Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
At the early age of 4 years
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart started to receive his musical education
and was taught by his father. At the age of 5 he was presented
as an infant prodigy and performed his first musical tour
through Europe. Mozart's career was closely linked to the
city of Vienna. Aged 6, he performed for the Austrian royals
at the Hall of Mirrors at Schloss Schönnbrunn and enchanted
Empress Maria Theresia and her family with his talent and
his liveliness. On this tour through Europe it became clear
that Mozart was not only an excellent performer, but was also
interested in composing music. In 1765, his first Sonatas
were published in Paris in 1765.
Mozart moved to Vienna
in 1781 aged 25. In the House of the Teutonic Order (Deutschordenshaus;
1010, Singerstraße 7) he fell out with his employer,
the Archbishop of Salzburg.
Mozart resigned his secure employment at Salzburg and opted
for a freelance career in Vienna.
Mozart's first months in Vienna were spent in a small pension
in the direct vicinity of St. Peter's Church, a beautiful
baroque church in the first district. There, the composer
fell in love with Konstanze Weber, daughter to the establishment.
The success of his opera "The Abduction from the Seraglio"
(Die Entführung aus dem Serail) enabled him to marry
- at St. Stephen's Cathedral.
2 years later, Mozart and his family moved into the "Mozarthaus"
(1010, Domgasse 5) into a spacious apartment. Mozart was respected
and successful as a musician and happy in his marriage. His
years at 'Mozarthaus' would be the most productive period
in his live. He composed piano concerti, chamber music works
and the opera "The Marriage of Figaro" (Die Hochzeit
des Figaro).
A year before his death, Mozart and his family moved into
another first district apartment. In spite of his success
the family was heavily in dept and Mozart worked frantically
to earn more money. "The Magic Flute" was composed
in this time and the famous unfinished Requiem, unfinished
as Mozart suddenly took ill and died on the 5th December 1791.
His remains received his last blessings in the 'Kruzifixkapelle'
in St. Stephen's Cathedral. Parts of the Requiem were performed
for the first time during the wake at Michaelerkirche. Then,
Mozart was buried at St. Marx Cemetery. 60 years after his
death a monument was errected at the grave yard to commemorate
the great musician, 100 years after his death this memorial
was moved to the graves of honor (group 32 a, no. 55). First
district's Burggarten features an impressive Mozart memorial!
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