A Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart biography includes aspects of his life as a child, performer and music composer. A Mozart short biography and timeline are available below.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg. The place of his birth, the Mozart House, is a tourist attraction. The early life of Mozart consisted of extensive travel. The Mozart children were taken on tour to perform in the capitals of Europe.
Today, the best of Mozart, which some claim includes child prodigy music, is part of Mozart history. After all, Mozart music is played online and in concerts and opera theatres throughout the world.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography
Read to Discover Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography
A Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart biography is readily available in electronic and paper formats. Below is our interpretation of the events that shaped Mozart’s life and the myths and controversies that have contributed to the a biography of Mozart.
Who is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) is a famous classical period composer. Mozart’s full name, given to him at birth by his parents – father Leopold Mozart (1719-1787) and mother – Anna Maria, née Pertl, Mozart (1720-1778) was:
Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart.
Personally, Mozart chose to use his third and fourth names as his own:
- Wolfgang is German = Wolfgangus in Latin.
- Theophilus means “loved by God” in Greek = Amadeus means “loved by God” in Latin
Mozart reverted to the German language for one of his names and switched to the Latin for the other. As a result, Mozart is best known by the name he personally used – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
W.A.Mozart Place of Birth is Salzburg
Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 in Salzburg, present-day Austria. At the time of Mozart’s birth and throughout his lifetime, Salzburg was the seat of the Archbishopric of Salzburg. The Archbishop was considered not only a religious leader within the Roman Catholic Church, but also a prince and secular ruler.
Salzburg was a constituent principality within the Holy Roman Empire (800/926-1806). Today, we associated Salzburg with Austria. However, it is worth noting that during Mozart’s lifetime, there was no Austrian state! The Austrian Empire (1804-1867) came into being 12 years after Mozart’s death.
Mozart Was Born at Getreidegasse, 9 in Salzburg
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a Child Prodigy
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a young child travelled the imperial capitals of Europe together with his sister – Maria Anna Mozart (1751-1829), nicknamed Nannerl and father Leopold Mozart (1719-1787).
During these trips, Mozart and his sister performed for the Emperors and Empresses of Europe and their courtiers in Paris, Versailles and Vienna. There are many amazing and wondrous Mozart facts about these trips that fascinate music lovers to this day.
The Mozart Family Musicians
Mozart’s Death – Cause and Controversy
W.A.Mozart died in Vienna on 5 December 1791. Unfortunately, the building, in which the Mozart family had a 4 room apartment, no longer stands.
Almost immediately after Mozart’s death, rumours about the cause of his death began. Some even claimed that Mozart was murdered. Was this part of a public relations (PR) campaign by Mozart’s wife Constanze to raise money in order to pay off debts? Perhaps!
In time, the rumors about Mozart’s death were almost forgotten by the Austrian (1804-1867) and Austro-Hungarian (1867-1918) Empires. However, they were picked up by th a competing empire – the Russian Empire (1721-1917) and spread through literature and opera. Was this part of a misinformation campaign by the Russian elite?
Mozart Died at Rauhensteingasse, 8 in Vienna
Mozart’s Grave is Shrouded in Mystery
W.A.Mozart died on 5 December 1791, in Vienna. Mozarts death was registered at St. Stephan’s Cathedral (Stephansdom) and he was buried at St. Marx Cemetery.
Over the 200+ years since Mozart’s death, rumours about
- Mozart being buried in a reusable coffin,
- Mozarts grave being dug up,
- Mozart’s skull being found
have spread and multiplied.
Fascinating as these stories may sound, they are fiction!
Stephansdom in Vienna – Site of Mozart’s Funeral
A Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Timeline
A short timeline of W.A.Mozart’s is the following:
- 1756 – born in Salzburg (January 27)
- 1760 – plays harpsichord
- 1761 – plays violin and begins to compose minuets
- 1762 – travels to Munich and gives concerts with sister Maria-Anna
- 1763 – plays for Empress Maria Theresa
- 1764 – starts a Grand Tour of Europe
- 1768 – writes first opera – La Finta Simplice
- 1770 – receives Order of Golden Spur from Pope Clement
- 1782 – marries Constanze
- 1784 – Karl Thomas Mozart is born
- 1791 – Franz Xaver Mozart is born
- 1791 – dies in Vienna(December 5)
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Text by Oksana A. Wynnyckyj-Yusypovych