THE LIF

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OZART

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TI N

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A bit about Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, on January 27,1756.

His cities of residence were Salzburg, Vienna and Prague.

Mozart was of Austrian nationality .

He died in Vienna, Austria on December 15,1791.

Mozart’s Background Facts

• Mozart had an older sister named Maria Anna, a father and mother named Marie Anna Pertl, and Leopold Pertl Mozart.

• Mozart had six kids, only two of which survived infancy, their names were Franz Xavier Wolfgang Mozart and Kerl Thomas Mozart.

• Mozart had poor health and was ill at many different times in his life.

Important Musical Overview of Mozart

1. Mozart and his sister were gifted in music talent and often traveled around Europe with their father to perform.

2. Johann Christian Bach (son to J.S. Bach) greatly influenced Mozart’s music.

3. Mozart met G.B. Martini in Bologna and got accepted as a member of the Academic Filarmonica

4. Mozart’s musical career in Vienna started very well as a composer and pianist.

Mozart’s Musical Accomplishments

• Received the Order of the Golden Spot from Pope Clement in 1770

• Mozart practiced over 600 different works, a greater number than that of any other composer

• Mozart’s style of music is mixed by an uncomplicated texture that would become a defining trait in the classical era

• Every piece of Mozart’s music contains complex and emotional elements.

• One of his most famous pieces of musical work is “Requiem, in D minor.”

Composer’s Outputs

During his time Mozart managed to to compose an astounding 26 string quartets, 41 symphonies, and 15 masses, 16 opers and many more pieces.

Requiem/ Lacrymosa

Mozart composed this piece in a meter 12/8 at a tempo of 50, in the of F major

D minor.

The instruments used were Violins, Violas, Bass, Cello and Vocals.

Meaning of Lacrymosa:Lacrymosa which means “weeping” when translated was not

fully written by Mozart. This was the last piece he ever wrote but never finished it. The piece was finished by one of his pupils Franz Xavier Swissmayr. Lacrymosa is also part of a bigger piece of work called the Requiem. A Requiem is a mass written for the dead. This piece was a commission, written for another person’s wife, but Mozart would have never gotten credit for it if he had never died. The patron would have accepted the credit for the composition.

Performance Difficulties

Individual:1. Measure 18, the shift from B flat to an A flat.

2. The slow, sweeping way we play in quarter notes.

3. Being constant in keeping up with the tempo.

Section Or Ensemble:4. Playing the C sharps.

5. Remembering to play the correct flats, naturals, and sharps.

Historical Times and Artistic Relationships.Mozart and Antonio Salieri were rivals and friends. Antonio

would place obstacles in Mozart’s way however they both worked together to compose Per La Recuperate Salute d: Ophelia.

Mozart’s Relationships

• Mozart became fascinated with Johannes Sebastian Bach and George Fredrick Handel’s music. This created several pieces in the Baroque style and influenced some later music.

• Mozart and Joseph Hayden met and became friends. They sometimes performed together. Mozart wrote several quartets dedicated to Hayden.

• Mozart met Lorezo Da Ante (a producer) and they both worked together on an opera, it was very successful in Vienna and Prague

INTERESTING FACTS

Mozart composed his first opera at age 14, this was pretty amazing considering the young age he was.

Mozart started publicly performing at age six, he played in front of royalty and was revered as child genius and prodigy.

SOURCES

• Biographyonline.net

• Biography.com

• Wolfgang-amadeus.at/on/biography_of_Mozart.php