Mozart His Life and Works free essay sample

Winter Term March 03, 2010 Independent, freelance musicians are rarely seen, but after a rough dismissal by Archbishop Colored, that was what Mozart became. After Mozart tragic dismissal, he traveled to Vienna with the hopes of becoming employed In the court of Emperor Joseph II. Although his hopes were tragically disappointed, he managed to triumph In all musical categories and earned a high wage. Mozart explored all fields of music but was particularly interested in the genre of opera.At the time, opera was the most high-paying road for a musician to take. Not only did Mozart triumph In this genre, he changed the way It was written and performed, The former gallant virtuosic contest between soloist and orchestra of the earlier, pre-Fallen works is resolved by Mozart, transforming it instead into a stark, dramatic contrast. l However, a lack of money-control led Mozart to a tragic situation as a debtor before he died. We will write a custom essay sample on Mozart: His Life and Works or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mozart Rise to Fame Born in Salisbury, Austria on 27 January 1756, the child was christened Johannes Chromosomes Wolfgang Audiophiles Mozart.His father, Leopold, a composer, violinist, court musician and chamber composer, already triumphed with his book, The Violin School. As children, Mozart, and his sister Manner, showed great musical talent and Leopold began to devote all of his spare time to further his childrens skill for himself and the family, he surrendered his chances for advancement In his career, preferring to gamble on his children providing for the security of the frankly. 2 Realizing that the gifts Manner and Wolfgang had could lead them to success far greater than the confines of Salisbury, Leopold took the whole family on a tour in mid-1763.First, they traveled to Munich and then to Vienna, where Mozart and Manner triumphed In their performance for the Hapsburg royal family. Even though no musical postings had been offered, Wolfgang had grown immensely with his musical abilities. 3 Although Mozart music was considered to be one of the best in the history of the world, he was born Into a tragic situation where he did not need to worry about his financial condition. Everything that happened was taken care of by Leopold. 4 His childish characteristics were not appreciated at the strict Austrian court and offended many people.A tragic lack of self-control where money was concerned led o the many debts that Mozart had towards the end of his life. Also, his condescending attitude towards his colleagues, whom he considered mediocre, led him to establish powerful enemies who were able to do much damage to Mozart The Child Prodigy After Mozart first triumphant Grand Tour at the age of 7, he returned home for nine months before traveling once again to Vienna. The reason Leopold submitted to the Archbishop for his venture was to attend the Imperial Hapsburg family at the marriage of a daughter.The unstated reason, however, was to seek a better post for Mozart and Leopold. The Mozart family was received well in Vienna, but a tragic outbreak of smallpox kills the bride and very nearly kills Wolfgang as well. After he recovered, Leopold achieved a royal commission for Wolfgang to write an opera. However, intrigues, Jealousies, and an ill-conceived complaint to the royal family resulted in canceling the performance after Mozart composed La faint simple (K. 51). All the clavier-players and composers in Vienna with the sole exception of Waggishness, who, however, is sick opposed our advancement. 5 Although the opera was not performed in Vienna, it most likely was later on in Salisbury. After returning to Salisbury, Leopold continued to find projects for Wolfgang. He succeeded in gaining contracts to compose operas for courts in Italy. Leopold and Mozart made three trips to Italy between 1770-73. Wolfgang composed the operas Intimidate (K. 87) and Lucia Sills (K. 135) along the way and had the opportunity to study counterpoint with Padre Cosmologists Martini. With his help, Mozart triumphantly passed a composition test and became a member of the Bologna Philharmonic Society despite of the age restrictions. Wolfgang was the youngest composer ever to belong to the Academy of Bologna [Bologna Philharmonic Society]. 6 In Rome, Wolfgang performed the triumphant feat of copying down the entire Miseries after only one hearing with maybe a few corrections afterwards. 7 Mozart action of writing this choral was a risky decision and was usually punished by excommunication. However, Pope Clement XIV was so amazed at the wonders of Mozart brilliance that he awarded Mozart with the title of Knight of the Golden Spur instead. Everywhere Wolfgang went, he triumphed with his playing and composition skills.However, no posts were offered by the ruling Hapsburg Archdukes in Italy or any other ruling elite. Loopholes goal remained tragically unachieved and Wolfgang returned to Salisbury by March 1773. Mozart in Salisbury Mozart was never content with how things were going in Salisbury. He and his father, Leopold, thought that his gifts were being confined by the limited opportunities in Salisbury. The first Archbishop that Mozart served under, Scratching, was sympathetic to the Mozart familys struggle. He loved Mozart music and remained fairly cordial to the family throughout his life.However, after Archbishop Scratching tragic death, he was replaced by Hieronymus von Colored. At first, he was also sympathetic to Mozart, but he later became irritated by Wolfgang prolonged absences and stubborn ways. With no prospect of getting another post, however, Wolfgang and Leopold put up with what they saw as petty harassment by the new Archbishop. At this time, Leopold was Vice-Asperities while Mozart was Concertmaster. By 1775, the family became time for another attempt to seek a better post elsewhere. However, the Archbishop did not grant leave and Wolfgang resigned from his position as Concertmaster in order to go.Leopold could not go with Wolfgang this time because he needed to provide for the rest of the family. Therefore, Wolfgang and his mother set out by themselves. In Paris, Wolfgang mother became seriously ill and died. Mozart was shaken by his tragic loss, but was more concerned about how his father would take the news. He found himself altogether collected and turned to ponder how best to prepare Salisbury for the news; how to cushion a shock that might otherwise kill his father forthwith. 