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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791
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Image above:
W.A. Mozart
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What do you know about Mozart other
than that he was a brilliant artist and quite the party animal?
Here is some wicked trivia for you:
BBC shows you a picture of his widow. Check it out. Don't be frightened.
And because it would
have been Wolfgang's 250th birthday, the Austrians worked like mad
on their online compilation to
offer you all of
his works online and for free.
What a project!
Mozart's Family and
Background
Mozart was Austrian, born in Salzburg
and deceased in Vienna. His full name was Johann Chrysostom
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Wolfgang's father was Leopold Mozart,
a musician, composer, and popular music teacher. Leo was employed as
Kapellmeister at the court of the Prince of Salzburg.
Wolfgang's mother was Anna Maria
Pertl.
Wolfgang's sister was Maria Anna
Mozart, who was nicknamed Nannerl.
Altogether, Leopold and Anna Maria
Mozart had seven children. Only two survived infancy, Wolfgang and Nannerl.
More on Nannerl:
Maria Anna "Nannerl" Mozart was a remarkable musical talent, widely recognized in her youth as a virtuoso pianist and
celebrated prodigy. She played a crucial role in the early musical success of the Mozart family and likely influenced
her younger brother Wolfgang’s development as a musician. Nannerl toured and performed publicly alongside Wolfgang until
around the age of 18, after which her concert career ended—largely due to prevailing gender norms that discouraged female performers.
She is known to have composed music, and Wolfgang took her efforts seriously. In a 1770 letter from Milan, he wrote,
"I am glad you are composing. Please do send me your clavier pieces. I will correct them for you." Although no authenticated
compositions survive, his words suggest sincere respect for her creative work. The rigid cultural constraints of her time
severely restricted her artistic agency, making it impossible to fully assess her potential as a composer. Nevertheless,
her extraordinary musical ability and integral contribution to the Mozart family's artistic life remain clear, even if history
has largely overshadowed her in favor of her more famous brother.
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. The Letters of Mozart and His Family. Translated and edited by Emily Anderson, 2nd ed., vol. 1,
Macmillan, 1985, p. 98.
Today, you can visit Mozart's
birthplace, located at
No 9 Getreidegasse
Salzburg
Austria
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