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The Mozart Project: A Musical Journey into the Life and Legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Explore the fascinating life of prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, from his early compositions at age 5 to his legendary career as a composer and performer. Delve into his family dynamics, travels, health struggles, and prolific musical output. Discover the influences, controversies, and myths surrounding Mozart and his contemporaries, including Salieri. Gain insight into Mozart's diverse musical compositions and his impact on classical music history.

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The Mozart Project: A Musical Journey into the Life and Legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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  1. Music Appreciation Class #7: Mozart

  2. The Mozart Project • http://www.mozartproject.org/

  3. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart • 1756-1791

  4. Getreidegasse No.9

  5. Family: Leopold, Anna Maria, Maria Anna (“Nannerl”)

  6. Prodigy*

  7. First composition "This piece was learnt by Wolfgangerl on 24 January 1761, 3 days before his 5th birthday, between 9 and 9:30 in the evening."

  8. Proof • Witnesses • Documentation • Opinions 5 years old: • Sight Read • Compose

  9. Touring • 1756 • The “circuit” • Small cities • Paris • Vienna • Ages 5-17

  10. Concerts • Harpsichord & Violin • Improvisations • Stunts!? • 2-3 hour concerts • 3-4 performances per day

  11. Schedule • Family friends • Royal Court • Society • Church • Private concerts • Musikabend* • Invitations

  12. Payments • Cash • Gold • Gifts • Clothing • Jewels

  13. Early reports "Everyone is amazed, especially at the boy, and everyone whom I have heard says that his genius is incomprehensible."

  14. Fatigue • 1st illness • “Scarlet Fever” • Tuberculosis • Later illness • Rheumatoid arthritis • Constant

  15. Composing • Carriage rides • Musical memory

  16. Paris! (Salzburg to Munich: 71 miles)

  17. Marie Antoinette* • “Will you marry me, yes or no?!”

  18. 1764 (8 years old) • London • Handel • Johann Christian Bach • Haydn (?!) • Royal family • Buckingham palace

  19. Rebellion • Children – pre-teen • Nan • Health • “Woman’s place” • Wolfgang • Composing • Size • Health

  20. Return to Salzburg • Money • Employment • Stability • Composition

  21. Italy (14) • Without Nannerl • Formal education • Accademia filarmonica of Bologna • Expulsion • Vatican • Order of the “Golden Spur”

  22. Performer Vs. Composer • Child star grows up • Leopold’s pressure vs. Wolfgang’s aspirations

  23. Employment 1771-1781 • Salzburg • Konzertmeister • Employer: Archbishop • Fired • “…with a kick in the ass...”

  24. The Letters* • "My pen is coarse and I am not polite” • Daily+ • Lifetime • Recipients • Family • Friends • Colleagues • Over 400 preserved and translated

  25. Context • Various moods and intentions • To family • Respectful, obedient, loving • To colleagues • Professional, frank, encouraging • Tragically humbling • To friends (and cousin) • Playful, witty, naughty

  26. Examples • "I can only weep. I have far too sensitive a heart.“ • "Perhaps if you were with me I might possibly take more pleasure in the kindness of those I meet here. But, as it is, everything seems so empty.“ • “Dear cuzz-buzz, I miss-piss your heart-part!” • “I beg of you, not for me but for my child, a few coins, whatever you can spare…”

  27. Signature

  28. Variety You can see now that I am able to write any way I want to, beautifully and wild, straight and crooked. The other day, I was in a bad humor, so my writing was beautiful, straight, and serious; today I'm in a good mood, and my writing is wild, crooked and jolly."

  29. “K” numbers* “Köchel-Verzeichnis” • Posthumous • Non-chronological • For organization and ease of sale

  30. Ludwig Ritter von Köchel

  31. Antonio Salieri (1750-1825)

  32. Salieri facts • Wealthy family • Royal appointment from 1774-1824 • Wildly popular • Vienna’s favorite composer • Celebrated teacher • Mozart’s son, Franz Xaver • Franz Liszt • Franz Schubert • Ludwig van Beethoven • Long, happy marriage with eight children • Sabotaged performances of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro”

  33. Salieri myths • Alone recognized Mozart’s genius • Therefore, insanely jealous • Secret patron • Requiem • Mozart’s murderer • When did it begin?

  34. Fun and Games • Truth or Myths with Salieri and Mozart • http://classyclassical.blogspot.com/2005/08/antonio-salieri-truth-or-fiction.html

  35. Amadeus* • Peter Schaffer 1979 • London • Two Olivier Awards • Broadway • Three Tony Awards • Milos Foreman 1984 • 8 Academy awards • Best Movie

  36. Manuscript

  37. Musical Compositions • 600+ • Age 6 - 1791 • Composed in every major existing genre • Symphonies (41) • Sacred Music • Requiem • Concertos • Violin, Woodwinds (Clarinet) • Piano (#21 in C Major, 2nd movement; March 10, 1785!) • Chamber Music • “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” (Youtube) • 22 Operas • Age 11 - 1791

  38. Opera “…everything else I write is just to sustain me until the perfect libretto presents itself…”

  39. Why? • Baroque opera traditions • Mozart’s goals • “Real” people/emotions • Drama • Subconscious*

  40. 1: Singspiel* • Vernacular • Spoken dialogue • Light subject matter • “The Abduction From The Seraglio” • “The Magic Flute”

  41. 2: Opera seria* • Subject matter • Melodramatic • Mythological • Religious • Idomeneo • Titus

  42. 3: Opera Buffa* • Only comedic? • Character development

  43. Lorenzo Da Ponte* (1749-1838 NYC)

  44. Da Ponte quick facts: Professional Writer • Playwright • Poet • Librettist • Royal Court Appointment by (Franz) Joseph II • Close personal and professional friendship with Salieri

  45. Da Ponte quick facts: Trivia Personal life • Born Jewish, converted to Catholicism • Priest • Married his mistress • Defrocked, opened a brothel • Moved to New York • US Citizen • Philadelphia grocer • Columbia University professor • Founding member of the Library of Congress

  46. Pierre Beaumarchais* (1732-1799)

  47. Beaumarchais facts • Watch-maker, inventor, musician, politician, fugitive, spy, publisher, arms-dealer, and revolutionary (French and American) • Playwright (“The Figaro Trilogy”*) • The Barber of Seville • The Marriage Of Figaro • La Mère coupable

  48. The Marriage Of Figaro*Characters Aristocracy* • Count Almaviva • Dr. Bartolo • Don Basilio • Rosina (Countess Almaviva) • Marcellina • Don Curzio Commoners* • Figaro • Susanna • Cherubino* • Antonio • Servants *Trouser role

  49. Reaction to “The Marriage of Figaro” • Napoleon: “Everything you need to know in order to understand the spirit of (French) Revolution is contained in the truths found in Figaro.”* • Banned in France by Marie Antoinette • Why? • And by her brother, Franz Josef, in Austria?

  50. (Franz) Joseph II (1741-1790)

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