8 Meanwhile, Leopold had somehow been able to convince the Salisbury court to rehire Wolfgang as Concertmaster and even give him a raise. After recovering over the tragic death of his wife, he concentrated on getting Wolfgang ace to Salisbury. Wolfgang, on the other hand, was rather reluctant on returning to Salisbury. A Journey home from Paris that usually took a month stretched out to over four as Mozart dawdled along, enjoying the last few weeks of freedom from Leopold and the Salisbury court. During the years 1779-80 at home, Mozart composed 3 more symphonies, various church works and many others. However, Mozart still wanted to succeed in opera, which was not an opportunity offered in Salisbury.Therefore, when an opera was commissioned for the Carnival season in Munich, he was highly interested. The work was Demimonde (K. 66)9, which turned out to be a triumphant success. Demimonde was one of Mozart greatest masterpieces where Mozart expressed serious heroic emotion by using orchestral scoring and well-designed and expressive recitative. After the opera was performed. Mozart was summoned to Vienna where the Salisbury court was doing business. It was expected that Wolfgang would be able to catch up with them by the end of February, but he ended up arriving in the middle of March.The Archbishop informed Wolfgang that he was to give a concert the very night he arrived and made it clear that Mozart was a servant and should follow orders and procedures. This ended with Mozart quitting the service of the Archbishop in May despite Loopholes protests. Mozart in Vienna Although he desired to become employed in the Austrian court at Vienna, Mozart was generally content to undertake freelance work. The city allowed Mozart to give concerts to show off both his playing and composing skills, sell his works to publishers, teach students and play in the salons of the nobles and other wealthy personages of Vienna.During his early years at Vienna, Mozart won renown and earned money by his subscription concerts for the string of piano concertos. He did ally well financially in his first few years in Vienna, making the equivalent of $150,000 per year. During this time, Mozart approach to composition had changed as well. In all of his music, he had made sure that every work was accessible, but not by compromising his standards and philosophy on music. Instead, his intentions overall were to compel his listeners to follow his music. In doing this, Mozart was able to pleasing to the ear and marvels to attentive listeners.The problem about Vienna was that there were tragically too few listeners. In this period, Mozart married Constance Weber. As though to ward off new blows room Salisbury, he described his bride-to-be as far from beautiful, as though this Mould make his wish to marry her less obnoxious. 10 Leopold opposed the marriage and he and Manner never seemingly forgave Wolfgang for his final abandonment of the family. The correspondence between Wolfgang and Leopold (and between Leopold and Manner; with nothing between Wolfgang and Manner) during Analogous years in Vienna showed little warmth.The correspondences instead tragically evolved into complaints and sour comments by Leopold, which was answered politely by Mozart. In 1785, however, Loopholes letters home projected a stricture of life with his son, tinged with admiration for his accomplishments and chagrin accompanied by a shade of Jealousy that Wolfgang was leading such a triumphant life without his guiding. Once Leopold returned to Salisbury, correspondence between father and son became even more widely spaced. However, Manner received a constant flow of letters from Leopold offering advice and direction.It would seem that Leopold tragically saved his parental warmth for his daughter. 11 With opera as one of Mozart ambitions, it made sense that he would turn to this art form once on his own. Opera started in Italy. It is a musical play with singers, ballet dancers, and an orchestra. Wolfgang loved it more than any other kind of music. 12 In 1782, with the German opera Die Enthusing ass deem Serial (The Abduction from the Seraglio K. 384), Mozart composed a triumphant work that played all over Europe.Then, Mozart paired up with Court Poet Lorenz Dad Point and transformed a highly political play into the opera Lee Nozzle Did Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro K. 492). Receiving in 1787 a commission from the National Theater in Prague, Mozart and Dad Point responded with Don Giovanni (Don Juan K. 527). The citizens of Prague showed great enthusiasm for both of these works. Then in 1789, Mozart and Dad Point collaborated again for the Vienna Theater and made Coos fan tutee (K. 588). Irish opera was better accepted by the Viennese audience than Don Giovanni was. Coos fan tutee was a success.Its apparent frivolous subject-matter appealed more than the shocking violence of Don Giovanni to Viennese audiences. 13 In 1786, a great stroke of luck materialized for Mozart. The honorary Imperial Court Composer, Christopher Willable Cluck died in November 1786. The court bestowed part of Clucks position and salary upon Mozart. Although the salary bestowed upon Mozart was less than half of Clucks, there was no doubt that Mozart could grow into the position and have future salary increases. Despite his industry and appointment, it appears that in 1787, Mozart and Constance fell on harder times.Mozart was tragically forced to borrow money to keep up appearances and could never fully pay back his debts. 14 On top of this, Mozart father, Leopold, died. Leopold had warned that if Wolfgang married Constance, he would be left out of any Nil. True to his word, Mozart tragically had nothing bequeathed to him. Rhea Requiem repaid by a messenger acting on behalf of anonymous composer named Count Franz Wallets. It was later shown that the Count had intended to pass off the work as his own. Mozart had taken the work despite of the mysterious circumstances, believing that he would need six to eight weeks to complete it.The composition was due by the anniversary of the death of the Countys wife, which meant that Mozart had until January 1792 to complete it. However, there were other works that crowded his schedule, allowing him to work intermittently at best on the Requiem. The premier of Rhea Magic Flute was a triumphant success. What always gives me the most pleasure is the silent approval. You can see how this opera is becoming more and more esteemed. 1 5 Only after premiering the Magic Flute in September did he have time to work on the Requiem.