MOZART, mo'zirt (Ger. meitsart), Johan nes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilns, Austrian composer: b. Salzburg, Austria, 27 Jan. 1756; d. Vienna, 5 ,Dec. 1791. With this somewhat harsh combination of names Mozart was baptized on the day following his birth. His parents were Johannes Georg Leopold Mo zart, and his wife, Anna Maria.
Until 24 years of age Mozart led a wander ing life, being taken on several tours by his father, who, while himself fully appreciating the child's genius, chafed under the continuous disappointments resulting from the fact that it was not productive either of the appreciation or financial returns which it so richly deserved. But later the musical world recognized his pow ers, nor has there since his death been any stint of praise for his marvelous achievements. Mo zart's genius was not merely the brilliant flash of a meteor, dazzling the world for a brief mo ment and then gradually flickering out. He did not earn his title of "musician of musicians* through one sublime effort in early life. Of him, perhat“. more than of any of the other great composers, it may be truly said that his powers steadily increased as he grew older, a statement borne out by the fact that three of his greatest works were composed during the last year of his life.
Nor is this high estimate of his worth con fined to those of the laity who since his time have been capable of appreciating his wonder ful genius. All men, including his fellow artists, paid sincere homage to him as supreme in sev eral of the departments of the musical art. Thus Rossini, on being asked who was the greatest musician, first replied "Beethoven* ; but when the question was put "What of Mo zart?" he answered "Mozart is not the great est, he is the only musician in the world.* Again, Gounod in an address before the Acad emie des Beaux Arts in 1882 expressed his deep admiration for Mozart in the following words: "Oh, divine Mozart, . . . bounteous nature had given thee every gift; grace and strength, fulness and sobriety, bright sponta neity and burning tenderness, all in that per fect balance which makes up the irresistible power of thy charm, and which makes of thee the musician of musicians, greater than the greatest, the only one of all.* This sounds like high praise, and that was what Gounod meant it to he. And so through out the ages men will continue to recognize the genuine fire of genius which animated his com positions and which found its expression not only in his inimitable perception of the relation between the human feelings and the realm of tones, or in his inexhaustible power of inter preting widely different types of character, but above all in the superb beauty of proportion and balance which pervades his creations. M
cart was not only a brilliant composer, however for he was also a remarkable performer on th piano, organ and violin. Haydn said that h could never forget Mozart's playing, for went to the heart' The number of separate published works ascribed to Mozart isa§,...while he is also said to have written 294 compositions which were unfinished or unpublished. When only three years old Mozart showed .evidences of his mu sical genius, perceiving which his father taught him minuets on the harpsichord and at f years hecimmoneed-eompesing,—Hisrst ap pearance in public was in September 1761, as a chorister in some theatricals held at the Uni versity of Salzburg. In his 6th year he com posed his first published work— a 'sonata pour claveein.) When seven years old the Mo zart family visited Paris, Wolfgang playing the violin and organ at several churches en route. Here he composed a Kyrie, his first sacred piece. Later in the year they went to London, where the boy's playing, and especially his power of improvising, excited the greatest ad miration. In 1764, while in London, he pro duced 10 sonatas for the clavier and violin, six of which, dedicated to the queen, were brought out early in the following year. In January 1766, Wolfgang gave two concerts in Amster dam, at which all the instrumental work was of his own composition. Later, on the occa sion of the installation of the Prince of Orange as stadtholder, he composed a con certo named 'Galimathias musicum.) After several months of travel the family returned to Salzburg in November. Here they remained till September 1767, Wolfgang devoting himself to study and composition. He composed a part of a sacred cantata for the archbishop of Salz burg, a Passion-cantata, his first concertos for the piano, and a Latin comedy, 'Apollo et Hya cinthus.' In September he was again in Vienna, his father being attracted there by the approach ing betrothal of the Archduchess Josepha to King Ferdinand of Naples. Here much jealousy and intrigue was displayed, and although Mo zart composed an opera, 'La Finta at the request of the emperor, it was not given a performance. Mozart, however, had the satis faction of producing privately his operetta en titled 'Bastion and Bastienne.' He also com posed an offertorium and a trumpet concerto to be used at the consecration of a new church at the Waisenhaus.