tell of it, people will declare that I have made it up. Suffice it to say that Wolferl jumped up on the Empress’ lap, put his arms round her neck and kissed her heartily? (Nagel, 58).
With all of this, doors were opened and invitations to success poured in. Because each performance was rewarded -the empress sent an honorarium of 100 ducats- Leopold tried to arrange as many concerts as possible. ?The nobles send us their invitations four, five, six to eight says in advance, in order not to miss us? (Nagel, 59). The same pattern would repeat in major centers all over Europe. First, Wolfgang and Nannerl would perform at the most infuential local court, The private concerts wuld follow as the lesster nobility competed to entertain one another with an appearance by the ?miracle children? of Salzburg. Payment came in the form of hard currency or gifts. When private concerts didn’t pay off the bills, public concerts were held. Either performance would last from one and a half to three hours. Two programs a day was the rule. ??Reading those details of those days in Vienna,? sighs biographer Erich Schenk,? we are inclinded to say ?poor children’? (Nagel, 60). From start to finish, music was the family business.

Wolfgang became ill with a rheumatic nodular eruption associated with tuberculosis, which was to believed to be scarlet fever. Within two weeks Wolfgang was well again, but this episode began more serious health problems in the future. Wolfgang started to ?cut a new tooth? just before his seventh birthday. The tours conitinued and led all the way to Paris.
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