Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was like any other young boy growing up in a small town. He would play hide-and-seek with his friends, chase the dog around the house, and sometimes get into trouble. But there was something very special about this boy.
Mozart could play the harpsichord, the violin, and the organ perfectly, and his biggest fans were the Emperor of Austria, the King of France, and the Queen of England. And he wasn't even ten years old yet!
Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1756. His father Leopold Mozart was a violinist who played in the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg. His older sister Nannerl was also talented; she played the piano and sang very well.
When Mozart was only four years old, his sister asked him if he’d like to play her harpsichord. Without a word, little Wolfgang sat down and repeated everything she had just played perfectly. His father was impressed and arranged for Wolfgang to play with him at the court of the archbishop.
News of Mozart’s talent soon reached the Emperor of Austria, who invited him to play in Vienna. The emperor asked Mozart to play without looking at his hands and covered the keyboard with a piece of cloth. Mozart played brilliantly and without any difficulty. The emperor was so impressed he gave the little boy a gold watch.
With the help of his ambitious father, the young musician became a sensation. Mozart’s father, Leopold, decided not to waste Wolfgang’s talent and took him on numerous tours across Europe with his sister. They showed their musical abilities to royal courts, which were the centers of power and money.
Life on the road wasn’t easy. Back then, not many people traveled across Europe, let alone a young child like Wolfgang. The Mozarts traveled by stagecoach, the trips were hard; and many of the roads were unpaved and dangerous. Wolfgang and his sister often got sick on the road.
Everyone wanted to hear the little genius from Salzburg. Mozart was very busy. By the time Wolfgang was seven years old, he had played in front of many powerful kings and queens of Europe. He was very popular.
Once Mozart was invited to spend Christmas with the king and queen of France and play in their castle. Everyone was deeply moved by his music. Right after playing, Wolfgang jumped up and hugged the queen, completely unaware of the rules of the royal court.
After playing in France, Wolfgang headed to London to give a concert at the English court. Queen Charlotte, who had a beautiful singing voice, asked him to accompany her on the harpsichord. Mozart made a big impression. The queen was so touched by the little boy she even gave him a kiss! Everyone adored Mozart.
Even though Mozart played for royalty and wealthy aristocrats, he was still very much a kid. He could go straight from playing music to playing marbles. Once, he stopped playing his harpsichord to chase a cat and didn’t go back to finish the concert.
When Mozart visited the Sistine Chapel in Rome, he was deeply touched by the church music he heard there. The beauty of the place and the sweet sounds coming from the organ overwhelmed him. It was as if angels were singing. Mozart decided that he wanted to write beautiful music one day too. Playing someone else’s music was not enough for him.
Unfortunately many of the aristocrats were losing interest in Mozart. After one unsuccessful concert in France, Mozart decided to go back to Salzburg. He stopped touring to concentrate on composing music.
Once back home, Mozart began to write music. His early years on the road were very important for his development as a composer. In his music, he portrayed what he had seen and heard on his travels. For the rest of his life, Mozart would compose some of the most beautiful music ever written.
Mozart’s talent for composition was a different type of genius from his talent as a musician. Mozart knew how to capture emotion in beautiful melodies, and the style of his compositions remained playful and free. Also, Mozart never dedicated himself to just one type of music, but wrote operas, symphonies, and church music.
Music was Mozart’s language, and he used it to tell many different stories. He was a true genius and a passionate artist ahead of his time. His compositions continue to touch the hearts of listeners today, bringing them to a beautiful world through his music.