Mozart's Music

The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart iskings and queens, performing and composing and
perhaps the most well-known of any composerperfecting his unique musical vision.
the world has ever seen. Almost everyone hasHe also spent his childhood suffering from various
heard of how Mozart was composing music byillnesses—tuberculosis, tonsillitis, and typhoid are
the age of five (some urban legends even claim itjust some of the many ailments he is said to
was at age two) and performing before kings andhave suffered. He was a sickly child and each
queens, dukes and duchesses, before he wasbout of poor health left him reduced in vigor,
seven years old. He created more than 600more frail, and more susceptible to what would,
compositions, from operas to sonatas to fullultimately, kill him. Legend has it that he was
symphonies, and died tragically, mysteriously,poisoned, but recent, more scientific explanation
before his 36th birthday in 1791. Some of hishas it that he died of rheumatic fever, even while
more famous pieces of music include Eine kleineworking to complete one of his greatest musical
Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music, 1787) and theaccomplishments, the Requiem.
operas Don Giovanni (1787) and Die ZauberfloteMozart's music, like his life, defies easy
(The Magic Flute, 1791).classification. As a product of what historians term
The movie Amadeus (1984) put into popularthe Classical Era (1750-1825), he perfected the
parlance the idea of Mozart as an immature andprevalent musical forms of symphony, opera, and
spoiled musical prodigy, given to fast living andconcerto, and yet he also turned them on their
obnoxious, braying laughter. It also portrays himheads. The upper-crust audiences for whom he
as having been tormented by a brooding, jealousplayed were jarred by his complex, mysterious,
rival composer named Salieri, who may or maysometimes raucous music, accustomed as they
not have killed him. History paints only a slightlywere to lighter, more frivolous pieces. In 1782, the
less dramatic picture. Born in 1756 in Salzburg,Emperor Joseph II even told Mozart that his
Austria, Mozart was the only son of a professionalGerman opera had "too many notes."
musician who very early on recognized the boy'sSuch a characterization of Mozart's music may
extraordinary musical talent. Today's critical andwell seem absurd to us today, who have been
politically correct eyes may look with disfavor onconditioned to think of Mozart as an unparalleled
the way that Leopold Mozart exploited his son'sgenius. Even before birth, babies are rocked to
musical genius, but at the time it was neithersleep by Mozart's music being piped into their
uncommon nor unacceptable to parade childmothers' wombs. We relax to his music, we grow
prodigies through the courts of Europe. Theto it, we learn through it; his music enriches and
young Mozart spent his boyhood at the feet ofinspires our lives.