Mozart Pt. 1: A Genuis's Life

   German-born Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the first men that comes to mind as a genius and prolific composer.  One might be surprised, then, to learn that he was only thirty-five when he died. How could one man create so much in so little time? It seems he had it all: childhood genius, adult fame, unbelievable talent. 

     If you take a closer look, though, you will see that his life was not a fantasy. He led a very difficult life, one full of struggles and hardships. And yet…one would never know it by listening to his music. Even with the time he had, and the stressful life he led, Mozart’s music has achieved immortality.

    The brilliant composer was born in Salzburg Austria in 1756. His was already a musical family before he came along and when Mozart’s older sister began lessons at the harpsichord with her father, Mozart was eager to learn. He was only three at the time. By the time he was five, he was writing his own Minuets, some of which we still have today!

     Soon after that, Mozart insisted on learning violin as well. His lessons had hardly begun when he received another chance to display his rapidly developing genius. One night, his father and two friends were going to play a trio on their violins when Mozart entered the room. He begged to be allowed to play but they refused, allowing him to sit and listen instead. They had hardly begun when they suddenly heard Mozart playing the second violin part. Imagine their surprise when they found he was doing it correctly!

     Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang’s father, soon decided it was time to show his children off. (He also wasn’t above accepting the money they made to help with his small salary.)

     By the time Mozart was six years old, things were going so well that Leopold took his children to Vienna, the capitol of music. 

     The Austrian Emperor himself, Franz Josef, fell in love with little Mozart and called him his “little magician.” Mozart especially found himself attracted to Marie Antoinette, who was then a princess about his own age. Because of the favor they were shown by royalty, the children were soon extremely famous in Vienna. 

     From then almost until he became a man, Mozart was taken on tours, from Vienna to Paris to London to Rome. He was often sickly, and the tours were exhausting. Some nights, he got no sleep but stayed up writing music. Then he would turn around and give several performances the next day.

     Eventually he fell in love with a girl named Aloysia who shared his passion for music.

     Sadly, Leopold had such a grip on his son that his strong disfavor of the match persuaded Mozart to leave the girl. Leopold suggested that he go off to Paris at once, in hopes that the adoration he had excited in Vienna as a child would rekindle. When Mozart obeyed, he found these hopes were ill-founded. He passed three lonely months in the city in a fruitless search for work. It seemed that he was regarded more as a servant by the people of Vienna now that he was grown. There were no fawning crowds or adoring audiences. He was forced to teach private lessons in order to pay his bills. Then, when his mother–his constant companion in Vienna–died, he left Paris at once, heading for home. 

     This time, his father was willing to accept Mozart back home, for the Archbishop of Salzburg had offered Mozart the position of Court Organist. 

     Once again, Mozart’s wishes were contrary to his father’s–he did not want the job–but once again, he obeyed. Things with the Archbishop did not go well. The man was overbearing and treated Mozart poorly, preferring to think of him as a servant than as a talented artist kind enough to work for him. Finally, after a heated argument with the Archbishop, Mozart was dismissed.

     Leopold was dismayed by the news of his son’s dismissal, but this time Mozart ignored his father’s strong wish for him to live in Salzburg any longer. Instead, he traveled to Vienna and married his first love’s younger sister. Together they had six children.

     At last, Mozart’s and Leopold’s relationship was restored in Vienna when Leopold came to visit him and his wife.  It seemed that Mozart’s father was finally looking at his son as though he were his own man. The peace they felt did not last long, though, for Leopold became ill shortly after he returned to Salzburg and died.  

     Though he was heartbroken, Mozart continued to work and was rewarded with several huge successes (mostly operas). Despite all this, the roaring crowds were very fickle, and each new piece seemed to fade away. Mozart was treated like a fashion–and he was on his way out the door. Because of this (and his habit of spending too much on clothes) he was usually poor. 

     He managed financially by turning to friends, teaching private lessons and avoiding paying taxes. 

     Towards the end of his life, in the month of July in 1791, a tall stranger arrived at his door. He came with a request for Mozart. He was to write a Requiem (a choral piece honoring someone who has died.) The stranger would not give his name or the name of the one who sent him. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the request greatly depressed Mozart, but he accepted. He pressed on with his latest opera, The Magic Flute, and when that was finally released in September, he was free to turn to the Requiem.  As his health failed and his spirits declined, he began to wonder if he would get the chance to finish the piece. He told his wife one day that “It is for myself that I am writing this Requiem” (Goulding). Sadly, on the morning of December 5, the great composer finally died, leaving behind an unthankful world.

     Today, when we stop and think about the beauty that he left behind for us, we might almost feel guilty.  He gave so much to the world and it seems he, in turn, received very little.  However, I believe that, were he here today to see how his work has changed the world, he would have said that it was worth it.  It is true that sometimes the great artists of this world lead remarkably difficult lives, their art growing from their hardships. However, when they leave, the proof of their talent lies in their art, not the present reaction of humans. If their work is genius–as Mozart’s is–it will never truly disappear.      

Deus Benedicat tibi

(God bless you)

Works Cited:

Brower, Harriette. The World’s Great Men of Music. Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1922. Print.

Goulding, Phil G. Classical Music. New York: Ballantine Books 1992. Print.

     McDonalds, Yona Zeldis. Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. New York: Grosset and Dunlap,        

     2003. Print.